..........

1995:

It was about time: NOCTURN debuted on stage at "Logo", a Hamburg music club, in front of over 250 enthusiastic guests. Their very first gig lasted longer than two hours and had the people up on their feet. A week before, they had recorded an unplugged trailer for this gig – based on an Allman Brothers tune- along with an acoustic version of their hit "Carolina" at Radio Hamburg, the biggest commercial radio station in town.

There was also a gig at "Cuzco" in Bargteheide, among others.

1996:

After that, NOCTURN went into the studio to record a Demo-CD with 3 tracks, which was finished in one day, recorded mostly live.

(for reviews look at REACTIONS: Southern News No.9    and the remarks by Bobby Ingram (MOLLY HATCHET))

1997:

In 1997, the band widened its radius of action: there were still gigs in Hamburg, at "Knust" for example, but also in Düsseldorf, Ahrensburg (twice) and Lübeck (again at the "Rider’s Cafe" with the BIG BOYS), and – as a highlight – a two-hour concert at "Beck’s Open Air on tour" in Heide, at the huge market square. That’s a three-day-festival as part of a series which also features the "Rockspektakel" at the Hamburg Town Hall Square. In Heide, other bands which are well-known in Germany also played, like ILLEGAL 2001, for example (click here for a PHOTO).

1998:

Besides live concerts in Hamburg ("Knust") and Mölln, this year was another step forward, because the band had the opportunity to be special guests and the support group for well-known bands from the Southern Rock scene. They were booked as support for the band 38 SPECIAL (USA) in Hamburg at "Große Freiheit 36", but then the whole tour was cancelled.

Things were different in November: NOCTURN was the special guest and support band for MOLLY HATCHET (USA), and played in front of about 800 people at "Große Freiheit 36" in Hamburg. They rocked the place and gave a convincing performance not only to the audience but also to MOLLY HATCHET, who had already judged NOCTURN’s soundcheck as "great".                                                                              (look at the PHOTO GALLERY and a review at REACTIONS).

1999:

The year started out with a gig at a bikers' fair, the "Riders' Bikers' Classics" in Travemünde.                        (look at REACTIONS).

Then NOCTURN wanted to focus on recording again, so they went into the studio in Oldenburg, recording four of their own songs and overdubbing and remixing those 3 tracks from the old 1996 Demo-CD. The result: NOCTURN had a CD with 7 tracks.                                                                                                                (look at REACTIONS: read a review by Bruce Brookshire of DOC HOLLIDAY).

There were more live gigs, of course: among others there was a three-band-lineup at "Logo" Hamburg and at "Flohcircus" in Hanover with the bands FIREBALL (Deep Purple cover band from the Czech Republic) and MOKEY CAP (Melodic Rock) and a gig at the regular monthly "metal attack" at "Logo" (Hamburg) together with a Hardrock band called CATALINA. There was also an appearance at the "Bluesgarage" in Hannover-Isernhagen, a very genre-type club, where Molly Hatchet played a gig during their 2000 Tour, for example (click here for a PHOTO).

2000:

Raving reviews got them a gig at "Indra," a club in Hamburg-St.Pauli where the BEATLES hit the stage even before (!) they played the "Starclub" and "Kaiserkeller" (look at REACTIONS).

2001:

Finally NOCTURN went online with their own website, which was well accepted by internet users. It was linked on several other sites.

Also the CD was finished and it is now available in the official pressing with re-designed artwork since fall 2001 (go to CDs)!           The CD got a lot of positive reviews and reactions in music magazines, webzines, by other musicians etc. .  (look at REACTIONS)

During the year, they played a couple of gigs in clubs in Hamburg, for example at "Logo", at "Mayday" (look at PHOTO GALLERY) and at "Auerhahn"... especially a show at the legendary "Fabrik", entitled "Hamburg keeps on rockin' for a free world" (look at PHOTO GALLERY).

The highlight of this year for the band was the chance to be part of the fall tour of DOC HOLLIDAY (USA) and LIZARD. NOCTURN played the two dates in Northern Germany, in Hannover ("Bluesgarage Isernhagen") and Hamburg ("Logo") and rocked the audience!                                                                           (for onstage reviews look at REACTIONS, for photos look at PHOTO GALLERY)

At the end of the year, NOCTURN charted at a reader's poll of Hamburg's daily newspaper "Hamburger Morgenpost": they entered the Top Ten in the cathegories best live-show (at "Logo", with Doc Holliday), best Hamburg act and best song ("Shadow Hunter")!!

2002:

Because of the CD-release in late 2001 most of the CD-reviews in music magazines and webzines were published in 2002 (look at REACTIONS).They were very positive. There was also an interview in a french music-webzine ("Road to Jacksonville").

NOCTURN played live-shows as well of course: gigs at clubs in Hamburg  like "Marquee" and "Headbanger's Ballroom" were successfull, as well as some shows at local open air festivals in the summer, the "Altonale" and the "Sonnenblumenfest" in Hamburg. In addition, there was a live appearance at local TV in a show called "Tricky Mickey's Beatclub".

The Highlight of the year was sharing the stage with REBEL STORM (USA) on their first European tour: NOCTURN pleased the crowd - together with their American friends - on both dates, in Luebeck ("Rider's Cafe") and in Hamburg ("Mayday") (for onstage reviews look at REACTIONS for photos look at PHOTO GALLERY).

In addition, NOCTURN topped the Netcharts in May (at www.kool-media.de) with their song "Good as gone" (rock charts). Also, the reader' charts of the "Southern News" (issue #15) had NOCTURN at #12 for the singles with the song "Carolina".

At the end of the year, "Good as gone" appeared on a sampler released by the rock magazine "Eclipsed" (Music From Time & Space, Vol.2).

NOCTURN is on air! Songs were played at the following radio stations: Radio Okerwelle (Braunschweig) (e.g.in the sunday show "Bluestime" in March), Radio 21, OK Hamburg, Radio Melodic (playlist) and Startrips Radio (from Brazil!) (playlists, e.g. Sept. 8th and Oct. 27th   '02).

2003:

Good news started the year: Nocturn was voted # 3 in the "best Live-Act 2002" section in the readers' poll at www.rocktip.de!

More positive CD reviews were published in 2003 as well, especially in a couple of webzines in the USA and in Germany, but also in print magazines (look at REACTIONS). Furthermore, NOCTURN was mentioned in articles about German bands and about Southern Rock in the print magazines "Gitarre & Bass" (August issue,click  here) and "Eclipsed" (March issue).

International radio airplay of the CD: in the USA, at Smokestack Lightnin' Radio Orlando, Florida (Playlist 17.July '03) and at Lexrock, Kentucky (www.lexrock.com); in France at Radio Coteaux (Playlists March and April); in Spain at Radio Babilonia; in Italy at Diradio (www.diradio.it) and in Brazil at Startrips Radio (Playlists, e.g. 6.April 2003).

Live-shows included "Rainer's Garage" (Harley-meeting) in Buchholz, as well as several shows in clubs in  Hamburg like "Riff" and "Mayday". In addition, they played a show at an unplugged- festival at "Markthalle" in Hamburg (for onstage reviews look at REACTIONS).

The Highlight was a show with LIZARD and FLATMAN at the   Southernrockfestival in Schlepzig (Spreewald) a little south of Berlin (for onstage reviews look at  REACTIONS for photos look at PHOTO GALLERY), where all three bands rocked the crowd.

On October 25th, 2003 suddenly and unexpectedly, the founding member and keyboarder, Arne Bihn, passed away. He'll always be remembered as a friend and as a musician. All plans for fall/winter, including a support gig for Doc Holliday (USA) in November, were stopped of course.

2004 + 2005:

Due to founding member Arne Bihn passing away, NOCTURN had to "re-invent" itself. This has been a difficult process. They weren't able to play live-shows for a while. In the end of 2004, they played an acoustic show at "WunderBAR" in Lueneburg (with VAN BLUE), and in spring 2005 there was a show at "Rock'n'Roll Warehouse" in Hamburg for a GOV'T MULE warm-up party.

In 2004 and 2005, a few more international CD-reviews were published in the USA, in Spain, in Greece and in Germany, all were very positive about the album (look at REACTIONS). Furthermore, NOCTURN got some positive comments in an article about Southern Rock bands from Germany in the print magazine "Eclipsed" (issue May '04).

The CD got some more international radio airplay in CD 2004/2005 again: in the USA at Lexington Broadcasting (www.lexingtonbroadcasting.com) (since summer 2005), at WMUC (fall '04 ("Rambler" and "T-Bird"), jan. 2005 ( "Lady's Blues") and aug. 2005 ("Atlanta")!), at Lexrock, Kentucky (www.lexrock.com) (summer '04) and at "43 the hawk" Radio  (various songs, since winter 2005); in Italy at Radio Antenna 2 (www.antenna2.it) (spring '04).