May 7 2017 was a special evening at Bonn Folk Club. For one, the TV cameras of WDR came down to introduce the show to a wider audience. The other reason didn’t seem so important at the time, but proved to be – it was the appearance by a young man who had been drawing big crowds playing on the streets of Bonn. His name Melchi Vepouyoum. My REVIEW at the time said “Melchi is someone you might see playing on a street corner whilst the Justin Biebers of this world play to arenas. Is there any justice in this world? No there is not”. Well he still isn’t playing stadiums, but Melchi in 2026 has played Bonn Harmonie with his own band and at Stadtgarten this evening showed that early promise was no fluke. Together with the United Nations house-band reUNited this was an evening of familiar faces and once again proof that the streets of Bonn are paved, if not currently with gold, at least with excellent musicians.
“When the statue was unveiled, it unfortunately had its back turned to us.” So wrote Queen Victoria in her diary after the unveiling of Beethoven’s statue in Bonn Münsterplatz on 12 August 1845. A certain Hector Berlioz was also annoyed by the event and reported that, due to the vast crowds packed into the square, it was impossible to reach the Münster.
The ‘crowd’ was somewhat smaller on Wednesday for the 181st anniversary of the statues unveiling. The baritone voice of Falko Hönisch carried across the square in the humid Summer air, accompanied by Martin Wiemer’s piano. at least the dignitaries present in 2026 from Bürger für Beethoven, were seated facing Hähnel’s celebrated statue this time.
Beethoven himself died in March 1827 but it took some time, and important celebrities too, including Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt, to organize a monument. The City of Bonn itself wasn’t interested, so the ‘Verein für Beethoven’s Monument’ was created whose work continues today as ‘Bürger für Beethoven’.
As there was controversy recently over Markus Lüpertz’ ‘Hommage to Beethoven’ at Stadtgarten, so there was controversy too over the statue that was erected in 1845. Many wanted a more heroic, Godlike pose as was popular then. The final choice was for Beethoven to look like Beethoven. As Victoria noted – it is accurate right down to its moody temperament.
They didn’t have a long journey, but given the current transport problems in Bonn even a ferry over from Honnef isn’t guranteed these days. Fortunately for us all there was a ferry, and therefore a concert at Unter der Zeder by Friendship21 to enjoy. With a couple of special guests too…
The Stadtgarten concerts at Bonn’s Alten Zoll made their welcome return on Friday. There will be lots of free music to enjoy each Friday and Saturday evening in August but it certainly started very promisingly with a colourful and energetic start from Punk Ska-rockers Roskapankki and what the second band of the evening MandelKokainSchnaps describe as Pinker Pop-Punk. Let’s get front of stage before the crowds arrive with their picnic blankets…
Super hot music in super hot weather by super hot musicians. The Band was Supercharge, led since 1973 by Liverpudlian Albie Donnelly. The place Bundeskunsthalle rooftop as part of the General Anzeiger Sommergarten Festival.
If you went to Unter der Zeder on Monday thinking ‘The Rhythm Section’? Hmm… sounds like an evening of safe if unremarkable instrumentals” you would have been WAY, Way wrong. The singers actually outnumbered the musicians. Ten musicians and singers in total. A recipe for confusion and ego-clashing? It turned out to instead be a recipe for spontaneity and shared enjoyment that had the audience on their feet and clapping along well before evening’s end.
Saddened to hear today that Konrad Beikircher has passed away aged 80. Even as a resident of Düsseldorf many years ago I was aware of this multi-talent who seemed to represent all that was good humoured about the Rhineland area. He was a comedian, musician, writer, presenter, Moderator…
Beikircher developed his own unique style. One that managed to laugh with, rather than at, the foibles of his subjects (more often than not Rhinelanders). If you wanted a fresh view of anything – Konrad Beikircher was your man. I offer as proof a book I’m currently reading, his witty analysis of Beethoven ‘Der Ludwig – Jetzt mal so gesehen’
Despite being from South Tyrol, Beikircher lived most of his life near the Rhine and has become synonymous with Bonn in the way that Wolfgang Niedecken has with Cologne, and indeed his first professional appearance was on the stage at Jazzgalerie in 1978. He announced an end to touring last year and this year was ironically due to see the last appearances of Konrad Beikircher onstage.
But offstage too Konrad Beikircher has enriched the Cultural landscape of Bonn. His home at Katharinenhof with third wife artist Anne Siering-Beikircher in Schweinheim has long been an insider tip for locals with its off-beat courtyard and fields where walking round any corner could bring you in contact with giant insects made from spare parts, life-size painted wooden people or even a stainless-steel Cardinal Woelki. It’s also been a place for numerous concerts and events in an intimate and friendly atmosphere. Best enjoyed with a glass of wine and slice of home-made plum cake.
I never did make it to one of Beikircher’s own cabaret evenings which I regret. I guess it was a case of that old error we’ve all made, saying ‘Maybe next year’…
So, with that regret in mind, I will remember him best as a man enjoying being our host on a sunny Summer evening at Katherinenhof, pouring out generous glasses of wine for the visitors with a happy smile.
Visitors to Konrad Beikircher’s website this morning will find only one page. It shows a heavenly sky with Frederico Fellini’s words:
“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.”
The Open-air concerts at Alter Zoll have been a regular feature since 2012 and it seems hard to imagine a Summer in Bonn without picknickers on the grass bank at Stadtgarten enjoying free music in the sunshine. Bonn’s Stadtgarten typically serves as a stage on five weekends, but this year is sadly only four. Rather than complain about the missing weekend, lets be positive about what we have. There will be concerts every Friday and Saturday evening from 7th to 29 August.
Something that remains the same is that all bands appearing are playing their own material rather than the coverband blockade favoured elsewhere. Experience tells me that you can be assured of getting your money’s worth since the shows are free! But to be serious, you can definitely be guaranteed to hear music played from the heart by enthusiastic local and international musicians. There is always an interesting mix of music and styles so come along, enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the Summer and enjoy the music!
