Great music at increasingly greater cost. Kunst!Rasen reflects on 2026, it’s 14th year that has just ended, down by the Rhine. Here is it’s review.

Florence, Nancy and Texas were the homes and influences of Stadtgarten 2026 on it’s last date in 2026. In Giulia Millanta and Blond Bélier we had two very different styles of music to enjoy – but that’s part of Stadtgarten’s magic after all. Bring a blanket for the grassy ground and a picnic basket, or dance energetically to the music close to the stage. It’s your choice. The main aim – relax and enjoy!

Formed in 1986, by the early 1990’s Fury in the Slaughterhouse were topping the mighty Scorpions as Germany’s premier hard rockers. So how come 40 years on there are only around 3000 people at Kunstrasen to see them? Last year saw 8000 fans celebrating the return of their musical heroes. It can’t be that 5000 of them went instead to see Nick Cave last night. Whatever the reason, those absent people missed an excellent set that showed FITS to be far from a spent musical force.

Intense. If you tied me to a one word review of Tuesday’s Kunstrasen concert by Nick Cave, that’s the word I would choose. For me, and I’m sure for many others too, this was the show not to miss in Bonn this year. Not surprisingly the show was sold out with 10,000 in attendance and there were occasions when it looked like Cave just might walk supported on the hands of each and everyone of those spectators all the way to the last row.

Hats off to Popcamp for their selection of artists appearing this year at Stadtgarten. Two completely different bands and styles, yet both CECI and Yetundey had the songs, stage presence and musical quality to appeal to the same audience.

It wasn’t in total the “50,000 voices singing in the rain” that Amy MacDonald sings about in her 2012 hit ‘Pride’ but 4,000+ voices was a pretty good result considering the downpour that persisted throughout her performance at Kunstrasen on Wednesday. “We have a word for this. We call it ‘Dreich weather’ in Scotland” she told us. Before continuing with a smile “It’s really the normal weather in Glasgow”. But how many of the 4000+ would still be there by concert’s end? Real supporters or fair weather fans?…

Sad news today that ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has passed away. He died on Monday at a hospice in Richmond, Texas. Beard’s last appearance in Bonn was at Kunstrasen in July 2024 (see picture). Beard stepped away from the band in March 2025 because of unspecified health issues after being their drummer since the band’s formation alongside bassist Dusty Hill who died in 2021 and Billy Gibbons. It was a formation that lasted for over half a century and brought many hits, most famously ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ and ‘Gimme All Your Loving’ from the mega-selling Eliminator album.

It will always be the ultimate conundrum that whilst Hill and Gibbons sported trademark long beards, Beard himself never did. But that was a part of the band’s success – a mix of visual gimmickery (remember those plush covered revolving guitars) that fitted perfectly with MTV in its heyday and great Pop/Rock songs that were unmistakably ZZ and no-one else.

When Dusty Hill passed away in 2021 the band pulled in long-time road crew member Elwood Francis as replacement. Whether the band will continue with just Billy Gibbons as original member? Gibbons had this to say:

“Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas,” Gibbons said. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top. The band of which he was part for six decades is going to keep on keeping on as he had wished”

His (Beard’s) signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top. The band of which he was part for six decades is going to keep on keeping on as he had wished”