Bonn's famed Open Air Tent

Could this be the last Open-Air Season in Bonn’s Museumsplatz?

The venue that has staged such illustrious concerts as Elton John, David Bowie and The Who could soon be a fond memory.  The adjascent Bundeskunsthalle which rents the land where the famous tent stands now demands 2.5 million euros for the renovation of the Tent and it’s location spread over five years plus a regular payment of 60.000 euros each year for future site maintenance + an additional 250.000 euro downpayment.

It has only been in recent years that the Venue had to reorganize after the disasterous overspending that brought Top Stars at over inflated prices to the Museumsplatz.  The whole organization was taken over by new hands and overhauled to at least remain a going concern.  With some success it appears, with this year set to include appearances by Top American acts like BB King and Greg Allmann.

Brian Ferry at Museumsplatz last year

A short stroll from the Open-Air tent will take you to the latest artistic ‘attraction’ on Museumsmile, a twenty metre long sheet of spray-painted Fibre-glass that cost 355.000 euros.  Personally I’d prefer to hear good music from a top band at a special location.

Tenders for the location had to be in by Monday and the situation for music-lovers looks bleak.  Current organizers KultEvent announced that their offer was unaltered since the offer they made before the Bundeskunsthalle made their requirements known – consequently it is unlikely that their bid will be accepted.  The organizers are now looking at other alternatives such as a regular open air venue in the Rheinaue Park.  Jürgen Harder, one of the current Event organizers blames Berlin’s Cultural Politics for the current situation.

Coming on the heals of this years abandonment of the ‘Summer Stage’ in Bonn Marketsquare things are looking bleak for top quality musical entertainment in Bonn right now.