Help Save Kunst!Rasen

“Bonn’s Cultural scene is united – From The Opera to the ‘Brotfabrik’, From the Philharmonic to the Kunst!Rasen, we are ONE!”

– The words of Bonn’s famed cabaretist Konrad Beikircher. On 20 December Beikircher will be joined by BAP frontman Wolfgang Niedecken at the Beethovenhalle in presenting a Benefit Concert in aid of The Kunst!Rasen. Words of inspiration though are not enough. Music fans in Bonn can help too…

The Open-Air Season started this year holding it’s breath as the Rhine’s high water mark threatened to wash Brings and the whole open air field away. It survived to glitter with Zaz, shine with Santana and positively burst with colour to Deichkind.

…and then the troubles began: Despite the addition of giant containers to soak up the sound Rhineside, complaints trickled in about noise – Often on days where there weren’t even any concerts. Just a passing tourist ship with a disco on-board was enough to bring in the complaints. They reached their climax with a Beuel resident (the other side of the Rhine from Kunst!Rasen) bringing court action and demands that the concerts be so quiet that the last show of the season by Tocotronic had to be cancelled. No band could/would play a decent concert under such conditions.

Fast forward to late October and the Courts decision that the building contract drawn up for the Season was unlawful – and immediately thereafter the restaurant area being destroyed by fire (suspected arson). Who would want to be a Concert Promoter in Bonn?

Wolfgang Niedecken & BAP at Kunst!Rasen

Well, Martin J. Nötzel and Ernst-Ludwig Hartz would, even after all that has happened. Understandably though they are having to rethink the future. Quite simply, no other major concert season in the area is privately funded like Kunst!Rasen. Every blade of grass has to be back in place at the end of the season – and every stick of stage, stand and dressing room has to be built, rebuilt and unbuilt every Season.

Put plainly and simply, if no-one steps in to help then Kunst!Rasen will go the way of Museumsplatz Open-air and Rheinkultur.

The Benefit Concert on 20 December is being held to help cover the costs of the recent fire on the Kunst!Garten land. The concert Season was over and the insurance was by that time lapsed – result a damage cost of around 100.000 Euros. Konrad Beikircher and Wolfgang Niedecken will be there to help raise money for the fire damage, but after that it’s really down to the music lovers of Bonn. Do you want top music in Bonn? or do you want to stay home every night with nothing but recorded music and headphones for company?

If, like me, you care about live music, then Click Here – fill in your Email details under ‘Unterstützerliste‘ – and GET INVOLVED.

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