A big Kunst!Rasen fan – Wolfgang Niedecken is behind Michael Schmidt

Will it be a good Summer or a bad one here in Bonn? No, I’m not talking about the weather, but about the Open-Air attractions coming our way. Whilst a rejuvenated ‘Rhein-Kultur’ (‘Rockaue’) is still in its infancy Kunst!Rasen has a couple of tempestuous years experience behind it.
In an attempt to calm that tempest the Kunst!Rasen Verein (Association) was introduced. This week saw a meeting to discuss what’s happening, and what will hopefully happen soon, down by the Post-tower.

There is no shortage of prominent support for the Open-Air Season in Bonn. Videos of Cabaretist Konrad Beikircher and Mayor Jürgen Nimptsch are proof of this and, as Promoter Ernst- Ludwig Hartz pointed out, Wolfgang Niedecken’s BAP are only missing from this years line-up because he is currently touring with an acoustic show that brings him to Bonn’s Beethovenhalle and wants to come back to Kunst!rasen with a full and electric band.

If only the Finance Department was as keen to get things going as the musicians and fans… The Kunst!Rasen Verein is still waiting to welcome members and hoping for clearance to come into existence as early as possible this Summer. Not that the Verein is about paying for the events – you don’t need a degree in accountancy to work out that completely putting up and taking down an entire event village including stage, booths, electricity and water supplies plus paying staff and of course musicians can’t be covered by 30 Euro contributions alone. That’s not what the Kunst!Rasen Verein is about as was pointedly noted by one gentleman present to great applause: “We are not just a Verein – we are a Movement” and the aim of this movement is to show that the people of and around Bonn want live music to enrich their lives without having to catch a train or Motorway to Cologne to do it.

Martin Nötzel & Kunstrasen  Verein Chairman Michael Schmidt talk tactics on Wednesday

The music is already largely booked. Ten major events are allowed and just a couple are not yet agreed on. Top names already guaranteed are US Band Chicago and Scottish Band Simple Minds. Jazz of the highest calibre is assured with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke.

There will be no Kunst!Palast this year despite the success in 2013 of the likes of Beth Hart and the B52’s. Measurements last year went a couple of decibels over the acceptable limit for the area of 45 db’s. There WILL be a Kunst!Garten though, rising literally phoenix like out of last years arson ashes. It will be run separately from the Kunst!Rasen, free admission, and cover more events than ever before (some 120) including Pop-Farm with the local music scene. Different days will have different themes… Lots to look forward to then from 25 May to 5 October – and a glass of cool beer as well. What could be better?

For more details about the coming open-air season visit the Kunst!Rasen Website