Saturday (10 August) was presented by popNRW with musicNRWwomen and designated a day when the Ladies would get their chance to shine at the Stadtgarten. Organizer HaJo made the point when introducing the bands that women don’t get the opportunities that male-fronted bands do in the music business. If that’s true then it is certainly at odds with the very top of our current music scene where the ladies seem to be more than well represented with the likes of Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Adele ruling the current pop charts. There’s always room for more if the quality is good though, and this evening’s two bands set around Cologne’s Annelu and Duisburg’s Stina Holmquist both proved deserving of a place in the spotlight.

There is once again a big audience camped out on the grassy bank that looks down on the stage. the new stage placement was a brainwave. It really has attracted bigger audiences than in previous years. The glorious weather has played a part too of course, and this particular day has been a sweltering one. But what better way to cool down than sitting with a picnic and listening to live music whilst looking at the Rhine River shimmering in the distance or watching the glimmer of the day’s last sun’s rays reflecting back off of trams as they meander across the Kennedy Bridge? Am I getting too romantic? Just reporting on what I see as I sip a cold beer whilst the air cools around me at day’s end.

But we’re not just here to enjoy the view of course. What about the music? I hear you cry. Well, tonight again it’s also as relaxing as the sunset. Annelu has a very radio-friendly mainstream sound. That’s not just the opinion of my ears, it’s borne out by her music from the 2022 debut ‘s.th.feel’ that has found its way onto 1Live and Deutschlandfunk. There’s also a Country & Western element in the mix, although here perhaps my ears are being deceived by my eyes observing that both Annelu and rhythm guitar/backing vocalist Melissa Muther are both wearing cowboy boots.

Annelu’s set is pretty much all self-penned and for the most part very laidback. When it does pick up speed it’s very much very radio friendly, as in the uptempo track ‘Kinda Peace of Mind’ and the closing ‘Summer Dream’ by which time the lady has her audience well under her spell and joining happily in with ‘Ooh!’ sounds as required. There are a couple of non-selfpenned songs played too, and they include a very creditable Fleetwood Mac cover , ‘Dreams’. Interestingly on the Country Music theme, my favourite track was probably Annelu’s interpretation of Kacey Musgraves ‘Slow Burner’. Musgraves is someone I had not heard of but have now checked out (with positive results) so this spotlighting of womens music theme seems to be working. Two more female musicians to check out musically already in Annelu and Musgraves. Now it’s time for a third…

As her name suggests, despite coming up the road from the Ruhr part of Nordrhine Westphalia for this show, Stina Holmquist has Swedish roots. Perhaps it’s that mix that leads her music to have an originality all its own. That originality is reflected straight away in the band’s instrumental set-up. I can’t remember ever seeing two keyboards front centre of stage for a concert before, and to add to the refreshing picture there is, of all things, a trombone standing right next to the keyboards. I’m very intrigued to hear what sound this band is going to make.

Photographing Stina Holmquist is rather like it must be photographing the Mona Lisa. Wherever you are pointing your camera you get the feeling she knows right where you are. Her eyes are closed as she sings, and pop! they’re wide open and staring right at you. This girl has effortless charisma in buckets. The songs catch you off guard too. As with Annelu earlier all the lyrics are English – like her appearance Holmquist’s lyrics jar slightly in an unexpected, but pleasant, way:

“Am I good enough for you? Am I good enough for me? What’s the matter?” (‘I’m in a dress’)

“I don’t even know if I need you now!” (‘I don’t call you home anymore’)

It sounds like a case of Music is therapy? The lady herself though says of her songwriting: ” I like to write songs about things that I see, perceive, read, feel and that happen around me. And somehow this image of looking out the window, watching people and weaving myself into their stories is something that often comes up in my songs”. Well, whoever the models are for the song lyrics I found them refreshing. The best songs for me were those with a slow-rolling tempo, especially ‘Asphalt’ which was a great number towards the end of the set with the sun going down. A slow tempo that gradually builds and then checks beautifully to run back on itself with just that plaintive voice riding the musical wave. On the more up-tempo songs Holmquist was into Petshop Boys territory at times which isn’t my thing, but the dual keyboards shared with Paul Sabel carried it well, and just when the music was in danger of getting samey Sabel turned to his trombone and mixed the sound carpet up perfectly.

The best evening of music so far for me at this year’s Stadtgarten. Great location, great weather, entertaining and thoughtful songs with the hint of a possible star in the making. Can it get better than this? Watch this space…