The Stadtgarten concerts at Bonn’s Alten Zoll made their welcome return on Friday. There will be lots of free music to enjoy each Friday and Saturday evening in August but it certainly started very promisingly with a colourful and energetic start from Punk Ska-rockers Roskapankki and what the second band of the evening MandelKokainSchnaps describe as Pinker Pop-Punk. Let’s get front of stage before the crowds arrive with their picnic blankets…
Actually, even at the start-time of 7 pm you will struggle to find a patch of lawn overlooking the stage area that has space for anything more than a bath-mat. There’s a Punk-Rock get-together on the nearby University lawn too that has brought an influx of curious spiky-haired visitors over to dance in the gravel stage-side. anti-AFD flags are sharing the breeze with rainbow ones demanding sexual tolerance. It all sounds like there should be a police cordon somewhere – but actually the mood is a happy one. Much safer in fact than you’re likely to feel around Bonn Centre these days.
Roskapankki‘s philosophy, as espoused on their website, is perfect this evening: Two things are unequivocally allowed: Having fun and having something to say, or even better – both! Their brand of Ska fuelled Punkrock comes across at times like Madness on steroids. Loud and Proud sums the band up well. I did recognize a heavy loaded version of Aerosmith’s Pop-Rock classic ‘Don’t wanna miss a thing’ in the set somewhere and a frenetic song ‘Aluhut’ close to the finish. In between was a lot of mayhem, flag waving, dancing, and energy, as much in front of as on the stage as the band showed why they have a big following here in their hometown.
‘Loud and Proud‘ also sums up the attitude of Berlin’s MandelKokainSchnaps. Add too the word ‘different’. The band certainly know how to maximise effect with minimum budget in a live setting: fog machines, firework pots and even bubble blowers being employed throughout the evening to fill the fading light with mist, sparkle and, well, bubbles. Not that there was a lack of visual attention-getters from within the band itself. Take Wolfgang Wanner – a tutu wearing bassist with palm-tree hairstyle and a beard. Strips of his wooly jumper have been cut off to leave him barechested. Guitarist Benedikt Scholz seems to be wearing those missing strips as a brief vest and an even briefer skirt. The band’s drummer is wearing a lycra outfit almost spray-painted on. It’s amazing that anyone can hope to divert attention from band members dressed the way these guys are are, but that would be to underestimate the personality of Wenke Zastrau. Power-Frau of a singer standing 1.75 metres tall Zastrau has the commanding presence of someone saying I’M THE MAIN EVENT HERE – AND DON’T YOU FORGET IT! even before she opens her mouth. Any doubts? She sports a tattoo proclaiming ‘Boss’ and an early song is titled “Boss Bitch”
All show and no susbstance? Actually, far from it. Beyond their ‘dare to be different’ attitude MKS have a tight rock sound and the songs, all self-penned, are well constructed and sung with lyrics that carry a message. There’s more here for sure than Eurovision style theatricality. They certainly don’t beat around the bush as heard on their very first single pointedly stating „Rassist, ich find dich persönlich scheiße!“ Tolerance is a central theme for both bands this evening, and both deserve praise for the way they interact with the listeners. The MKS approach though is one seemingly without fear or compromise, mixing circus and theatre – with a smidgeon of group therapy session too when Zastrau steps down to join the audience and asks each and every one to say hello to three strangers around them. I don’t know how far it carried, but certainly the front rows joined in. Whether anyone was sharing their wine on the embankment at the back I am unable to report.
With “Anständige Frau” and “Nein Heisst Nein” Zastrau addresses equality and fair treatment for women in a typically no-holds-barred style. There’s no doubting visually where true power lies when she sits on a white throne centre-stage with feet resting on the back of a unicorn (not accidentally a man in the costume).
Behind the first few rows of obvious fans there are lots of rows with casual visitors of all ages and types, all with happy faces. Over in the gathering darkness the picnickers all look to be enjoying things too. Even high above on the distant Zollamt rampart where there is a giant MandelKokainSchnaps flag I can see heads bobbing up and down. An evening of music as a space for community, courage, self-acceptance, and diversity shared by all.
A wonderful start then to this year’s Stadtgarten season. Two bands well chosen by the Kunst!Rasen Verein to kick off the festival in energetic and colourful style. A large and happy audience too, and proof that Bonn City can create happiness as well as the chaos we’re all used to of late. A shame that those woes mean the Festival is a week shorter than in the past – but let’s be thankful for the music we have coming our way this August organized by the Kulturamt der Stadt Bonn’s HaJo and made possible by it’s sponsors. I thank you all!
The 2026 season:
