Kunstrasen Bonn – 9 July 2026

The ‘Nutty Boys’ have now grown up it’s true (Suggs is now 65 after all) but Sax player Lee Thompson still finds time to fly paper planes into the crowd and Suggs himself rejoices in the politics of novelty UK Candidate Count Binface. There is a brief attempt to play the experienced advocate of good sense when Suggs warns young audience members to “get an education” and “Don’t become troublemakers like him!” at which point he waggles an accusing finger at Thompson, who has just retrieved his tambourine from the photopit after a failed attempt to throw it over a mike stand several feet away. They may not be nutty boys anymore, but Madness still know how to have fun, and the 3,700 strong audience at Bonn Kunstrasen are with them all the way – many wearing red fezzes in anticipation of ‘Nightboat to Cairo’.

The theme was ‘Dreams’ but Folk Club Bonn #169 looked in danger of of being a Nightmare for the organizers. Announcements that Bonn’s main artery the Nordbrücke was now completely closed off left many wondering about chaos on the roads, and gathering grey thunderhead clouds too suggested it might be a night to stay at home in the dry. Indeed, by the time things got underway a look at the rear balcony at Dotty’s revealed the slightly bizarre sight of people on the tennis courts with sunglasses on being pelted by a fierce rain shower.

Southern rock band from Orange County, California Robert Jon & The Wreck have been around since 2011. The five-piece consisting of Robert Jon Burrison (lead vocals, guitar), Henry James Schneekluth (lead guitar), Warren Murrel (bass), Andrew Espantman (drums), and Jake Abernathie (keyboards) have since gradually been building up a solid reputation with their warm, rocking sound. They brought that sound, along with trademark soaring guitar leads, rich vocal harmonies, and songs that stick with you long after the show, to the Harmonie once again on Wednesday. My impression? Despite being a great live band even when I first saw them back in 2023, they just keep getting better.

If John Harrison had only known what the evening had in store he would surely have kicked the 168th Folk Club Bonn off with ‘To a mouse’. The poem by Robert Burns that famously notes you can never safely organize anything with its observation: “The best laid plans of mice and men…” . We were well into part one of the evening and no guest stars. Serena Finnati and Andreas Varnier were nowhere to be seen or even reached for comment, which in todays hi-tech world is hard to believe. Easier to believe though, is that they were victims of today’s low-tech transport system and probably somewhere in a tailback on the infamous ‘Endenicher Ei’ or on any one of the many imaginative detours created by Bonn Council. So what happens when life gives you a lemon? Of course – you make lemonade! Consequently a Guest-starless evening of great music was had by all.

Almost a year to the day since his last visit, Krissy Matthews was back at The Harmonie with his ‘Women of the Blues’ Tour. Take all the superlatives I heaped on that performance a year ago and then add a couple more “amazings!”. You’re half way to describing this evening’s show. Last year’s Blues Ladies Dani Wilde, Kim Jennett and Stephy Doherty, were joined by a new face (to me anyway) in Zubaida Solid. In addition we had once again the master rhythm section of Slavek Semeniuk (bass) Gerry Reynders (drums) and of course the best Norwegian/English guitarist on the planet in Krissy Matthews himself. What’s not to like?!