If it can’t compete with the huge open air festivals of the world, then Bonn can celebrate them, and only a City with Bonn’s crazy flair could celebrate the mighty 1969 event that was Woodstock on the roof of an Arts Building. So it was that 1000+ people woke up, saw the sun shining and headed to The Bundeskunsthalle – though sadly I counted not a one with ribbons in their hair nor did I catch the merest whiff of forbidden substances. ‘A Taste of Woodstock’ was the band and the late 60’s was the musical timespace.
24 Toys for September
The Bromo boys keep going… Congratulations to Denis and Marvin Ledermann on a terrific second placing amongst 69 bands taking part after round two of Toys2 Masters.
The top 24 go through to the quarter finals in September.
Congrats also to Millenia (below) for 3rd place and of course to current leaders Suburbian Rex who don’t get a picture here only because I haven’t seen/heard them yet!
Full current standings are HERE.
Bonn, Bukarest, Bohème
Further proof that Summer is establishing itself finally was the open double glass doors of Sonja’s Jazz Pub in the City Centre of Bonn this afternoon.
Great to see the familiar face of Astatine and hear her familiar voice gently easing the cares of the week away from a good sized crowd of drinkers in the sunshine. Despite the Bukarest Bohème title it was a set offering a plentiful supply of vintage Jazz evergreens.
Jazz lovers should check the new ‘Jazz In Bonn’ tab on the left of this screen to keep updated on what’s happening as the Rheinaue Restaurant Jazz season is now also underway and Jazz Tube is not so far off either…
Stadtgarten 2016
Baum’s Bluesbenders (20 Aug)
A new highlight for me last year in Bonn was the excellent free concert programme put together by Bonn’s own Rock- & Pop Beauftragter Hans-Joachim Over. Audiences went into the 1000 plus category, and there was certainly magic in the air for the final show with Cynthia Nickshas. I was especially pleased then when this week saw the press conference for this years Stadtgarten Season at Bonn’s Alten Zoll.
The 2016 season sees an excellent mix of established local acts and exciting International ones that should offer something for pretty well everybody , there’s no Gothic Heavy Metal on the list, or Viking Norse Rock (and yes I made the last one up!) but there is ‘Free Music’. Not sure what that is for a category, but it will start this years season on 5 August when the Dutch band Aligaga are in town. I certainly aim to be there for the evening because one of my favourite Bonn Bands will be headlining the evening – Steal A Taxi with Makeda fresh from her success on the big stage appearing in Bodyguard in Cologne.
Steal A Taxi (5 August)
I’m also looking forward to catching the 20 August Blues Night. On the Bill is Bill, Mr Baum and his Bluesbenders that is. Always a pleasure to hear Bill’s Harp player Uwe Placke in action too.
Anika Auweiler (3 Sept)
For the youngsters there will be last year’s Toys2Masters winning band TIL and for the, ahem, somewhat olders, like me there is an open air Sixties United. No word of the line-up for this but I’m hoping Sticky Fingers will be in it. Like me, go along and find out. Jazz fans will want to catch successful local ‘Future Sounds’ winners JinJim and Miao-Mio headgirl Anika Auweiler will be appearing on 3 September along with French-Poetic Rock from Laura Cahen to end what should be a magic season by the Rhine in fine style. Did I mention these wonderful concerts are free admission? There is a God after all!
See the full programme HERE.
Tommy Schneller Band – Backbeat (Timezone TZ1036)
Osnabrück Jazz Saxophonist Tommy Schneller came to my attention via Henrik Freischlader’s Cable Car Records in 2011. Knowing that Henrik cares about the music at least, if not more than, the money (at the time his roster was just Schneller and Layla Zoe) I knew Schneller would be worth a listen and both 2011’s ‘Smiling for a reason’ and 2014’s ‘Cream of the Crop’ were super Jazz/Funk CD’s that deserved a much bigger public than they got. With the new release ‘Backbeat’ Schneller has again come up with a disc to get your feet tapping and your hips swaying – and maybe, just maybe, will get the sales he so richly deserves.
Music to make your Ice Water – The Trentonians
It’s a funny thing about people. You spend some considerable time with them, think you even know them quite well, and then you go to the Rheinaue Flohmarkt. There I was, a few years ago, flipping through racks of ‘Top Pops’ and ‘Schläger Allstar’ discs – the average fare at a market stall CD stand in fact. Suddenly, staring back up at me was a familiar black and white face – John Harrison. Like most of the visitors to Bonn Folk Club I had no idea that John had ever gone into anything other than a sun studio, yet he had visited a recording studio and here it was, a gem of a Blues disc called ‘Blues to make your Ice Water’. Tell the truth – who else but a Brit could write a title like that? Meet The Trentonians and grab some chips early at Kunst!garten.
Toys2 Advanced
Onwards to the ‘Advanced Level’ at Toys2 Masters and a second chance for bands to collect points at Klangstation (Bonn). A chance also to be one of the 24 through to the quarter finals beckons.
For the best band overall there’s also a super opportunity to spend two days in a recording studio ( Tonstudio KölnBonn) and even make a video with Roll it Films.
I won’t even try to evaluate the chances of anyone. How can you really choose between such disparate musicians as the Fun-rapping Phoeniks, Pop Rockers David Nevory Band and the varied talents and styles of Kefka, and Zufällig Hier?
My apologies to Kefka, I didn’t make it in time for their set but I heard it was a good one.
Folk Club Fans will be pleased to hear though that the Ledermann Brothers (Bromo) played another blinder including Club favourite ‘The Old Me’ and audience favourite ‘3000 Miles’ (complete with cigarette lighters and cellphone screens waving in the murky air.
Max is Alright! – Kunst!garten 2016 Open
Good news for those of you who like a relaxing drink and some live music in the Summer air – Kunst!Garten is back!
Pop/Rock band Max is Alright from Westerwald opened this years season near the Post Tower in style today.
For more details of coming events check out the Kunst!Garten Facebook Page.
