No, it’s nothing to do with Star Trek. In Bonn ‘Next Generation’ is a new concert series aimed at giving young local musicians with their own songs a chance to shine at a top venue. This time around it was the opportunity for David Nevory, Melchi, and Peanut Butter Spirit Lover (PBSL for short!) to show what they could do in front of a large and enthusiastic audience at The Harmonie.
Long before there was Skinny Lister and the Dropkick Murphy’s. Even before there was the Pogues, there was a ‘Folk Punk’ movement. Okay, it wasn’t so ‘in yer face’ as the later incarnations, but The Oysterband were up there singing crafted lyrics from a fire in their collective bellies. Now into their 43rd year, the fire is more a smoulder than a furnace, but after a half hour listening to the band on Thursday at Bonn Harmonie it was clear that the songs still matter – to both band and fans.
The official theme was fresh air, but Bonn Folk Club has got so popular that it would have been a theme anyway as a packed Dotty’s welcomed special guests Tangoyim and a lively mix of styles and ages amongst the musicians, lucky enough to snare spots in the ever increasingly popular sets – including the son of a popular visitor. As always at FCB, the unexpected is to be expected…
Aside from having a nice chat with the charming lady about Rory Gallagher, I remember Vanja Sky‘s appearance on last year’s Blues Caravan for her excellent Blues-Rock set (including Rory’s ‘Bad Penny’) Definitely worth a trip ‘up the road’ for:
Make a note 12th March, Yardclub, Cologne!
Ticket details HERE
Another date for the diaries of Rock Lovers: The day following Sting’s appearance, another music legend will grace the Kunst!Rasen stage. Former Creedence Clearwater Revival front-man John Fogerty will be bringing hits like ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘Bad Moon Rising’ to Bonn on 16 July. After mega hits with CCR Fogerty went on to carve out a successful solo career and his musical longevity has been rewarded with Rolling Stone magazine voting him as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists, 100 Greatest Songwriters, and 100 Greatest Singers of all time.
It will be Fogerty’s first visit to the ‘new’ venue by the Rhine but not his first open-air here by any means, having played shows in both 2006 and 2008 at the former Museumsplatz concert site. This should be a very special event since it’s his 50th Anniversary Tour.
Tickets go on sale from 1 February. Also available from 1 February at Mr Music in Münsterstrasse (along with lots of great cd’s!)
I dare you to play the link below and not sing along even once…!
She calls them her ‘Holy Trinity’ of music, and I’m sure Duke Ellington, George Gershwin and Cole Porter would all have enjoyed Astatine‘s excellent concert at Bonn Harmonie on Sunday. Put together some of the best Jazz composers of the 20th Century and a talented band of musicians and you really can’t go wrong. As Mr Gershwin would have observed – “Fascinating Rhythm’!
Thorbjørn Risager and the Black Tornado have been one of my favourite live bands since 2014’s wonderful ‘Too Many Roads’ disc.
Risager’s raspy soul-drenched voice is backed by a powerhouse of a band that always delivers 100% onstage. The good news is that they’re back in Bonn at the Harmonie on 21st February. Ticket details HERE
and in case you need convincing…
