Bad Godesberg’s Unter der Zeder started its 7th Season on Monday and a marvellous start it was too. Perfect weather saw top german drummer Willy Ketzer (to be heard almost everyday on tv via the ‘Tatort’ theme) bring some very special musical friends together under the famous cedar tree near Kleines Theatre. Keyboarder extraordinaire Marcus Schinkel will be no stranger to local music fans of course and the percussion skills of Papa Samory Seck are also well known. Add the calming bass of Jens Foltynowicz and you have a dynamic backing for sure. The solo skills of trumpeter Terrance Ngassar and strong vocals from American singer Deborah Woodson were the icing on the cake.
June 2026 has been a busy month for Gaz & Ash aka Midnight Fyre even by their own standards I would guess. Two Birthdays, one CD launch and marriage. Musically though they’ve been married a while now, as anyone who has been lucky enough to catch the duo performing will testify I’m sure. Their debut release is named Butterfly Moonafter their former band name, and released under their new name Midnight Fyre. It’s based unpretentiously on the songs as presented in their live shows, with no grand musical embellishments. The result being a belter of a disc for lovers of thoughtful lyrics and unbridled musical joy – both of which are in abundance here.
Summer is back on the Rhine, and so is the KUNST!RASEN. Every year since 2012 the open-air site in Bonn-Gronau, right on the riverbank near the Posttower, turns into one of the region’s biggest stages — and the 2026 season is no different, stacked with names spanning pop, rock, schlager, and everything in between.
On Friday I caught a concert that reminded me why live jazz still has the power to surprise: David Helbock’sRandom/Control, featuring vocalist Fola Dada, At the Dottendorfer Jazznacht in Bonn.
The cherryblossom has now gone, but instead of enjoyment for the eyes there will be enjoyment for the ears on Saturday (20 June) with the 4th ‘Sound der Altstadt’ Festival in Bonn’s old-town district. Highlight on the Altstadtbrunnen stage(Bühne 1) is 2022 Voice of Germany winner Anny Ogrezeanu.
The “Musik im Park” series takes place at the Trinkpavillon in the Bad Godesberg Kurpark (behind the Stadthalle). The free, open-air concerts happen every Wednesday from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM, running from June 24 to July 15, 2026.
Instead of the usual six concerts there are only four this year with the line-up featuring as usual local Bonn bands, including “Taste of Woodstock” and “Plenty Fourty”. Admission is free, though generous hat donations are encouraged. Visitors are invited to bring a picnic or purchase hot sausages, pretzels, and cold drinks on-site. A limited number of chairs are available for rent, but you can also sit on the meadow. In case of bad weather, the concerts move indoors to the Trinkpavillon.
Coming up at the Dottendorfer Jazznacht on 19 June is David Helbock’s Random/Control featuring Fola Dada. It promises to be a fascinating evening of not just top jazz music but also classic poetry. Helbock has composed his own musical scores to accompany poems by, amongst others, William Blake and Emily Dickinson. To present the poems themselves in his work he will be joined by acclaimed vocalist Fola Dada who herself got a rave review from me after her Jazznacht appearance last year with Joo Kraus.
Fola Dada at last year’s Jazznacht in Dottendorf (photo c. 3songsbonn.com)
Random/Control themselves comprise of three musicians from Vorarlberg who celebrated their 15th anniversary last year, having performed hundreds of concerts together around the world. The trio’s trademark remains their vast array of instruments – just three musicians, yet well over 20 instruments. Andreas Broger plays clarinet, bass clarinet, various saxophones and flutes, and now even sings occasionally. Johannes Bär masters virtually all brass instruments – sousaphone, tuba, trombone, trumpet, alphorn, as well as didgeridoo, beatbox and drums – and sometimes even all at once.
It promises to be a very special evening, and bearing in mind how popular the Jazznacht has now become, I recommend not leaving it too late to get tickets or get to the venue.
Tickets in advance at bonnticket: €25 | At the door: €28 DETAILS HERE
