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BRENNA TUATS TOUR 2012

Hubert von Goisern: Live in Lichtensteig - 11th August 2012

13th August 2012 | Photos: © Peter Schwarzmann

At full tilt before the winter break

Münchner Merkur 12th August 2012 | Text: Sonja Still | Photo: © Thomas Plettenberg
Hubert von Goisern

More photos at www.merkur-online.de

Hubert von Goisern has been on tour all year and will be until December. Afterwards he'll be taking a break to recharge his batteries. Understandable, based on the way he expended himself in Schliersee.

Anyway Hubert Achleitner, as the world musician is called in real life, will be 60 in November. That's not old. But it makes it clear that he and his audience have come a long way together. Around 4000 people, the organiser estimates, have come to the Festwiese. Old and young are there, many with children, respectably dressed couples, or women from Munich in party dirndls, or just a couple of good friends who go back to the old music times with a beer in their hands.

Entweder und oder is the name of the CD that forms the programme. Many are waiting for the hit Brenna tuats that is currently constantly blaring from the radio. But they also hope for the old songs that made Goisern so popular. But they don't come until the end. Before the tour it was to be read that he had looked for a young new band. A band that was powerful. But it definitely looks as though he could play the young guys into the ground if he really cranked it up. Goisern plays the accordion, the lap steel guitar, then Jews' harp and cow bells are in use. At times he thunders in the blues, is romantic in the alpine, rock or jazz. It is really a musical spectrum that is "either AND or", offering not just one thing or the other. Music has never been so multifaceted. And yet it's catchy.

Alpine rocker Hubert von Goisern in Thuringia

In Südthüringen 9th August 2012 | Text: J. Glocke

Hubert von Goisern and Helmut SchartlmüllerEisenach - Brenna tuats - it burns, is the name of the tour that alpine rocker and folk music rebel Hubert von Goisern is currently taking through various European countries. What is noticeably ablaze - apart from the money "burned" by the bankers and politicians in the title song - is in particular the charm, wit, irony and joy in playing of the 59-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist displays.

The Upper Austrian recently made an appearance at Creuzburg near Eisenach with his comparatively young band. Around 1500 people experienced a von Goisern in impressive form, impressing the audience with primitive guitar riffs and the playing of the lap steel guitar, harmonica, a cow bell peal and of course the accordion - at times noisy, at times bluesy, at times melancholy and at times folksy, underscored with yodels.

Von Goisern was accompanied by the excellent trio of musicians, drummer Alexander Pohn, bass player Helmut Schartlmüller and guitarist Severin Trogbacher.

Aside from the titles of the current CD EntwederundOder there were also classics such as Hiatmadel, Weit, weit weg and Heast es net. And a little explanation of the world and counselling alongside, mischievous, cryptic, reduced.

"Buy me a Mercedes!"

Thüringische Landeszeitung 7th August 2012 | Text & Photo: Jensen Zlotowicz

Alpine rocker Hubert von Goisern shows how he is at Creuzburg: brilliant

Severin Trogbacher und Hubert von Goisern

Creuzburg. "That's the way it is", to put it in the words of one of his songs. Hubert Achleitner is back in force, right at the top, grounded with heart and soul and he sings, rock, shouts, yodels and pines on the Brenna tuats tour and the current CD Entwederundoder better than perhaps he ever has before.

This von Goisern, who will be 60 in November, is in his third (?) musical spring. The three whippersnappers at his side, Schartlmüller (bass), Trogbacher (guitar) and Pohn (drums), all three of them from "Über Upper Austria" like von Goisern really add some oomph to the "oldie". The world musician (what is that actually?), the dreamy singer-songwriter with the affinity for juicy guitar riffs and multi-instrumentalist can really handle it. And how he does. Tremendous. At times primitively earthy when he thunders out the blues, at times melancholy, almost fragile, then alpine stylish and "folksy" again making everyone smile. Von Goisern's musical spectrum surpasses the second so-called world music festival. And the style mix is accompanied by a variety of instruments, from the accordion and lap steel guitar to the harmonica. Garnished with the Jews' harp or cow bells.

More than 1500 people at Burg Creuzburg experienced a von Goisern on top form and fabulous sound. In short: an open air evening that one can confidently carve into the handle of one's knife. There were just a few under-40s in the audience, but that's the way it is when you get older. Perhaps you don't understand the depth of the awkward and darkly humorous alpine musician until you're older, when you're no longer looking just at the cover, but at the content as well.

What does Hubert von Goisern (born in Bad Goisern) have in mind? Agitating, enlightening, entertaining, experimenting, stimulating, protesting? He gives the answers on stage in his songs, which speak a clear language, politically, socially and ecologically sarcastic to boot.

Brenna tuats guat, a song about greed and money. "De Falotten soll der Teufel hol'n …" (The devil should catch these crooks). "Geh Herrgott, hiaz kauf ma an Mercedes Benz" ("Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz") von Goisern asks in a heavenly rowdy Janis Joplin cover having prayed to a flood of saints with the Our Father. But Saint Raphael, he says, can't help you when you're looking for your mobile and it's on silent. You need to try Saint Anthony, he takes care of that. Goisern is as refreshingly macabre as he is unrealistic and genuine.

For two and a half hours at Creuzburg the Upper Austrian offers everything that the hearts of Hubert von Goisern fans desire: Indianer, the (old) Hiatmadel (1992), Heidi, halt mi, Nit loang her, Goisern, Hoalt nit oan ... musically pared down, but never limited. The quartet has visible and palpable fun in playing. The encore brings with it the icing on the cake: the juchitzer that the Creuzburg choir barely manages on the third attempt, oder the heart-rending Weit, weit weg. A dream and so close!

"It burns": Hubert von Goisern at Creuzburg

Ostthüringer Zeitung 7th August 2012

Still burning well with "Hiatamadl"

Passauer Neue Presse 7th August 2012 | Text: Hermann Haydn

Hubert von Goisern thrills in Riedlhütte - 2500 people sing along enthusiastically to "Brenna tuat's guat"

He is a thoroughbred musician who literally presses his sounds from a body full of tension. It burns within him. And he passes it on to his instruments, to the listeners, supported by a no-nonsense rock beat from the band behind him. Hubert von Goisern has somehow returned to where Hiatamadl once sparked the enthusiasm for this kind of new folk music. On Saturday evening he set Riedlhütte Festplatz musically aflame.

With Brenna tuat's guat he is back again where he can send a "juchitzer" down from a mountain with great fervour without making cultural detours to the audience. But while fun was in the foreground with the "fat calves", the new programme is a socio-critical work. Is everything slowly going to hell with the way we're treating the world? Those who bawled along to the song may have missed the deeper sense. And yet a lot stays when the guy from Goisern sends songs like a prayer to the saints, embedding in rock a little of the mysticism that has long played a massive part in shaping the culture of the region.

He goes beyond this musical world with the famous Mercedes Benz (Janis Joplin) that God could buy for him and strikes quieter notes with the ballads. Perhaps not intensely enough one time, because he complains that the audience is not exactly feeling it with every pore like he is. Then he even gives Hiatamadl as one of the many encores and every one of the 2500 people at the concert in Riedlhütte is burning again.

Hubert von Goisern at Burg Clam

Cityfoto 4th August 2012 | Photo: Peter Christian Mayr
Hubert von Goisern

More photos at www.cityfoto.at

Hubert's wild style mélange in the shadow of the castle

OÖN 4th August 2012 | Text: Lukas Luger | Photo: Volker Weihbold

Hubert von Goisern and his band thrill 7500 fans at Burg Clam on Friday evening

Hubert von Goisern, the great reconciler of folk music with the sound of today, called and they all came to Burg Clam on Friday: young metal fans in tatty Machine Head shirts, classy ladies in tailor-made dirndls in the price range of a used mid-range car and numerous couples in their prime who have remained true to the "Goiserer" for decades. Sold out!

And on this wonderful Mühlviertel summer evening the 7500 fans were given an excellent show. A wild, almost two and a half hour style mélange that spans the spectrum from the lightness of a country dance to heavy blues rock and melancholy, but never kitschy ballads. Especially good: a fantastically cool version of Indianer, the wonderful Nit Lang Her and the frenetically feted sing-along hit Brenna tuat's guat. The fact that even the penetrative, constant stream of the anti-capitalism song from the radio has been unable to harm it speaks volumes for its quality.

Extra praise for the band

Special praise to the compact accompanying band of bassist Helmut Schartlmüller, guitarist Severin Trogbacher and drummer Alexander Pohn, who performed powerfully and managed to carefully modernising classics like Koa Hiatamadl (yes, you can listen to that one again now without embarrassment!) and Weit Weit Weg, which have long since turned into regional cultural artefacts, without damaging the essence of the songs.

For in all the cross-referencing of the past, Hubert von Goisern's understanding of tradition is not backwards-looking, obsessively trying to revive the bright world of earlier times (which never existed anyway). No, he embodies musical tradition in the here and now. Neither diluted nor made kitsch and opening up to other cultures and styles. A successful evening.

Hubert von Goisern

More photos at www.nachrichten.at

Hubert from Bad Goisern sets fans' hearts alight

Schwarzwälder-Bote 1st August 2012 | Text: Jeanette Tröger | Photo: Bösl

Calw-Hirsau. They sit in all the windows of the cloister, all the seats are taken and the unseated area in front of the big stage is heavily crowded - the fans of alpine rocker Hubert von Goisern. On Sunday evening the music rebel rocked the cloister at Klostersommer in Hirsau with a pared down band, new songs and familiar old hits.

"You understand, right?" von Goisern queried the comprehension and recommended to the Austrians present not to out themselves, otherwise they'd have to translate everything for the rest of the evening. But "it's just German", what he sings and says. About "Indians", who live among us nowadays and no longer remain silent. About saints, in whom you don't have to believe; it's just important that you have them when you need them. His favourite? Saint Rita, because she takes care of making the impossible possible. Then the Lord's Prayer can be recited: "Dear Lord, buy me a Mercedes-Benz."

The stage is like a cosy living room with big white lampshades and cute red floor lamps and before them the four rock and whip their songs into the night.

Where Upper Austria ends, they begin: bass player Hel(mut) Schartlmüller, guitarist Severin Trogbacher, on drums Alexander Pohn and von Goisern, the multi-instrumentalist. No, it's no a luxury to play a red, a green and a white accordion in turn, it's necessary for the music. Just like the Jews' harp, the lap steel guitar and the acoustic guitar, the harmonica and the piano. Hubert von Goisern pulls out all the stops, loud, weird, fast, the noise level almost at the pain threshold. Then melancholy again, almost tender and melodious.

Halt nit an, I kenn oan, Heidi – the world musician has success with the songs of his album Entwederundoder and he seems reformed too. Clapping and singing fans used to be a pain for him ("Just because someone buys a ticket, doesn't give them the right") - today he encourages them and even has fun with it.

And Hiatamadl is still young too, Weit, weit weg still touches hearts and Heast as nit, wia die Zeit vageht still makes you pensive.

Brenna tuats (It Burns) – the name of the current tour is policy: in Hirsau the air burned. The really good three-man band and Hubert from Bad Goisern set fans' hearts alight.

The Euro burns very well

Frankfurter Neue Presse 31st July 2012 | Text: Joachim Schreiner

Alpine bard Hubert von Goisern and the Hamburg band "Kettcar" give the open air summer at the Hanau amphitheatre two animated evenings.

Speculation in the full auditorium: is there a Hanau patron saint? Typical of Hubert Achleitner, as Hubert von Goisern is really called, to turn the humour of his Tyrolean home on each place he plays. He had just ennumerated a whole series of saints in a musical litany, concluding with the established wording "pray for us".

There can be no talk of piety at the show from the musician who will turn 60 in November. On the contrary: Hubert von Goisern has never sounded as rocking and musically pared down as he does today. A young band with merely drums, bass and guitars brings the sonority of his songs on stage. Whereby the man on the strings is a crazyman and almost combines the virtuosity of Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler.

An unparalleled musical mix of styles

Hubert von Goisern is on impressive form, whirling nimbly trough styles and instruments. Accompanying himself on the lapsteel guitar with a primitive blues he tells stories of "Indians", plays cow bells and later the Jews' harp and mans the electric and acoustic guitars and the electric piano. The reggae and dub effects of Mercedes Benz, a sublime adaptation of the Janis Joplin homage to the high-end German car, are amazing.

I versteh di ned (I Don't Understand You) is a brilliant piece about communication problems and Goisern, the hymn of praise to the multi-instrumentalist's hometown, a jazz ballad that has the class of Georgia On My Mind. There is a great atmosphere ultimately spills over in the roofed, but airy theatre when the hits are celebrated, starting in 3/4 time with the famous Hiatamadl, the shepherdess whom Hubert doesn't like so much, preferring the girl from the town with fat legs.

And the song that gives the current tour its motto, Brenna tuats guat, with its four-voiced refrain is only superficially a big hit. The lyrics are about the Euro. And so Hubert is right up to date with the politics of the day. Those who know him know that he isn't stingy with encores and knows just how to bring a multigenerational audience to the verge of ecstasy.

Far from Musikantenstadl

Main-Netz 30th July 2012 | Text: Ursula Krah-Will

New folk music: Hubert von Goisern fires up the Hanau Amphitheater - ambitious and entertaining

Hubert von GoisernHanau. Jews' harp, harmonica, cow bells and four different accordions are just some of the instruments unsuitable for a rock concert with which Hubert von Goisern proves that actually they can do it at his (not quite sold out) concert on Saturday at the Amphitheater in Hanau.

Since it has rained a few times during the day, come the evening it is pleasantly fresh in the half-round under the dome in the garden of Schloss Phillippsruhe.

Charismatic musician

Thus in keeping with the motto of his tour Brenna tuats (It Burns) the almost 60-year-old Austrian can really fire up. In the best of moods, together with his band (Alex Pohn, Helmut Schartlmüller and Severin Trogbacher) he celebrates new folk music, which for many years he has played significant role in shaping. The charismatic musician sings and plays and in between talks to his fans, the majority of whom have aged with him.

Along the way he elucidates one thing and another in the life of the star: he likes the post, he never answers. There's too much. But he reads every letter and every mail. Except when he see the word "Akkordeon", because what he plays is the "Ziehharmonika". An instrument, that is almost the embodiment of the dusty and the backwoods. He gives the accordion new life with his style of playing. It sounds downright seductive in dialogue with the bass or guitar.

Are there any Austrians in the audience? They shouldn't make themselves known, otherwise they'll have to translate. Yes, the spectators have to tune in a little to the Austrian he fosters. It needs a certain amount of time. In earlier times he stopped playing when people sang along. Today he knows that music is good for the soul and gives the "licence to sing along". But with most of the pieces that's difficult even for the die-hard fans. The vowels are difficult for German tongues to form and then there's the infernal tempo.

There is a deliberate discrepancy in the evening: with the red floor lamps and the Goisern dragon that is displayed in a gold frame behind the musicians the stage has an almost living room-like atmosphere, for example when the band play the song Goisern. A declaration of love to his hometown that can't let him go. But then the songs are hard and rocking, psychedelic sounds fill the Amphitheater and of course crisp folk music. Mind you, far from Musikantenstadl.

The music genre doesn't matter to him, he's travelling through crossover and knows what he is doing. He has lived abroad for a long time and become acquainted with various musical styles. It was also there that he found a new approach to the folk music of his homeland. Since then he has cultivated it and given it a new sound. Something in which he is always successful, even with an a cappella yodel at the end of the encores after a good two hours of appealing and ambitious music and entertainment. 

It burns right to the end

Schwäbische Zeitung 28th July 2012 | Text: Gabi Neumeyer | Photo: BW

Hubert von Goisern at Kapfenburg

Hubert von Goisern

On Thursday evening Austrian musician Hubert von Goisern thrilled a record audience at the Schloss Kapfenburg Festival on his Brenna tuats guat tour. For more than two hours the alpine bard rocked non stop.

It hardly to be believed that this man will be 60 this year. With tremendous energy, a charismatic presence and grandiose musicality he made this concert a highlight of this year's festival summer. Together with his young, excellent band, which he once called his "musical guerrilla unit", he really heated up his fans on this summer evening. Honest, straightforward, reduced to what's intrinsic, accompanied by only lead guitar, bass and drums - this is how he interprets his alpine rock right now.

International and connected to his homeland at the same time, the musical globetrotter combines stylistically confident blues, country and reggae with yodels and cow bells into a harmonious whole. His virtuoso, multi-instrumental abilities are fascinating, whether on Jews' harp or various guitars. But what suits him best, as if made for him, is the accordion. He downright celebrates this instrument. Dancing, slinking or striding across the stage, in conversation with lead guitar and drums, he elicits a phenomenal spectrum from the accordion afflicted with a rather staid image.

Melancholy sobbing, whipping or simply fun-loving. Hubert von Goisern on the accordion, that's cool and sexy. "Stylish and cool", von Goisern says of playing in Lauchheim, even if he's a little disoriented with regards to where Lauchheim is exactly.

And as the musician feels a little like a stranger with Ostalb region, the audience feels the same with his dialect. But his music is a language that everyone understands. As are his pieces of life wisdom and messages that he shared with the people with clear words in his intelligent and amusing speeches. Borne by "life is wonderful", his societal criticisms were indeed clear, but there was no wagging finger. Unpleasant people? "We need those people too" as well as "with the Indians they're all noble and good".

They had to wait a long time, the two and a half thousand concert spectators. But then, after darkness had fallen and a transition between Styrian and Upper Austrian music, Goisern sparked a true storm of enthusiasm. With his current hit Brenna tuats guat, that rang with many voices through the castle courtyard, he heralded the atmospheric concert finale. Ultimately, the applause didn't want to come to an end.

Hubert von Goisern: Live in Neuhaus an der Pegnitz - 22nd July 2012

26th July 2012 | Photos: © Elli Christl

When Hubert plays, nothing is the way it is

Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung 23rd July 2012 | Text: Peter Wiest | Photo: Stefan Weindl

More than 2000 spectators experience a wonderful summer evening with Hubert von Goisern

Hirschhorn. Actually he could stand on stage for two hours and just chat. And then even the people of Kurpfalz would really understand everything that Hubert von Goisern has to say: because when he turns to his audience he endeavours to take back the charming Austrian accent far enough that everything is always clear - no matter whether it concerns the frequent suicides in his hometown of Goisern, where for years many have hanged themselves away with "the Goisern tie", whether it is about Christian and other saints who have had a significance in his life, from Nepomuk to Eusebius, or simply about the clarinet, this blasted instrument that spoiled a period of his youth, because you can only play it pointed to the ground: "where the critters crawl about".

Von Goisern is a brilliant storyteller. His stories are shaped by a wonderful mixture of the macabre, unreal and real. And so is his music too: he is a wanderer between worlds, who pursues fascinating paths and time and again finds tracks that nobody before him has explored.

It is has been this way for many years with the "alpine rebel", as he is called. On Saturday evening he alighted at the Neckarstrand again - and in Hirschhorn didn't just splendidly entertain more than 2000 enthusiastic fans, but also put them in a collectively good and exuberant mood. Predominantly not with words, but with music: a spiced pot pourri of songs from the last EntwederUndOder album and standards like Goisern, the anthem to his homeland, or Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz, set musically deeper and served up in reggae rhythm.

Accordion, acoustic and electric guitars, Jews' harp, keyboard, clarinet and cow bells: for more than two hours the multi-instrumentalist von Goisern races with his three congenial musicians until at the end "it burns well", as his biggest hit is called. And of course there are encores too: what a great evening at the Neckarstrand! All the more so as the weather held and the rain stayed away - whichever saint was to thank for that.

And even if von Goisern sings that Es is wias is (That's the way it is), one of the most beautiful songs of the evening: no, when Hubert really plays, then nothing is the way it is any more.