OÖN 30th July 2007

Photo: Rainer Kwiotek/Zeitenspiegel

Half-time on the first leg of Hubert von Goisern's Linz Europe Tour - the OÖN visited the musical ambassador for the Capital of Culture 2009 during his encounters in the Ukrainian Danube delta.

Meetings often mean tribulations. For three and a half hours the bus rumbles along a brittle, bumpy stretch of asphalt from the Black Sea city of Odessa, through a flat region, through villages that line the roads. Farming families squat on the dusty verge, offering tomatoes, cucumbers and melons from crates and boxes - everything that comes from the earth.

37 days after the 350-tonne ship was sent off from the Brandner dockyard in Wallsee with the old rafting expression "Lasst aus, in Gottes Namen!", the 76.5 metre long floating colossus is anchored in front of the harbour building in Ismail.

Captains and folk music

At a press conference the mayor reads from his notes, speaking of "pride, that our city is connected to world-famous captains" and praises the wood pulp industry. Finally he comes to the "universal language of music", which is needed "where no politicians find a common language.". And to "Mr Goisern" the city leader extends his gratitude for "spreading folk music and strengthening the friendships between European countries."

Meetings occur. As the sun sets red into the water, about 5000 people flood onto the river bank, chiefly to see their bands. The Ukrainian combo Haydamaky play the flute in reggae style, squeeze a ska accordion, drum on a dulcimer. Singer Sascha likes Hubert's approach to living European variety as a unity. "His music," he says, "contains good things, namely a love for his homeland".

The charismatic Roman leads Zdob si Zdub from Moldova, a mood-maker, stirring, rousing party rock. Together with the cultural unifier from Goisern, they drive a fantastic "Hiatamadl" to the shore. Although the crowd thins a little later, nobody understands the gstanzls like "In Palästina schiaßns a scho wieda, i hoit des nimma aus und sauf mi nieda" ("In Palestine they're shooting again, I can't take it and drink myself into oblivion") - the people dance wildly, cheering, and become quiet and thoughtful when the quiet music starts.

Here is where the idea of the Linz Europe Tour pans out - giving music to the people, forming friendships, tearing down boundaries in people's minds. They search for feeble excuses not to have to go on board. After the concert they do sit together in the "village square" on the barge, "but they only talked among themselves". It didn't help singing the Burgenland-Croatian song they had learned from Willi Resetarits. "Please, just no tonalities," the guests refused.

Unfamiliar contact

In the tranquil Ukrainian town of Vilkovo the docking of the musical boat triggers a familiar mass migration. In the afternoon a bus from Odessa approaches with the cultural commissaries, who welcome the Linz ambassador with a folk performance by a youth group. A plump woman sways in rhythm, people on little motor boats abandon themselves to the unfamiliar sounds, which touch them nonetheless.

Early on Saturday morning the 750 horsepower "MS Wallsee" will push the stage and living ship into the middle of the river to continue the concert journey upstream on the Danube, finishing the first stage of the tour with a concert on 1st September in Linz. An encounter you should get involved in.

Bernhard Lichtenberger

OÖN 30th July 2007

The OÖN spoke to Hubert von Goisern in a shady corner of the ship convoy, on the journey along the Danube between Ismail and Vilkovo.

Photo: Rainer Kwiotek/Zeitenspiegel

How has it gone with the groups so far?

There's so little self-confidence there. You have to feel confident for a meeting. I think it's a thing of trauma and I don't blame them at all. We needed more time. But pretty slowly we're winning trust in our efforts to break through.

Have musicians you've invited on board reacted to the Tibetan prayer flags that decorate the "village square" on the ship?

One of the members of the Ukrainian band Haydamaky told me that he was a Buddhist. He wanted to know which branch I belonged to. I told him 'none', I'm still a mosquito-killer.

How do you feel about the fact that the regional bands are the real main act for the audience?

With age come a kind of wisdom that you really have to withdraw in such situations. We are hosts and are giving the others everything we have. It wouldn't do at all if we were to appear as the most important and the best.

You can't communicate with the audience with language...

It's really terrible for me that I can't speak to the people, it's a test. You really have to manage with the music.

At home there is constantly the same question: what does this all have to do with Linz?

They should think about it, meditate on it and not constantly demand answers. If you can't imagine it, it's no use trying to explain it either. It's envy and envy is a pain.

Bernhard Lichtenberger

Info-Prim Neo 28th July 2007

Interview with the Austrian musician Hubert von Goisern and Zdob si Zdub's lead Roman Iagupov

The Austrian musician Hubert von Goisern is the initiator of the Linz Europa Tour 2007-2009 project which plans to bring together musicians from different countries crossed by the Danube. The artists board a ship, where they live and create shoulder to shoulder; from time to time they drop anchor in one of the 20 harbours along the Danube, transform the ship into a stage equipped with advanced sound systems, lights and monitors and get the show started.

They reached the harbour of Ismail on July 26. The show featuring the famous Zdubs was also attended by Info-Prim Neo's reporter.

It takes a lot of courage to start such a project. How did you make up your mind to take so much responsibility?

Hubert von Goisern: The project is an old dream of mine and nobody believed in its success in the beginning. I have been working a lot, and now I see it coming true. We got onboard the ship and set sail downstream the Danube. The main goal of our project is to meet with musicians from different countries and different cultures so as to enable the desired exchange of experience. We started our journey on June 22 from Vienna and we anchored in Melk and Passau, Orsova, Braila, and Galati (Romania), some cities along the Danube in Bulgaria, and then we’ll return to Romania – Tulcea and Sulina. Next on the list are Budapest, Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Bratislava. We will end this summer with a concert in Linz (Austria). For the next summer we will set sail for the cities upstream from Linz, until we reach the North Sea. The whole project will end in 2009 with a mega-show in Linz, Europe’s cultural capital, which is going to bring together all the bands involved in the project. This way we intend to enlarge eastward the cultural partnership of the regions along the 2889 kilometre long river. Music has always been a uniting element that knows no bounds, and cultural connections can lead to a better understanding between peoples.

Roman Iagupov: The music freed Hubert and he is now sharing his freedom with other people. We interacted a lot. We had rehearsals together and we even played together. For us the Danube is a natural phenomenon which shouldn't be affected because of the civilisation, neither should it have borders along it. The Danube needs to be free. Music is a language that everyone can understand, no matter where they are from. Music should travel with no visas, no borders and without being stopped by barbed wire. I am tired of borders, of having to explain who I am, where I am going, who I want to sing for; I am tired of the stamps in the passport and of everything that limits people's freedom.

Hubert von Goisern: The way Europe lives and its attempt to unify is very important, exciting and even amusing. However, compared to the US, Europe is more ethnically and culturally diverse and it has more traditions. That is why it is obvious that in its aspiration for unification each country must keep its own culture. Nobody has the right to give away their principles, their traditions and their dignity as a people. The culture has to maintain peace among peoples. To be able to accept this musical diversity as one would be a great achievement.

Has anyone before tried to implement a project of this kind?

Hubert von Goisern: During the last 10 years there have been 15 attempts to realise a project like this, but it is not easy to create a project as big as this one. Apparently I was really lucky to go on with this project. In the 60s and 70s there was a project similar to this one, but it wasn't as great and it had a different purpose.

How did you choose the bands to play in the concert?

Hubert von Goisern: We went through two research steps in order to select the bands. Firstly we chose the bands that I liked the most, which have the same vibes as I do. I didn't make the choice based on logics or strategies, I just followed my heart. It was important to reach good communication so that we can collaborate in the future. Another requirement was that the band be from a place along the itinerary of our ship.

How did the people receive you where you went?

Hubert von Goisern: Oh, I have very nice impressions. This event was worth the effort even if there were a couple of towns that didn't impress me much and that I don't want to remember. Everything has been going very well and I am glad that I took this adventure.

What attracted you to this project?

Roman Iagupov: The project is phenomenal by itself. I think that there is a lot of room for improvement in the show business in Eastern Europe. There aren't too many valuable performances produced in Moldova, Ukraine or Romania. The best shows happen in the rest of Europe. Though there are a few shows like that around here, they are popular mostly from the commercial perspective. Hubert's project made me feel like a musician who can communicate artistically with other valuable musicians, who can accomplish his artistic potential within important cultural projects. This is how experience exchange happens; this is how we can feel the spirit of freedom, the spirit of Europe and the spirit of a high culture. And that's the most important thing. I am bored of participating in mechanical concerts where you cannot learn anything, and where you don't feel any spiritual satisfaction or artistic fulfilment. We have just started our collaboration. We intend to create some songs together and one video clip to leave to those who come behind us. A modern combination of the Austrian folk with the Romanian folk could generate a pretty interesting result. We will achieve something that even the politicians don't manage to get.

What else are you working on apart for the concerts for the "Linz Europa Tour 2007-2009" project?

Roman Iagupov: We actually have very many concerts, most of them open air. The next week we will go to B'ESTIVAL, in Romania. We also have concerts in Ukraine, Russia, Romania and we will start our tour through Germany soon. We are travelling all the time. We would like a break when we could go to our studio and record some new songs, but our tour schedule is very busy, and we don't have time for that right now. We hope that we will be able to record at least the song that we created with Hubert von Goisern.

That was an impressive collaboration. How long did you work for the song?

Roman Iagupov: In March Hubert spent 5 days with us and this is when everything began. We also had a few rehearsals before concerts. Everything worked out that well because we planned everything.

In fact the Zdubs played a couple of songs together with Hubert. Among them there was Miorita (a song from the band's repertoire), one song of the Osoianu Sisters which was performed by the girls in Hubert von Goisern's band and one song from the Austrian band's repertoire.

Aren't you tired of travelling this much? Aren't you tired of the tour?

Hubert von Goisern: No, I am not tired. People and music give us so much energy that we don't have time to get tired. It is good to be resonant; otherwise people might think that you are not enjoying what you are doing. In different places people have different mentalities and they react differently. I am glad that I have been with these musicians for 6 weeks already, that we are travelling on the Danube and it has some sort of purifying energy. The Danube scares away the bad spirits and keeps us in a good mood.

Roman Iagupov: Here is where I understood that love and freedom are not myths and that they really exist. Hubert has a unique philosophy, and the more I talk to him, the more I realise these truths. Life is not only difficult, with a lot of problems; I saw the beautiful side of life too. This interaction with Hubert has been a very good experience for me. 

www.moldova.net 27th July 2007

More photos at www.moldova.net

www.ruse-news.com 19th July 2007

More photos at www.ruse-news.com

Der Standard 23rd July 2007

Silistra - While on his Danube tour with a floating stage, Hubert von Goisern has tangled with the local "power" in the Bulgarian town of Silistra. His ship was docked in front of the luxury Drustar hotel. It had been arranged with the hotel owner Stefan Rajtschew that the restaurant tables would be removed for the concert to make room for the audience. However the hotel boss, who owns nearly all of Silistra, reserved tables for invited guests nonetheless. Von Goisern did not stand for this. The stage ship was taken 300 metres upstream, where the concert became a yodel against the "Mafia" so to speak in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Von Goisern's Linz Europe Tour takes in 22 concerts down to the Danube delta and ends in Linz on 1st September. (kl)

See also: Hubert von Goisern's logbook

www.osijek031.com 9th July 2007

Hubert von Goisern & Band with Tamara Obrovac | Photo: KCimer

More photos at www.osijek031.com

Salzburger Nachrichten 12th July 2007

The convoy of ships is powerful. The idea needs care. A report on the first East concerts on Hubert von Goisern's Linz Danube tour. Bernhard Flieher reports from Vukovar.

Photo: Jonas Steckel

The approach is taken little by little. It has to be done with care. No excessive movements, no rushing that could that could take the positive strength of the tension on hand. Where new land is broken, the terrain must be cautiously sounded out. Captain Peter lands the ship in Vukovar at a steep promenade. This evening the audience will sit in the castle grounds, among buildings damaged by gunfire. Only last year was the ferry that joins Croatia and Serbia reinstated. For a good fifteen years after the end of Yugoslavia and the war, the Danube was a powerfully rolling force that kept countries apart.

Osijek: The start after the storm

Hubert von Goisern is travelling along this border to the east: the huge undertaking is called the "Linz Europe Tour 2007–2009". The convoy of ships - about 110 metres long, consisting of a tugboat, barracks ship and a barge, on which approximately 60 tonnes of stage, technical equipment, kitchen, storage and additional sleeping containers accommodated - is going east this year, in 2008 it will travel the west. In journeys of three months each, a good two dozen concerts will be given with a variety of local musicians. In 2009 the stage ship will dock in Linz for a final festival as part of "Linz 2009 – European Capital of Culture".

The path of the tour along the Danube leads from the present to the past, from highly-developed industrial nations to structurally weak rural areas of hope. Osijek, 130,000 inhabitants has found the connection. Some bullet holes remain in the wall of a fortress-like building as the last witnesses of streetfights during the Croatian war. You can see them clearly from the Copa Cabana open-air swimming pool on the other side of the river. 15 kilometres from here the Drava river still exists independently. Then it is swallowed up by the Danube. Sunday afternoon, 36ºC, Osijek goes swimming. The embankment drops away in steps from the pool to the river, where the Goisern convoy is anchored and attracts amazed looks. The stage is the size of one used for festivals. It is raised from the belly of the cargo ship for each show. The first concert in the east is being played in Osijek. This is not the only reason an endurance test lies ahead. It is the first time that all the equipment brought together for the tour will be used. Everyone is sweating - not just because of the heat. The technical crew are sweating the most - and have been for days. It is a sweat of worry and work.

A look back upstream: The storm is coming

Vienna, Melk, Regensburg and Passau were the first stops. That was familiar terrain. That can serve promotion well just as it can the a finding of security in the interaction of all forces. The stage was only ready shortly before the first show. It was rigged for the first time at the end of June for the concert on the Donauinsel. The storm came two hours before the start of the show. All is lost. But on such a tour only the perfecting functioning of the combination of ship and equipment allows for the free space in which human and artistic approaches can be made.

In the past year and a half Hubert von Goisern travelled the Danube countries for discovery, but above all for organisation. Boundaries must be overcome, and for that customs officers, police or port authorities always need papers - and the Goiserer needs patience. The effort doesn't stop on board either. And in the end one is also dependent on the incalculability of the water. Casting off. Making acquaintances. Wonderful ideas. But how will that work when the ship is a workshop and the basic idea of bringing about meetings with music beyond all borders takes a backseat?

It counts from Osijek. And Osijek gives hope. Everything works. Tamara Obrovac, poetic jazz artists from Slovenia, opens the evening and joins in on two of the Goiserer's songs. The path into the past that this journey presents looking at the countries to be travelled underlies the journey too.

The Goiserer had the idea for such a tour on water in Africa on Tanganyika Lake. That was back in the nineties, shortly after the end of the Alpinkatzen, with whom he had become famous. Now he has a new band who play in Osijek just as vigorously as the Alpinkatzen once did. But many nuances are finger, the repertoire is broader, the view goes further afield and yet everything stands more firmly on alpine soil than it did on Fön (1999) and Iwasig (2002), the first albums after the time of the Alpinkatzen. Foreign terrain is fought for with old virtues. It is not so much a broad, enriched world of sound between Tibet and Africa, but more a concentrate of Goisern's creations hitherto: alpine rock that offers an operatic voice room almost as easily as it does meditative onomatopoeia.

Vukovar: on the ferry to hopes

Around 200 people sit attentively in the castle grounds in Vukovar. No, he's never heard such music, says Josip. That morning he had told me in the Café Lav on the market square about the time when Vukovar was besieged by Serbian troops between May and November 1991. Not a single house in the harbour town with 30,000 residents was spared the shelling. Vukovar became a symbol of the senselessness of the war. It is still a city of holes. Even in the city centre, where a great deal is being reconstructed, yawn great holes where houses once stood. In the neighbouring streets houses stand empty, riddled with bullet holes. Shrubs grow from roofs. A ruined shopping centre and the deserted castle grounds on the Danube promenade above remain as memorials. They look out over the river to Serbia, from where Vukovar came under fire.

In the evening the castle is illuminated by the light from the giant LED walls next to the stage. The Goiserer's accordion takes its first breath and begins Solide Alm. When you look past the screens into the darkness over the Danube, you can see two lights on the other bank. That is where the ferry is moored. "I've never been there" says Josip, as Hubert von Goisern sings the song Strassn (Roads). What is he singing? Josip wants to know. That it is the same roads that lead you home or away. Josip thinks that it nice, but: "Sometimes it isn't possible for you to come home." At the concert in Vukovar the Goiserer replaces the word "roads" with the word "water".

Staying on the river: the next bank awaits

At dawn the convoy has set off along the Danube for the concert in Osijek. The dense meadow all around protects the river and the ship. The sun comes up just before the outlet of the Drava into the Danube. The light of the red ball falls upon the mist that has arisen due to the difference in temperature between the air and the water. The rays warm and give hope. A few hours later, there are still hours before the concert in Vukovar – Hubert von Goisern looks across the Danube while the careful docking manoeuvres are made. There is a small sandy beach between the alluvial forests. "We're always docking at the wrong bank", he says with a grin. There is no disappointment in these words, but rather the desire for the other side, for the next step. The ship will cast off. Yesterday, Wednesday, the concert location was Donji Milanovac. It is not be found on any tourplan. The concert was a spontaneous addition. The mayor of the village of 300 inhabitants was delighted. The next approach takes place. What will it be like? Careful certainly.

Bernhard Flieher

13th July 2007

Photos © Elli Christl | Click to enlarge

Passauer Neue Presse 2nd July 2007

Hubert von Goisern cheered on stage by thousands on Passau’s Rathausplatz last Saturday and Sunday - Thrilling: Claudia Koreck

Photo: Geisler

This is more or less how the perfect moment would look. The sound of the accordion flows into the heart, and during the encore, Hubert von Goisern breathes the lyrics of "Hörst as ned? Wia die Zeit vergeht" more than sings them.

With his massive stage ship, he spent two days docked by Passau’s town hall square, with many thousands flocking to see him, crowds of gatecrashers thronging down closed-off streets for a free view. The smell of roasted almonds fills the air. Up on the hill the Veste Oberhaus castle sits, lit by starlight and a full moon. It could hardly be more romantic.

It is difficult to describe in words the effect that this man has when he steps onto the stage with his deep set, tired eyes and always with a look of great sternness at the corners of his mouth. One almost feels honoured when such a serious person smiles.

An innovator of folk music, a child of nature with the spirit of the earth at his fingertips, an alpine sex symbol – there are many ways to look at the musician from Bad Goisern, on the very outer reaches of the region of Upper Austria. Goisern belongs to that group of artists who have pursued their careers in such a versatile and unpredictable way that they have attracted at least three different groups of fans: one group loves the alpine rocker, who expertly uses all modern methods to play his traditional repertoire; the next group appreciates the world musician, who has discovered whole new worlds of sound on his travels; and the third group love to listen to the folk musician who has breathed new life into folk music with moving interpretation on his Trad albums. For his Linz Europe Tour, which will see him travel up to Rotterdam and down to the Black Sea as ambassador for the European Capital of Culture 2009, he has chosen his most lavish side – the powerful entertainer.

With a sense of folk music and the power of rock he raps on a polka. The accordion and distorted electric guitar are spurred on and the violin instigates a high speed duel. A juchitzer yell cuts through the beating of the drums, the Schottische style song blends into mouth organ punk, and the "country dance" bears no relation to a peaceful village festival here – but rather more to James Brown's sweat-drenched funk. Then come more heart-rending yodels in the synthesiser bed, with a dash of relaxing easy listening in between. Goisern’s vocal talents are as broad as his instrumental skills on accordion, guitar, horn and mouth organ; he only needs his rich voice to rough things up a little before switching over to the blues. He lets his voice softly vibrate and become romantic, he lets his falsetto swirl and become mystic, his yodels intensify to resemble hymns. Many before him have failed while trying to score points with a young audience by straying into the field of hip hop. Goisern's speech songs sound as though they embody traditional folk music.

It is an amazing show that Hubert von Goisern and his exceptionally strong band deliver, with drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, violins, percussion and three background singers.

One of the most emotional moments of the evening came when Goisern sang his old classic Weit weit weg again after almost 14 years. 21-year old Claudia Koreck from Traunstein was cheered on stage for her duet with Hubert. She had given a thrilling concert with her band during the support programme.

The song, in Goisern’s terms, is comparatively sentimental, especially when circling seagulls and a sunset are projected onto the video wall. If you can cope with this overload, the sensation is one of pure joy. Sensitive souls in the audience quietly complain, asking whether this luxuriance is really necessary: the background choir, the violins, the continuous video footage of edelweiss, violins, flowers and psychedelic patterns. If you just watch it for long enough, this perfect production in the style of a colossal music video suddenly seems to absorb reality.

Only once does the artist touch on the topic of Europe: "It is immediately noticeable in Bavaria", he comments on the huge police presence. "Are you all such wild beasts?" he asks, "or has nobody told them that this is no longer the EU border?", to enthusiastic applause.

Perfect moments are shy, and flee when one consciously tries to create them. Instead what remained here was an enthralling concert. The thousands on the Rathausplatz did not hesitate for a second to give a standing ovation.

Raimund Meisenberger

11th July 2007

Photos © Elli Christl | Click to enlarge

Cityoffers Regensburg July 2007

Yes, it was great, as Hubert von Goisern alias Hubert Achleitner himself said of the double concert event on the 29th June. But not only that - Hubert von Goisern and Haindling, whom the musical world citizen had taken on board his floating stage at the Regensburg stop of his Linz Europe Tour in the Osthafen, thrilled the audience with a very special show.

And all this despite the "stormy" opening concert at the Donauinselfest in Vienna, where various parts of the stage ship were damaged and fell victim to the water, as well as a weak tugboat that had to be summarily swapped on the way to Regensburg.

After the charming Austrian with the somewhat weatherbeaten - but no less attractive - appearance had welcomed the countless fans who were waiting impatiently, Haindling opened the concert with a number whose sounds from various horns were reminiscent of the ambient sounds of a mountain pasture. If the audience were a little confused by this unexpected sound experience, it didn't last long before the Bavarian music cosmopolitan had them completely on his side. The Haindling classics also played their part, such as Paula, I hob di lang scho nimma g'sehn, Du Depp, Spinn i and In der Umlaufbahn. The ninety minutes passed much too quickly and with the encore of Irgendwie und sowieso Haindling dotted the i of his show.

The fans were completely enraptured and beautifully prepared for the following concert from Hubert von Goisern, who during the set from Haindling had been on stage for just a short joint number - which was honoured with thunderous applause. The long break for setting up, which lasted nearly an hour, hit the fans' mood somewhat and so the "host" didn't have a very easy start.

Finally he clearly showed his musical versatility with his jazzy and funky songs and instrumental pieces. Versatility that he has successfully proved more than once since the famous Hiatamadl, which he has left far behind him. After a short period of adjustment, the fans then really let themselves go and would not stop clapping at the end of the official playing time - 11pm. Hubert von Goisern then didn't deny them the encore and after a short announcement, "they can't take our power, because we've brought our own!", delighted the audience with a wonderful version of his classic Heast as ned. With an ultimate cool "Bye everyone. It was great with you guys!" Hubert von Goisern finally dismissed the content and happy Regensburg audience.

The concert-goers were less happy faced with the provided shuttle buses though, which were meant to commute between the Osthafen and the Donauarena. Only one stood at the exit of the open air arena, which meant a fight for the few seats. Had the concert been able to take place between Wurstkuchel and Jahninsel, as Hubert von Goisern had wanted, this problem would not have occurred. He couldn't resist a sideswipe at the city administration, who had stipulated that the concert should end at 11pm, "when only foxes and rabbits are out and about". It remains to be seen what hurdles will stand in Hubert von Goisern's way on his ship tour towards the Black Sea delta - he will certainly overcome them though, for his music and his audience.

SB

Hubert von Goisern and Haindling

Süddeutsche Zeitung 2nd July 2007

Hubert von Goisern's plea for a free Danube

Photo: Rolf Thym

On this Friday evening in the Osthafen in Regensburg, 5000 people are waiting for him with happy expectation. But, hidden from the view of his fans, Hubert Achleitner was still sitting behind a wall of sleeping containers on a leather sofa on the deck of a convoy that will be his floating living area, rehearsal space, studio and stage until 2009. Around him, everything is in the open air: a bath next to the satellite dish, artificial grass, a potted palm, a long wooden dining table, a nice canteen and a huge piece of rock. Those are the accessories for what has to be the craziest undertaking so far by the 54-year-old Austrian folk and rock musician who has already had an eventful life and whom the world knows as Hubert von Goisern.

With a crew of 25 musicians, technicians and ship's personnel, he will be travelling the rivers of Europe and, wherever possible, dock, raise the large stage and give concerts together with local artists. The tour should serve understanding between nations and also the city of Linz, which will be the European Capital of Culture in 2009 and which is strongly supporting the Goisern project.

The musical river journey had barely begun in Vienna when it nearly came to an abrupt end in a heavy rainstorm. But the ship managed the journey to Regensburg without problem.

The music boat was anchored opposite warehouses and a feed mixer, from which rose a sour smell of silage. Illuminated video walls sent into the night the message that the Danube - which in Lower Bavaria is being threatened by a new weir for shipping - must remain a free waterway. The League of Conservation and the Regional League for the Protection of Birds have begun an international petition campaign to save the Danube - with Goisern's support, the two organisations maintain. The musician thinks the scheme is very good, because as far as he is concerned further destruction of the river is equivalent to an "original sin".

But in the end it was a beautiful evening in the Osthafen: first of all Hans Jürgen Buchner (Haindling) cleaned up and then Goisern energetically proved once more with his new band that yodelling works wonderfully with fast rock riffs, merry arrangements from the Caribbean and even a hounding of jazzy syncopies. Two concerts in Passau followed on Saturday and Sunday with Claudia Koreck Band.

Rolf Thym