BRENNA TUATS TOUR 2012
The sad ballads of Hubert von Goisern
Austro folk bard provides the festival finale at Burg Veldenstein - Completely sold out concert
NEUHAUS - Loud sounds are not appropriate for a funeral. And even if it's a rock festival being buried, a little piety is recommended. The Austrian singer Hubert von Goisern takes care and for the big finale at Burg Veldenstein, serves up a very ballad heavy programme, just right for a warm summer evening.
"The Goiserer", as his fans like to call him, really made things crash a few months ago in the Nuremberg Meistersingerhalle and turned in a choice rock 'n' roll show - with music so energy-laden it blew through your hair and legs.
For the Veldenstein concert Hubert von Goisern had noticeably burrowed deep into his chest of ballads and brought to light a great selection of very quiet songs. Alongside he tells thoughtful stories about the unusual behaviour of people and the fact that they don't just compromise their own happiness with it, but also the existence of the world in and from which they live.
It's just a shame that this thoroughly intelligent approach doesn't meet open ears and hearts with all the concert guests in the jam-packed and long since sold out castle courtyard. Some are audibly murmuring, one even has a go at the singer from the front rows - but he follows through on his concert for the palpably melancholy evening of songs at the castle and smiles with a little satire at all those who'd like it to be a bit rockier.
Mind you the born Upper Austrian quotes rock and soul legends like Janis Joplin, whose Mercedes Benz he turns into a wistful dialect anthem with a strong sing along effect. Ray Charles' Georgia too, which Hubert rewrites into a homage to his hometown of Bad Goisern, has great emotional potential, is more than ever a commitment and silent prayer from someone who is at peace and happy with himself.
Hubert von Goisern uses the pieces from the current album EntwederUndOder rather sparingly, because driving rock grooves and dance floor appropriate bulldozer beats wouldn't suit the feel good package of the open air concert.
Nevertheless, there can, nay must, be a smart portion of irony. For example the cliché of the noble Indian is turned on its head, because according to Hubert there are black sheep and oddballs in every society - "if there weren't any here, I'd have to wonder what weird drugs you'd been taking," the musician says acerbically.
The melodies that Hubert von Goisern still takes from the fount of folk music are odd too and he breathes pulsating life into them with the diatonic Styrian accordion, also known as the "Ziach".
Irreverent alpine rocker
When he swaps the accordion for the Fender Stratocaster, all those who want to hear the bolshy, down-to-earth, irreverent alpine rocker finally get their money's worth. The radio hit Brenna tuats guat with its complex rhythm is sung by several hundred voices, the irrepressible Hiatamadl is celebrated especially cosily as an encore with audience participation.
Towards the end of the concert at the castle, which likely also marks the end of the musical events at Burg Veldenstein, Hubert von Goisern grows very quiet and concentrates on his goosebump songs like the immortal Weit weit weg. And as one takes slow steps back to the car, a few last notes drift through the summer night and agree sadly: it is the end of an era.
"Servus Hirschhorn"
Hirschhorn. Festival atmosphere reigns on Saturday evening at the Hirschhorn Neckarlauer: the riverside road level with the docking point is blocked off, traffic is diverted downtown. The area at the river is fenced off, a ticket office offers spur of the moment spectators the last minute opportunity to get in. Drinks stands, snack tents offer sustenance, fire service, police, ambulances stand ready for the worst case scenario. The organiser says there are 3000 people there, seated and standing, to see and hear him on his Brenna tuats tour - the alpine rocker par excellence: Hubert von Goisern with band.
"Servus Hirschhorn" the man from the province of Salzburg calls to his fans in the Neckar valley. They thank him with jubilant applause. Hubert Achleitner from the beautiful town of Bad Goisern takes up the Jews' harp; primitive sounds emanate from the barely visible instrument. Alex Pohn surrounds them with a driving beat, Severin Trogbacher adds the perfect guitar sound, Helmut Schartlmüller provides the grooving bass. Stage smoke gushes out from behind one of the red floor lamps that conjure up a bit of living room atmosphere on the stage decorated with a huge sparkling dragon - the heraldic animal of Bad Goisern. A first "he-hejoooh" rings through the Neckar valley. The next song from the new album Entwederundoder, which is the focus of the current tour, is about Indians. Hubert has picked up the electric guitar for this, but also takes up cow bells for one section, acoustically catapulting his Indians from the wild west into the alpine country. Things get going, the crowd starts to move in the standing area. Various saints are invoked.
Then the trademark accordion from his mountain homeland comes into use: "Are you at all au fait with saints?" is the question from the man from the catholic alpine region to the residents of Baden. And he entertains with a few hilarious stories: "One burned. So he became the patron saint of cooks." The people from the Neckar valley are not just thrilled by the master from the Salzkammergut's music, his sense of humour goes down well too. "The next song is dedicated to Saint Heidrun - in Switzerland they just say Heidi." Hubert von Goisern proves himself to be a musical multitalent, changing instrument from piece to piece, fascinating his audience on the clarinet and harmonica, on lap steel guitar, keyboard and his trademark - the accordion. And of course the singing in his mother tongue, which seems ever so ethnic for the Baden ears. Gradually it grows dark between Neckar and Odenwald. The stage shines in intensive shades of blue, red and orange. Hubert sings a love song to his hometown: "Goisern, i steh auf di ..." A melancholy yodel sounds with a mountain echo effect over the nearby river.
Then that was it with the quiet sounds for the time being. Because finally all hell was let loose: Brenna tuat's guat let the people leave their seats, clap, dance, sing along. The stage goes dark. Was that it? The crowd calls for an encore. It comes. And fiercely at that. That's Hubert von Goisern the way his fans love him: the "fat calves" of Hiatamadl are frenetically celebrated by the 3000-strong choir. And for the insatiable, right at the end - an a cappella meditative yodel.
The talker and his hits
Hubert von Goisern bewitches his audience at the sold out and hot ZMF circus tent
On stage stand three red lamps, not red light, but floor lamps, the kind you could put on your coffee table. It's an evening with Hubert von Goisern, almost at home with him, a personal evening certainly. At the same time it's not an intimate concert. The ZMF circus tent had been sold out for weeks. The Austrian singer, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist is loved by his fans like never before. His most recent CD Entwederundoder has given his career a real push once more.
He stands on stage barefoot, grey trousers, dark shirt. He's 59 years old, but looks unashamedly good, slim, powerful, incorruptible.
He has only a small band with him - three young musicians, who are all probably half his age, drummer Alex Pohn, bassist Helmut Schartlmüller and above all guitarist Severin Trogbacher.
The concert begins experimentally. With deconstructed folk music under the title üuoö - which stands for "trans lower upper Austria". Lots of electric guitar, a bit of strange accordion and at the end surprisingly harmonious choral singing. The audience, on average barely any younger than the star, at first bided their time. Who knows what Goisern had thought of now. The other pieces from the new CD, which formed the first half of the concert, manifested themselves as rather unwieldy dialect blues rock. That didn't appeal to everyone straightaway.
But nonetheless Goisern bewitched his audience. With his stories alone. He talks about Indians, Christian saints and the clarinet, whose charm first developed for him when he was 40. Goisern can talk about everything, so charmingly and full of self-deprecation, you'd likely pay a bit of money just for an evening of interludes.
In the second half of the concert, there are fewer stories and more hits. Goisern, Mercedes Benz and Buama stehts zam im Kroas. The small band lineup works splendidly, creating a clear, transparent sound. And Goisern constantly changes instrument, from the accordion to various guitars, from the Jews' harp to harmonica to keyboard and of course then the clarinet too.
After about 90 minutes he plays a new piece Lebwohl (Farewell) - and nobody would have complained if the concert had come to a close then. But the ballad about the succinct end to a relationship would have proved a failure as a final piece, Goisern explains, he doesn't want to send fans home so sad.
So things really get going again, now with really noisily arranged Styrian folk music. And roadie Hannes comes on stage as dancing animator too. Goisern has now strapped on the accordion, bass and drums playing complicated jazz pieces.
Then the hit Brenna tuat's gut, a piece about money, his first chart number one - in Austria. Further encores, among them Weit, weit weg and Heast es net from the Alpinkatzen time of the 90s when he became famous. It gets ever hotter in the circus tent, the audience ever more blissful, singing along and hanging on Goisern's every word. A successful evening.
Hubert von Goisern in the circus tent: a cappella, alpine rock, authentic
More photos at www.fudder.de
Hubert von Goisern was a little late to his own concert at the ZMF - traffic! But then there was two and a half hours of multi-instrumental full physical strength. This is how it was:
Just before eight in the sold out circus tent: lots of people around me - most around the same age as the musician, that is, between 50 and 65. The question comes to me: with how many bands is the audience the same age as the musicians? And why? A shared past? Grown old together? Habit? No matter. Back to the evening's programme.
The bandwidth of the audience otherwise stretches from tattooed, crusty bull necks to fathers with school children. The place is buzzing like a bee hive. Three red floor lamps provide a little living room atmosphere. At the back is displayed the fork-tongued dragon, the emblem of Goisern (the hometown) and of von Goisern himself, likewise guarantee for the message hidden in the hit: it burns well.
The funk is burning before things get going: clapping and calls of "Hubert!" fly through the tent. There is great disappointment when Alex Heisler comes on stage just after eight. To booing. The festival founder reassures the audience: traffic. It jams up well, I think to myself. Not much later the four musicians and backliner Hannes come on stage to great jubilation.
Accordion sounds. Hubert von Goisern puts expression and movement solely into the accordion, getting by at first without any singing. He is accompanied by the fantastic musicians Severin Trogbacher on guitar, Helmut Schartlmüller on bass and Alex Pohn on drums. Unpretentious in a black shirt and grey trousers, the Upper Austrian stamps across the stage. Barefoot. Authentic.
His biting lyrics and acerbic messages are dressed in the seductive garb of his homeland idioms (a bit of the Beckenbauer effect). For example, when it's about dealing with politicians in Indianer, as the 59-year-old explains: "Indians are everywhere, strategically well-distributed across the globe. They used to be long-haired and taciturn. Nowadays they talk a lot and have bald heads." In any case, the frontman takes a lot of time for his audience, garnishing his songs with anecdotes and turning out to be an atmospheric storyteller.
Musically-speaking Hubert von Goisern works the whole palette from accordion and the acoustic, lap steel and electric guitars, to clarinet and even sprinkles in a cow bell solo, throws in a bit of beat boxing and rap elements, or performs a powerful yodel. The brilliant Severin Trogbacher tickles an earthy blues solo from his instrument and at another point elicits handmade dub effects in the Janis Joplin cover Mercedes Benz, which is beautifully lowered and performed in minimalistic reggae style. Just as successful: Goisern's Georgia, which he just calls Goisern. Committed to the homeland.
The evening steers towards the expected highlight: Brenna tuat's guat, the alpine rockers anthem for the financial crisis. A collective grin spreads as soon as the first notes are played. After a two and a half hour programme and the audience favourites Weit, weit weg and Heast as nit among the encores, the quartet departs with a short a cappella performance. The grins stay stapled to the spectators' faces for a long time.
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip Platzer
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Spielberg - 14th July 2012
Photo: © Philip PlatzerHubert von Goisern "burns" at Spielberg
There are musicians who don't change. If 23 years pass before a song gets to number one, that's just the way it is. Fantastically authentic.
Hubert von Goisern is not someone who puts on big shows. He was never such a person and never will be. There is honest craftsmanship to be seen and heard when he enters the stage, touches the strings or buttons. Nothing more and nothing less. Authenticity personified since 1988.
With a thirty minute delay the Upper Austrian comes on stage in Spielberg, plays the first chord and the audience is his. "No community has ever only brought forth noble people. Not even the Goiserers.", he says, most likely with a conscience political sideswipe, to introduce I kenn oan. And just as he's singing about someone who says she has to count raindrops, the first fall from the sky too. As if Hubert von Goisern had jinxed it. Pure kitsch. One briefly wants to wish for ballads, to hold lighters up in the air. But the pedigree musician doesn't grant that favour on the Brenna tuats tour. He rocks on. And almost apologises when he later nonetheless plays two ballads. He is forgiven...
With the great Helmut Schartlmüller (bass), Alexander Pohn (drums) and Severin Trogbacher (guitar), all Upper Austrians, "as you can hear from the vocals", he leaves the stage after more than another hour. The songs from the current album EntwederUndOder were played. But Hubert von Goisern wouldn't be Hubert von Goisern if he didn't play the old things too. Koa Hiatamadl with a tempo like rarely ever before, Weit, weit weg with a sea of lighters in the air and Heast as nit as the crowning glory. The fact that it almost stopped raining was almost too kitsch again.
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th July 2012
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Salzburg - 12th-13th August 2012
Photo: © Elli ChristlAuthentic, wild and melancholy
Hubert von Goisern hits the right note with his programme "Brenna tuats".
He becomes a natural phenomenon at the Rotes Tor - without "Hiatamadl".
Saint Rita as the versatilely effective patron saint who "makes the impossible possible", is Hubert von Goisern's declared favourite saint. But he must have a hotline to the Augsburg open air stage weather gods too! In the finest open air conditions the Upper Austrian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist on his Brenna tuats tour fired up the 2000 plus spectators who had come in a fine mood to the (sold out) second big summer music event (after Haindling the day before).
More than a few had donned alpine traditional dress, but from the first note from the accordion those in civil clothes also solidarised with the casually charismatic Hubert von Goisern, who did without big show attitude and despite dryly humorous mischief, showed himself to be as a musical personality to be taken seriously.
Conquering the pop charts with a top young band
Together with the top young band - bassist Helmut Schartlmüller, drummer Alex Pohn and the fabulous guitarist Severin Trogbacher – the creative musician, who will be 60 years young in November, showed why songs like Brenna tuats guat conquer the pop charts. The concert also made clear why Goisern, who philosophically encapsulates his life experiences in a divinely Austrian way, fights so vehemently against being pigeonholed in strained genres like alpine rock or world music.
The music he plays opens spaces and is full of tonally sophisticated shades, skilfully uses influences from rock, blues, pop, jazz and bona fide folk music. Yet for all the Goisern uniqueness of it all, it seems suitable for the masses and in beat and rhythmic centre hits the concern of the people thanks to crisply formulated messages, in the best case, giving flight to their fantasies.
Authentic and honest, wild and loud or intimate and full of tender melancholy, vocally strong and emotional, the new numbers from the current album ENTWEDERundODER, like the reggae waltz Heidi, satisfied just the same as the more familiar songs. The songs that were full of groove went straight to the toes and were enjoyed just like the subtle, melancholy ballads that went straight to the heart thanks to their poetic content.
But during the touching ballad Lebwohl the concentration was hugely disturbed: Goisern broke off abruptly and was justifiably annoyed by the gall of the shamelessly loud talking near the stage! A shame for the "magic moments", but they were then given again later during the encores. So it's anyone's guess what memories the globetrotter Hubert von Goisern will take with him from the Augsburg open air stage. But for the audience dancing in the rows, or going along enthusiastically in their seats, the evening will be unforgettable as a fascinating and long resonant musical natural phenomenon, and without a sign of Hiatamadl!
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Augsburg - 9th July 2012
Photo: © Elli ChristlA home game in front of the cathedral
Hubert von Goisern is playing three concerts in a row on the "Jedermann" stage in front of the cathedral.
He had a good homecoming on Wednesday.
Conduct during bad weather has always been clear for every Jedermann visitor: if it starts raining at the "Mammon" stage, head into the Große Festspielhaus. And if the rain remains until after the show, the performance will be cancelled.
Rock spectators have always been rather less perturbed by the weather. If rain suddenly starts: put on your rain coat and keep listening. This law was implemented on Wednesday too at the first of three concerts Hubert von Goisern is giving with his band on the Jedermann stage. That's why it didn't matter that Hubert von Goisern greeted the audience almost simultaneously with the first fat drops: "Hello, Salzburg ... !"
Without hesitation resourceful fans in the front rows simply rewrote the current hit Brenna tuats guat (It Burns Well): "Regnen tuats guat" (It Rains Well). The song from the album Entwederundoder (2011) also has a great deal to do with Mammon and the financial crisis that makes daily appearances in the headlines.
Since a complete work can't be reduced to just one hit, the Goiserer took his time right until the end and together with his excellent grooving band (guitarist Severin Trogbacher, bassist Helmut Schartlmüller, drummer Alex Pohn) played through both older and new songs (Indianer, Heidi, Es is wias is), in which time and again there came a powerful fusion of Led Zeppelin guitars and Jews' harp, homeland sound and world music. The melancholy Georgia On My Mind, which Hubert von Goisern has changed to Goisern, I steh auf Di suits it well. With clarinet, lap steel guitar and harmonica as well as the piano, he showed his musical versatility at this home game in Salzburg.
Just before 10pm and few rain showers later, things headed towards the hit with an Ausseer schottisch and a Schleuniger: Brenna tuats guat heralded the start of the encore set. And many were perhaps reminded of Jedermann again with one lyric: "War'n ma Christ, hätt ma g'wisst, wo da Teufel baut in Mist" ("If we were Christians, we'd know where the devil's making a mess").
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl
Hubert von Goisern: Live in Munich - 8th July 2012
Photo: © Elli Christl