FEDERN TOUR 2016
Goisern burns well
Alpine world musician (63) rocks the unloved (by him) Dreiländerhalle and 2000 fans
The alpine world musician Hubert von Goisern called for stamina on Wednesday at the Dreiländerhalle: "Holding up?", the nearly 64-year-old asked with a grin of 2000 fans of all ages, after a good hour of non-stop thoroughbred music-playing. Absolutely. And for just as long again. And how!
Passau is a city in which Hubert von Goisern, who calls himself HvG, regularly performs. After the marvellous concert a good year ago at the cathedral, the live professional doesn't think much of the Stadthalle: "It's called the Dreiländerhalle? They should have written on the building the names of the people who put it in the middle of nowhere, so that nobody asks them to build another one!" Applause.
Perhaps because of the non-open-air situation, perhaps because of the architecture, HvG had prior to this often turned to his musicians. And to the backdrop rather than the audience. But when he plays, be it accordion, guitar, alphorn, keyboard, trumpet, harmonica and more, and sings, the alpine rocker from Upper Austria blazes undiminished. His moderation in contrast has grown calmer, seeming to have turned more inward.
Federn is the name of the tour that HvG and his congenial band are currently taking through Germany and Austria. Federn, a mix of blues and Austrian country dances, zweifachers and Cajun, yodelling and country music, which is what happens after the adventurously experimental and yet folk musically conservative globetrotter HvG takes a trip through the American Deep South. In bass player Helmut Schartlmüller, guitarist, Severin Trogbacher, sophisticated drummer Alex Pohn and Californian pedal steel player Bob Bernstein, the creative marathon musician has found the kind of companions that he couldn't have carved any less vain or more understanding. So Goisern is down with Californians. The Southerners not so much: "The music is good. But the people ..." He marries his accordion with the blues once more, because: "Blues - it's good that it exists, it's better than depression. That's black. The blues has colour." HvG's temperament and playfulness may have only flashed through before, but in the very political encores, all hell was let loose. Goisern burns well, visibly and audibly.
Folk as a musical bridge
Hubert von Goisern and band at the Rosengarten
"I have the blues and sometimes it has me", sings Hubert von Goisern in his song I kann wieder fliag'n. He searched and definitely found them on a journey he took to the American South, which led to Nashville, Louisiana and New Orleans and allowed him to familiarise himself with not just the blues, but country and the musical Cajun tradition too.
And since von Goisern already knows just how to combine rock with elements of traditional folk music, he makes an excellent job of the transatlantic bridge between alpine and southern state folk, between the Styrian and Cajun accordions, pedal steel and rock guitar, yodelling and blues singing - as can be heard on his current album Federn, which the singer and multi-instrumentalist presented with his band at the well-attended Rosengarten in Mannheim.
Like a soft wind
The swinging Es is wahr for example comes from country legend Hank Williams, who originally christened the song Jambalaya, abroad, So a Segn, over which Bob Bernstein's pedal steel playing lies like a soft prairie wind, answers to the name Amazing Grace, and the high-speed Singa gang guat is the US classic Oh! Susanna freshly arranged and given new lyrics. The musician's own compositions on Federn are success too, Snowdown turns out to be the heart and filet cut of the two and a half hour performance: a furiously wild, provocative blues in which von Goisern sings with a powerful voice about the courage behind truth.
The singer and his musicians (Alex Pohn: drums, Helmut Schartlmüller: bass, Severin Trogbacher: guitar) find quieter tones in an extensive block of ballads, before Hubert von Goisern heralds the final round of songs, which starts with the furious alpine rock Brenna tuats guat, and finds its emotional finale with Heast as nit from his former band The Alpinkatzen.
A man has the blues
Hubert von Goisern in der Music Hall
Worpswede. Where many musicians begin is where Hubert von Goisern has landed quite late in his career: in the blues. For Federn, his 16th studio album in nearly 30 years, the Austrian globetrotter, who has made albums on nearly every continent, took a listen around the American South. The collaboration with musicians there was difficult, he reported at his show in the sold out Worpswede Music Hall. From failure he makes a laconically entertaining framework story for his show, which naturally proves how in the end he was able to create something positive from negative experiences.
Of course the atmosphere of this programme, with which von Goisern has toured for two years, is less euphoric than the musical race to the top of his early days. Back then he didn't simply rock the folk music of his homeland in the Salzkammergut: in contrast to reactionary representatives such as Andreas Gabalier he reinvented it free of any and all clichés.
Hubert von Goisern – actually Hubert Achleitner – is, even if these days he's clearly more lamentation than cheerful juchitzers, a prime example of multicultural brilliance. A musician who never stays in one place; a conservative who believes that preservation only works by reconnecting what already exists; and a progressive who is so deeply rooted in his down to earth nature and conviction, that he can dare to take on any experiment.
So it's no small wonder that his concert doesn't turn into a deeply sad affair, despite the for him rather sedate starting position. For his musical vision is so boundless, his multi-instrumentalist capabilities so terrific and his band of guitarist Severin Trogbacher, Helmut Schartlmüller on bass and drummer Schlagzeuger Alex Pohn, to whom he has made the splendid addition of Californian pedal steel player Bob Bernstein, performer on the Oscar-winning soundtrack to Brokeback Mountain. And thus Cajun and Zydeco fuse perfectly with the unconventional alpine rock.
By the end of the more than two hour long acoustic world trip, the five musicians have arrived back in Upper Austria. They rock out with the biggest hit Brenna tuats guat and play two of the most beautiful ballads, Heast as nit and Weit, weit weg. "The days are getting shorter now and leaves are falling from the trees" - it could barely be more fitting. And for the final encore Hubert von Goisern yodels the Küahsuacher completely alone and makes the Firebird electric guitar defiantly feedback.
Haldern 2016 – moving diversity
[...] Finally, another abrupt change of style, that once again worked beautifully: Hubert von Goisern, now in his 60s and on the road for years as an alpine rocker, plays the Styrian accordion, blows the alphorn, has a superb American steel guitar player in his band and gets us dancing with his fast-paced music. And is also a convincing figure in his (political) attitude, which lifts him far above many of his musical colleagues.
Brenna tuat's guat - Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival
Hubert von Goisern & LaBrassBanda rocked the Open Air at the Red Bull Ring
Boundless musical pleasure at the 4th Spielberg Musikfestival
The 4th Spielberg Musikfestival had its highlight with the Open Air at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday. The appearances by Hubert von Goisern, LaBrassBanda, the musicians from the Herbert Pixner Projekt and folkshilfe gave the fans a first class concert evening and made for a wild time at the Formula 1 circuit.
[...] Folk music rebel Hubert von Goisern spoiled his fans with an impressive world of sound. In his set he offered the spectators the finest alpine rock - with swinging country songs, heavy-hearted ballads and powerful rock numbers. According to the motto of "all Goisern", Austria's musical ambassador completely satisfied the audience. The thousands of fans were quite a sight at the Red Bull Ring and by the time Brenna tuat's guat began, the atmosphere was excellent. Hubert von Goisern departed with "huge thanks for listening" and one of his most beautiful songs – Heast as nit, before passing the reins to a very special band from Bavaria.
Heast as nit - Live in Spielberg
Great atmosphere at the Red Bull Ring
The fourth edition of the Spielberg Musikfestival at the Red Bull Ring experienced its highlight on Saturday with the appearance of Hubert von Goisern. Together with a diverse supporting programme, the event drew 21,000 spectators.
Yes, things burn well when HvG turns up. The multi-instrumentalist from Bad Goisern once more proved on accordion, guitar, keyboard, flugelhorn and alphorn among others, that he can provide the audience with a wonderful atmosphere with his stylistic breadth. Not just the familiar Austrian folk music roots, but increasing additions from blues and country from various North American regions make for dynamic variety with Hubert von Goisern. Thanks to the charisma of the 63-year-old Salzburger and his excellent band, the audience remained all ears for not just the hits, but more complex pieces too.
Hubert von Goisern live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool
Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Ben Leitner / Red Bull Content Pool
Herbert Pixner & Hubert von Goisern: Live at the Spielberg Musikfestival - 27th August 2016
Photo: © Ben Leitner / Red Bull Content PoolConcert full of warmth despite the rain
Concert highlight: Hubert von Goisern thrills with old and new hits at Burg Clam
He does what he does truly excellently - and still without compromise. This is what Hubert von Goisern proved once more at Burg Clam. 7500 fans found their way into the castle grounds to experience the terrific live musician with his band. On offer was top class entertainment with old classics, fresh and critical material. Hubert took the rainy weather in his stride and knew how to carry away his audience in storms of enthusiasm. Taking things in his stride, that's his credo anyway, and conveying his message with all his strength. He operates with vitality, agility and power on stage, intoning his pieces block by block - with classics and new firecrackers in the mix. Alongside showy hits like Brenna tuats gut and Jambalaya, there was also Heast as ned, wia die Zeit vergeht and Snowdown. Hubert von Goisern knows what is expected of him. He delivered a concert full of warmth and virtuosity. Even though damp crept through clothing on this summer evening, the songs warmed and touched the heart. The audience went wild.
Haldern Pop Festival 2016
[...] With Hubert von Goisern's "alpine rock" it was clear that the festival organisers were not sticking to one genre. With the combination of Austrian lyrics, accordion and rock elements, the Austrian really got a party mood going. "We book the artists we feel like. The intention behind them is important, not the musical direction," said Stefan Reichmann. (Rheinische Post)
[...] The new can be traditional too: Hubert von Goisern for example performed his Haldern premiere as if he had always belonged here. Folk music with world music aspirations, deeply bedded in the blues. It fits. Haldern Pop is after all always the rural search for oneself. Where being cow is closer than being cool, pride in one's home country has to find its own language, being inviting, not exclusionary. Like in music, where everyone speaks "Stone Styrian", like Goisern. (Der Westen)
Live at the Haldern Pop Festival
More photos at www.wdr.de
Hubert von Goisern's furioso Harbour Summer finale
Note 1: A boat brings the band. Since the stage is afloat, the musicians can arrive on water too. And Hubert von Goisern spent two years setting off from the Danube with a little convoy of ships that included a stage, travelling the rivers of Europe. It makes total sense that on Sunday evening he sails into the old harbour in a boat.
Note 2: The gong that summons people to their places sounds a quarter of an hour earlier. And there are flowers beforehand too. Because Muchtar al Ghusain wants to say thank you on the last of the 17 Harbour Summer evenings. In February the Würzburg cultural consultant didn't think that the music festival would be taking place at all at the Kulturspeicher this year. But all organisational and resource hurdles were cleared. So the cultural consultant thanks his (new) team, in particular the organisational leader Judith Ritzel, and hands out sunflowers. Five evenings with light to heavy rain, a total of 9600 spectators, positive reports about the changes made and the musical programme - the organisers are happy.
Note 3: Barely arrived on this wonderful summer evening, a hurricane sweeps across the stage. Hubert von Goisern and his men let rip with electric guitars, bass and drums to Goisern's accordion, strange and powerful yodelling. A well-oiled musical machine! Weighty (folk) music and heavy country sound, rocking, steamy, metal, as if you're not sat in front of a power station, but instead right in among the turbines. Upper Austrian gstanzls meet hard rock.
In Würzburg the 63-year-old singer-songwriter, world musician and alpine rocker plays his Federn tour. The songs of the album of the same name, his most recent release, came to life after a journey through the southern states of America. He found the people over there "hard nuts to crack". "As soon as it's traditionalists, you can't talk to them." But country-Cajun-jazz-blues from the swamps of Louisiana and Styrian folk tunes - they fit well together rhythmically. Since his stay in New Orleans and Louisiana, Hubert von Goisern has grooved and played with his music in archaic blues. In the spring he presented his flavoursome mixture in New York, Washington and Austin. Now there are twenty dates in Austria, South Tyrol and Germany - juchitzers and yodels included.
Note 4: What would Janis Joplin have said to an Austrian covering her Mercedes Benz four decades later? "Geh Herrgott, jetzt kauf ma an Mercedes Benz, i brauchat a Auto, aba bittschen a schens". Amazing Grace, Jambalaya, Corinna and Oh Susanna work astoundingly well as alpine rock numbers too. It's not all down to the frontman, but the great accompanying musicians too: Californian Bob Bernstein on pedal steel guitar, drummer Alex Pohn, bassist Helmut Schartlmüller and guitarist Severin Trogbacher. Leaps into the air included!
Note 5: Astounding. If not quiet, Hubert von Goisern is really calm on this evening. He doesn't talk or tell stories as much. He's not grumpy, or nervous like he used to be, not wild and riled up, shouting, or crashing about. Instead, he's simply upright and serene, earnest and present. After the booming start and wonderfully unusual blues, the harbour becomes almost thoughtful and introspective. No comparison to the brute rock concert at the moat a couple of years ago, when the castle walls shook with the force of the sound waves.
Note 6: The Harbour Summer team's positive final balance could also have been down to this finale. 1000 spectators on the steps, sold out well in advance, perfect weather - a music festival needs such crowd pullers and successful evenings.
Note 7: A little audience chastisement: "You messed up", says Hubert von Goisern with a little smile, when the Würzburg audience fails to burst into applause like other audiences at a critical point with a deliberate break in the singing.
Note 8: 140 minutes! For a full 140 minutes without a break Hubert von Goisern plays and sings and delves into the blues and yodels on guitar, piano, trumpet, accordion and harmonica. The longest set at the Harbour Summer 2016. Just as it's threatening to get a little too thoughtful and introspective with slower numbers, the alpine rock strikes again. In the radio hit Brenna tuats gut the guitars thunder again, and in the political Snowdown the stage is on fire too.
Note 9: Hubert von Goisern gets the longest instrument of the festival from the back of the stage and he blows it with lofty grandeur: an alphorn.
Note 10: A finale that delights 1000. The audience sings and hums along earnestly to the most beautiful and treasured of von Goisern's songs. Heast as ned, wia die Zeit vergeht and Jetzt bist so weit, weit weg. To great, great applause and cheering, Hubert von Goisern then leaves the stage on foot.
Genuine alpine rock meets Southern blues
The tried and tested, profound and archaic from Hubert von Goisern at Burg Clam
Hubert von Goisern found the worst weather of the week when he stepped onto the Clam stage on Friday evening. "Guys, gather round!" He tells us what he knows: "In times when everyone is fighting, whether Serb or Croat, each death is a waste."
Hubert von Goisern begins his concert with his unmistakeable accordion-electric guitar brute force folk songs. The lyrics are deeply profound, yet full of humour and sometimes almost devout. All his strength goes into his voice, a full tone that with pleasure or sadness breaks into shouts of joy and yodels. Styrian gstanzls meet multi-instrumental hard rock. Performing live the stage professional offers a selection of his recordings. Since a trip to New Orleans and Louisiana archaic blues has prevailed in the Goiserer's folk music. "It's got a crazy groove", he says, and he's right. He casually covers American rock classics, such as Mercedes Benz, which becomes "Geh Herrgott, jetzt kauf ma an Mercedes Benz, i brauchat a Auto, aba bittschen a schens" (Dear Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz, I need a car, but a nice one please"). The late Janis Joplin would probably have loved it. It's similar with other classics such as Amazing Grace, Jambalaya, Corinna and Oh Susanna: alpine rock and the blues as identical twins, decisively performed by accompanying musician Bob Bernstein on the pedal steel guitar. All the other musicians in the fantastic band come from Upper Austria: Alex Pohn (drums), Helmut Schartlmüller (bass) and Severin Trogbacher (guitar).
The next part of the concert leads into the musician's personal inner mind: contemplative thoughts and love songs. The enthusiasm builds again as Hubert von Goisern produces unbelievably august sounds from the alphorn too. For the finale, he turns to the tried and true: Heast as ned, wia die Zeit vergeht and Jetzt bist so weit, weit weg accompany the utterly delighted audience back home.
Hubert von Goisern at Burg Clam
More photos at www.nachrichten.at
Hubert came and the rain didn't matter
Burg Clam: Hubert von Goisern and band warmed the audience with heart, mind and terrific music
"It's pretty impressive when you manage to catch the only rubbish day of the week", said Hubert von Goisern on Friday night at the OÖN Concert Summer at Burg Clam. "You're right!", one would have called up to him on stage before his hotly-awaited appearance. Footsteps squeaked in the mud. The light of the huge LED walls showed that it wasn't just raining, it was pouring. The crowd of 7500 united with the raincoat look. But as soon as Hubert summarised the weather conditions, this unfair wet and cold hindrance was forgotten and unimportant.
Every pluck celebrated
He grinned. In the knowledge that it was no longer plastic in all its unsightly forms that was covering his audience, but strength, warmth and the message of his music. The weather didn't matter, because you had the Goiserer and his band.
And as expected, this formation worked like a well-oiled machine: with every touch from St. Florian guitarist Severin Trogbacher and the Steyr bass player Helmut Schartlmüller you felt how they carried the melodies in their hands. The Innviertler Alex Pohn knew when it was time to really attack the drums, or to treat them tenderly in order to sneak up on the audience in classic concertante style. Even optically the Californian Bob Bernstein was a spectacle on the pedal steel guitar, celebrating every pluck with his face contorting with happy expressions. Together they delivered a musical HvG packet that was perfect, but never ingratiating.
Everything they played so virtuosically had character, because it celebrated both the native and the spirit of the cosmopolitan, typical of HvG. There were quiet songs (I kann wieder fliag'n), steaming hot, rocking songs (Brenna tuats gut). There was wit (Jambalaya), the tried and true from talented singer-songwriter Hubert von Goisern (Iawaramoi) and the political (Snowdown). And Hubert von Goisern proved once more that he is a talented live singer.
Blessed with a feeling for the hard, challenging, cheekily crude ("The devil should catch those crooks) and the gentle, embracing in dialect ("I want to go back to my boy, my little girl / I want to feel your hand on me"), the mythically clear in yodelling and the sharp in the cries of delight. It was never about the effect of the sound, which stroked the souls of the locals, but about messages. In lyrics that uncover stupidities, are deeply feeling and full of idealism. With them, he showed us at Burg Clam how good we've go it. And that at such a fantastic concert evening, it doesn't matter at all when the wet starts creeping through the soles of your shoes.
★★★★★★