GA-Sommergarten 2011

Due to the current ‚Max Liebermann Garden’ built on the KAH roof, this years ‚GA-Sommergarten’ Concerts have a new home. Concerts will now be held in the Kastaniengarten in Rheinhotel Dreesen. The Sommergarten season starts on 5 June with Simon Holliday & Band. One not to miss should be the very popular Genesis coverband ‘Still Collins (17 Juli)

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Popularity: 19% [?]

But is it Art?

As of this week Bonn has a new Public work of Art. ‘In seven Days Time’ is the name of Katharina Grosses Artwork. Is it a slice? is it a sail? is it Art? It is undeniably 20 Metres long and 7 Metres high.  It weighs two tons, It’s made from fibreglass, spraypainted on both sides, and  cost 355,000 Euros (yes, that really is three noughts before the decimal point). Thankfully, due to donations, Bonn itself only had to pay 30.000 Euros towards the costs.

From the Museumsplatz side it’s pretty well invisible, and from the U-Bahn end it makes a useful place to stand behind in hot weather.  I can’t help thinking that Bonn City would have been clever had it put up an empty piece of fibreglass for a couple of weeks – left it to graffiti artists to ‘find’ -  and then applied the  anti-graffiti coating. It would have saved a lot of money – and possibly have looked better as well.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Music to stop Nuclear Power by

Popular Cologne band ‘Brings’ were the special guests to round off the anti_Nuclear Energy Demo in Bonn on Saturday.

The Demo was one of around twenty taking place in major German Cities and organizers claimed a turnout in Bonn alone of around 7000 demonstrators.

Here some images from the day:

Popularity: 11% [?]

English Network goes Facebook

English-Network.de is now available on Facebook.  Please check out our site via the ‘Find us on Facebook’ link on the far right of this page,  and click ‘Like’ to keep in touch and write on our Wall.  We’d love to hear from you, so don’t be shy!

Popularity: 9% [?]

Folk at GoVinum

If you missed the Folk Club on Friday you can still catch many of the acts in Bad Godesberg.

The Godesberger ‘Wein & Bierstube’  GoVinum is offering live Folk Music this month and

regulars at Bonn Folk Club will recognize the names here so I don’t need to tell you a fine time will be had by all!

 

Photo courtesy of John Hurd

 

”LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC ON TUESDAYS”

Begin: 7:30pm

Entrance: Free

 

A Bit of Blues

17.05.11

John Harrison (GB) guitar, dobro, harp, vocals (England)

Paolo Pacifico (IT) harp, vocals (Italy)

 

Folk

24.05.11

with Thomas Steffens (Düsseldorf)

Jazz & Chansons

31.05.11 

 

with ”MeoNeo” Claudia Huismann & Werner Krotz-Vogel

 

GoVinum

Godesberger Wein- & Bierstube

Max-Franz-Straße 1 ( Ecke Burgstraße)

53177 Bonn-Bad Godesberg

0228 33 68 98 78

govinum@gmx.net

Popularity: 14% [?]

Bonn Expat meeting

Bonn Expat meets on the second Wednesday evening of every month in ‘Brauhaus Bönnsch’ which is easily reached in Bonn City Centre.  For english speaking visitors this is an excellent opportunity to meet up with others living in the area and make new contacts, as well as having a relaxing drink after a hard days work of course!

Click on the image below for more details:

Popularity: 13% [?]

Meeting the Mayfolk

May is traditionally an important time in the Folk Calendar.  In England Maypoles are danced around, in Germany they are hung high from the sides of houses.  This makes it rather difficult for Folkdancers to do their thing.  Maybe that’s why there were no Maypoles in the Gaststätte zum Schützenhaus on Friday.  I must admit though I can’t quite imagine Barry and John hopping around with bells on their trousers.  Best that they stick to what they do best – and that of course is, play music and entertain.

I missed last months Club, and as usual, everything has changed in the meantime.  The tables have been moved around into two long rows and the walls have been repainted.  The red colour oddly gives the feeling that they have also been rebuilt and someone got the scale wrong.  Everything looks smaller.  Before I had the chance to measure my footfalls from entrance to back wall, John had quietly summoned everyone to attention with a customary ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ (Which if you live within two miles of the Gaststätte you will probably have noticed as the time when your window frames shook).   John Harrison had done his historical homework and found a suitable lyric for the occasion – Dave Webbers charming  ‘Hail the first of May’

‘We shall sing and dance the day

And follow the Hobby Horse

That brings the May’

It’s also a busy time for birds of course as they build nests and families.  Not without it’s dangers, as John recallls in his sad pion to bird mortality ‘Zeppelina’.  Before we all took our guns in search of thieving Magpies, John took his Dobro and bottleneck for ‘Albert Mcshah’ which were also put to good effect on Son Houses classic ‘Walking Blues’.

Danny Kreschmar’s ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ was certainly not a jolly May song, it’s subject being one of Alcatraz’ most notorious inmates.  No guns were fired though and everyone survived to hear Barry Roshto calm things down with his trusty piano.  Although from the front it looked like he was actually getting notes out of a white woollen blanket – this warming up the piano thing all seems a bit like Joe Bonamassa and his ‘guitar for every song predilection’   (‘God is great, beer is good, musicians are crazy?’) As always, Mr Roshto was good for a surprise though, and singing a song written by Henry VIII in a high falsetto without a safety net ranks as something he will have some trouble topping.  We were all waiting for his pitch to falter – but it must be said, splendid stuff!  Splendid contribution also by wife Christiane on Violin.

Now Thomas Steffens had me in a quandry last meet.  I couldn’t place his voice but it reminded me of someone.   In the event I spent his set wracking (wrecking?) my brain for exactly who.  Thomas’ theme for the evening was the Railway so his opener was  the 1960’s song  ‘500 Miles- The Railroaders Lament’ The second was an older ballad entitled  ‘900 Miles’ so I’d gone 1400 miles in total when the name ‘Ewan MacColl’ came to me.     He didn’t sing any MacColl though but instead chose an all time favourite of mine – Eric Bogles And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda;  a song guaranteed to bring a lump to the throat.  If any song could stop wars this would be it.  Sadly no song, however mighty, can.  A bit of ‘High Noon’ in the shape of ‘Do not forsake me oh my Darling’ and a return to the railway theme with ‘Freight Train’ brought a very entertaining set to an end.  Maybe a bit of Ewan MacColl next time?  ‘My Old Man’ would be great.  I have a feeling ‘Bogles ‘No Mans Land’ would sound great from Thomas Steffen too.  Certainy someone I enjoy hearing very much.

Meoneo were next up.  That’s Claudia Huismann and Werner Krotz-Vogel to be exact.  A duo that have played here several times and therefore regulars will have had the chance to see them bloom from the slightly nervous early appearances to a fully fledged and confident powerhouse of an act.  Claudia’s outgoing stage personality and strong voice being perfectly counterpointed by Werner’s delicate flamenco style guitar backing (it’s easy to get so wrapped up listening to Claudias voice that you forget the quality of the backing)  ‘I’m Calling You’ was great, but highlight had to be the finger-clicking syncopation of ‘Don’t Wait Too Long’.  Jazz at a Folk Club?  Is that allowed?  Well, very thankfully yes it is!

Rheinfolk Gave us a selection of German language songs for May but a few surprises along the way too.  ‘Maypole Song’ was a logical title for this evenings Folk Club but it’s origins are a bit more unexpected.  It was written and used in 1973’s offbeat thriller film ‘The Wicker Man’.  A well deserved encore had us all tapping toes and glowing with a feeling of gentle anarchy as the band played Neil Young’s ‘Rocking in the Free World’.

In the spirit of this Folk Club there was a spontaneous sing/play along.   Thomas Steffen sat facing the others onstage like a conductor with a guitar for a baton and those ‘onstage’ played whatever instrument came to hand – and when none came, they used their hands themselves to clap.  Smiles everywhere, none more so than on the face of Mr Harrison – which I’m pretty sure said “Now this is what Folk Clubs are all about!”

On that note I’m sure it was with a somewhat heavy heart that he brought down the curtain on the evenings music with the now traditional finisher ‘Jock Stewart’.   Have no fear though, FolkClub will be back again next month.  Same time, same place.  Delving deep into the roots of music, causing listeners to scurry about on google in search of new found musical gems and there will also be saxophones.   But no Maypoles or Morrismen unless they turn up on the night wanting to play.  Ever seen a Maypole sing?  No, but I once saw a horsefly…

Coda:

As I write this it’s 10pm and I can hear The Hooters singing ‘500 Miles’ several miles away live on the Rheinaue.     Why do I feel a bit peeved at a Folk Club having to put away its acoustic guitars sans soundsystem at 10pm?

SLIDESHOW FROM FOLKCLUB

Popularity: 18% [?]

Anglican Chaplaincy in Bonn

Visitors to the shopping centre in Bonn on Saturday were met with jam, English Cake and postcards of William and Kate.
The Anglican Chaplaincy of Bonn obviously had friends in high places as the sun shone down on their marquee in Poststrasse.
There was also an opportunity to check the Chaplaincy Calendar of Events, but in case you missed it, here are the dates as known at present.

The Anglican Community in Bonn is part of the wider Chaplaincy of Bonn and Cologne, belonging to the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe.

It’s congregration comes from all over the World wherever people wish to meet together to to worship in the english language and in the Anglican tradition.

Events 2011

CHORAL EVENSONG – ENGLISH HYMNS
Lutherkirche (Bonn, Reuterstrasse 11)
Sept 11 2011 (Exact date TBA)

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
St Winifred (Bonn, Strässchennsweg 3)
19 November 2011, 11am – 6pm

CAROL SERVICE – FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS & CAROLS
December 2011 (Exact date TBA)

Anglican Chaplaincy Website

Popularity: 10% [?]

Royal Weddings R Us

Well, now it’s over I think it has to be said – Britain does these things very well indeed.   I can’t judge the media presentation in the UK from here in Germany but I would guess (hope!) that the somber tones of a black and white yesteryear were replaced by something more 21st Century technicolour.   Somehow, whereas Charles seemed to cry out media-wise for the stiff upper lip commentary, William and Kate seem perfect for a ‘Twilight’ meets ‘Harry Potter’ Generation.

Both funny and sad that it’s taken the seemingly happy Marriage Ceremony of William & Kate to  reveal what now seems obvious from Chas and Di’s big day.   That official Lord Lichfield picture of the Bridesmaids & Bridegrooms – showing Charles and Diana sitting with an acre of space between them is in telling contrast to this weeks image of Kate with her hand teasingly on William’s knee.   I can’t imagine The Duke doing that when our Queen tied the Royal knot.  Throughout the ceremony William regularly gave his bride smiles of encouragement for what must have been a terrifying ordeal. Do you remember such helpful gestures from Charles? I don’t.   Likewise, I’m sure that if any brave journalist had chivvied up the nerve to ask William if this was true love he would have said ‘Yes’ and stopped there, without his fathers famous coda – ‘Whatever that means?’.

I’m certain too that Diana would have been calmed to have had a Harry like figure grinning amiably by her side at the Abbey too.  It says something that her own sons should see and understand the need for such encouragement to the Bride – the kind their mother never received.

The Ceremony itself of course was an example of British pomp at its best.   Bombastic? Yes, Over the Top? You bet.   A veritable smorgsborg (always wanted an excuse to write that – no idea what it is). Of colour. Drama too of course. You only needed to see Elton John’s windswept hair to imagine him stepping from his private helicopter. Becks looking as always like he would be happy to speak to everyone, Posh looking like she’d happily speak to no one – Becks included. Her hat having kept the milliner up all night in search of the correct material, and on the day having me riveted to the TV screen waiting to see if it would use gravity and it’s precarious 45 degree attachment as excuses to suddenly ski off of Victoria’s pretty head. I’m sure David would have got his left foot to it before it hit the ground though.

Lots of secretive banter going on between Wills and Harry in Church. Well, secret maybe isn’t the right word in front of  25 million viewers in England that must include at least a million expert lip readers. I think I saw Harry issue an “Eh up, she’s ‘ere now, straighten up and no f**ting about”

Or maybe not…

Here in Germany it was a normal working day for most everyone except Raymond at ‘The Fiddlers’ who opened his pub doors at an unheard of 10 am with lots of free food and drink (also unheard of).  Even so there were a reported 10 million television viewers and more room on the commuter trains than usual.  Americans we hear were not so fascinated – understandably,  they currently have plenty of natural disaster footage to worry about right now and lets face it we Brits are different.  When we have lots to worry about we put on a cup of tea or the telly, and escape.  We may be unemployed, but at least we aren’t wearing a hat that looks like someone has baked a giant clay key in a giant oven and glued it to our heads, so things certainly could be worse.  As the Prime Minister observed about the British – when we go for it, we really go for it.   Maybe we don’t do football well these days, or song contests.  But Royal Weddings?  Britannia rules the waves!

Popularity: 13% [?]

Royal Wedding–Let’s Party!

If there is one thing everyone loves its a good wedding, and if it’s a Royal Wedding all the better – after all we Brits love nothing more than a good knees up.

That was certainly the case with the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton on April 29th, and if you couldn’t make it to London to join the vast crowds celebrating the wedding in the Capital, then you simply set up your own celebrations by hosting a street party.

An example was Portsmouth’s Gunwharf Quays retail shopping Centre which hosted a special street party to mark the occasion.   It was an all ticket affair so you had to be lucky to  get in, assuming there were any empty seats and enough food left to go round, hence many people turned up hoping they might be lucky and get a seat.

But even if you couldn’t  get in for the party, you could still watch it from outside the enclosed area or take part in the various games that had been set up – including giant chess and snakes and ladders with large inflatable dice.

From my vantage point above the party I watched a parade of characters based on the Mad Hatters tea party from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ entertain the crowds as the party goers tucked into food that had been provided by the various cafes and restaurants at Gunwharf quays.

The sight of all this food proved to much for this reporter so after a while I left to indulge in a cappuccino and slice of carrot cake  at the Spinnaker cafe bar – well, it was a special occasion after all!

Report & Photos from Jenny Hurd in Portsmouth, England

Popularity: 7% [?]

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