Miao Mio in Klanggarten

The ‘infamous’ Bonner Loch as an Open Air concert venue – inspiration or desperation? Popular local band Miao Mio were likely to be a good test to find out if the fancifully names ‘Klanggarten’ really could prove to see a renaissance of this much maligned piece of prime Bonn Real Estate. When better to test it indeed than on a sunny Summer Saturday? So I did a bit of Saturday shopping and set my bags down by the concrete steps to look and listen.
The usual venue for ‘Bonner Sommer’ is of course the Marktplatz. With its inspiring Guildhall backdrop and bistro table filled, cobblestoned courtyard it has proved good enough for heads of State and Tour de France heroes alike over the years. On a good day it can fit in thousands of people.

Summer 2010 of course is not a ‘good day’ appearance-wise for the Market Square. The Guildhall is a mess behind it’s marquee facade. Someone had the bright idea therefore to move the free Summer concerts to Bonn’s most celebrated mess opposite the Main Railway Station. Having moved the homeless and drug/alcohol dependent inhabitants up the road (opposite the Bus stop for tourists arriving from the airport as it happens) there was not only a space vacant for concerts, but, with it’s cement steps, a veritable seated ‘amphitheatre’ to tempt the shoppers on their way home to stay a bit, take the weight off their tired shopping legs, and listen to some free music.
But does it work?

Miao Mio have worked hard this year since their CD release party at Kult 41 in December 2008. Most recently they took Rheinkultur by storm – or at least
survived a storm during their set. Band competitions, radio appearances (recently on Rhein-Sieg) and work on new material have kept them busy. They seem more focussed image-wise too, taking the stage in brightly coloured clothes. This turns out to be a wise decision as they compete with scaffolding, trees and shop signs for attention (ah, do we miss the beautiful Guildhall backdrop). These girls are feisty though, and a spirited version of ‘Lauf’ makes sure the ads for ‘Zeeman’ and ‘McDonalds’ behind them are soon forgotten.

The idea of having a built in seating system backfires a bit though. There are plenty of ‘bums on seats’ but the seats are a long way from the high stage and the shoppers don’t want to stand up and lose their place (or their shopping). The result, despite numerous hints from front girl Anika to get up and dance, is a sort of no-mans land that provides a photopit of the proportions I would love to see at Museumsplatz. Not so keen on having to share it with a half dozen beer bottle waving down and outs though. Having said that, this was truly music for the people and the uninhibited atmosphere stage front was actually quite enjoyable – although I suspect the girls were glad the stage was built up high.

All things considered, the sound quality wasn’t bad considering the many walls it was bouncing off of, and all the directions it could , and indeed did, travel in.  I would walk over broken glass anyway to hear Anika sing one of her plaintive ballads and even here she had that rare ability to give me goose-pimples armed with nothing more than a heavenly voice.

I’m sure I wasn’t alone with that thought, and by 9.30 pm the atmosphere was actually so appealing that I’d even recovered from the surreal quality of a venue layout that meant you could actually watch the band thinking there were only six people there, and then peer round a pillar to see several hundred faces staring back from the steps and beyond.
Even the sweetest of voices and the most enthusiastic of bands can only go so far though, and when a song called ‘Tanzflür’ (dancefloor) doesn’t get people out of their seats, then you just know that one with a Tango rhythm is unlikely to really hit the spot either. You can’t fault the girls of Miao Mio for trying though.

So, Bonner Loch as music venue – Inspiration or Desperation? My verdict: Better than expected, but I still look forward to the cobble stones, bistro tables and above all, the Guildhall backdrop for Summer nights in Bonn again next year.

More Pictures

Miao Mio on MySpace

Popularity: 18% [?]