1. Lakeland Festival Erlach: Saturday

After I had been already informed at media day about the upcoming new festival [read here], the 1st Lakeland Festival in Erlach finally took place from 12-14 Agugust 2016. In May the weather wasn’t very good during the guided area tour and boat trip with Gölä. But everyone agreed, it mainly had to bee good at the festival. And it was: the weather during the three days festival was bombastic. Saturday and Sunday I took part as well.

On Saturday I was esp. looking forward to Gölä’s show and the promised live premiere of the new single “Stärne”. His performance wasn’t before 11 pm though. Miraval, Shadox, Philipp Fankhauser and the Original Blues Brothers Band played ahead. So I was driving to Erlach in the small Mobility Smart. For me the festival was a new experience as I could be there as media and take pictures from the media pit. My smart I could put on the VIP silver parking. When I arrived not many cars were there yet, I hoped, that after the concert I won’t get stuck in a traffic jam. After all the festival was quite big and if everyone had booked a shuttle? And was taking public transport?

The area was devided in four zones: Main stage, VIP zone, food zone and lake zone. And because the first concerts on main stage were about to start, I esp. checked out food zone on this Saturday afternoon and was of course found on the main stage area. Summer, delicious food and good music – how it’s to be done.

Foodzone

Yes, somehow I had the idea of a streetfood market with all the special food stalls. Somehow they were more ordinary after all: French fries and sausages, burgers, Pizza, asia food, stalls with sweets as ice cream and frozen yoghurt. Sure there was enough varity for 3 days though. The spring rolls and pizza were delicious and esp. the pizza bakers were very nice. The owner recommended bacon pizza, I decided for the hawaiian. And the young guy at the ice cream stall meant it well with me, there was no more room left for frozen yoghurt then. Who wanted could take their food and sit down in the food hall, a big tent with tables and benches. Others probably prefered siting down at the lake or of course in front of the main stage to not miss any of the shows. There was also a restaurant just next to the festival area, where you could get meals. There was something for everyone.

main stage

The main stage was set on a football pitch and the whole thing cleverly sectional: Entrance and exit of the area were not the same. On the left side next to the stage was the exit, at the other end of the field was the entrance. Of course there was a little backing up at the end of Gölä’s concert, but at least everyone went into the same direction. The later the evening, the closer the Gölä concert got, the more crowded the area became and getting through became more difficult. Have many been sitting relaxed on the ground first, some on their brought blankets, everyone was standing closer to the stage then.

The hard-bitten Gölä fans were of course standing front from from the beginning though, and went through all the aforegoing concerts, so they’d be in the very front for his show. Some were wearing big “zLäbä fägt” (life’s fun) on their backs , on the front of their shirt were logo and date printed. They have made their own fan shirts just for this concert.

Miraval and Shadox

Honestly during Miraval and Shadox the audience still was relatively small and the vibes kept in limits. Some were clustering around the shade of the main stage, the rest of the audience was sitting during both concerts mainly on the ara in the rare shady spots. Even with lots of effort both Biel rockbands didn’t really manage to move the public.

Philipp Fankhauser

During Philipp Fankhauser it immediately changed. He and his band already started about 15mins early. Probably couldn’t wait to get on stage. From there the audience kept growing. And the band made the audience to go along to their blues and the energic show, did raise laughs with their jokes and messing around. I’ve seen the one or other concert by them before, but on this evening I liked it especally well. The blues musician kept teasing some teens and said, who paid entrance had to sing along. That’s what they did then.

Next to many other titles they played some songs of his mentor Johnny Copeland on this evening. He realized quickly, that this name didn’t say anything to most and that the audience had no clue, who he was talking about. We all should go and google Johnny Copeland, he suggested (what I did and found this wikipedia article). In 1994 Phillipp Fankhauser has been on US tour with him during one month as a guest singer. And you could see very well, how important that US blues musician was for him. The way he talked about him and well, they played several of his songs. Philipp Fankhauser also said goodbye with such a Copleland song during the encore – all alone only with his guitare.

The Original Blues Brothers Band

After a short setting change The Original Blues Brothers band entered stage. Well, of the original band there were only two original members still with them – guiare player Steve Cropper as well as saxophonist Lou Marini. And yes, there were fans, who only came to Erlach for the band and thought, that it just wasn’t the same anymore. But they seemed to have still enjoyed it. Well, I don’t know them enough. It’s ages ago since I’ve watched the movies, to which they kept refering every now and then. The show was really cool though and enjoyable. Full of energy, great solos with the various instruments and as soon as the singers entered stage, there was loads of action. First they were only two, then a third one followed. He first was wearing a black suit, then suddendly a white one. Many songs like “Sweet Home Chicago” were known and “Everybody needs somebody to love”, that followed as encore, everyone had heard before. It was a real great show. And the chance, that the band will soon return to our country, is big. They’ve been in Switzerland often before.

Gölä

The stage for Gölä was finally ready. I was standing in the media pit, curiously waiting for the concert to start. The festival organizer Urs Güntert personally came to announce Gölä. It’s when Gölä darted from behind, said something like he just had to quickly… “…I’ll be right there…”, and then dissapeared again behind the stage. Yeah yeah, spuring on the audience. Then it turned pitch black and the video of new single “Stärne” was shown on the screens. Arms kept swaying, light braclets were swinging, and the public knew the lyrics already well. I unfortunately had to realize, that this was all of the announced live premiere. I sure imagined this to be differently.

But well, Gölä and the band came on stage and started rocking. Immediately you got electrified. “Gibmr chli Musig” – and so I was standing in the pit, meant to take picutres in the short time, what wasn’t too easy as I got distracted with listening and watching. It was great to see Gölä and his band after such a long time again. Immediately they continued energeticly with “Verbotte”. They played as expected all the big hits as “Büezer”, “Uf u dervo” or “Wildi Ross”. My favourite “I ha gmeint i kenn di”, during which background singer Corinne is rocking with Gölä, wasn’t missing either. After all he had been to the Peter Maffay concert in Hamburg, where he had expected all the big hits, but none were played. That’s not what he wants for his fans and is playing, what they are asking for.

Well, indeed. It was his only public performance in 2016 and so everyone wanted to see the typical Gölä show for sure. Filled with all the dialect songs, that everyone can sing along to. And of course the goosebumps moments like when he was singing “Indianer” with background singer Rahel, couldn’ t be missed either. “Why am I singing at all. You know all the ‘babble’!”, he laughed. From young to old, woman and men, everyone was there with shining eyes. And it wasn’t only the very old titles. The one or other new song as “Dr erscht Tag”, “Dr Himmu brönnt” or the very new “I wärche hert”, that will be on the upcoming album being released in autumn, were also part of the setlist. Of course “Schwan” couldn’t be missed at all. And because in the end just none wanted to go home and to end the concert, a second encore was asked for, so Gölä simply started looking for “Indianer” in his lyrics pile again. This was still going to echo in the ears days after….

The party would have continued after Gölä’s show at the VIP tent with a concert of Candy Dulfer. I went home though, needed at least a few hours of sleep. And against my fear I didn’t get stuck in any jam and was off the area super quickly. Yes, what a day! With so many experiences, impressions and new things. And Sunday should become as eventful and even informative… I tell you about in an own review.