On 9th & 10 June 2023 the Stars Of Sounds took place again in Aarberg and I had the pleasure to be there again. After a great party Friday (read the concert review here) with Bonnie Tyler, Trauffer and Moser & Schelker, we also enjoyed charming musicians, distinctive voices and enchanting pop songs on the second evening thanks to Maryne, Bastian Baker, Pegasus and superstar Anastacia.
An enjoyable afternoon in Aarberg
Saturday the weather was perfect: bright blue sky, the sun was shining, summery warm but not too hot. A little tip: Drive to Aarberg a little earlier before the concert starts and spend the afternoon footbathing or swimming at the old Aare. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious strawberry tartlet together with a coffee in the little town.
Meanwhile, Bastian Baker prepared for his performance and did his sound check. The festival-goers present spontaneously turned the sound check into a small party. he mood was already cheerful and relaxed. Bastian joked with a grin that his job was already done so for today and he could leave as the crowd cheered him. Um, no? Protest!
Family matters
He stayed, of course. Especially because this second Stars Of Sounds evening was a special one. It was a family affair, so to speak. His little sister Maryne Kaltenbacher, better known as Maryne, also performs. She made a direct start.
The 25-year-old musician, who already became known on Bastian’s previous tour and at performances of Pegasus, presented a great mix of sensitive ballads and rousing pop songs. Normally, Maryne was accompanied by Matthieu on keyboard and guitar. On this evening, however, Nathan, drummer from Bastian’s band, also supported her on some songs.
Complete photo gallery: Maryne at Stars Of Sounds Aarberg
Although there were some technical problems at the beginning which almost led to Maryne having to play her first song “Coachella” acoustically, these problems were quickly resolved though and her regular performance began. Inspired by the famous US music festival, “Coachella” is truly perfect for the festival season.
In her still somewhat broken German with a French accent, Maryne welcomed the audience and told them about herself and her songs during her performance. Maryne’s performance of songs like “Hope”, “Drive Me Home” and “Overdose” was both sensitive and stirring.
Their fans were finally eagerly waiting for their current single “Overthinking”, but unfortunately it was not played. Some of them had even rehearsed a little choreography to surprise them. The technical difficulties at the beginning of their performance probably had an influence on the setlist.
A beautiful discovery
After Maryne, Bastian Baker, supported by his band, entered the stage in a good mood and full of energy. He delivered an energetic show and once again delighted the audience with his charming, somewhat cheeky manner.
It had been a while since I had seen Bastian Baker live. After two seasons with Circus Knie and a short tour with his last year’s album “Stories of XXI “, he is currently on a festival tour and therefore also made a stop in Aarberg this Saturday evening. He has now been successfully on the road in the music business for over 10 years. A highlight of his career was the big world tour with Canadian country star Shania Twain in 2018. He was also a participant in the 3rd season of the French “Danse avec les stars” in 2012, in which he proved his dancing skills. Two years later, he proved himself as a coach on “The Voice Belgique”.
My favourite “Tattoo on My Brain” was already the second song. Besides his classics like the hit “Lucky”, “I’d Sing For You” and “Leaving Tomorrow”, Bastian Baker also presented newer songs like “Call Me in LA” and “Stay”. A special highlight was the song “Dancing Without You”, with he addressed those who were attending one of his concerts for the first time. Bastian was surprised (so was I) by the number of people in the audience who had never seen him live before. Self-ironically, Bastian emphasised that he was thus a beautiful discovery for everyone and made an exaggerated show of himself.
Complete photo gallery: Bastian Baker at Stars Of Sounds Murten
Whether Bastian is currently working on new music? That would be great, of course. Before that, however, there is his first live album with the simple title “The Live Album” (release date: 16.06.2023). This concert was recorded in Lausanne in September 2022. But the cover picture was clearly taken in Biel at the “Lake Live” festival and, unbelievably, I myself am also prominently immortalised on it.
Bastian and his band delivered a rousing performance and delighted the audience with their musical diversity. The end with the rousing song “Dirty Thirty” was an excellent conclusion.
The darn catwalk
Bastian Baker was followed by the Biel band Pegasus. It was already the third time that I saw Pegasus live at Stars Of Sounds. A clear difference to the last two Stars Of Sounds shows in Aarberg? I mean, back in 2015 and 2018, you could see Pegasus’ nervousness much more clearly. But what made Pegasus nervous that night was the sudden presence of the catwalk. As a result, they had to adjust the show a bit at short notice, frontman Noah told us. Expectations were high as Pegasus continued their successful “Future:Memories” tour on the festival stages and certainly had some surprises in store (read the club tour report here). But hey, the catwalk suits them!
Pegasus were ready to rock the stage and thrill the audience with their music. The catchy sounds of “A Future Memory” captivated the audience from the first notes. The fans were immediately under the spell of the infectious melody and the powerful voice of frontman Noah.
The band members interacted with the audience by moving from side to side, walking up and down the catwalk and engaging the crowd with their energy. With “Rise Up”, “Technology”, “Man on Mars” or “Last Night On Earth” they presented their best-known hits. The atmosphere in the audience was electrifying and people danced and sang along.
Complete photo gallery: Pegasus at Stars Of Sounds Aarberg
A first highlight of the concert was the performance of Pegasus on the so-called B-Stage. Here, they took the audience on an acoustic journey with the end of “Get Over You”, where the band members created an intimate atmosphere. On this occasion, guitarist Simon took over a short part of “Elle” and showed his vocal talent. Noah additionally complemented the acoustic set with “Better Man”. The songs took on a new dimension through the acoustic performance and touched the audience in a very special way.
After the enchanting B-Stage performance, Pegasus returned to the main stage and got the audience going with the rousing song “Skyline”. Already at the end of the concert, there was another special moment: songwriter Lisa Oribasi came surprisingly on stage (okay, for the frontrow fans rather unsurprisingly). In a duet with frontman Noah, Lisa Oribasi sang the jointly written song “Victoria Line”. The two artists harmonised wonderfully with each other, adding an extra intensity to the song that made the audience dream.
When the last note of “Metropolitans” finally faded away, there was no doubt that the concert would still find a crowning conclusion. The band didn’t hesitate for long and launched into their grand finale with “I Take It All”.
The little woman with the big voice
Finally, the last act of the evening was superstar Anastacia. The American singer, songwriter and producer was eagerly awaited. After a short change of the stage, “The little woman with the big voice” appeared at the back of the stage accompanied by two dancers as well as a spotlight. Of course with her trademark sunglasses on her nose, Anastacia started with her international smash “Not That Kind”. This was followed by masses of other hits such as “Freak of Nature” and “Paid my dues”, with which Anastacia took the audience on a musical journey through her career.
Complete photo gallery: Anastacia at Stars Of Sounds Aarberg
Anastacia began her career as a dancer and background singer before being discovered by an MTV talent show in 1998 with her song “Not That Kind”. Since then, Anastaicia has released seven albums, for which she has won numerous prizes and awards and also celebrated great success in Switzerland. With her unique voice and distinctive style, she has carved out a permanent place for herself in pop music and continues to inspire people all over the world with her music.
A versatile performer, Anastacia has also taken part in various TV shows, such as “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing”, where she showed her dancing talent. She also won the third season of the Australian version of “The Masked Singer” in 2021.
In addition to her musical success, Anastacia had struggled with health challenges over the years. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and again in 2013, which she spoke openly about and encouraged other women to take care of their health. But Anastacia is a fighter and didn’t let it get her down.
She will release her eighth album “Our Songs” in September 2023. On the album she will present her own versions of well-known rock songs. This includes the first single “Best Days”, the translated Die Toten Hosen hit “Tage wie diese”, which of course everyone in Aarberg could sing along to.
Supported by her band, including the three women Vicky on drums, bassist Winnie and background singer Suzie, Anastacia brought her unique and powerful voice to shine in Aarberg. While I had already seen Anastacia live at the Hallenstadion Zurich in 2009 as part of her “Heavy Rotation” tour, tonight’s concert was obviously a premiere for most festival-goers. At least this is what Anastacia’s survey seemed to say. Anastacia introduced herself to the audience and had a short chat with fan Micha.
Other highlights of their performance were hits like “Outta Love” and “Left Outside Alone”. Particularly impressive was Vicky’s extensive drum solo, in which she involved the audience. Anastacia’s performance was a musical highlight and an impressive end to the two-day festival. She thrilled the audience not only with her extraordinary vocal power, but also with her strong stage presence. Her singing was characterised by such intensity and passion that one was literally captivated.
Compared to Bonnie Tyler’s performance the night before, however, Anastacia seemed a little more aloof. While Bonnie Tyler established a close connection with the audience and created a warm atmosphere, Anastacia seemed more distant. That doesn’t mean their performance was any less impressive, but there was a certain emotional distance that was felt.
Another thing that struck me during Anastacia’s performance was her repeated mention of the advanced hour. She often made joking remarks about how it was already very late and we’d probably all rather go home. While I suspected that she meant these comments humorously, there was still a point where it became a bit too much. It became a bit exhausting.
Nevertheless, it has to be acknowledged that Anastacia delivered a great show and carried away the audience with her incredible voice and energetic performance. Their performance was undoubtedly a highlight of the festival and made for an unforgettable finale.
Conclusion
The second evening at Stars Of Sounds 2023 in Aarberg was again a musical highlight with enchanting pop songs and distinctive voices. The artists offered energetic performances that thrilled the audience. The festival was accompanied by perfect weather and provided unforgettable concert moments.
Information about the festival and the artists can be found here:
www.starsofsounds.ch
www.bastianbaker.com
www.pegasustheband.com
www.anastacia.com
