Nice music in nice places – since Corona, this has become even more important to me. And what I had never achieved before finally worked out: to take part at Mittsommerfestival in Lenk, right next to the Simmen Falls. On 20 and 21 August 2021, at the back of Lenk, the mini-open air “Live At The Falls” celebrated its premiere. In front of the huge backdrop of the Wildstrubel massif, selected bands and solo artists from Switzerland performed in an intimate setting. Only 250 tickets per day went on sale. I am thrilled and my expectations were not disappointed!
The Festival
Mittsommerfestival took place for the 5th time at the Simmenfalls restaurant on the meadow. Surrounded by the wild fences and the most beautiful nature, with a view on the waterfall, you can have a great time there. Usually with an extra tent stage, newcomer stage in the restaurant and up to 1600 concert visitors per day, this summer it is a fraction of that. The “Live At The Falls” is small but nice, only with 1 stage and so even without Covid certificate or strict protection concepts.
But the program was just as great and varied. And if the musicians weren’t excited to tell every time, after how long they had finally been able to be on stage again because of Corona, everything would even have felt completely normal 😉 Well, you absolutely can’t blame them!
Accomodation
Of course, it would have been nice to stay at the hotel Simmenfälle on site. Unfortunately the hotel was already fully booked. That’s why my accommodation was in the village. Thanks to the shuttle bus after the concert, no problem. By the way, the Hotel Simmenfälle is a cell phone detox hotel. Cell phones should be turned off here. Which actually insn’t too stupid…
Well, I’m not that much of a camper. That means, I might be if I had have a camping bus. That’s why I prefer to book myself into a hotel. But if you feel like it, you can rent a camping space on site and set up the sleeping car or tent and stay overnight. One or the other croissant plus a coffee would certainly be left over for the campers at the hotel breakfast buffet, the organizers speculated at the end of the festival day.
The Line Up
The program consisted of a varied line-up. On Friday it went from calm and melancholy to rocky and wild. On Saturday it was rather the other way around. On both days there were new bands and musicians for me to discover.
Surprise Act: Tom James kicked off the festival
The festival was kicked off on Friday evening by the British Tom James with his calm, melancholy set. I was SO mega happy that Tom was one of the surprise acts. It felt like an eternity ago when I heard his “Blood To Gold” for the first time and was last at a concert of him. I thought he might have given up the guitar, it seemed so quiet around him … But for a year now Tom has even been living in Switzerland, in Zurich, and the chances are good that we will see him live more often again in the future.
Just him, his guitar and voice, that’s all it takes. He knows how to enchant his audience. For example with the new song “Gold”, “Limbo” that was written on the South African tour or the Bonnie Raid cover “Can‘t Make You Love Me”. Once again he proved his excellent guitar skills.
Tom James ’music went straight to the heart again!
Infos about Tom James you can find here: www.lerene.ch
Finally Queeniepop live
The sun threw its last, golden rays on the waterfall before disappearing shortly after behind the mountains. How have I missed them! The only “Queeniepop” band in the world (their statement ;-)): Frontman Jay’s amazing voice, the wonderful harmonies, the great songs, the guitars and drum solos or colorful clothes – and yes, the greatest hugs 🙂 The Thun band The Souls.
Expressive and full of joy in playing, they stood on stage with their new album “Queeniepop” and also celebrated guitarist Luk’s birthday. As a musician, what more can you wish for than being able to stand on a stage on your birthday in the 2nd Corona year? He definitely had a good laugh. Too often had to postpone the release of the album “Queeniepop”, which was released on October 2nd, 2020, they are finally allowed to present the album live.
The Souls started with their typical 80s inspired “Bounds Of Boundlessness” (definitely a favorite!) And the first guitar solos from their new album. The first sounds went straight to the legs. After the new “Always for granted”, the older “Move on” followed, one of my all-time favorite Souls songs, which was no less enthralling. And so the 6 musicians played a great mix of new songs and their predecessors, including two brand new tracks.
Yes, Corona made the past year difficult and also often complicated friendships. But The Souls encourage with their songs not to give up, sing “Keep Your Head Up” or “Don’t give up on us”. The new “Forever”, “Close my eyes” and of course “Run Baby Run” were also part of the set list.
If nothing comes inbetween again, the band will finally go on an extended club tour in autumn (Wetterhorn Hasliberg, Parterre One Basel, Schüür Luzern, Kiff Aarau, … and more). The rescheduled release party for their new album “Queeniepop” at Dachstock Bern will finally take part on 13th November 2021. Before the festival season comes to an end, however, they will still be at Seaside Festival Spiez and Glücklich Festival Lucerne on 4th September 2021.
Webite: www.thesouls.ch
It got wild at the end of the day
They were a little intimidated after the performance of The Souls, frontman Anton told. But they had no reason to be. At the end of the first day of the festival, the trio created a great atmosphere with lots of rock’n’roll – including wild drum and guitar solos. And that despite the unfamiliar equipment and borrowed amps. Because as Corona was not easy for the musicians in the last month anyway, only 2 weeks before, their band room was flooded.
Lately I’ve been reading the name “Basement Saints” everywhere. I was surprised when the frontman mentioned that the trio had been playing together for ‘only’ 6 months. What? Really? But if you read their band bio, you learn that the band has actually been around since 2013.
In addition to an EP, Basement Saints have already released two albums and played some larger shows, for example as support for Uriah Heep and The Cult. After 2 of the the 3 members left the group, Basement Saints are now back in a new formation. So they weren’t just there all of a sudden 😉
The multinational rock band based in Aargau now consists of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Anton Delen (South Africa), lead guitarist Levent Basharan (UK) and Simon “Molly” Moll (Switzerland). But maybe, unlike me, you already know Basement Saints?
In keeping with this for the good and bad times – their new song “Sometimes” will be released in October. But before that, Basement Saints celebrated their current single “Drunk and Fun”, which on this Friday was played for the first time on SRF3 radio. Well, alcohol and being drunk were also a topic in other songs. “Redwine” and “Rooftop Rules” were also part of their set, with which they delighted the audience. The latter was inspired because Anton climbed on the roof drunk after a night of partying and got into trouble with the police.
In the end, the audience asked for encores so often that they ran out of songs despite playing some covers. But they are currently working on new songs.
Website: www.basementsaints.com
A thrilling start to the 2nd day of the festival
“Just A Minute” is the name of the new album by “The Birthday Girls”, which will celebrating its release on 4th November 2021. Take this minute and listen to them. You might like them as quickly as I did. The Birthday Girls have also been around since 2010 – so much longer than I’ve known them. I discovered them by chance not too long ago on Instagram … or was it Spotify? However, I immediately liked the songs so much, I couldn’t wait to see the band live. So how perfect that they were also there at “Live At The Falls”. It’s always exciting to see a band live for the first time.
The Birthday Girls are Thomas Nussbaumer (voc), Ercan Ucan (guit), Markus Deublein (drums), Will Hignett (bass) and Gabriel Ortiz (guit). A Swiss band with international roots in Austria, Turkey, UK, Chile and Germany. In April 2016, “SRF3” nominated them for Best Talent with their hit “So Serious”. In the middle of the afternoon, The Birthday Girls were the first band on the second day of the festival. A band with great live energy and a rousing show. They have already played over 200 big and small shows at home and abroad. Their concert in Lenk was a lot of fun.
And don’t forget: The new album will be released on 4th November at Exil in Zurich!
Website : www.the-birthday-girls.com/
Reminiscing with Sandee
The sky was so beautifully bright blue that Saturday. In terms of anti-stress and comfort levels, the day also felt more like a Sunday. I had my moment of complete satisfaction and balance when I just sat in the grass in front of the stage, with the sun on my face and sprinkled with Sandee’s songs. Just really enjoying the late summer with all the trimmings again.
Sandee pure: In the business for 30 years, it has long been a dream of Sandee to tour with a trio like this. Now the musician from Wimmis is playing at home at “Live At The Falls” with a pianist as well as Julia Reusser on vocals and guitar. Pure is the name of the upcoming autumn tour with a full band, which will start on 19th September 2021 at Mühle Hunziken. Her motto is: Less musical nonsense and instead more space for the singer’s voice and the message of the songs. So it will be an acoustic show like on that day at Lenk. Just a little bigger.
Sandee told youth stories (“90s”), stories about Swiss C-celebrities (“Diva”) or about home (“Zrügg zu mir”). With “Ig bi drbi” there were no autobiographical stories about drinking too much alcohol and vowing never to drink again. One could only dream of hot summer days at “Marzili” this year. At the beginning, the audience sang very cautiously along, what Sandee understood completely. We weren’t allowed to sing along anywhere for a long time.
Finally, Sandee remembered the legendary Polo Hofer, for whom she wrote the title “Dini Lieder”. The way she talked about his concert and the audience that kept singing on and on and on after the show, caused goosebumps all over. I saw people walk out in front of my inner eye and heard them sing along from her stories. In the end, not a single eye stayed dry. What a moving moment! What a beautiful, meaningful song!
Website: sandee.ch
Late summer party with Phenomden
Dennis Furrer aka Phenomden is making a comeback! Pure summer feeling! Party was announced again. 6 years have passed since his last album release. Now he will release his new work “Streunendi Hünd” on 17th September. The Swiss reggae dialect artist was already testing some songs live.
Phenomden is mostly on the road with the band The Scrucialists, but here at Lenk “only” with his sound system – with a DJ. Admittedly, I looked at it critically. DJ set? Uff, I don’t know. Nothing beats a great band. But hey, I took a lecture – the first of 2 sets that Phenomden performed on the roof of the stage this early Saturday evening was already a lot of fun! The second went on as the same.
Sure most know Phenomden’s mega hit “Stah da”. His sets also included new songs like “Breeze”, which he wrote for his daughter. There were some fans on site – and if you weren’t a fan before, you were definitely after! With all the Jamaican reggae vibes you couldn’t stand still and mop up. You were immediately in a good mood.
Website: www.phenomden.ch
Totally relaxed with Sam Himself
Give the man a cableless microphone! Haha! Sam Himself played “Live At The Falls” with a full band and how cool was that? A few years ago I saw him solo, only with guitar, live at Seaside Spiez for the first time. I was already impressed by the Basel musician with the deep, great voice. But such a band peps everything up again and it immediately sounds like a lot more.
Sam then jumped off the stage during “Like A Friend”, wanting to be closer to the audience. But somehow he didn’t get far and got tangled up with the far too short cable. It didn’t help that the festival photographer rushed to help. Too short is too short.
But well, so he just laid down on the grass for a while. Just relaxing for a moment – and sat down every now and then. Not that he was so bored or anything – no! Sam repeatedly emphasized how much he liked it here at Lenk, with a view of the Simmenfall. How nice and relaxing it was here. He would now want to come here every year and go swimming after the show.
The melancholy, mostly calm sound was just perfect for simply listening and relaxing. Be it with the current single “What’s it worth” or the upcoming “La Paz”. A beautiful cover of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Dancing in the dark” was also part of his program. Since most of them would probably know the lyrics, everyone should sing along right away.
After his EP “Slow Drugs”, his debut album “Power Ballads” will finally be released at the beginning of October.
Website: www.samhimself.com
Dialect peotry by Oli Kehrli
At the end of the festival we got some dialect poetry by Oli Kehrli. A bit of a mix of Troubas Kater and Mani Matter would be waiting for me, I was told before the show. For the final another “new” artist to discover.
So far, always traveling alone only with guitar, the Bernese musician Oli Kehrli has recruited reinforcements for his 4th album “Vierti Rundi”, which was released 2 weeks ago. He is now touring with a three-man band.
Oli Kehrli sings songs on all kinds of life situations that should be listened to carefully. Otherwise it quickly happens that you miss the punchline or you are not so sure whether the lyrics belong to the song or have just been spontaneously adapted to the situation on site. For example songs like “Dame us dr 2. Reihe”. Oli Kehrli kept talking about Kurt, to whom he had already dedicated several songs. “Beton” is about growing up and after “Suech dr Kaplan” you could maybe skip the service on Sunday morning …? There is a bit of outrage from the audience – I dare to doubt whether they are being taken seriously. With a lot of humor, joke and irony, it is also about serious topics like death. Sometimes provoking, sometimes something to smile about, but definitely fun to listen to.
Website: olikehrli.ch
Looking forward to next year
A huge fire was lit in the back of the festival area. Meanwhile it has become very fresh, so the satisfied audience stood around the fire after the concert and let the last moments of the “Live At The Falls” pass by.
A totally successful festival weekend! It was super nice! One already can’t wait for the next year.
Infos about Mittsommerfestival / Live At The Falls can be found here:
mittsommerfestival.ch
lautstark.ch
