In 2012 a friend had – I think won – tickets for Kofmehl in Solothurn for artists we didn’t know before: Philipp Poisel was on tour with support from Florian Ostertag. We just decided to go and listen to the duo. We hadn’t regretted that for a second. So what a pleasure that Philipp Poisel also stopped in Bern for his 10 years anniversary club tour. He was supported not only in the band but also as a support act by Florian Ostertag. Older, more mature, even better.

Drifting through Bern

Florian Ostertag, who has been on the road as a musician since 2002, transformed the Bierhübeli into a cosy living room with beats from an old tape recorder and warm light from a pretty IKEA lamp. He took to the stage with his acoustic guitar, began with the title “Sun keeps rising” and enchanted the Bernese during a half hour set with his English songs.

Florian isn’t in Bern for the first time. Only a few months ago he had shot his music video for “Drifting” here on the river Aare. Wonderful pictures they filmed with a drone (see HERE). During the shooting, however, a guy suddenly stood next to them and threatened to get the drone down if they didn’t do it themselves. Well, it turned out that his girlfriend obviously sunbathed herself half-naked along the Aare, which Florian and his team had overseen. Ooops! Florian could only grin. So he let us drift at least mentally through Bern with his soft melodies and the fitting words.

With a change to the keyboard he finished the first part of the evening.

Every word goes straight to the heart

Over the years, the German songwriter has played a few concerts in Switzerland (e.g. Zermatt Unplugged or Baloise Session). Except for the concert in Kofmehl I unfortunately never made it to another one. So I was all the more excited to see Philipp Poisel live again. Again together with Florian, but in a full band.

There are so many wonderful songs in this world that make you dream and touch you. Then there are those songs that really go on through your ear canals deep into your heart. They spread out there and trigger feelings that are hard to describe. To these songs belong those of Philipp Poisel. Wonderful melodies, so harmonious and moving. Every single word simply goes straight to the heart.

The over the years matured band sound shouldn’t only be felt and experienced in your head, but also in your belly. Somehow the audience seemed to have been so much quieter with Gavin James on Wednesday before. But as soon as Philipp Poisel entered the stage with the band and started the concert with “Halt mich” in a dark light, it changed immediately. The audience expected a program from meanwhile three albums and the band took them with ease. The audience listened to the wonderful melodies and emotional words during the calm songs and sang along quietly, almost murmuring. But when the lights flashed in between, Philipp and the band really turned up, the audience went along as well.

10 years Philipp Poisel

Originally the musician wanted to become a secondary school teacher in music, art and English after graduating from high school. But because he failed the entrance examination in music, he was denied university studies. Which, in view of his musical career, is probably all the more called an irony of fate.

Here are some moments of his career:

Record deal with Herbert Grönemeyer’s label “Grönland”
August 2008 release of debut album „Wo fängt dein Himmel an?“
supporting Ane Brun, Maria Mena, Suzanne Vega and Herbert Grönemeyer
August 2010 release of album „Bis nach Toulus“ , it went to 8 in German-Charts and was in TOP50 for 8 weeks
2011 his song „Eiserner Steg“ was on the OST of the Schweighöfer movie „What a man“
August 2012 release of live-album „Projekt Seerosenteich“
August 2012 release of single „Wolke 7“ with Max Herre, it was in TOP10 of German Single Charts for 5 weeks
September 2012 single release of „Wie soll ein Mensch das ertragen?“, it went to the top after a casting show candiate performed it
August 2017 release of 3rd album “Mein Amerika“

With his current third studio album “Mein Amerika” Philipp Poisel was touring the big arenas in Germany and played in front of 120’000 people. But for his 10-year anniversary tour he came back to the clubs to celebrate in an intimate setting.

Though when Philipp and the band thanked and bowed already after about an hour, it was more than irritating. Well, there would be one or two encores. But that couldn’t have been it already? At this point I didn’t know yet that the whole thing would go on for at least the same time. By the way, I wasn’t the only one who was obviously irritated: Some already went to get their coats, only to return in lightning-speed. Good I never leave until the band is definitely gone and the lights are on 😉 Because the concert shouldn’t be finished yet for a while.

And encore after encore after encore followed. Among them also the newest single “Freunde” and the well-known “Wie soll ein Mensch das entragen”. But Philipp and his band mates didn’t seem to have reached the end yet at all. Twice more they returned to the stage and only said goodbye after more than 2 hours of concert.

Yes, at such a concert, everyone was definitely happy to be there. Once again it was an experience that should be remembered and that demands a soon return .