After a very long winter and a modest spring, summer has finally arrived here in Austria and is here to stay for a while, which of course comes with various music festivals. Besides numerous local festivals, Austria also has a good share on performances at international festivals, which means local musicians are finally receiving more and more international recognition. Listing all current international performances by Austrian musicians would go beyond the scope of this article, but an extract may give an idea of the ongoings of our local musicians.
Elektro Guzzi, the techno-dance band, which produces and performs its techno sounds completely analogue with bass, guitar and drums, will be playing on the 7th of August at the self-proclaimed provocative, avantgardistic-innovative Klangbad Festival in the small village of Scheer, Germany. This festival is known for its line-ups with unique and refreshing music acts, which are far from current main-stream trends. No wonder that Elektro Guzzi was invited to perform at the Klangbad Festival, since the band is one of the hottest acts at the moment and thrills the audience with its one-of-a-kind analogue techno. You hear it, you witness it, and you dance, as stated in their press release. Among many other gigs, they will also perform on the 13th of August at the Stop Making Sense Festival in Croatia and on the 18th of September at the renowned festival Moving Sounds in New York.
Elektro Guzzi – Ludium by mica
Far from techno, the Austrian rock formation 3 Feet Smaller will be on tour through Europe the next few months and will represent Austrian rock music at various festivals. There are not many Austrian combos from the sector of the loud and hard guitar music who can claim for themselves that they are able to fill big concert halls and perform at major festivals both at home and abroad. 3 Feet Smaller is a big exception and even over many years, the band still surprises its fans with its highly energetic, exciting, thrilling and very passionate music. Festival-wise, 3 Feet Smaller will be performing on the 6th of August at the Rocking Hoot Festival in Germany, on the 11th of August at Sziget Festival in Hungary, on the 13th of August at the Open Flair Festival in Germany and on the 10th of September at the Freefall Festival, again in Germany.
The band Ja, Panik, which means ‘yes, panic’ in English, does not literally imply to panic, but the Viennese band has been responsible for a true sensation in Germany and the five musicians of the group have managed to make quite a name for themselves across the borders with their indie rock music. As one of the most promising bands of this country, Ja, Panik will be able to excite the audience particularly in Germany, including performances on the 6th of August at the Jenseits von Millionen Benefizfestival in Niederlausitz, the 20th of August at the Festival Sektor Evolution / La Pampa im Exil in Dresden, and on the 24th of September at the prestigious Reeperbahnfestival in Hamburg.
Solely measured by how many concerts this musician plays abroad and what prestigious festivals he is invited to, you undoubtedly have to come to the conclusion that Parov Stelar must be one of the most successful pop and electronic acts of the country. Unfortunately for us in Austria, this busy man hardly performs on local stages any more, but we take pride in the fact that his music is loved by so many fans across the globe. As a founder of the subgenre “Electro Swing”, the Upper Austrian is also partly responsible for the revival of the charm of the music of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, which has been brought back to life in a modern context and been introduced into the international club scene. Among numerous other events, fans can experience this exceptional musician with his band on the 5th of August at Esperanzah! Festival in Belgium, on the 27th of August at the Rock for Churchill Festival in the Czech Republic or on the 16th of September at the Koktebel Jazz Festival Crimea in Ukraine.
Taking swing as a keyword, but in a totally opposite context: For years, the rousing septet of Russkaja has been touring the country with its heavy ska-mix, somewhere between fierce and raging balkan beats and polka pop, and is well known for making the audience sweat with its exuberant enthusiasm. With its powerful interpretation of ska, Russkaja has become one of the leading live bands in Austria. Whoever had the chance to admire this cult band on stage, knows about its spectacular live shows. Standing still is not an option. No matter in what context the formation performs – whether a concert in front of a handful of people, or an appearance before several thousand enthusiastic festival visitors – they always manage to let the sparks fly and enthuse the crowd. As usual, their tour and concert schedule is packed. Their tour includes appearances on the 3rd – 5th of August at the heavy metal festival Wacken in Germany, on the 6th of August at the Ringsted Festival in Denmark, on the 18th of August at the Staablueme Festival in Switzerland, on the 25th of August at the Szin Festival in Hungary and on the 26th of August at the Chiemsee Reggae Summer Festival in Germany.