The Viennese rock band had a tough few months. Keyboardist Christian Hummer died in 2022, and singer Marco Wanda needed to say goodbye to his father final 12 months. All this was mirrored within the new album “Ende nie”, Wanda’s sixth lengthy participant. And mourning work was not neglected as we speak both. The late band member was remembered reside on stage. “He liked you all,” Marco assured Wanda.
The gig got here as a form of tribute live performance. The anniversary didn’t dampen the keenness, quite the opposite. Already with the opening, the massive hit “Bologna”, the euphoria unfold to the hundreds of individuals crowded collectively on the large meadow. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than it was nearly unimaginable to get by the world in entrance of the primary stage. The Wandas carried out on the Danube Island Pageant for the third time. In 2015 they celebrated their first efficiency on the FM4 stage on the north finish of the pageant grounds (now the rock stage, word). The large stage was performed in 2018.
Throughout their lengthy inventive interval, the combo has already launched many classics. Songs like “Buídéal Inné”, “Luzia”, ”1,2,3,4″ or “Columbo” or “Bussi Child” are a part of the usual repertoire. They have been additionally current on the island gig this 12 months with the viewers singing loudly. From the brand new album you could possibly hear, amongst different issues, the tune “Wachgeküsst” and, particularly cheerfully: “There isn’t any one else”.
The tune was additionally launched as the primary single from the brand new LP and has lyrics like “If you happen to suppose it is over, I will be there and I am going to maintain you tight” or “I would like you to be reside perpetually and till then you’ll be pleased”. The occasion was accompanied by lights from hundreds of cell phones.
Marco Wanda was lastly right here tonight. “I am simply speechless, there’s a lot fucking love right here.” Notable Austropop friends additionally supported the band. With Boris Bukowski, his “Cocaine” was an evergreen tone. However, Nino from Vienna sang “No a bit foischer”.
Earlier than Wanda’s finale, the German-Canadian singer Alice Merton appeared on the Ö3 stage. She can also be skilled within the festivals of the islands and offered, amongst different issues, extra present items resembling “Run Away Woman”, which was the opening, or “Waste My Life”, which has an ideal singing refrain. In fact, the 2016 smash hit “No Roots” could not be missed. The catchy pop numbers have been clearly in style on the island’s scorching summer time night.
The stage design confirmed a contact of the Midwest that was applicable for as we speak’s weather conditions: hay bales and a rusty oil barrel have been positioned decoratively. Alice Merton repeatedly requested the islanders to attempt some dance steps to her music. She put to relaxation any issues that she may embarrass herself by admitting: “I believe I dance like an entire fool.”
The musician Thorsteinn Einarsson, who was born and grew up right here in Iceland, additionally carried out on the pageant stage – as did the previous participant of the casting present and winner of Amadeus Ness and the German singer Loi, who scored a spotlight of some years since with the only. “Gold”.
Ness was allowed or needed to carry out within the afternoon warmth. “Oh my God, it is so scorching,” she mentioned. Ness launched his “Betrunken” EP final 12 months, the title monitor of which, opposite to what you may count on, just isn’t a Ballermann get together tune. The truth is, it is a melancholic breakup ballad. However the younger singer has a heavy hitting electrophone in his repertoire.
There have been huge cheers when he appeared as a visitor. Ness first got here out as a fan of the German music duo HE/RO, who beforehand glided by the title Die Lochis. The story was so successful that the 2 boys then joined her on stage.
Loi additionally created environment afterwards. Nonetheless, the island crowd in attendance – most of whom stayed beneath the blazing solar – didn’t adjust to their request to hug their family members.
The Danube Island Pageant, organized by the Vienna SPÖ, historically takes place in one of the vital in style native recreation areas – or, to be exact, over many levels. This 12 months, 700 hours of packages have been supplied on 14 levels over the three days. As regular, entry to the mega get together was free.
The location stretched over 4.5 kilometres. Not solely did 17 themed islands present live shows, but in addition a colourful program of sports activities, dance, cabaret and kids. In any case, the centerpiece was the pageant stage, shared by FM4, Radio Vienna and Ö3 once more this 12 months.
The variety of stars has additionally been vital over the previous few days. Stars resembling Ronan Keating, Voodoo Jürgens, Wolfgang Ambros and Christina Stürmer paid homage to the island. Nonetheless, it isn’t identified what number of guests handed by the world. Figures on this haven’t been printed for a number of years.
The occasion didn’t occur with out the beforehand introduced local weather protests. On Sunday, activists unfold orange coloured cornstarch from a gondola that was a part of a pageant attraction. A banner studying “We’re the final technology earlier than the tipping factors” was additionally unrolled on a bridge resulting in the Danube Island.
(By Gerald Mackinger/APA)