Folk-Club-Bonn: Sabine's photos from Folk Club Bonn # 148 on 05.07.24

A cappella evenings in Bonn folk club are always something special, there is a certain purity in the human voice which most beers, including Heineken, do not reach. However, one beer with infinitesimal reach is Marston's Pedigree on which John was weaned and is brewed in the brewery town of Burton-upon-Trent where John was born. Since 2020 the majority shareholding (605) has been in Danish hands, held by Carlsberg Brewery and in 2024 they also purchased the remaining 40% of shares in Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company previously held by Marstons PLC which will henceforth concentrate solely on its pub business. This is all rather appropriate as in the ninth century after many Viking raids plundering England, the Great Viking Army overwintered for the very first time in England in the village of Repton, formerly the capital of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia, in the winter of 873-874. Repton is only a mere three miles downstream on the river Trent from Burton-upon-Trent, confirming the old adage, that "what goes around, comes around!"

Despite Marston's Brewery succumbing to mounting globalisation I can confirm that Marston's Pedigree is brewed using the old Union system in wooden barrels inherited from Bass Brewery and one of the best British bitters that one can find.

Thus the first a cappella song of the evening was dedicated to Marston's Pedigree!

Next up were Vocalisa, a seven piece ladies' choir on their first outing in the folk club

They confirmed that "Tomorrow really IS another day" and after allowing us to "feel the love " that night and introducing us to "Benjamin ", they let us know the dimensions of the "Blue Moon", even wider than the river Rhine. Thank you Vocalisa!

One of my favourite a cappella songs is "If" written by Rudyard Kipling, who apart from writing "Jungle Book" was also a very fine poet (as well as producing a line of wonderfully affordable cakes in England under the Mr Kipling brand). This short poem consists of wonderful advice given by a father to his young son and I learnt it from Vin Garbutt in the last century. In his later days, Vin took to singing it with guitar accompaniment, but I believe it is a much more powerful song when sung a cappella. Thanks

for that one Vin!

"Cockles & Mussels" aka "Molly Malone" is a wonderful a cappella song for the audience to join in with, and they resoundingly did. It is, however, sadder than most Blues songs and in the end there is no one mortal, just Molly's spirit finally pushing her barrow through the streets of Dublin!

Dieter Müller and Gaby Steinhaus were in the audience at a previous folk club which was as usual full to the gunnels on the night, so even a walk-in spot was not possible. Still, they were duly invited to perform a floor spot in the future and this night was the night!

Dieter Müller

Gaby Steinhaus

Gaby & Dieter

Gaby & Dieter reminded us that if you require some extra overtime there are sometimes eight days a

week" and however down you are "You've got a friend" and if you get lucky, "She's always a woman."

It was also the first time for Gaby & Dieter in the folk club and they are very welcome indeed to return and regale us again with your music. NB for future performers, the "theme" of the evening is never obligatory, it is always optional, so if you cannot adhere to it, no problem, it is meant merely as a hook to hang one's hat upon, should one have that necessary. For the most part, performers tend to show their mettle and vehemently grasp the nettle that a theme topic provides, even though some associations with the given theme are somewhat tenuous, to say the least! As always, "it is the thought that counts."

Next up was the seven-piece female choir with the name of "Goldrush" under the leadership of Michael Barfuß as choirmaster, a long-time supporter of the folk club. Michael, an accomplished pianist, was admirably supported by Christian Kussman on double bass and Ivor Lazarev on guitar.

A little anecdote here to FBC # 146 back in May when Helge Kirscht & Kim Bennick performed a song entitled " Barfuß am Klavier", blissfully unaware that Michael Barfuß, who has often played the piano in the folk club, was listening unobtrusively in the audience.

Karin Schüler on the left here has sung many times in the folk club but for a lot of the other ladies it was indeed a debut appearance. "Goldrush" performed two Neil Young songs, an old favourite of mine "Old Man" and their encore "After The Goldrush" from which the group took its name. Quite a surprise was "Crabbuckit" from the Canadian hip hop musician k-os. Their set was completed by Simon & Garfunkel's song "April Come She Will" which was written by Paul Simon during his 1964 year in England absorbing the folk tradition. Many thanks to the "Goldrush"!

Gerd Müller a dedicated preserver of local German dialects and a regular presenter of poems and short stories, not in "Kölsch" the more famous local dialect of Cologne, but in "Bönnsch" the local dialect of Bonn. The donkey's ear recounted the origin of the folding down of the corners of book pages and Gerd just loves entertaining us all with his stories steeped in Bönnsch!

Wolfgang Schriefer from Cologne changed Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" song into a critical a cappella song in Kölsch about the cars of politicians.

Kai Hoffstetter after trying to impress us with the size of a fish he recently caught in the river Rhine ("Honestly it was this big!") Seriously though, Kai performed an impressive work song from the deep South with his "Annette"! Thanks Kai!

After the break, John Harrison ably assisted by Detlef Stachetzki performed a rndition of "The Hippopotamus Song" the classic from Michael Flanders and Donald Swan aka "Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud, which allowed for copious audience participation.

Detlef

Mario had the bright idea of singing the tongue-twister „Shoeshine Suzie“ a cappela, which we did.

More conventionally Mario wished to perform his self-penned song, "Bad Breath Blues" together, but, it being an a cappella evening, I had not brought any musical instruments with me. I did, however, find an Ab Blues harp in one of my pockets, but that did mean that Mario had to tune his guitar down half a tone and play it in Eb instead of E on the guitar, which at least had the advantage of conveying the song with an earthier Louisiana air as would have otherwise have been the case.

Mario rounded off with an a cappella piece "Lustig, lustig" which roughly translates as funny, funny, or lusty, lusty!

Mario certainly had all the correct hand signals!

Wolfgang Schriefer came back on stage fpr an original rendering of Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" and while Wolfgang was complaing of a sore throat it actually greatly enhanced his performance in this particular song!

The hare and the fox was the subject of Anke & Jörgs wonderful north German Plattdeutsch local dialect set. One imagines the hare will take more care when selecting a new dance teacher.

Dancing was obligatory for Anke & Jorg

and indeed a cause of great joy!

The "Wash Queens " were the highlight of the evening and Mariam Mentel (on the left above) who has often sung at the folk club, graced us with a new a cappella female Barbershop quartet this time.