Day 4 – Sunday August 17

 

We all know it’s pretty hard to sleep in a tent, especially when the sun comes out and the tent becomes an oven. So nothing better to get out of the sleeping bag on a Sunday morning and enjoy the last day of the festival from its very beginning!

 

Ritschi, Stage 2, 11am-12pm

Andreas Ritschard, better known as Ritschi, is a Swiss German singer who also sings in the band Plüsch. His songs are all in Swiss German and he plays a catchy pop-rock. He has a great energy on stage and is very engaging although I don’t understand all of the songs but I thought it was really cool and fun! He plays a cover of “Roxanne” by The Police and turns it into “Rosanna” to adapt it to his language. At one point I surprisingly recognise another song, it is “Heimweh” by Plüsch. I learned it in my Swiss German class and it’s pretty cool to hear it live and sing along! The audience performs an awesome dance on the last song, the singer invites some ten people from the public on stage to teach the choreography which consists on clapping hands up and down. It doesn’t sound very cool said like this but it is!

 

Kadebostany, Stage 1, 12-1pm

They welcome the audience with some sweaty electro sound into the European republic of Kadebostany where Kadebostan, the DJ on the synth, is the president. Straight away we are touring their Republic following singer Amina’s beautiful voice and gracious moves. She finds herself at ease both singing like a rapper on the heavy oriental beats and the notes of the trumpet and trombone. And both by singing delicately to the slower songs. She also dances like a ballerina and other times she choses more provocative types of dancing. The audience dances too despite the heat! They encounter some technical problems with the synth because of the heat, which usually doesn’t happen since they play late at night. However, the audience likes the republic of Kadebostany a lot and may consider living in it or at least going back to it very soon!

 

Hozier, Stage 2, 3:15-4:15pm

Hozier is a singer-songwriter from Ireland with an exceptional rather deep angel voice. He plays electric and acoustic guitar and his accompanied by his band where there is a girl playing the piano, another girl playing the double bass, a drummer and a guitarist who also plays synth. The two girls do also backing vocals. What we have is a melodic pop with a delicate rock touch given by the electric guitar and on top Hozier’s beautiful voice. For “The Work Song”, Hozier asks the audience to clap along following the band members’ clapping. In the middle of his set he plays his most well known tune “Take Me To Church” where his voice is unveiled in all its power, backed by mighty choruses reminding gospel music. He also plays a beautiful cover of the song “One Thing” by Amerie. When playing “To Be Alone” he takes the public on a seemingly melancholic ride through the picking of his guitar.
A talented newcomer who deserves to have success!

 

 

Krokus, Stage 1, 4:15-5:30pm

Close your eyes and you will hear a band which makes your soul shake as the AC/DC music! Krokus are the Swiss version of AC/DC I was struck by the resemblance of the singer’s voice to that of the AC/DC! They play a hard rock cover of “American Woman” and also a bit of “Pinball Wizard” by The Who. A great band to close Open Air Gampel on a high note, rocking one last time these beautiful mountains surrounding it.

 

Merci Vielmal Open Air Gampel!

Simona @TakeMe2aConcert