Waldbühne Live Contest 2015

Damn, date clash! The Waldbühne Live Contest took place at the same time as the EP release of Undiscovered Soul. But somehow I really could somehow manage it. First cheering for The Guinnass and Even You at Bierhübeli, and then off to Dachstock for the Souls.

Contest:
The Waldbühne Live Contest: 8 bands, that play to win a performance on Waldbühne at Gurtenfestival. I was so fascinated again of our little Switzerland – and that there are still people, who believe, we don’t have any good music. I was sure far from liking everything, what I’ve seen and heard at Bierhübeli on this Saturday evening, but there are so many bands with loads of various music.

So, ahead one could get registered the bands on the website www.waldbuehne.ch and start the voting. Gion Stump, Even You and Volume II were in the top 3 of the voting. The other five bands got voted into the contest by the judges, if I understood right. All of them are Swiss bands with own songs. The eight bands could performe each 20min at Bierhübeli Bern to convince the audience and the judges. At the end of the performance the noise level got detected – the higher the decibels, the better of course. This was put together with the judges rankings then.

The judges:
Part of the judges were the following persons of the musicbusiness: Leduc (Lo & Leduc), Bruno Spring (EWB, guitar player of The Order), Danilo Bavier (SRF Virus), Tobias Flückiger (Radio Bern 1), Jeannette Riesen (Appalooza Productions GmbH), Philippe Cornu (Gurtenfestival Booking) and Pascal Rötheli (Bierhübeli Bern Booking).

The Bands:

Memory Of An Elephant The rock/pop/folkband from Olten played first on this evening. They got announced as the Swiss Mumford & Sons, or that they would easily be able to compete with them. The band was founded in 2011 and changed around 2013 their sound to what it is today. Thought, they were ok, but didn’t really got hoocked too much.  [Videos: Memory Of An Elephant in concert]

Memory Of An Elephant @ Bierhübeli Bern

Website: www.memoryofanelephant.ch

The Guinnass I knew The Guinnass already before the contest. The Ticinio band found me on Instagram and I immediately liked them. So I of course was curious on their performance. The band members are Roberto Pellegrini (vocals, guitare), Martino Piccioli (vocals, guitare, piano), Filippo Zanoli (bass) and Stefano Marinucci (drums) and were founded in 2000. They already have two albums and do get played up and down in Ticino. I liked he peformance of the rockband on this evening very well and I hope, they will also break into Swiss German market soon. Rock’n’Roll, a bit crazy. It was super! [Videos: The Guinnass in concert]

The Guinnass @ Bierhübeli Bern

Website: www.guinnass.com

Volume II I heard they took place for the 3rd time already and never made it so far. You only think then: “Umm, ok? What’s going on?”. The metallband from Chur catch one’s eye – esp. with their outfit. Colorful 80s style with head bands and “war paintings”. Some of their fans also were dressed up like them, what I thought was pretty cool of them. Well, one can fight over the music, but I didn’t like Volume II. They didn’t make a very authentic impression, seemed to be very artifical and the music quality wasn’t the greatest. I would have been surprised, if they would have made it.

Volume II @ Bierhübeli Bern

Website: www.volume-2.ch

Rufus Cityfox & The Shananigans Rufus Cityfox & The Shananigans played a contrabass. That’s why we immediately expected a folksband. Or at least more folky than their sound finally was. The contrabass seemed not to fit very well for the first songs. A trio from Bern with a quite nervous singer. But the decibels were pretty high. I wasn’t really convinced of the band.

Rufus Cityfox & The Shananigans

Website: Rufus City Fox

Even You Even You were the last band of the contest, I’ve seen. The 6 member Thun rockband really stepped on the Bierhübeli stage and really rocked. Incredible, their energy 🙂 The fans came numerous, half of the Bierhübeli seemed to be there for them. It was a really great performance, in that they involved the audience great and well entertained. Well, how I got to know then though, they didn’t get into the top 4 winners. But they are still at the very beginning. They’ll make it.  [Videos: Even You in concert]

Even You @ Bierhübeli Bern

Website: www.evenyou.ch

After I had left to go to Undiscovered Soul’s EP release, some others played as well and Gion Stump & The Lighthouse Project, Call Me Ramsey, Frank Powers  and Memory Of An Elephant won the contest in the end. They will be able to play at Waldbühne this summer. Of them I only have heard Memory Of An Elephant. So I can’t really judge, if I’d agree. Memory Of An Elephant I thought were ok, but wouldn’t have voted them as winner.

But it’s a great event, where you can get to know a lot of new music. And this even without paying any entrance.

[more photos in gallery]

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