The Austrian country & western band fronted by Lewis Niderman celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday.
The celebratory concert was at the Lehar Theater in the town of Bad Ischl in the centre of the Slazkammergut (the Austrian Lake District).
The Lehar Theater is named after Franz Lehar the Hungarian composer who composed in Bad Ischl in his villa on the south bank of the River Traun a short distance from the residence of the singer Richard Tauber.
Using my pensioners rail ticket I made the round trip from Vienna to attend the celebrations. Lewis Niderman and I are of an age.
It turned out it was just as well that I went.
Niderman's opening solo was a real surprise. It was a simple thing I'd scribbled down for him during an alcoholic haze two or three months ago at the end of a too long evening in Niderman's own bar The Lafayette.
Swizzle Inn Blues is the song's title, but to go into the reasons for the lyrics would take too long here.
Here are some photos I made. Impressions from a lively evening.
What is the translation of I steh auf?
ReplyDeleteClearly your rail trip yesterday was quite an important one.
hi Rachel, It means "I like" in this sense "I like squirrels, I like coffee, I like leaves, etc." and then at the end "I also like you Vroni" (that's her name).
ReplyDeleteThank you. I thought it was something like I love you but then when I checked a translation it came up with something completely different so I was puzzled.
ReplyDeleteAustria doesn't seem like the obvious place for country and western music but I suppose it is everywhere. I think more of yodelling. The Lehar film theatre looks like a good old fashioned venue not exactly an 02 stadium!
Rachel, I think you might enjoy Austrian singer Hubert von Goisern singing brenna tuats guat - try YouTube. I saw the final concert of his farewell tour at the Lehar.
ReplyDeleteHey Mr Policeman :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, I liked your song very much. Moreover, I like the real life story that began with a young and dashing Alois Niedermann and ended some centuries later in a Williams/Niderman song.
That reminded me of one of Johnny Cash's recorded prison concerts: Johnny received lyrics and music from an inmate, but couldn't read music. He couldn't find anybody among his band who could read music, so, Johnny made up his own tune to the inmate's layrics, because he wanted them desperately to be a part of his show...
Thanks for sharing the pictures!
Cheers Markus
Many thanks Markus. I think my photos turned out ok but I'll look in at the Lafayette to see if LN has any professionally taken photos now on display.
ReplyDeleteGwil, have you checked out the WO-TV website? There you'll find a couple of videos from the concert -- on-stage and back-stage. You might even spot yourself amongst the waiting crowd...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.insauna.com/bestcountrytv/lewisniderman.html
Thanks Markus. I'll check 'em out.
ReplyDelete