Is this still punk rock? I do not think so! - Die Toten Hosen at the Gurten Festival

"Is that still punk rock when your favorite song is in the charts?" ask The doctors in one of their latest songs and the answer comes right away: «I don't think so!» I agree, yes Die Toten Hosen still able to convince. It is quite possible that Die Ärzte When composing these lines you thought of the fans of the troupe from Düsseldorf. And the question is justified! As successful as the band from Düsseldorf is currently only the Schlager-Graf von in German-speaking countries Unheilig. In ancient times, punk rebelled against the social consensus, but this German-rock beer bliss, which the trousers on the Gurten celebrate, is probably more of a kind of antithesis to punk. I've already enjoyed the Hosen on the Gurten in 1996 and 2002 and maybe it's also because the Hosen and I have gotten old, how does Campino sing again? "I'm not sixty yet and I'm not even close." Well, that's about as close as it gets, at Campino it's still nine years away... fortunately a lot more for me

"No future - that was yesterday, a lot has happened since then", to quote the song mentioned at the beginning again and "that has the coolness factor of a garden tractor" also fits like ass on bucket. But we're only getting to the second day of the 30th Gurten Festival, which was sold out with over 20 visitors. Again, a small parallel to the Dead pantswhich celebrated their 30th anniversary last year. Back to the festival, Hoffmaestro from Sweden opened the day with a heavy load of ska. The compatriots of Friska Viljor presented tamed indie pop on the tent stage and the weather was as changeable as the concert program, which didn't know whether to choose between the searing desert heat and rain showers.

Die Toten Hosen - Here Comes Alex (Gurtenfestival 2013)

Those who wanted to escape the impending rain, hid under the tent of the tent stage, where the Swiss Celtic Metal band The Eluvites with their sound clearly stood out from the previous acts on the Gurten. Celtic sounds, bagpipes and ancient Helvetian iconography attracted die-hard metalheads, but seemed to confuse the average visitor. The latter preferred to sit down with the good Lunik on the forest stage. Meanwhile, Sophie Hunger is doing bravely on the main stage and is clearly motivated. A clean concert, but the spark just doesn't want to jump over to the audience. Isolated spectators sway along to the big band rhythms, but even with the greatest effort, hunger can no longer move them, because everything is waiting Die Toten Hosen.

Then, finally, punctually at 21:45 p.m. as announced, the trousers hoist the flag on the main stage. Frontman Campino leaves nothing to be desired and puts on a huge show right from the start. As early as the second song, he lets his "security" carry him to the fans. The hungry audience enthusiastically roars along with hits such as "Ballast der Republik", "Bonnie & Clyde" and "Alles aus Liebe". There is a relaxed atmosphere and the lead singer Campino tells us about a world that seems to revolve mainly around football, barley juice, partying and passive sports. Campino, who recently also likes to compose somewhat bold solidarity anthems (“On days like these”, “Get up when you're down”), is a born entertainer.

Paradise - Pasci & Die Toten Hosen, Gurtenfestival 2013 HQ

The singer mentions that he was on the Gurten in 1996 and 2002 and says he can remember it well. He also remembered April 2012 when the band played a private Hosen concert on the "Magical Mystery Tour" in a Bern attic that belongs to a private apartment and, according to Campino, celebrated one of the best parties ever. I myself remembered when «The golden lemons» gave a concert in the riding hall and Campino, Kuddel and Wölli were on tour as friends. That evening it was possible to have a few beers with the boys, chat and do some nonsense. It was nice, but that was ages ago, hardly true anymore, so back to the concert. The band suddenly broke off "Paradise" because one (Pasci) in the audience held up a banner with "Campino, I can do that better". Campino asked Pasci from Aargau with the words "Here is the stage of the losers" on the boards that mean the world and the Aargau does not do his job badly and used the uniquely large stage to stage himself and the 15 minutes to enjoy fame.

We went on and at the latest with "Everything out of love" people lay jumping in each other's arms and Pyros are ignited, which caused the fierce Broncos to get excited. Soon it was no longer clear what sweat, what spilled beer and what tears of joy were. The big headliner on Friday evening brought the text-safe Bern to the brink of circulatory collapse and offered a gigantic and energetic concert. But somehow it was better many years ago on the Güsche and that was not only due to the more than 20 spectators, some of whom were dressed up. No, somehow the Gurten charm has given way to absolute commerce, friendships to seeing and being seen and somehow everyone looks the same anyway, even on this evening. They are clean, healthy, fragrant, depilated, productive and unremarkable. How boring and somehow disgusting. Where have all the freaks gone? Where are the goths and punks? You can count all the "crazy guys" on one hand. Nothing going on anymore, well-groomed people everywhere, who all look like they're in their mid-000s. Even when they're 30, they look like it. When they're crazy, they wear beards and hats and a pants shirt.

But who cares, here too a parallel to the band - and somehow it's still fun. The band rocked for almost two hours and the atmospheric highlight of this year's anniversary edition once again proved to be the ideal cast for a festival in these latitudes. The usual joy of playing and interaction with the audience was just as present as Campino's crowd surfing trip to the mixing tower - including a Bengali torch on its roof - and back. The Gurten is in a sing-along frenzy at the Toten Hosen concert, “Here comes Alex”, “Make a wish”, that doctors-Cover "Scream for love", "Days like these" and as a first encore the "ice-cold Bommerlunder". The tired rebels give the Gurten the rest with the counting verse “Ten little Jägermeister” and the official farewell anthem “Goodbye”. A lot of spectacle, but what the Toten Hosen offer no longer has much to do with punk has probably become more of a fluffy punk. It doesn't matter, Heino is now also covering a song by "Die Ärzte", everything will fit, otherwise it will be "made" to fit... Are you still punk rock?

Campino ignites Pyro, Die Toten Hosen, Gurtenfestival 2013 HQ

Setlist of the Toten Hosen at the Gurtenfestival:

1. Ballast of the republic
2. Old fever
3. away game
4. That's the moment
5. All that happened
6. Today here tomorrow there
   (Hannes Wader cover)
7. Bonnie & Clyde
8. Paradise
   (Can Pasci do better?)
9. Never agree
10. All out of love
11. Pushed again
12. Cry for love
    (The Doctors Cover)
13. Love song
14. Get up when you're on the ground
15. Here comes Alex
16. Make a Wish
17. Days like this

Again:

18. Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder
19. Everything will pass
20. Far Far Away
    (Slade cover)
21. ten small
22. Greetings, goodbye

Encore 2:

23. Outside the door
24. Word for Sunday
    (Campino Crowdsurfing)
25. To the bitter end
    (Campino Surfing Back)
26. You'll Never Walk Alone
    (Gerry & The Pacemakers cover)

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