Hohentwielfestival 2025 - BAP - ZEITREISE / Sommer `25
For more than 40 years, Wolfgang Niedecken's BAP has been regarded as a true rock institution in the German music scene - as well as an inexplicable phenomenon. The band excites fans throughout Germany, indeed even in German-speaking countries, with their Kölsch dialect, and thus far beyond the borders of the Rhineland. They celebrate unexpectedly successful achievements, leaving media and critics in the greatest astonishment and casually upending some golden rules of the music business. They are regarded as “pop stars of almost unbelievable magnitude” (Rolling Stone / 2023) in the early eighties and have sustainably shaped the musical taste of people with their songs, especially in this decade. Hits like “Verdamp lang her,” “Kristallnaach,” or of course “Do kanns Zaubere” are indelibly etched into the ears and hearts of their fans. In 2024, BAP will embark on a musical TIME TRAVEL, where, as part of the concert tour of the same name, they will perform all tracks from the two double-platinum albums from 81/82 that made them regionally famous, and which have since remained at the top of fans’ wish lists.
The TIME TRAVEL 81/82 tour continues an idea that developed during the FINALLY INFINITE tour for the last studio album EVERYTHING FLOWS. Although an above-average number of new songs were played on this tour, several legendary rarities were also featured - songs that hadn't been on the setlist for more than 30 years. The audience's reaction was phenomenal. The band did not anticipate such an overwhelming response to these songs. Thus, it was only natural for Niedecken to give more and more space to the idea of performing a few concerts exclusively with songs from the two breakthrough albums “für usszeschnigge” (1981) & “vun drinne noh drusse” (1982).
If one takes a closer look at these two career-defining million-sellers, one gets a sense of why they were so extraordinarily successful: the thematic breadth of the lyrics is immense and reflects, in its diversity, all that concerned the young people of that time. The generation then was in search of newly defined values, a new self-confidence, and independence. It was the era of the peace movement, anti-nuclear activists, and a new musical direction - one in which BAP's songs played a significant role. Thus, the TIME TRAVEL 81/82 tour in 2024 will naturally depict this wide range as all songs from that era will definitely be played.
In December of last year, Niedecken's BAP recorded their album TIME TRAVEL/LIVE IN SARTORY over four evenings in the traditional Cologne Sartory and directly took the No. 1 spot on the German album charts in May. On their thirteenth No. 1 album, the band has impressively demonstrated that they were able to preserve the magic of the songs through the new, carefully arranged performances played with the necessary respect, which is why they have lost none of their original impact.
For Wolfgang Niedecken, it was of utmost importance to preserve the soul and essence of those songs that are the soundtrack of so many people's youth, irrevocably linked to their personal, formative experiences, feelings, and also contemporary historical events. Although none of the songs performed on the tour will be younger than 40 years, there is by no means a risk that BAP will run out of repertoire. If necessary, they will revert to material from the first two albums, such as “Anna,” “Ne schöne Jrooß,” “Wahnsinn,” and “Stell dir vüür.” The term Ü-40 PARTY must be completely redefined.
Most of the 34 TIME TRAVEL shows in the fall and winter of this year are already sold out, which is why the tour will continue next summer with open-air concerts. This time, the repertoire can even be expanded with some songs from the “Zwesche Salzjebäck un Bier” album without breaking the rules: Because “Salzjebäck un Bier” also now has 40 years behind it.
Doors open: 5:00 PM
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
