Around 11,000 fans celebrated an early Christmas with Wanda in the Wiener Stadthalle on Friday evening. The Austropop heroes were in top form and invited numerous top guests to the party. A brilliant conclusion to a great year of concerts.
Frontman Marco Wanda has tried to make it clear in various interviews what exactly one can imagine under “Christmas with Wanda”. The final proof that the “Silent Night” is December 24th and not a day before was given on Friday evening at 8:30 p.m. sharp. When the red stage curtain is lifted, a monster of a system appears that is somewhat reminiscent of the Böhse Onkelz at their comeback home game in Hockenheim, or, and this is probably more flattering to the Viennese, one that is reminiscent of the Hamburg Hardstyle -Institution Scooter warned. The regular trio Wandas, who remained after the tragic death of Christian Hummer, shows off this with an expert backing band. Producer Zebo Adam on the guitar, Georg Gabler on the keyboards and – also brand new – the all-round session drummer Florian Holoubek on the drum stool for the first time. No fear and no families From second one it’s full throttle. In the opener “Bologna” Marco quickly rewrites a passage into an adult-friendly “I definitely can’t budan with my cousin”, in the lively “Bussi Baby” the new drummer can introduce himself with a small drum solo and in “We are lost” Adam proves that he also cuts a good figure as a lead guitarist. “You obviously don’t have any families and you’re not afraid of Corona either,” Marco Wanda notes with a smile, “otherwise you all probably wouldn’t be here.” Around 11,000 fans accepted the band’s relatively spontaneous invitation in the summer. Concerts in Vienna have become rare since the rock band has increasingly made efforts to enter the German market. They are experienced all the more intensely on both sides. The fans can’t stop early on, Marco himself throws himself into an erotic, lascivious kneeling Freddie Mercury memorial pose in full ecstasy right at the beginning of the set. The setlist and the dramaturgical tension combine perfectly. Even before Wanda took the stage, the Rolling Stones and Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life” could be heard over the airwaves. Sugared up with such iconic songs, the confrontation with the headliner was an easy exercise for the fans, who really let it all go before the contemplative days at the family table. The feminist-tinged anthem “Jurassic Park,” the melancholic classic “Breaking Up Is Hard” and the lively “Luzia” are played into the hall at such a radical pace that the audience doesn’t even have a chance to breathe. It’s not until the spacey, electronic introduction of “Gim mir alles”, in which Marco wears an “Amore” Christmas hat, that things get a little more dignified. The home game in Vienna is brilliant and difficult at the same time, he says in between, mothers and sisters are there, but you still have to step on the verbal and musical accelerator. On and on. Rock’n’Roll isn’t just a children’s snack.Room for calm tonesOn this pre-Christmas evening, Wanda exude a special kind of sweat and danger, which they have lost a bit on stage. The core trio is perfectly coordinated and pumped full of adrenaline, the additional live musicians fit perfectly into the structure not only musically but also in terms of personality and never give the feeling that there is a hierarchical separation here. In addition to all the party and drinking bangers, it’s the careful, thoughtful tones that make Wanda increasingly blossom into a really great band. For the prog rock-heavy “Va Bene” you choose blood-red stage lights and an expansive psychedelic intro. In between there will be a minute’s silence including a raising of hands for all the people we have lost this year. Then comes the highlight of the show. Marco Wanda intones the new single “Nobody Else” live for the first time at a full-length concert on his own piano rolled onto the stage. The song that he wrote in a short time in January and that packs emotions such as pain, anger, sadness, but also liberation and relief in three minutes. This is a solo show by the brilliant mind, in which the band is a capable accompaniment. It is the moment of greatest fragility. A break in the program and perhaps also a turning point for the band. Will Wanda’s future become more melancholic, more grounded and calmer after the many blows of fate? Why not? The album “Never End,” which will be released in June, will show us where things are headed. In this Christmas setting, definitely back towards hits. “My Two Sisters” turns out to be the audience number of the evening with reliable lyrics, the saxophone is even unpacked during the extended “Schnaps” before the quasi-Falco homage “Rocking In Vienna” ends the regular goings-on. Kraftklub, climate protection, cocaine But “what “It would be Christmas without guests,” as Marco Wanda logically emphasizes and then invites you to the surprise part of the evening. With his personal childhood idol Boris Bukowski, he sings a rousing version of his cult hit “Cocaine” before the 77-year-old, eternally young rock star makes a short but passionate appeal for climate protection. “Think about what world you want to leave behind to Keith Richards and me.” The biggest sensation of the evening is the appearance of Christina Sturmer, whose legendary song “I live” fits surprisingly well into the overall picture. The German bullies from Kraftklub traveled from far away Berlin to perform “Songs for Liam” and “Fahr mit mir (4×4)” in their suspender uniforms. This party can only be topped with “Columbo” and “1234”, which also includes artificial snow falling from the stage roof, while in real life it is thundering and raining outside like in April. It is thanks to the magical night with Wanda that Christmas is In 2023, you’ll get an edgy rock’n’roll touch and when you eat the goose/carp/cold platter (please insert traditional dish here) on Christmas Eve, “Bussi Baby” suddenly rings loudly in your head. After this brilliant concert evening, you can no longer imagine a Christmas without Wanda. But you don’t have to, because the next round will take place on December 21st in 2024. We can also look forward to more guests. You can see Wanda beforehand on May 31st at the Rathausplatz in Gmunden, on July 20th in the Graz open-air arena B and on August 30th at the Kufstein Fortress. Tickets and further information are available at www.oeticket.com. Merry Christmas and keep on rocking.
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