Live experience: DARK SUMMER Open-Air

At the end of July, Blutengel frontman Chris Pohl invited guests to the “Dark Summer Open-Air” at the idyllic Wasserschloss Klaffenbach near Chemnitz. Solar Fake, Dunkelsucht and the Berlin band Pseudokrupp Project answered his call. In the best – but very warm – weather, the first fans gathered in front of the castle, with places in the shade naturally in great demand. The castle courtyard with its hotel terrace filled up quickly and many fans besieged the two merchandising stands to stock up on coveted items before the concerts.

Pseudokrupp Project
Kick-off! Pseudokrupp Project took to the stage and it was immediately clear: “Party on!”, the atmosphere was hotting up. Accompanied by electro sounds, Marty whirled across the stage and it didn’t take long for the spark to spread to the audience. With songs such as “Halbe Stadt”, “Du und Ich” and “Nice to Hate You”, the focus was on profound themes of our time, which were also catchy and hip-swaying thanks to their great electro sound. Pfeffi? Yes of course Pfeffi! If you dance well, you can also toast to health and friendship. The band also thought of their fans and so there was refreshment for the front row of the audience – and lots of fun. Pseudokrupp Project were the first band to impress that evening with their in-depth sounds, good lyrics and a real compulsion to dance.

Dunkelsucht
The second band of the evening to support Blutengel on stage were the Swiss guys from Dunkelsucht. I don’t know if this is a coincidence, but there is an interview in which Patrick Näf was asked who he would like to play on stage with and he answered “Blutengel”. So wishes can come true after all. That evening as a duo – Patrick Näf behind the microphone and Tim Lindner on the keyboard – it all started. Anyone who knows the band knows that the focus is on sophisticated, profound lyrics. Patrick skillfully used the high and low vocal ranges, which complemented the sound perfectly. Dunkelsucht impressed with their vocals and sound as well as their atmosphere.

Solar Fake
Clear! Bang, bang and off we go. Anyone who has experienced André Feller on keyboard/guitar on stage will understand what I mean. In any case, the performance was eagerly awaited by the audience. So Solar Fake hopped on stage and you can take that literally! Mastermind Sven Friedrich not only sings his songs, but also presents himself at a high level in terms of movement. The set naturally included songs from the new album “Don’t Push the Button”, such as “Hurts so Bad” or “Nothing’s Wrong”, but also older tracks. The band moved the audience noticeably and visibly during their performance, which was also due to the powerful, fresh manner of André and Sven, who somehow never stood still. It was motivating, uplifting and simply opened the heart. Anyone who got involved with Solar Fake’s music got a lot of energy in return. They thrilled the moated castle and created a perfect transition to Blutengel!

Blutengel
The time had come, the intro was playing and the light display offered: “Welcome: BLUTENGEL“. Chris Pohl and Ulrike Goldmann entered the stage to loud applause and cheers from the fans. Two girls positioned themselves to the left and right of the stage, flanking the singer duo with two flags, and then the time had come. With “Der Sturm”, a new single release by Blutengel, Chris started his own concert performance that evening. In the run-up to the open air, it was repeatedly announced that this would be Blutengel ‘s only and last full-time show in 2024, so expectations were high. Accordingly, there were many show elements with dance interludes as well as fire, pyrotechnics and a huge setlist on this evening.

A whopping 27 songs followed, with hits such as “Engelsblut”, “Dein Gott”, “Bloody Pleasure” and “Lebe deinen Traum” of course not to be missed at any Blutengel concert, otherwise there would certainly have been sad faces among the loyal fans. There were also many new singles in the luggage, which will certainly be found on the next album and were played live for the first time. Many were also waiting for a special moment: the first live premiere of the new song “Nothing Left” (feat. Solar Fake). Shortly before the end, the time had come. Chris Pohl and Sven Friedrich sang this song together. – What an emotional moment. Speaking of emotional moments: There are heaps of them at a Blutengel concert, Chris practically shakes them out of his sleeve as a matter of course. The “Dark Summer Open-Air” was no exception. A crew member was simply wished a happy birthday and the audience sang “Happy Birthday”, or a little love and warmth was needed and suddenly paper hearts appeared in the audience, which were lovingly waved, but all of this had one thing in common! A special atmosphere that can only be found at a Blutengel concert. Chris Pohl’s warm manner makes him so likeable that you always enjoy going to his concerts, and I will do so again at the next one. So I’ll see you again at an upcoming Blutengel concert and until then: “Live your dream”.

Text Photos: Marco BlackS Photography