WITT: On Stage – The farewell concert

A music legend bids farewell to the touring business in Leipzig
April 19, 2024, Leipzig, Felsenkeller

Joachim Witt went on tour with his latest album “Der Fels in der Brandung” and at the same time announced his departure from the touring business. So on April 19, 2024, the time had come: his tour ended in Leipzig at the Felsenkeller with a concert worthy of the occasion. Leipzig was rainy, but many fans came to see Joachim Witt live once again. The mixed audience of all ages proved that Witt has influenced several generations in the course of his career and is still able to do so today. The Felsenkeller was filling up and there was a good atmosphere in the hall.

JANOSCH MOLDAU in the solo act
Solo musician Janosch Moldau kicked off the evening with a skillful performance. Janosch knows like no other electropop musician how to bring his music closer to the audience with emotional moves and expressive gestures and facial expressions. The singing was also convincing, which he repeatedly underpinned emotionally in his songs with the guitar in a wide variety of postures. After his performance, rock music was on the program!

SERAINA TELLI rocks!
So the conversion was completed. You could already tell from their appearance that the hall was about to rock. White trouser suit, green and blue hair, equipment such as a guitar with an artificial wildcat skin cover, combined with a grass-green guitar strap. Simply perfect and matching the cheeky style of front woman Seraina Telli. The stage was literally shaking as Seraina and her band kicked things off with bass and guitar, accompanied by a groovy drum sound. Swiss singer Seraina Telli and her band are known for their provocative songs, whose lyrics can sometimes take the piss out of everyday situations. The band was able to convince in several songs that evening and created a perfect transition to Joachim Witt’s performance, which followed next.

Mr. WITT, please take the stage!
A murmur went through the hall. And then Joachim was suddenly there. He started his concert with the song “Propaganda” and you could literally see his joy, which was transmitted to everyone in the hall. He then symbolically greeted Leipzig to loud cheers and everyone in the hall was now euphoric. What followed were various songs from the current album “Der Fels in der Brandung”, and the longer the concert went on, the more I actually felt as if Joachim Witt was that rock. Fresh and full of energy, he performed song after song, always close to the audience and with easy-going sayings on his lips, making it a pleasure to watch and listen to him. From the middle of the concert, the famous bar stool came into play, as an hour had already passed and a more comfortable position was needed.

But a Joachim Witt concert wouldn’t be one without the well-known songs. Pulling the stool behind him, he suddenly jumped up at some point and joked in a stooped posture: “So, now you can take photos.” – Fantastic! It was precisely this style that made him so likeable with the audience that evening, because between songs he also made fun of his age to say: “Hey, just don’t let it get you down.” From now on it became epic and at the same time incredibly honest and genuine. The music stopped playing and Joachim sang without musical accompaniment: “An der Umgehungsstraße…” well, you know. “Golden Rider”. A moving chorus from the audience complemented the refrain for several minutes. Joachim was so moved by this that he visibly struggled to join in the choir and finally take over the main part again.

Encore and conclusion
Some of the old songs such as “Tri Tra Trullala (Herbergsvater)” and “Die Flut” followed in an encore and the concert came to an end with many female shouts of “Joooachim, we love you!”. Joachim Witt truly conveyed an uplifting feeling and left the audience emotionally moved. The artists were no different, however, and so Joachim Witt ended with a vote of thanks in Leipzig. On behalf of the entire tour, he thanked his audience, the performers in front of and behind the stage. He also thanked all the visitors to his tour and was touched that so many had come to support him on his last tour. There were hugs on stage and the rousing cheers and applause were really over. Thank you, Joachim!

Text & Photos: Marco Wernicke (BlackS Photography)

Take a look at the gallery here:

Setlist: “Propaganda” – “Path into the light” – “It’s raining inside me” – “Do you hear me” – “Signals” – “Without you” – “Geh deinen Weg” – “Bäume” – “Fels in der Brandung” – “Mein Herz” – “Revolution” – “Königreich” – “Schwör mir” – “The earth is burning” – “Dreams in the headwind” – “I have never forgotten you” – “The Flood” — “The Golden Horseman” – “Herbergsvater”