From the Top to the Bottom

Ant Antic, BaTom, Viech, Vicious

Gürtel Nightwalk XXI, B72 / Weberknecht / The Loft Wien, Austria 20180825

The Gürtel Nightwalk is the summer event, where all venues at this part of Vienna’s subway host bands for free, like the Gürtel Connection. Last year, we visited Tokan and Running Fetus at the Kramladen. This year, we went down the Gürtel from the Northern Alser Straße to Thalia Straße in the South.

Punctual at 8 pm, Vicious start their show outside of the B72. Lucky thing, that the rain is waiting to begin, and only a harsh wind is blowing through the tent. But “sun wouldn’t have fit to us anyway”, as singer Maxím asserts. Next to songs like “Who R U”, they present a song “fresh from the rehearsal room”: “Freaks Forever”, a slowly grooving tune that makes one think of Queens Of The Stone Age.

Second band to play in front of the re-opened club is Viech. After the wonderful gig at the Museumsquartier in July, they again present songs from their latest record “Heute Nacht nach Budapest” but also older ones like “Wer isst schon gern allein” in a medley, as “yes, we already exist that long.” Paul’s jokes also include the story how he forgot the setlist in the car because “you don’t want to get on stage with your wallet.”

Change of scene to the Weberknecht Lounge Floor. Tom Gartler aka Rockefeller Junior, who played already at e.g. the Corner Salzburg, teamed up with Babl Joachim under the name BaTom. They spread a welcoming atmosphere, as they perform tunes like “Living Room Riot”. For some songs, they are joined by Max on cajón, and for “Alles ist gut”, Babl even plays the kazoo. Musicians of conviction, who make the time run by.

Another quick switch to The Loft, where Ant Antic already perform their last songs. Their pithy ambient electronic sound is making the air burn. Lovers of this kind of music would’ve also enjoyed Astro Kit at the Loop. But well, one can’t see everything he would like to at the Gürtel Nightwalk.