Blame It On The Poster

Caspar Brötzmann Massaker, Conny Ochs

Presented by Liccht at Viper Room Vienna, Austria 20250129

Basic print advertising sometimes is the best. During a visit at B72, a poster (and a blurry photo of it) with two names on black ground catch one’s eye. It is the dark figure of „Der Abend der schwarzen Folklore“, that leads to a special evening down the stairway to hell at Viper Room presented by Liccht. 

Swamp Booking and Exile On Mainstream stand behind the January Tour, that started off in Warsaw at Voodoo. In Vienna, Conny Ochs (like Phil Ochs) honored the Café Voodoo some years ago. Since then, he released „Doom Folk“, „Wahn und Sinn“ and the acclaimed „Troubadour“. 

In a beautiful suit and with a glass of wine, he gets on stage to start with his steel guitar and Yamaha acoustic. With his boot heels, he sets the ryhthm. Most songs tonight are from his new album like „Holy Motors“, „Trouble Me“ and „Edge Of Love“, not knowing which love it will be about, like an evening, not knowing what will happen. 

„Crazy Horse“ he wrote for a friend in Leipzig having problems with rules and „Inside The Man“ tells what happens, when you find what you’re looking for. The fantastic „Killer“ from „Future Fables“, he dedicates to people on the street in Belgrade, before the final with „Slide“ and „Dust“ from „Heavy Kingdom“ (‚Wino can you hear me wherever you are‘). 

Talking about the length of the set before, Caspar Brötzmann of the Caspar Brötzmann Massaker told Conny Ochs, that this is not Roskilde. He collaborated with likes of his father Peter, F.M. Einheit and Page Hamilton of Helmet. Tonight, he starts the trio show alone with thundering bass sounds, before a second one joins. 

They don’t need to talk much during this meditative set, that hits like Rollins Band and cries like Riverwitch. Holding the guitar like a cello, the experimental attempt reminds of Karl Ritter and as the three on stage smile, all pressure is gone. After „Massaker“, Lou Reed’s „Perfect Day“ ends a captivating show and invites to the merchandise table.