Lightness Of Dark Humor

Kollegium Kalksburg

‚Nua nix neiches’, Tunnel Vienna Live, Austria 20231201

Another eventful Friday has come. In Salzburg, Scheibsta’s comeback and Dome of Rock featuring Endonomos are happening. In Mödling, Peter Ratzenbeck unfortunately cancels his gig at Bühne Mayer after playing his standard tour in the whole country. And at Arena, Verrat celebrate their five year anniversary. Meanwhile at Tunnel, a true local classic gets on stage. 

It is like the Austrian film: The grim setting of „Cold Hell“ and „The Dark Valley“ is known like the malignant humor of „Komm, süßer Tod“, „Poppitz“, „Dog Days“ or „The Unintentional Kidnapping of Mrs. Elfriede Ott“. For the last one, Kollegium Kalksburg earned the Austrian Film Award for the Best Music. Tonight, they amuse the crowded basement with two sets of finest Wienerlied. 

The ambience reminds of Die Strottern & Christoph Bochdansky at Schubert Theater and at the same time of 16er Buam at Ausblick Wien. It starts with a ‚Heurigen Polka‘ and many lyrics about death and drinking as well as toilet humor like in the tripple „fiaka foan“, „da heagod waß“ and „schas mid gwastln“.

In „krone heute österreich“, they used original quotes, and subsequently, they explain how gstanzl work in detail. Also the incorporate other local celebrities like Mendt, Hirschal and Schenk. Additionally to the multi-neck guitar and accordion, they use instruments like a musical saw and ‚comb blowing‘. 

After the break, they also add a Georg Danzer-cover of „Ruaf Mi Ned Au“ as well as „Angie“ of The Rolling Stones. Several more lyrical highlights like „nachrichten aus der kochnische“ follow, before the final with „Yesterday“ by The Beatles with ‚blosentee‘ as content and „Pippi Langstrumpf“. 

The way of the Wienerlied like Kollegium Kalksburg goes it works with humor like Peter Meyer or Helge Schneider and dialect and lives on through e.g. Der Nino aus Wien, Gstanzl artists like El Fetzn or through likes of Kreiml & Samurai and Paul Plut in another form. Down at Tunnel, it feels beautifully traditional in familial atmosphere.