Did you ever feel the dark kind – there’s solace and hope 

The Ghost And The Machine, Conny Ochs

„Sorrows“ Album Release Show at Chelsea Vienna, Austria 20251113

Some paths are strange, others are clear. Tonight’s takes us up the Gürtel to Chelsea, where like of Rett Smith and Bernhard Eder are on schedule. On the way, a poster announces ‚the ultimate Beatles tribute‘ at Coco, while „Helter Skelter“ plays at the bar next to the concert room. 

From Nirvana to the Foo Fighters to Motörhead to Wino was the interesting way that led to get to know Conny Ochs. After performing at Viper Room earlier this year, he is on „Troubadour“ tour vol. 3 now, continuing at Rave Up Records on Saturday. He did write a setlist for this first evening, yet decides spontaneously, what to play. 

So he includes songs from records like „Future Fables“ and „Doom Folk“ like „Crawling“, telling that many songs are about mania and polarity. As the subway rumbles above, he thinks about how life is passing buy while often we are waiting like frozen in the moment, singing „Trouble Me“. 

„Wahn und Sinn“ is a book of poems and an album too, of which he presents „Hickhack“. ‚Don’t let it bring you down‘, he fights dark feelings and finally reveils his fondness for Brujería. Not only an outstanding musician, he also did the artwork for the new album of The Ghost And The Machine, which they release this very night. 

Mastermind Andi Lechner played e.g. at the „Günther“ book presentation and this new record already got mentioned by The Rolling Stone, Skug, Augustin and others. Live, the accordion, the bottleneck and the general dark aura make think of Paul Plut or Mauri Dark. 

Highlights are „Sick Child“ or the title track „Sorrows“. For „Ghost Romance“, duet partner The Zew joins on stage, who will play at Bluebird Festival at Porgy & Bess soon. Three music videos were done by Sophie Bösker, partly shot at St. Marx, an area for which will be demonstrated on 22nd November. 

‚The longer I make music, the more it becomes a mystery‘, Andi Lechner reflects. ‚But writing is always solace and hope, that I want to get across.‘ This definitely works, and together with Conny Ochs, there are already plans for next April..