Buskers Bern Streetmusic Festival:
Program 2011

The quartet from Bern-Liebefeld and the world-class alphornist Shilkloper respectfully dust off tradition and embellish their wildly imaginative fantasies with borrowings from baroque, jazz and funk. Compositions of their own and improvisations in a virtuoso natural sound.

Asep deputed already as a 14-year-old in Indonesia and found his inspiration early on in the one and only Jimi Hendrix with whose bassist he played in the UK later on. He mixes the masters songs with his own compositions and it turns out intriguingly similar. Jimi Hendrix is alive.

The four women singers will charm you with powerful voices and a variety of instruments. Their music ranges from lively popular melodies from Eastern Europe and Scandinavia to enchanting shepherd songs from Spain. They capture and seduce.

Bruno is up for a promotion. He works for the city and is responsible for order and sparkling cleanliness. However, his affection for children and other small things sometimes makes him forget his duty. Will that be good for his promotion?

Dodo created the doll Bambolina and fell in love with her which, naturally, leaves her cold. However, his heart is hers, hers alone. Can his love breathe life into a mechanical doll? An outstanding circus classic, the story is charming, witty and poetic.

With powerful expression, Anna enjoys singing about things such as the moment in which Sleeping Beauty or Gregor Samsa suddenly wake up. Even though she sings in Hungarian, we’re with that masterfully accompanied voice of hers. Beautiful and bittersweet soul of Eastern Europe.

Is evening dress required to enjoy classical music? Not when you listen to these virtuosi string players. With catchy enthusiasm and joy they bring original versions of famous classics into the streets. Come and rock me Amadeus.

Daliah’s music is pertinent but self-contained. A fluid mix of styles going from happy spring to melancolic november days. It’s new that they sing in Swiss german, and it’s how they admit no-frills honesty. This is Daliah.

Egschiglen (pretty melody) met 20 years ago at the conservatory in Ulaanbaatar and have focussed ever since on contemporary, mongolian folk music, featured with the traditional, central asian instruments and vocal techniques.

The unique combination of greatly varying cultural backgrounds leads to an explosive musical mix for this colorful group. What they share is great rhythm, a fiery temperament and dynamic moves. It’s globalization through dance.

Starting on the historic Ponte Sisto they first took all of Italy, then the Romans again took all of Europe. This time without shield and spear, but again uncompromisingly absolut: The earthy funk reigns, the groove is achieved. Causa Danza.

Two first-rate street performers, two zombie puppets and a thousand things in the trunk. A fast moving and well spiced mixture of jokes and tricks that doesn’t leave anyone with a dry eye but occasionally someone with an open mouth. Rough humor with verve and swing.

Their humbleness let them extract the essence of the various Flamenco basics and let them develop their own passionate character in the fiery interaction of guitar, song and dance. Hot-blooded, Catalan trouvaille.

At the beginning there are 47 ash poles and a bag full of ropes. Then Heinz comes on the scene, climbs the poles, ties the ropes, moves up steadily towards heaven, “apple breaks” being the only interruption. A fascinating view of biblical temptations.

Ever since the yo-yo-wave roped them in in the 90’s they have been practicing hard and now they surf on top. The Swiss champions make their equipment fly to its maximum to such an extent that it can happen that it catches fire (especially at night). Super yo-yo-show.

Khonya’s lyrics, songs, and music are based on old persian traditions and re-interpreted through modern sensibilities. Pari Maleki is a pioneer in furthering the public emancipation of Iranian female artists. Harmonious and conciliatory sounds and dance from Iran.

Violence will rule quickly if you get too close to the kings “Büssi” (cat). Apart from that, the monarch is amicable and shares his exquisite song treasure generously with his people. Audience of a laconic and naive majesty who is needy for love.

Offbeat humor, wanderlust and rumbling music with ever new surprises. The Knickerbockers tell burning hot and freezing cold stories, of lofty heights and somber depths. Never on an even keel, never tepid, always moving by extremes.

Neither bread crumbs nor Ariadne’s thread will help: to get through, to open up the many doors to freedom, you’ll need brains and ability. Be crafty and thus escape eternal oblivion in the labyrinth. Stimulates and leads astray.

The hummer jive takes a crazy combination of gypsy jazz and swing as a basis, adds ska, blues and psychedelic sailor songs, season to taste virtuosic, heat up some more and let it cook until it overcooks. Careful: hot!

As Spocky, he boxes and fights, himself, with balls, jump rope, and weight bars, for nine rounds. At night, paired with Matthias Romir to the Funky MaMa Fire Crew, he unleashes a wild acrobatic whirl of fire. May the funky sparks fly.

By himself, the juggling Almost-a-Poet amazes and amuses with charming “would-like-to-be” poetry and “would-be-star” guests. At night, paired with Manne Hanke to the Funky MaMa Fire Crew, he unleashes a wild acrobatic whirl of fire. May the funky sparks fly.

Are they empathic? Do they love? Do they dream of electric sheep? The android mimes dig deep into the full spectrum of human emotions, stay strangely cool, yet show a warm heart. Do mechanical beings break out of their confines?

You may have heard this young singer on the radio, but its only live that he fully unfolds: charismatic, authentic and with the kind of voice that goes straight to your heart he makes ice melt with the passion in his delicate and hard tones. More love, no war.

They meet for weekly sessions at the pub “Shoot the Crows”. Their pan-European roots mix with their love for global folk music and their boisterously Irish joy of performing.  No cawing crows here! Don’t shoot them, please – fly with them!

The regulatory authority (german: Ordnungsamt) makes cooly sure that pellmell rock doesn’t turn to trash. Their combat gear holds a strongly reduced instrumentation and words between Dadaism and Nihilism, nonsense and pensiveness with which they kick ass of officialism.

The back bent crooked, the hands callused and broke from poker games. Life on the railroad was hard. A washboard and a tea chest served as musical instruments. Bill’s steam locomotive is not the youngest but it puffs full ahead with rhythm and swing.

Five contemporary gurus alter trash to percussive instruments and show us with what partly appears as electronic music, their epiphany whilst producing complex, tingly rhythm structures from simple basic prototypes.

Father and daughter present atmospheric Nouveau Cirque: perfect balance in gorgeous aesthetics, the poetic fantasy of the waking of a young flower and dervish dances with fire and genuine flame. Dive in to fragile moments of happiness.

Celtic stone sculptures of Sheela were built into the church walls to protect against the devil. The bands name giver must be churning within the walls: the explosively mixed music is virtuosicly played and danceable by hook or by crook. Infernally hot.

Als Vorgeschmack auf den grossen Kurzfilmschmaus anfangs Oktober zieht ein shnit-Team in traditionellen Trachten mit Leiterwagen, Leinwand und Projektor durch die Untere Altstadt von Bern.
Die Screenings finden täglich nach Sonnenuntergang, wenn die Kühe im Stall sind, an wechselnden Orten auf dem Buskers-Gelände statt und laden zum nächtlichen Alpaufzug...
Halte einfach die Augen offen oder frage bei den “Alphütten“ – an den Buskers-Infoständen – nach einem heissen Tipp.

This isn’t the way to the next Salsa party nor to the Buena Vista Social Club – it’s the way to flowing blues songs with cuban impact. Sol sings with variety and with compelling timbre about life’s values: tolerance, free love and easy groooove.

Garbage in Deitigen and garbage in the world, Nicole finds sheep dumb and always there is somebody who wants to “liire”. Four “Supersieche” play their self-deprecating and ironic way through the important subjects of our everyday lives. From our area, for the world.

Full concentration on a complex and at times fragile sound world in the midst of the wild Buskers hustle and bustle? Switch off ambient noises? Self-adjusting the volume? No crowds? Wishful thinking? No: headphones! Enjoy Buskers privately for a change.

Die Artist/innen im Zirkus Fantastico können auf einem Seil laufen, auf einem Einrad fahren, Menschenpyramiden bauen, den Clown spielen und noch vieles mehr. Und das Beste: Sie sind alle auch Kinder, mit denen ihr zwischen den Vorstellungen die Kunststücke gleich selbst ausprobieren dürft.

Zirkusvorstellungen:
FR + SA, 15.00–15.30 + 18.00–18.30, im grossen Zelt auf der Münsterplattform
Freies Ausprobieren unter Anleitung der Traumfabrik:
FR + SA, 15.45 – 17.45, auf der Münsterplattform

PLEASE NOTE: All details about performing times and spots are exclusively published in the print version of our program booklet, get it in combination with the festival bracelet: