Allgemein, Concerts

The wait is almost over for Walking on Cars fans!

So this is the last night of the Baloise Session 2018 and it’s “Indie Chartbreakers”-Night! I am super excited to see Walking On Cars for the 5th time! Why? Because they are in the middle of their songwriting process of their 2nd album and yes they are playing new songs!!!! Before they hit the stage LP will warm up the crowd.

LP

I’ve had many chances to see LP live but her style of singing is just not for me. Plus I don’t like if artists whistle all the time. I don’t why but I just don’t think there is any reason why whistling should be put in songs 🙂 However lots of people disagree with me and came to see LP performing at the Baloise Session and let me tell they weren’t disappointed! I might not like her style of music but I do think she’s super nice. She collected lots of fan presents during the fourth song. She took her time and said hi to everyone. I absolutely loved that.

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Photo credit: Dominik Plüss

What I loved too is that she came down to us more than once and walked through the audience. She gave absolutely everything during her 1h 15mins set and I can appreciate that even if I’m not a fan of her music.

Walking on Cars

We were so excited to see them like I already mentioned! So when they started with “Tick Tock” we were totally in the groove and it felt like they’ve never been gone. After “As we fly south” Sorcha had some technical problems with her key board. So Patrick tried himself as an entertainer and cracked a joke. However I don’t think it suits him. The joke was pretty bad and only a few laughed. Maybe it was also because of the language barrier that people didn’t really laugh. Luckily after a few mins he got the go ahead and was able to perform “Ship Goes Down”. His dancing shows a lot of passion and to other people it might look weird but it just shows how passionate he is. LOL

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Photo credit: Dominik Plüss

Finally three songs were over and we were able to claim our first row spot 🙂 “At Gunpoint” and “Love backs down” were next. The latter is one of my fav songs! The energy, the rhythm.. just everyone makes it so special to hear it live. I also loved that the we had enough space to dance. There were lots of people there to support Walking on Cars but respectful ones. Everyone seemed to have a good time and I saw lots of smiles around.
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Photo credit: Dominik Plüss

“Flying High” is another incredible song and if you listen closely you can hear the beautiful voice of Sorcha in the background. Lots of “Uhhh’s” and “Hallelujah’s” were sung during “Two Stones” I got goosebumps. The energy was just incredible and that’s the trademark of any Walking on Cars show. Now this next song “Coldest Water” isn’t on their debut record called “Everything this Way” but it’s already on of the fans favourites since they were playing it on their last leg of the tour last year. It’s amazing if you can test new songs live in front of a crowd of people. That’s why I loved watching their reactions and I tried my best making them feel like they did a good job. But before we heard really new song we enjoyed “Always be with u”.

New Songs!

Patrick said that the album is 90% done! So this is good news Walking on Cars fans! 90% is good! I assume we will hear more next year and that’s great! 🙂 “Waiting on the Corner”, “At my door”, “Nothing’s impossible” are the new songs we have been dying to hear. On my instagram account you can listen to some in the highlights section. I have to say they are awesome and fit perfectly into the set and their first album. They are powerful, rhythmic and just incredible – so Walking on Cars 🙂 Guys if you read this, keep up the good work and finish that album! 😀

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Photo credit: Dominik Plüss

The last songs of this year’s Baloise Session

“Catch me if you can” and “Hand in Hand” were performed by Patrick, Sorcha, Paul, Evan and Ross. Yes, Ross who played the guitar instead of Dan. I can only assume that Dan wasn’t able to travel here so they had to find someone to help them out. It worked out well. He did a good job and fit right in however I did miss Dan LOL I guess it was just me 😉 Off they went for the little encore break.
A piano was brought on stage and Pat played “Coming my way” which is another song we heard before but isn’t on an album yet. Such a beautiful ballade! So moving and I was sooo happy that everyone shut up – we could literally listen to the piano and Pat’s voice and sink into the song – so much that when it finished we needed a sec to gather our thoughts and a huge applause followed. “Don’t mind me” was next but lots of people were waiting for “Speeding Cars”. This song finished the 2018 Baloise Session with the whole audience singing “Heya Heya” 🙂 A very beautiful special moment.

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Photo credit: Dominik Plüss

Thank you Baloise Session

A huge thank you to Baloise Session! Every year they bring out amazing artists to create special evenings. I already cannot wait for next year so mark your calendars: 13 – 31 October 2019!
Have you been to this year’s Baloise Session? Share your story here 🙂

Check out my latest gigs: Country Night Gstaad, Jason Derulo, John Legend

 

Allgemein, Interviews

Watch out for kickass singer/songwriter Madeleine Rauch!

Kekoas Korner has been in contact with Madeleine Rauch for quite a few months now. She’s not only a Marteria Girl no she’s a kickass singer who’s super friendly and very talented. Last Friday I got Skype with her since she’s currently visiting friends in L.A. on a well deserved holiday.

Let’s start with a bit of background. How did you get into music?
Good Question! 🙂 As a kid I sang in a choir and I started playing the piano when I was 7 or 8. My parents thought it would be good if I could play an instrument. Then it all took its course. I was in the school choir and started singing solos and when I was around 14 I started my own band.
What kind of music did you play with your band?
We covered rock and pop songs!
Later I really wanted to study music. A lot of people told me it would be unrealistic and it’s gonna be difficult to get accepted. But I managed to do it!

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Photo Credits: Chris Schwarz

I have to ask now. You’ve been a Marteria Girl for 1 1/2 years now. How did you start working with Marteria?
Connections helped. Miss Platnum started to look for a replacement because one of the girls wasn’t able to continue. I know the bass player in her band and he recommended me. Henrik texted me: „Would you like to sing for Marteria?“ And I was like: „Of course!“
So she called me to invite me for a little rehearsing session with the other singers. No casting it was totally laid back without any pressure. I sang a few songs and a few solos and then Miss Platnum liked what she heard and said you’re in!
Cool! So how does your tour life look like?
It depends! When we’re doing the festivals we’ve got breaks in-between. Usually you do a few festivals during the weekend and then you head back. The longer tours we’ve done in December and in March we were gone for 3 to 4 weeks. It’s a very special lifestyle. We’ve got a tour bus in which we sleep and drive from one city to the next in one night. You’re always around people and you don’t have a lot of privacy. It’s good if you’re kind of like a tour family like we have with Marteria. They were very kind to me when I started. If you didn’t get along with the people it would be super difficult to do it. Sometimes you get an off day and you get some well needed rest. I really love it!
A few months ago you released your own music. Tell me a bit more about „Hands Off“?
I recorded „Hands off“ and “Stick to my plan“ three years ago when I studied at Berklee. I wrote them already and during my year there I organized some friends and colleagues to form a band and they helped me record, mix, edit and master it. It took me a minute until I was completely happy with the mix. So I was happy to release them last autumn.

Who would you say is inspiring you musically?
It always changes. When I was 13/14 I loved Christina Aguilera.
Uhh I understand that! 😀
And then Alicia Keys became my idol. Of course I listened to some other musicians too but those two were very important to me. Later during my Jazz studies in Weimar I got into Neo-Soul: D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott.
At the moment I don’t think I’m into anything particular. I’m listening to a lot of different music but it’s always a bit of R’n’B or Soulish. I did have some phases where I was into the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Incubus but the music that inspires me and I’d like to do is more in the R’n’B/Soul genre.
You are in LA now visiting friends. What are your plans for the next few months?
Exactly! A lot of my friends from Berklee moved to L.A. and almost every day I am meeting up with old study buddies. It’s quite cool to be off for a month 😀
I’ll go back to Berlin to teach voice lessons and play gigs with the Smoke & Soul Band. That’s why I’ve been so busy the last few months.
Sounds very cool! Tell me a bit more about your Smoke & Soul band.
It’s my pretty successful cover band that I have had cool gigs with for example at the Weimarer Opera Ball or at Innotrans – this huge trade fair in Berlin.
And what about your students? How old are your students?
That varies a lot. Most of my students are in their 20s. It’s super fun! I’ll keep on teaching and if something else comes up like a session or a gig I’ll try to combine it. That’s the life of a musician.

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Photo Credit: Chris Schwarz

Fast forward 5 or 10 years where do you want to be?
Making enough money with my own music and to be able to live off it. Of course I would also like to have my own family. I’m very bad at making longterm plans. I try to reach my short-term goals and don’t put pressure on me with long-term ones.
I get that! 🙂
What needs to happen that you would say „Yup I made it with my music!“?
The question implies that it will stop at one point but I think it always continues to be a work in progress. But I guess getting a record deal, having your music in the charts and cool gigs is pretty much I made it. I’m assuming that your standards are increasing and you wanna do even bigger things. But yeah, the three previous things would be a big step for me.
Now I’ve got some fan questions:
Anna asked what’s your favourite dessert?
Oh oh. Nutella-bread! 😀 I bet my Marteria-family will start laughing now because there I’m known at the Nutella-Girl! I always eat it and on tour you can’t keep secrets.
I also really like creme caramel. My Mom is doing it perfectly. Good question!
Sue asked what’s your fav drink of the year?
I’d say Whiskey Ginger Ale is my go to drink at the moment.
Sarah asked how does a day off look like?
Depends! If I haven’t got much energy I’ll be chilling and binge-watch Netflix. If I got enough energy I love to spend time with friends. I’ll be probably doing music anyways – Playing the piano or write songs or sing. Sometimes I read too! 😀
You mentioned Netflix what would you recommend watching?
I watched Suits and White Collar a lot. I also just watched 13 Reasons Why but that’s very extreme.
Ohh I heard about it but I think I’m a bit afraid to watch it.
In any case that was it! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me even though you are in super cool L.A!
Check out her social media and webpage but most importantly her two amazing songs:
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Allgemein, Concerts

Selah Sue shuts up the crowd with music

Thanks to Just Because I always get to try out new music I don’t know yet. So on Tuesday I went to see Selah Sue – a Belgian musician who came back from the mommy break to shut up the Kaufleuten crowd.

A little after 9 a piano player and cello player took the stage and played an intro and then Selah Sue came from the blackness into the light. It was a super weird intro at least that’s what I thought. I really didn’t know if I was going to like what I’m about to hear. I was pretty critical. Selah Sue started with “So this is Love”. I was still observing…

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Credit: Patrick Holenstein from Bäckstage Magazine

She then told us that she became a Mum this year and that she loves laying down in a hammock with her son. I could picture her just doing that. Of course Motherhood inspired her so the next song was written for her little boy called “In a Heartbeat”. I loved it and I loved how she explained the story behind this song. She warmed my heart already.
Plus she started playing the guitar now. Soft chords for the last song and loud ones for “Fyah Fyah”. Surprisingly the Kaufleuten crowd knew the song and sang with her! What I feared the most seeing her at Kaufleuten was that the crowd would constantly chat and you could hear the bar people working. This is what normally happens. However she must attract a different audience than most. They were quiet! I was really impressed and happy 🙂 When looking around into people’s faces they were actually listen to her singing. I absolutely loved the atmosphere. “Fyah Fyah” was my favourite and after seeing Julian Marley a few weeks ago it was right up my alley 🙂 She must have grown up with a lot of Jamaican buddies.

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Credit: Patrick Holenstein from Bäckstage Magazine

Selah Sue brought out the loop thingy too and you know I’m a huge fan of it. Ed Sheeran can fill a stadium with his guitar and a loop station. This little thing is so impressive. She created a whole band and backing singers with it. So for the next few songs I was focused again on her being a very talented musician and her special raspy voice: “Peace of Mind”, “I won’t go for more”, “Alone”, “Full of life”. Then she explained that she was working with another Jazz musician on a cover song the past month so she started with some very famous lyrics:

When I was just a little girl I asked my mother what will I be?

Of course it’s “Que sera, sera”. “Always home” and “I Need” followed. I don’t know why but I seem to know the next song. It’s “This World”. Her last official song. For this one she brought out another gadget. It replaced the drummer. It’s quite difficult to explain so best to have a look in the highlights on my Instagram account. Of course the effect of the that gadget was supported by the lights and those two things together made for a great show.

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Credit: Patrick Holenstein from Bäckstage Magazine

The three musicians left the stage and I really didn’t think they would come back. But Selah Sue came back with her guitar and asked us so what songs do you want to hear? 5 different songs were shouted at her. It came down to two songs after trying the loud-o-meter with audience. First she sang “Summertime” a very lovely ballade. The 2nd favourite song was “Raggamuffin”. Another song with Jamaican roots. She changed the lyrics again and sang:

In Zürich they want me

And yes we really do! I hope Selah Sue comes back really soon! Thank you for surprising me and turning me into a fan 🙂
Have you seen Selah Sue in concert? Share your experience in the comments below.

Check out my latest gigs: Justin Timberlake, Billy Talent, Sons of the East