BAP

In the organizer's words:

For more than 40 years, Wolfgang Niedecken's BAP has been considered both a true rock institution in the German music scene - and an inexplicable phenomenon. The band inspires fans in the Cologne dialect all over Germany, even the German-speaking countries and thus far beyond the borders of the Rhineland. They celebrate unimaginable successes, astonish the media and critics and, as a matter of course, upset many a golden rule of the music business. They are considered "in the early eighties (as) pop stars of sheer incomprehensible greatness" (Rolling Stone / 2023) and with their songs, especially in this decade, they have a lasting impact on people's musical tastes. Hits like "Verdamp lang her", "Kristallnaach" or of course "Do kanns Zaubere" burned themselves irrevocably into the ears and hearts of their fans. In 2024, BAP will embark on a musical TIME TRAVEL, playing all the songs from the two double platinum albums from 81/82, with which they became known nationwide and which have been at the top of fans' wish lists ever since, as part of the tour of the same name through Germany, Switzerland and the Benelux countries.

Since BAP made it to the top of the charts with their third longplayer "Für Usszeschnigge" (1981) and thus achieved a nationwide breakthrough, their songs spread like wildfire - ran as hot on the stations in the deepest south and on the coast as they did in their homeland. The stories that the charismatic singer and frontman Wolfgang Niedecken tells with his warm, smoky voice are taken from life, authentic and close. The genius of his songwriting is evident in the fact that for decades they have hit exactly the nerve of the times, and in the eighties especially the longing of people for moral reorientation. At the same time, they are of captivating timelessness. The rock band from the Rhine does not spare difficult topics - all the more significant that, contrary to all the predictions of the music label at the time, it is the song "Verdamp lang her", of all things, that gets everything rolling, as it tells the deeply sad story of the conversation that never took place between Niedecken and his late father. But the fact that he doesn't just scratch the surface, but goes deep into it, touches people and triggers a veritable avalanche of enthusiasm that not only fuels the steep musical career, but continues to this day.

With more than 30 Top Ten albums, a total of twelve of which reached No. 1 in the German charts, and sometimes even the top of the charts, sales records are broken and quite a few precious metals are collected. Their musical influence, especially in the early years, is enormous, their politically engaged, socially relevant and often highly emotional songs are still considered legendary milestones. The band, which has existed since 1976, has been playing nationwide for 42 years - continuously and tirelessly in front of tens of thousands of people who collectively know how to sing along not only to the choruses. As if all of Germany was born in Cologne. They play until the fans can't take any more - it's no coincidence that the longest BAP gig of all time lasted an impressive four hours and eight minutes (1984 at the Sartory).

The ZEITREISE 81/82 tour the next year continued the idea that developed during the SCHLIESSLICH UNENDLICH tour for the last album ALLES FLIESST. On this tour, an above-average number of new songs were played, but also some rarities - songs that had not been on the setlist for more than 30 years. The reaction of the audience was phenomenal. The band had not expected such an overwhelming reaction. So it was obvious that Niedecken gave more and more space to the idea of playing a few concerts exclusively with the songs from these two breakthrough albums and the five previously unreleased songs from the live album "Bess demnähx" that followed in 1983.

If you take a closer look at those two career-defining million-sellers, you get an idea why they were so wildly successful: The thematic breadth of the song lyrics is enormous, and their many facets reflect everything that moved the young people of the time. The generation of that time was searching for newly defined values, a new self-confidence and independence. It was the time of peace movements, opponents of nuclear power and a new musical orientation - one in which BAP's songs played an essential role. And so, of course, the ZEITREISE 81/82 - Tour 2024 will also reflect this wide range, because definitely all songs of this era will be played. Even those that have never been on a setlist before. For example "Fuhl ahm Strand" and "Koot vüür Aach". Of course, the essential BAP classics "Kristallnaach", the "Müslimän", "Jraaduss", "Waschsalon" or also "Frau, ich freu mich" must not be missing.

The new arrangements of the songs, made with care and all due respect, ensure that they meet the demands of contemporary tour productions. And yet they will lose none of their original magic and impact - for Wolfgang Niedecken it was paramount to preserve the soul and quintessence of the very songs that for so many people are the soundtrack of the eighties, irrevocably linked to their very personal, formative experiences, feelings and also contemporary historical events. Although none of the songs played on the tour will be younger than 40 years, there is certainly no danger of BAP running out of repertoire. If necessary, they will fall back on material from the first two albums. For example, on "Anna", "Ne schöne Jrooß" and "Stell dir vüür".

At the latest with the last tickets for the four Heimspiel concerts for the 2024 tour, which were sold in record time, it is probably certain that the idea for the ZEITREISE 81/82 - Tour 2024, which was perhaps a bit daring at the beginning, has once again struck a chord. Also, the total of four dates in December 2023 will not take place by chance in the Sartory halls in Cologne - but because there, between 1980 and 1984, most Cologne BAP performances took place. So if you're not one of the lucky ticket holders, you'll have the chance to be at one of the tour's 29 concerts next year.

Source: Semmel Concerts Entertainment GmbH