popfest is an annual music festival in Vienna where only Austrian bands play and which is entirely free. [Here are my reviews to the last popfests.] This year, unfortunately, I was partly crippled by migraine during the festival weekend, so I only made it to one concert – by Bauchklang.

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Bauchklang by now. I’m thinking five or six times? Their shows are always pretty damn awesome, full of energy and danceable music. This time was no exception, though it was too hot to really dance and apparently I’m out of the loop because I barely knew any of their songs anymore (or maybe it was too hot to recognize them?).

Summers are awesome. Open Air Concerts are awesomer. Free Open Air Concerts are awesomest. But I have to say that it was not exactly a comfortable experience.

There were just so many people. kathrintha arrived before me and I had to fight my way to where she was standing. teashoe came a little later and she walked past us at first and we had to have one of those wonderful “where are you, I’m waving, do you see me” phone conversations until we did find each other. I saw F. from afar but only met him after the concert because there was just no getting through.

And it was just so freaking hot. Temperatures were somewhere in the mid-30s (and I’m talking celsius), which is not ideal for standing around in a crowd and trying to move.

So, even though Bauchklang were really cool and gave the performance their all and it was brilliant, I just wasn’t able to dance my heart out as I usually do during their shows. And I somehow lacked the energy to get really excited. When the audience even got them to play two encores, I was almost annoyed that I couldn’t get out of there yet.

Which means that even though it was not a bad concert, I’ll think long and hard whether I’ll attend the next popfest – if the temperatures are again as unbearably hot as this year. Or I’ll make sure to lie down in the fountain behind the stage.

Summarizing: I’m not built for summers in Vienna but Bauchklang are great.