The Final Stage of the Linz Europa Tour West

Dordrecht, 12 August 2008
Copyright: Petra Hinterberger

Press Release
28 August 2008

Hubert von Goisern, Austria's world-class pop star, has been serving as the musical goodwill ambassador of Linz 2009 European Capital of Culture. His Linz Europa Tour 2007–2009 has been a shipboard journey across Europe—eastbound in 2007, most recently to the northwest. Closing things out this year will be a final concert on August 31, 2008 in Passau, the ship’s arrival back at its home port, Linz, and then a wrap-up interview. The final production will be staged next summer: the “Back Home” harbor festival reuniting all the musicians from both legs of the tour.

In the summer of 2007, Hubert von Goisern performed on a barge-mounted stage at locations all the way down the Danube to the Black Sea, attracting more than 80,000 delighted concertgoers. The 2008 destination was Rotterdam; the route was the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. The tour, which has included about 30 concerts and musical encounters, commenced on June 27, 2008.

This grand-scale project driven by the ambitious vision of bringing the peoples of Europe a little closer together is now nearing its conclusion. Numerous musical guests have accompanied Hubert von Goisern on his journey along some of this continent’s great rivers—a 12,000-kilometer trip all together. “The costs in time and energy have been high, but it’s been worth it. We succeeded in building new bridges, touching people with music and getting to know one another a little better,” said Hubert von Goisern.

The final concert on the Linz Europa Tour West will take place on Sunday, August 31, 2008 in Passau. Tickets are still available. This show is also the last chance to experience Hubert von Goisern and his band live with their current lineup (with incredible gadulka soloist Darinka Tsekova). Prominent guests will include Martin Heller (artistic director of Linz09), Georg Steiner (tourism director of the Linz Tourist Board) as well as Deputy Mayor Erich Watzl.

Bright and early the next day—Monday, September 1, 2008—the barge will be heading back to its home port, Linz. The one-of-a-kind rig will then be on display one last time at Donaulände, where Hubert von Goisern and his band will give one last BEST OF performance in the heart of the city that is at the heat of this project. Finally, back at the shipyard, the concert infrastructure removed, the flotilla consisting of the MS Wallsee tug and the Brandner IV barge will be disassembled and returned to the business of transporting gravel.

And, just like last year following the Linz Europa Tour East, there’ll be a sort of debriefing. In early September 2008 (the exact date to be announced), Linz09 Artistic Director Martin Heller will chat with Hubert von Goisern about his experiences and impressions. In addition to a fascinating interview, the audience in the Lentos Museum of Modern Art Linz will also be getting a first peek at the new trailer promoting the West Tour documentary film.

The next important date is July 3-5, 2009, when all the artists who collaborated with Hubert von Goisern over the past two years in his role as Linz09’s goodwill musical ambassador will be getting together again for “Back Home,” a harbor festival amidst the Capital of Culture year festivities.

Overview of the Most Important Dates:

Final Concert of the Linz Europa Tour West in Passau
Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008, 8 PM
Location: Rathausplatz
94032 Passau
Ticket Sales :
Austria: in all Raiffeisenbank branches
Germany: at all PNP and PaWo outlets. Info at Passau Ticket: 0049 1805 76 11 11 and www.eulenspiegel-concerts.de
and at the box office
Arrival of the Barge in Linz, Donaulände
Date: Monday, September 1, 2008, beginning at about 1:30 PM
Linz Europa Tour West Wrap-up
Martin Heller in conversation with Hubert von Goisern
Date: 25 September 2008
Harbor Festival “Back Home”
Date: July 3-5, 2009