Festival Sankt Gallen: Simply Quartett

Birgit Denk and her band are celebrating a quarter of a century.
Kids, how time flies. In the year 2000, when the world did not go under due to a "bug" as feared, Birgit Denk and her band played their first concert in the legendary "Shelter" in Vienna. Rocking, sung by a woman in the eastern Austrian dialect, the group brought texts that dealt with topics that were previously unheard of. Vienna and its surroundings were played, experiences were gathered, and the interest of audiences, organizers, and record companies was awakened.
A contract with Universal Austria followed, along with Amadeus nominations, several albums, and many performances in Austria and Bavaria. The involvement as an actor and music producer in Roland Düringer's garden series "Der wilde Gärtner" was another milestone in the life of the "Denk" band. The development of the ORF III talk show "Denk mit Kultur," which ran for 7 seasons on TV and is still seen live, was a successful expansion of Birgit's role as host and for the boys as musicians.
The band continued to evolve, produced music, a live DVD, videos, collaborated with other musicians, and over the years became a fixed entity in the Austrian music scene. Privately, families were started, residences were changed, and life plans were transformed. However, the band remained together save for a voluntary departure and a career-related exchange. Alex Horstmann as musical director, composer, and de facto "interior minister" of the association, Ludwig Ebner-Reiter as a brilliant guitarist and composer well-versed in all genres, Mag. Harald Wiesinger as the keyboard master and tour manager, and Philipp "Disco" Mayer as the rhythm giver, not only in a musical sense. The namesake Birgit Denk is the one who presents outwardly, primarily responsible for the texts, and as a social educator contributes to the cohesion of the group.
The apparent "big breakthrough," the radio superhit, the full stadium have not been achieved in 25 years of existence. Birgit Denk and her boys have always somehow been too early, too late, too old, too loud, or sometimes too quiet. Always somewhat "completely out." But they are still here. Eager to perform, authentic, committed, approachable, funny, serious, and so uniquely “zaum ghatzt” as only bands can achieve after 25 years of playing together. They still encounter a large audience that appreciates music, values lyrics, enjoys being addressed, likes being part of it, and often feels a little "out" and is proud of it.
The fact that Birgit Denk and her colleagues have been together for 25 years deserves to be celebrated. This "silver wedding" prompts the band to present excerpts from all their albums once more to both their old and new audience. Birgit entertainingly shares stories and encounters that have occurred "behind the scenes" between songs. A glimpse behind the curtains, then. Live and always different. A celebratory atmosphere guaranteed.

Birgit Denk: Vocals
Ludwig Ebner-Reiter: Guitar, Vocals
Mag. Harald Wiesinger: Keyboards
Philipp "Disco" Mayer: Drums
Alexander Horstmann: Bass, Vocals