Велике спасибі: Julia! Micolaj, Patryck: wielkie dzieki! Tack så mycket: Jan, Lars. Merci beaucoup à Émile et Vincent für ein unvergessliches eastPLUGGED® Sommerfestival.

It has numerous advantages to preesent our eastPLUGGED® concerts in Ratingen's Friedenskirche, in particular because of its outstanding acoustics, but perhaps Pastor Thomas Gerhold also has a special ‘connection to the sky’, as the sun also accompanied this first eastPLUGGED® summer festival from the start to its end.

Musicis from Sweden, Ukraine, France and Poland presented a wide range of sounds in distinct concerts, which thrilled from the first to the last minute. Further: a frenetic audience and a happy picknick between the concerts of the second day.

The festival started with the young Ukrainian pianist JULIA AMIROVA [p] and her Polish partners MIKOLAJ SIKORA [b] and PATRYK GAJDA [dr], who presented their album ‘ROOTS’ for the first time in Germany. ROOTS is based on various Ukrainian and Polish folk songs in a completely new musical style. Julia's compositions present a large variety and numerous rhythm changes, the pieces vary from dynamical, dance-like to melancholic, and they all find a common musical language with a high recognition value in this first album of said Trio. The enthusiasm of the audience motivated the band to several encores, resulting in the longest concert in eastPLUGGED® history.

VINCENT PEIRANI: his name and his music speak for themselves. Vincent opened the second day of the festival with his third eastPLUGGED® gig, this time as a soloist in front of the impressive circle of the Friedenskirche. Soloist? Yes and no. Because what followed was not really a solo concert in a common sense, as Vincent produced an almost orchestral sound with his accordion, the accordina and his voice, which you can perfectly enjoy in a room like that of the Friedenskirche, especially with your eyes closed. Pure musical enjoyment.

Concert number 3: During the pandemic, Swedish pianist JAN LUNDGEN had to replace drummer Wolfgang Haffner in his trio, who suddenly fell ill, and he did so with saxophonist ÉMILE PARISIEN, who happened to be present. Together with LARS DANIELSSON on bass, an outstanding concert developed in Ystad, the continuation of which now took place in Ratingen. Émile's brilliant improvisation is a symbiotic addition to the more soft and melodic compositions of Jan and Lars. Standing ovations on this hot summer day... and the euphoric mood in the audience reached its culmination when Vincent Peirani expanded the trio into a quartet, thus offering the eastPLUGGED® audience a world premiere. ...unique ..fantastic.

The excellent sound was profesionally controlled by our technician Daniel.

Many thanks as well to star chef Ingo Köthschneider and the outstanding wrap creations, presented by his Canonicus team; to Ruth and the "Konfis" with their perfect drinks service; to the Kuhbar, whose vanilla ice cream was a welcome cool-down between the ‘hot concerts’, and finally to all volunteers, who helped to make the festival a success.