Oktoberfest Central

Oktoberfest is only a month away (Sept. 18 thru Oct. 3) and I'm coming to the conclusion that, as German as I am, I'm sorely lacking in OomPa music. Any recomendations? I really would like to get some genuine CDs, and avoid the cheezey $6.99 "Drew's Famous" catagory.

And while we're at it, post any related info, recipes, leads on cheap HB, etc. here

http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/

-Z

o freunde, nicht diese tone! sondern laßt unsangenehmere anstimmen und freundenvollere!

dude! everytime i go to the salvation army i come across at least 3 or four "beer drinking music" albums. check that out if you have that resource ~

[i]On 2004-08-17 08:32, Johnny Dollar wrote:

dude! everytime i go to the salvation army i come across at least 3 or four "beer drinking music" albums.

I have a bunch of those, but they are less than sonic perfection. I guess I'm seeking not compilation albums, but the Martin Denny of the OomPah world... and I don't know who that would be. I'll probably feel like a big idiot when someone posts a suggestion and it all comes rushing back to me :roll:

-Z

Feelin'Zombified,that Oktoberfest site is really interesting! I didn't realize how many different tents and themes it had.Even better,German popups!

I was in Munich for Oktoberfest in 2001, and the bands in the cavernous beer halls played at least as many American oldies as they did traditional "Oom-pa-pa" music, if not more.

By far the most popular tune of 'die Wiesn' was the oldie that goes "Heeeeeey, baby! I wanna knooooow, if you'll be my girl". No matter where you were - in the halls, outside, on the metro, in the stations, wherever - all you had to do was sing that first line and (literally) hundreds of people would join in and sing it, over and over, until it just faded away. After a while, someone else would start it, and it would go on again. John Denver's "Country Roads" was probably the next most popular.

And I didn't hear "The Chicken Dance" once...

<I was in Munich for Oktoberfest in 2001, >

Hey I was there too.
Spent most of the time in the Paulaner "tent." Also the Spaten tent but the smaller one.

I was kind of freaked out that the Germans LOVED us Americans at that point so close to the WTC attack. I hooked up with some 65-70 year old Iron Workers who couldn't speak any English and they cleared the tables down front for us to sit in.

I was bought as many beers as I could possibly drink.

How things change... so quickly.
I'd love to go back though.
Maybe one day.

BTW: It's not German but Brave Combo is one of the wackiest bands to play Polka.
I love 'em. They even have a Christmas album.

[ Edited by: pablus on 2004-08-18 03:02 ]

i'm the only guy in my immediate family who HASN'T been to oktoberfest, but the word i hear is that there are alot of aussies in attendance...

Being a former drummer in a Polka band, I can heratily endorse Pablus's recommendation of Brave Combo, if you want to get some lively upbeat polka music. I've seen them perform live several times, and own at least a dozen of their CDs - which I guess means that they're one of my favorite bands. Their style of polka is probably most accessible to those of you who did not grow up or who are not familiar with the polka tradition.

Brave Combo is authentic enough to win a Grammy award for best polka performance, and cool enough to be portrayed in an episodes of the Simpsons - Matt Groening is a big fan of them too.
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/articles/2004/03/19/local_news/features/features03.txt

Their CDs are often a mix of different styles - lots of polkas, but you will hear some good versions of Latin and other styles too. Their website is quite entertaining, and provides several song samples.
http://www.brave.com/bo/

As a start, try listening to Polkatharsis, Polka Party, and Polkasonic (their grammy award winner, which contains 'Purple Haze - the Jimi Hendrix Polka)

Another polka band worth listening to, if you're looking for a more traditional sound, is Eddie Blaconcyk's Versatones -- this is also a Grammy award winning polka band.

Johnny $ -- you've gotta get to Blob's Park (near BWI airport) on Saturday, August 28 ..... as Brave Combo is playing there that night. I'll be there.
http://www.blobspark.com/

Vern

damn! we've been meaning to goto blob's park for a long time...

veering off topic (my bad) but in the 70's we used to go to local places, blob's park and some other place, that had oktoberfests and 'deutcher tag's, with oompah bands and shueplattlers and cow bell ringers and bratwursts. those were the daze...