The BlueBeats

The Salzburg cult band The BlueBeats, which first brought the Beatles sound to Salzburg in 1965, is celebrating with classic hits from the 60s in the first set and their musical journey to the present day in the second set, showcasing the past and present of their story.

The BlueBeats

In the shadows of Salzburg's baroque towers, where the Salzach flows like a silver ribbon through history, a sound emerged sixty years ago that connected the Alps with the pulse of Liverpool: The BlueBeats, this unshakeable school band, which in 1965 pioneered the fresh, rebellious Mersey sound—a wild mix of guitar riffs and youthful energy—carried it across the borders of the British Isles to Austria. It was a moment of ecstasy when the young musicians saw their idols, the Beatles, live in March of that year in front of the magnificent Hotel Österreichischer Hof, where the Fab Four were filming for the movie Help!; that sight, a whirlwind of mop tops and harmonies, ignited the spark that would forever shape the band. Their name itself, a wink to their Liverpool role models, evoked not only the blue Mersey waves but also the insatiable longing for freedom that vibrated in every chord—and soon their echo resonated through the cafés and dance halls of the city, from Café Metro in Gnigl to the rural inns in Zehmemoos or Bürmoos, where fans arrived with their red electric guitars to indulge in the beat.

In an era when Salzburg was still dominated by waltzes and marches, the BlueBeats became the undisputed protagonists of the emerging rock and beat scene, paving the way alongside legends like The Firebirds or Les Marquis, laying the foundation for a vibrant, independent music tradition, far from the mainstream yet close to the hearts of the youth.

Today, under the title "The BlueBeats - Yesterday and Today," these Salzburg cultural guardians invite you to an evening that feels like a timeless palimpsest: In the first set, they dive into the roots where the winds of the sixties blow—think of the raw, electrifying covers of "Twist and Shout" or "She Loves You," those Beatles anthems that once shook the stages of Salzburg and crowned the band as the first local voice of the Mersey sound. Here, the innocence of the beginnings resonates, mixed with the hits of the time that were painstakingly transcribed from Radio Luxembourg's nighttime broadcasts: a tribute to the nights when guitars became allies of rebellion.

The second set, on the other hand, unfolds the fascinating metamorphosis of the decades, a musical odyssey that never denies its roots, yet enriches them with the maturity of time—now they weave acoustic arrangements from the repertoire of Tom Petty ("Free Fallin'" in a bluesy variant), Van Morrison (the soulful depth of "Brown Eyed Girl"), Bob Dylan (the poetic bite in "Like a Rolling Stone"), Joe Cocker (the raw emotion of "With a Little Help from My Friends"), or Eric Clapton (the bluesy melt of "Layla"), complemented by contemporary accents like ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" or Canned Heat's "Goin' Up the Country." It is this eclecticism that characterizes the BlueBeats: not mere imitators, but sound alchemists who blend Beatles influences with singer-songwriter songs and blues variations, often in intimate acoustic sessions that transport the listener into a world of introspection and ecstasy. Accompanied by guests like Miguel Silvestre from Blues Unlimited, who deepen the textures with accordion and double bass, this is not just music played, but stories told—of a scene that transformed Salzburg from a city of Mozart into a haven of rock.

A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

CAST
Barbara Kornberger: Keyboards, Vocals
Heidi Stangl: Bass
Peter "Ringo" Novak: Drums, Vocals
Fritz Pichler: Guitar, Vocals, Flute
Rudi Fürschuss: Guitar, Vocals, Harp