Boes Gets A Run-Up At Zelt

Dieter Boes says that having much more time to prepare the bill for this year’s Zelt-Musik-Festival, the second one he’s programmed, has a lot to do with why it was such a success.

"It was much easier because I had the whole year to do it," he explained after the July 3-21 concert series attracted 47,000 visitors, 8,000 more than in 2007.

The Koko Entertainment chief set up a new company at the end of 2006 to ensure the 26-year-old event, which is on Feiburg’s Mundenhof Park, could be bailed out of insolvency.

The competition from that year’s World Cup soccer finals, which took place in Germany, had left it teetering on the brink of going under.

The action takes place in a 2,800-capacity circus tent – which this year hosted sold-out shows from Runrig, Wir Sind Helden and Ich & Ich – and the 700-capacity "Spiegel" (Mirror) tent for mid-size and up-and-coming bands.

Other acts helping Zelt survive and flourish included Joe Jackson, George Benson, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Maria Mena, k.d. lang and Blumentopf.