By Chaos, Freelance Writer
The German band Nobody's Perfekt, Raimund Kartner (left), Norbert Radgen (second left), Ronald Ernst (second right) and Christine Burkard on stage at last Friday's 'Oktoberfest' held at the Jamaican German Society's headquarters. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
OKTOBERFEST, THE Jamaican version of the annual German beer-drinking festival, was held last Friday at the Jamaican German Society's New Kingston headquarters. The event featured the German band Nobody's Perfekt, as well as Jamaican band Mile High. The band had four members on the night, all decked out in lederhosen (traditional Bavarian garb), with Ronald Ernst on keyboards and vocals, Norbert Radgen on drums, Raimund Kartner on guitar and vocals and Christine Burkard on bass. The band had the crowd on-hand amused and bemused, dancing and laughing.
Their second stint on-stage included songs such as Die Hande Zum Himmel (which basically translates to 'put your hands in the air'), Anton Aus Tirol (Anton from Tirol), Sierra Madre Del Sur, Aus Bohmen Kommt Die Musik (From Bohmen Comes The Music) and Stand and Sing Ein Prosit (Stand and Say Cheers). In other words, these were party songs, sometimes silly songs and perfect for a night where the main focus was drinking beer.
One song was introduced as being from a little chicken, while another 'called Anton' incessantly. One had the lyrics Yellow river/Got no time for explanation/Got no time to lose/ Tomorrow night you'll find me/ Sleeping underneath the moon.
As the band performed, people got up and did funny and intricate line dances or obeyed Kartner's instructions to put their hands in the air and wave them from side to side. The audience generally had a good time as the various brands of German beer, such as Becks, Holsten and Lowenbraü (which for the record are relatively weak) as well as Heineken, Red Stripe and Real Rock, flowed freely.
Burkard described the band's music to The Gleaner as polka, music "...where you link your arms and dance 'Schunk-ellieder'". The band members have been together for 20 years, with the exception of Burkard, who has been a member for the past four. She also told The Gleaner that the band is actually more of a hobby, with all of the members having 'real' jobs. Brukard is a kindergarten teacher, with a cook, a social worker and a pharmaceutical company employee among the other members of the band.
Holger Waehling, chairman of the Jamaican German Society, said that "It could not have been any better. I think both bands were excellent but maybe Jamaicans need to overcome their stiffness. I think maybe we need playmakers. It was one of the best Oktoberfests ever." His wide smile confirmed his pleasure.
German Matthias Hein, who is in the island to attend the University of the West Indies, had been shaking his head bemusedly throughout Nobody's Perfekt's stint on-stage. When The Gleaner inquired he said: "Well, it's nice, but this band is not German, it's Bavarian a little section of Germany which actually belongs to Austria and it's not typical German. People all the world think that's German (referring in particular to their lederhosen costumes), but it's not."
He was in the minority when it came to negative reactions from the crowd.
