Live report BETH HART & ANDREAS KÜMMERT, Stadtpark Open Air, Hamburg – July 8th, 2023

The Stadtpark Open Air in Hamburg is a yearly returning open air series with a musically diverse programme. From June to September, music from all kinds of genres fills the air at one of Hamburg’s most popular and beautiful green oasis.

Tonight, it is Beth Hart playing a show at this great location and before the she enters the stage it is German blues artist Andreas Kümmert who kicks off this night of powerful and soulful music.

Kümmert became popular when being a candidate at Voice of Germany, the casting show that gives talents a stage. Overwhelmed by the great feedback and the gaining popularity, Kümmert decided to continue to walk on the chosen path of blues. What remained all the years though is the enormous talent of the German blues and rock passionist. Tonight, at Stadtpark, he shows again, what a great artist he is. Such a powerful voice and an exquisite guitar play, that is what makes the crowd at Stadtpark fired up.

Kümmert plays six songs in total of which one is an own composition. What’s remarkable is the fact, that his own song seamless stand next to cover versions of songs from e.g. Elvis Presley.

There isn’t much distraction from the music. Kümmert and his two bandmates are on stage and let the music do the talking. Fans appreciate this a lot and after six songs, the guitarist/singer receives a well-deserved applause for a show which probably brought him some new fans and what a pity that none of his merch could be sold tonight at the merch booth. Some shirts or CDs would certainly have changed ownership.

After a short changeover, Beth Hart comes on stage – humble and overwhelmed by the warm applause provided by her fans. Hart starts very soulful into her set on this summerly evening in Hamburg. While the last sunrays of the day provide a warm-hearted light, Beth Hart takes place behind the piano and starts the show with ‘Baddest Blues”, taken from the ‘Bang Bang Boom Boom’ album. The ‘Native Born Killer’-inspired title track of this album also found a spot on the setlist and comes in the middle of the show.

It is the ‘War In My Mind’ album that provides most of the songs of today’s show. This doesn’t surprise knowing, that also this tour had to be postponed a few times for the known circumstance and therefor it is four years later, that the tunes of the latest studio album can be finally presented to a bigger audience live on stage.

After such an emotional opening, it’s the rocking ‘Immortal’ from 1996 which acts as an energizer. Next to the power provided by songs like ‘Bad Woman Blues’ Beth Hart also shows the fragile side of life with little stories she tells here and there in between song, leading once even to a few tears in her eyes. It is this authenticity that makes songs and show to an honest and touching experience.

Also exciting is the acoustic session, featuring four songs. ‘Without Words in my Way’ puts Hart and her piano into the spotlight again. It’s a very intense and melancholic moment about the fragility of life. The band joins in on ‘Sugar Shack’ which comes in a stripped down version too, followed by ‘Fat Man’ and ‘Baby Shoot Me Down’.

The encore includes with ‘No Quarter Babe’ the expected Led Zeppelin reference from the latest album. Singing while walking barefooted on the grass from right to left in front of the stage and even performing while lying on the grass; the vibe of this night can’t be visualized in a better fashion.

Since curfew at Stadtpark is at 22:00, the show comes slowly comes to an end with ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’. It’s one of the songs, Hart preformed in the past with guitar legend Joe Bonamassa and tonight it is the final tune of a show that offered what fans could expect.

Beth Hart delivered in great fashion. Excellent songs, a lot of emotions, a great voice, and a band, featuring excellent musicians (Jon Nichols (guitar), Tom Lilly (bass) & Bill Ransom (drums)), knowing exactly how to contribute to this stellar night of blues and rock. Music, that is about feelings and those have been turned and tranferred in perfection tonight. The moment the last sunrays disappear and last notes fade away at Stadtpark one just see happy faces, heading for their way home.