Thunder kicks off final fest weekend

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Heritagefest started out a little differently this Friday afternoon, compared to last week.

Instead of the heat and humidity which opened Heritagefest last Friday, this Friday's crowd was greeted with gray clouds and pouring rain -- and a surprise leak in one of the pockets of the roof of the Rosen Tent Stage.

As the Urseetaler band from Germany and the Walburg Boys from Texas performed, the audience enjoyed a little waterfall produced by the leak. Luckily, the water flow was coming down in an area where no one was sitting, otherwise audience members would have enjoyed a shower.

But the bands played on and, soon, the Alwin Electric company came and went to work to try to resolve the problem. A worker went up in a bucket truck above the tent and siphoned the water out of the pocket. No harm was done, and the flowers by the tent got a little extra watering for the day.

Later in the day, the sun came out and dried up the rest of the fairgrounds, to produce an enjoyable dry evening.

With an estimated 15,000-20,000 in attendance last weekend, this weekend may prove no different, if the weather is nice.

This weekend the Heritagefest crowd will be treated to the parade Sunday at 12:30 p.m. with retiring Heritagefest Director Leo Berg as the grand marshall.

There was a good crowd on hand for an early afternoon performance by The Urseetaler band from the small town of Lenzkirch, in the Black Forest of southwest Germany.

The band's first performance was for a wedding party in 1996 for one of their colleagues. At this time, the youngest member of the band was just 15.

The Urseetaler has been on many radio stations at home and are known as "the most successful young band" in South Germany. The members' ages range from 15 to 22. One member is in high school while another has just graduated from college. The band members are friends who enjoy making music together.

The band members are Mike Raufer who plays the accordion and keyboard, Markus Wolske, who sings and plays the trumpet, clarinet and saxophone, Stefan Schropp who plays the trumpet, keyboard and sings, Andreas Stender who plays the guitar, and Celemens Habershoh who plays the baritone sax.

Their first trip to the United States was in September 2000 when they played for Octoberfest in Rochester, N.Y., and in the "Great Escape Fun Park" near Lake George, N.Y.

With many "participation" songs, The Urseetaler got the crowd excited for the next round of bands.

"We are very happy to be here," Wolske said. "We're looking forward to a great time."

One of the funnier moments of the performance was when Wolske asked one side of the crowd to stand up and ask the other side, "Hello, how are you?"

Then he asked the other side to stand up and say, "What the heck do you care." The crowd laughed and Wolske said it was just supposed to be a joke.

Also, three members of the audience were asked on stage to try their hand at singing with The Urseetaler. After the song was done, the audience chose who they liked the best by clapping and yelling.

Another member of the audience was invited on stage to wave the Swiss Army Flag while the band played a song. In another number, two members of the band went into the crowd while playing their "spoons."

The Urseetaler is a busy band who plays mostly during the summer at carnivals.

"They do about 40-50 performances each year," said Ralph Kuhnemund, a friend who got them connected with Heritagefest.

"All the band members enjoy the American way of living," said Kuhnemund. "They enjoyed their first trip to the United States and are excited to be back again. They said all the people they've met have been very nice to them."

The band members have other priorities, too. Some are in school while others have jobs.

"The band is not their job," Kuhnemund said. "They play together because it's fun for them."

The Urseetaler received a standing ovation.