Remstal Musikanten makes first appearance at Heritagefest

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Remstal Musikanten's performances on Friday represented the first time that band played Heritagefest, but founder Robert Nicer has actually played in New Ulm before.

Nicer plays in five different German groups. One of them, the Evergreens, played an Oktoberfest date in New Ulm. But this is Remstal Musikanten's first appearance in New Ulm.

The band plays in the Oberkreiner style -- one consisting of a small group of musicians, usually unaccompanied by percussion. Remstal Musikanten features six individual instruments--a clarinet, a trumpet, an accordion (which Nicer plays himself), a bass guitar, an accoustic guitar, a trap drum set and vocals.

They entertained Heritagefest-goers with traditional German Volksmusik -- the waltzes, polkas and marches so commonly heard at Heritagefest. There's one exception, though -- they know and listen to everything.

"We play everything," Nicer said in a thick German accent. "From Elvis to the Beatles."

Remstal formed years ago near Stuttgart, Germany, from members of other bands Nicer knew. Nicer himself has been playing music since he was eight years old and Remstal performs for weddings, dances and birthday parties in Germany, which requires them to know rhythm-and-blues, jazz, county, soul and rock'n'roll along with the traditional German folk music.

While making its first appearance at Heritagefest, Remstal Musikanten has made tours in the United States before. Nicer said the band has made about three prior trips to the US before coming to Minnesota. New Ulm is Remstal's last stop before flying home to Germany on Tuesday. The band previously stopped in Fargo, Moorhead, Bemidji, Montrose and Litchfield before arriving at Heritagefest. Monday is a free day that Nicer said the band will spend with its host family. So far, the members of Remstal Musikanten have enjoyed American audiences' reactions; they had the floor going with polkas for a substantial portion of their show. Nicer, however, sees it as returning a favor.

"We give you polka, you give us beer," Nicer said.