As of: February 22, 2024, 9:00 p.m
By: Magnus Reitinger
Comments
Press
Split
Fit for two performances in the Habacher Village – and full of anticipation: the internationally acclaimed band “Jamaram”.
Bassist Benni Beblo, who answered the interview questions, can be seen on the far left in this photo.
© Jamaram
The internationally acclaimed band “Jamaram” will be giving two concerts in a row at the beginning of March in the “Village” in Habach.
This must be love - and indeed it is.
Habach – It will be hot on March 8th and 9th in the Habacher Village, one thing is certain: “Jamaram”, known for sweaty reggae-afrobeat-hip-hop shows full of joie de vivre, is giving two concerts in a row in this live Club that is one of the well-traveled band's favorite places.
Bassist Benni Beblo explains in an interview why the Village is a very special place for “Jamaram”.
“Jamaram” has already given well over 2000 concerts in over 20 countries... What do you do to keep it from becoming just routine? How do you maintain the joy of playing live?
Every show is really different.
Different place, different people, different time.
Not every concert turns out equally well, but others feel like the best thing you've ever experienced.
That always remains exciting.
At the moment we have to pull ourselves together so that we don't get wrecked and waste away during the two hour concert with the brand new program.
There are so many new things compared to the previous program that are happening differently now that you really have to be on your toes and wide awake.
Otherwise things tend to go wrong and you'd be happy to save yourself and the audience from that.
Once you've played a new show a few times, you clear your head more and more over time and then have the opportunity to make music together in a completely relaxed manner, which is a real treat if you succeed.
What you as a musician get back from the audience at a successful concert is indescribable, and “Jamaram” are definitely addicted to that.
You sometimes play at festivals in front of thousands of fans - on the other hand, what draws you to small clubs like the “Village”?
Both are incredibly hot in their own way.
Playing in front of thousands on a monster stage into the sunset feels great.
In front of a select group of die-hards in a tiny club with maximum escalation, it's at least as good.
The very direct connection to the people who are dancing just 30 centimeters away from you and who are 100 percent involved with every fiber of their being - as always in the Village!
– you can’t buy that with money.
We consider it a privilege to be able to experience such beautiful things.
Also interesting:
Painful loss: What the end of the “Starlight” cinema means for Weilheim
As often as you have been a guest here: is the “Village” a special place for you?
Yes, the Village is a special place, not just for us, but in general.
We have been on the road with “Jamaram” for almost 25 years now and have seen and experienced a lot.
We've seen fads, bands and venues come and go.
The type of subculture that is cultivated in the Village is unfortunately part of an increasingly rare cultural form that is definitely in danger of extinction.
Such places are becoming increasingly rare.
But these special places mean everything to us as a band, the people there are soulmates for us, they do it because it means something to them, because it's important to them, because they want and have to.
We also have a very personal connection: Firstly, we have been supported and allowed to perform in the Village from the beginning and always have.
And Village founder Dieter Übler built guitars for us that we love.
We are simply hardcore Village fans.
My news
2 hours ago
46th Auto Show: Read a wide range of “mobility” topics
A tree that defines the cityscape is felled “at night and in fog”.
Situation “dramatically worsened”: Employees go to the Weilheim indoor swimming pool to read out
Huge maple trees have to make way for the secondary school
Next bad news: The railway line between Weilheim and Peißenberg will remain closed for weeks
Thought games for a “rescue center 2.0” in Penzberg - read “A brutal quick shot for all of us”.
This time there are two concerts in a row. Are you going home in between or would you rather enjoy a day off in Pfaffenwinkel?
We go home to other villages in Pfaffenwinkel and Five Lakes Region, where we live with our families.
It's not far... There are no days off in Jamaram's world.
What is actually the most glamorous thing about the rock star life à la “Jamaram”?
Oh, there's a lot of romanticization going on from the outside.
Most of the time it's pretty unglamorous.
For example, you drive for hours and then have to do something like “moving a medium-sized household” twice a day.
Pressing always works.
For me personally, the moment always feels very glamorous when people demand an encore after the regular end of the concert and loudly express their desire for it.
On the other hand: Have you ever had enough of being a musician and longed for a regular desk job instead?
This varies from person to person.
Shit happens on the road and of course there are situations that make you have serious doubts.
But I think that applies to every profession.
In my case, I've actually only ever wanted more concerts and tours.
We are all fathers of multiple families, Jamaram is an extremely large band, so the family obligations are correspondingly heavy.
A well-maintained short tour feels like a “tour vacation”.
Very popular with everyone involved.
If someone has never heard of “Jamaram”, how do you explain your music to them?
The band stands for peace, cosmopolitanism and respect, against war, intolerance and isolation.
Without borders and walls – colorful diversity and joy of life, in real life as well as in music.
The live show offers bass-heavy modern roots, dubwise, afrobeat, hip hop and urban grooves, it's massively exciting, sauna and escalation guaranteed.
To relax and unwind, there are one or two heartbreaking ballads and intelligent songwriter storytelling.
Your concerts are legendary. How do you actually explain not being on the radio all the time?
Oh, we already have a bit of that on well-curated cultural radio, for example the excellent Bayern 2, for which we should all be grateful.
We not only know almost every live club in Germany, but also almost all radio stations so that we can get around in hours-long car journeys.
Bayern 2 is right at the forefront.
It is very unfortunate how public broadcasting is currently coming under political pressure.
We have little to do with the speed and mass compatibility of format radio.
So it fits.
In addition, Jamaram's most chocolaty side is definitely the live performance in front of enthusiastic people.
This is where our strengths come into their own.
And how will everything continue with “Jamaram”?
We don't put any pressure on ourselves.
We consider it a gift that after so many years we can still tour with our music and that more and more people are still coming to our concerts.
Specifically, we are now releasing an LP called “Mor:ning” in the spring, which we made together with our long-time homie and reggae veteran Jahcoustix.
There will also be a huge concert on April 25th at the Backstage-Werk in Munich.
In 2025, probably in the fall, there will be another classic Jamaram album that we are already working on.
Live we present the programs “Jamaram Classic” - original cast with Tom Lugo, like in the Village -, “Jamaram meets Jahcoustix” and an unplugged program.
Because of me it could go on forever, luckily there is no end in sight at the moment.
Also read:
Opinions differ about the “Red Wave” in Weilheim
The “Jamaram” concert
on Saturday, March 9th, in the Habacher Village is already sold out.
Tickets are still available for the additional show on Friday, March 8th at 8:15 p.m. - at www.village-habach.de.