Purkersdorf Open Air

20 years and still not a bit quiet

The big anniversary concert will take place on August 31 from 7 pm on the main square in Purkersdorf - as usual, admission is free!

(Bild: Kultur Purkersdorf/Elise Madl)

The Purkersdorfer Open Air celebrates its big anniversary show on August 31: Mastermind Niki Neunteufel looks back on the best anecdotes from two decades for the "Krone".

The history of the Purkersdorf Open Air actually goes back more than 20 years. In 1989, Niki Neunteufel came back to the Vienna Woods as a "very young man", as he says himself, after a long trip abroad in the USA and Australia. "The Purkersdorf of my childhood was not a nice place. The main road went right through the center, the butcher slaughtered pigs every Friday for everyone to hear," recalls Neunteufel.

Street artist from Kärtnerstraße
He was all the more surprised when the main square suddenly became a pedestrian zone. "It was much quieter, but far fewer people came to the town center," the landlord quickly decided to revitalize it. Initially, he brought street artists from Vienna's Kärntner Straße to Purkersdorf.

Niki with Austria 3 in the "Jahre Schnee" ...

(Bild: Andi Novotny)

Everything was still very simple with a small wooden stage - but even then with a lot of passion. Austropop stars Wolfgang Ambros and Wilfried also noticed this. "They visited us during the concerts in my parents' pub and soon supported us with help and advice." This led to the first major concert in Purkersdorf in September 1989: Wolfgang Ambros gave a free home show in the Vienna Woods on a Saturday morning in front of around 1,000 spectators - simply incredible for the time!

... and this year with the "Italo" rockers from Edmund, who actually also come from the Vienna Woods.

(Bild: Judt Reinhard)

"Old idea" was revived
The following year, Wilfried gave a big "Ziwui Ziwui" for his 40th birthday, which of course included Wolferl Ambros. At the same time, Neunteufel took over his parents' pub - the "Nikodemus" was born. It is considered a trendy meeting place and the birthplace of Austropop, even Queen celebrated here. But it would take until 2002 for the concerts on the main square to become something "bigger". "Back then, Mayor Karl Schlögl approached me with the idea of reviving the idea from 1989," says Neunteufel. For him, it was clear from the start: the open-air concerts had to be free of charge.

This is where the landlord cooks: Neunteufel is not afraid of any work when it comes to organization and implementation.

(Bild: Starpix/ Alexander TUMA)

A deal was struck that still applies today: the city acts as the organizer and takes care of financing, sponsoring and permits. However, Niki Neunteufel remained in charge of selecting the artists and organizing the event. A stroke of luck, as it soon turned out! The Spider Murphy Gang came in the first year, followed by Georg Danzer, the EAV and Kurt Ostbahn. Wolfgang Ambros is a permanent guest, bringing not only Rainhard Fendrich but also a very young Christina Stürmer to the stage.

On stage with the rescue
"Wolferl is a real friend," Neunteufel recalls a special episode. Shortly before Niki's birthday, Ambros was seriously injured in a fire accident in his garden. In consultation with his doctors, he was allowed to leave the hospital for the birthday concert, performed in the pouring rain - and was then taken back to Vienna General Hospital by ambulance.

Anniversary concert on August 31
There are many anecdotes like this - about the performances of Kool and the Gang, Earth Wind and Fire or Chris Norman, but also STS, Peter Kraus, Andy Lee Lang and DJ Ötzi, Suzie Quatro and José Feliciano, Bonnie Tyler, Al Bano and everyone else. Niki Neunteufel knows them all. And they all know - and appreciate! - him. For the big anniversary concert, the Purkersdorf All Stars will be on stage in a week's time, followed by Wir 4. And it wouldn't be an Austropop firework display if "Godfather" Wolfgang Ambros didn't do the honors once again . . .