On tour in Austria

Feuerschwanz: Very relaxed and suitable for a feast

Medieval style and heavy riffs continue to be a trend among fans: Feuerschwanz are among the scene leaders.

(Bild: Stefan Heilemann)

Medieval rock is very popular: the German band Feuerschwanz, which includes bagpipes as well as electric guitars, has recently conquered the German album charts twice, and in Austria they made it to number 3 with "Fegefeuer" (2023). The Germans will be making three guest appearances in Austria in December. "We're coming on the Fegefeuer tour, it's going to get really hot again," announces singer "Hauptmann Feuerschwanz".

They sing about the "Bastard of Asgard" and the "Highlander", have instruments from the Middle Ages meet heavy metal, perform in costumes and have two dancers who handle flamethrowers just as skillfully as they juggle with fire. "Feuerschwanz has come to grips with fire, now we are firmly connected to it. Our power animal is the dragon, and we need fire," says the captain in the APA interview.

Steady growth
His real name is Peter Henrici and he comes from Erlangen. Because he found the medieval scene too humorless, he opted for a wink and "provocation" with Feuerschwanz, as he explains. Even when it came to stage names. "I still stand by that today, but we've evolved," emphasizes the singer, who was born in 1971. They performed at medieval festivals, among other things. "We learned a lot and provoked a lot. It took a while before we were allowed to play on big stages," says the main man.

Outfits with armor were part of Feuerschwanz from the very beginning. "I now have an actor's armor, light armor so to speak," Henrici grinned. "But I walked around in metal for many, many years. With us, everything is made for real. That's our philosophy. KISS is one of my role model bands, they just did their thing. A real show makes a different energy."

The joys of the digital
When it comes to using medieval instruments, they are real nerds, nods the singer. Some of them are taken on tour, but not all of them. "A Trumscheit, for example, is a wonderful instrument, but it's a huge tree trunk with one string, a double bass for very poor medieval people, so to speak," explains Hauptmann Feuerschwanz. "We can't put it on the stage. But the instrument is sometimes used on the albums." It's a real stroke of luck for concerts that medieval instruments are also available digitally these days.

The German medieval scene is "in our blood", assures the captain. But they also feel connected to the Celtic cultural sphere. This is huge: "Celtic influences come from Ireland, Scotland, but also from France and Switzerland." Henrici seems to be aware that Feuerschwanz is not only loved, but also ridiculed: "If something is different, it is quickly dismissed as children's stuff. But luckily the metal scene is so open-minded that enough people like it." You don't always have to take everything too seriously: "You should stay a bit relaxed," recommends main man Feuerschwanz: "Relaxed, easy-going and suitable for a party."

Live three times in Austria
Feuerschwanz will be performing three times in Austria at the beginning of December with lots of mumming and all their hits. On December 4, they will be performing at the Orpheum in Graz, on December 5 at the Posthof in Linz and on December 6 at the Gasometer in Vienna. Tickets and all further information about the concerts are still available at www.oeticket.com.