Hip-hop band Zweierpasch have come up with an original idea for European Mobility Week…
Who?
Zweierpasch, or Double Deux in French, are an outfit who celebrate Franco-German friendship by rapping bilingually and using the musical genre to comment on intolerance and breach cultural misunderstandings.
Founded in Freiburg by twin brothers Till and Felix Neumann, the six-person group believe that music is still the best way to talk politics with young people. Their songs deal with subjects such as environmental protection and the rise of populism in Europe. Lyrically, their tracks aim to reduce differences, with a style centred “on the frontiers to be crossed”.
The musicians were even awarded the Prix De-Gaulle-Adenauer in November 2018 for their Franco-German commitment – a prize previously awarded to former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl and former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, among others.
Ok, so (impressive) band plays gig. So far, so standard. What’s the big deal?
Well, Zweierpasch, who have previously performed on stages in Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Mali, have come up with an original cross-border project: they’ll be playing on a Strasbourg tram that crosses the border between France and Germany, as part of European Mobility Week.
The band will perform on the Compagnie des transports Strasbourgeois (CTS) D line, and the choice of venue is far from random – and does not limit itself to a trendy new fad.
The D line has a certain symbolic weight, as it links the Alsatian capital to Kehl, its border town across the Rhine.
“Our sound is cross-border, so what could be more natural than crossing the border in music?” explain band founders and twins Felix and Till Neumann in a press release. “What’s more, it’s all about green mobility – we’re avowed fans of this particularly spectacular streetcar line, which is seen not just positively by everyone in the cross-border region.”
The idea seems to have resonated, especially for the lucky few with tickets. Around 50 people who made advance bookings will be on board, joining a film crew and a technical team who will be filming the gig.
The show will take place between Poteries and Kehl, will be live streamed on the band’s Instagram account.
The band are also due to present their new single ‘Ça va rouler’, ahead of a forthcoming EP this autumn.
If you haven’t heard of them before, here’s a taster:
**Still touring after the release of their fourth album, “22”, released this year, don’t miss out on the opportunity to catch the band live. Or alternatively, watch the live stream tonight on Zweierpasch’s Instagram page. **
