Carousel rocks St. Marien-Kirche: 200 fans celebrate the Ostrock classic!

Carousel rocks St. Marien-Kirche: 200 fans celebrate the Ostrock classic!

In the St. Marien Church in Loitz, the sanctuary vibrated properly last Saturday. The legendary Ostrock band carousel made about 200 visitors swinging and ensured an unforgettable atmosphere. This unusual concert location seems to be good for the band, because the musicians enjoyed the sound conditions of the church and entered the inviting community of residents directly into their appearance.

KARUSSELL, founded in 1976 in Leipzig and emerged from the bankruptcy mass of Klaus Renft Combo, is one of the most famous GDR bands. After the reunification, they had a longer break, but returned to the stage in 2007 with new casts and fresh enthusiasm. Wolf-Rüdiger Raschke, the only permanent member, and his son, the singer and keyboardist Joe Raschke, are now bringing old and new sounds back, arousing memories of the exciting times of Ostrock. Their realignment is also evident in the last albums - "earth wind" (2018) and "under the stars" (2024) - which are shaped by lyrical, poetic pieces that often touch the audience.

a warm welcome

The band members were particularly impressed by the warm hospitality of the Loitzer residents, which invited them to a dinner. The buffet was more than lush and tasted excellent. The band took this positive energy onto the stage, where they put on a brilliant start. After an hour full of applause, they played both new hits and proven classics from their repertoire. The title "When I went away", an earlier hit, was heard both at the beginning and at the end of the concert and caused great emotions among the numerous fans.

The band plans to return with an anniversary tour in 2026. This announcement has already lifted many fans, because it is undisputed that carousel has created many great memories during their career, which was characterized by the change of occupation and new musical orientations. The concert series, which also includes the St. Pauluskirche in Colbitz and the Zaundörfer to Bad Sulza, reflects the extraordinary importance of this music in East German culture.

The spirit of the Ostrock

carousel stands not only for great music, but also for cultural identity, which was shaped by its texts and melodies in the 1980s. At a time when the music scene of the GDR often had a hard time competing with the West German environment, the band managed to find a special place with their powerful and identity -creating songs - often located in everyday life in socialist society. This is also a topic that is dealt with in current projects, such as the analysis of the pop music of the GDR. The Renaissance of the Ostrock has been followed to this day and shows how important these cultural values are.

whether it is the nostalgic melody of an old hits or the innovative direction of new title, carousel remains an integral part of the East German music landscape. And while the band continues to record new material in the Berlin Hansa studios, the fans are looking forward to the upcoming concerts, in which the band will surely conquer the hearts and ears of the audience.

For our special event in Loitz, a Merchandise stand offered the opportunity to get in touch with the musicians and to get autographs what was an unforgettable experience for many fans.