FUN, FUN, FUN IN ISCHGL WITH THE BEACH BOYS
It was fun, fun, fun all the way with the Beach Boys as Ischgl celebrated the launch of its winter season with a snowy concert that brought surfboards and snowboards together in the Silvretta mountain range of the Austrian Alps.
Lead singer Mike Love declared Ischgl “beautiful” with “great architecture” and after riding on the resort’s €40m Pardatschgratbahn gondola as it entered its second season he said: “I’ve never been on a gondola like that and I live on Lake Tahoe which is in the mountains out west of the United States … beautiful ski areas and everything but this ride was truly amazing.”
And as they prepared to perform on an outdoor stage in sub-zero temperatures in Ischgl village he said: “It’s going to be a bit cold but we’re going to warm it up with the music.” And they certainly did as the 15,000 crowd joined in and danced to favourites such as Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Good Vibrations, Surfin and Catch A Wave.
The six-strong band arrived separately over several days and some slotted in some skiing as Ischgl’s 238kms of groomed piste opened two days before last weekend’s concert.
Snow conditions in Ischgl are excellent – and to prove a point it snowed during the band’s photocall on the slopes at the top of the Pardatschgratbahn gondola.
Ischgl’s five month long season lasts until the beginning of May. And on the penultimate day of the season there will be a big-name closing concert, but the identity of the artist or band has yet to be announced.
More on Ischgl’s winter activities on www.ischgl.com