By Taylor Boyd
The Sauerkraut Band, a 14-piece German Brass Band, will give an impromptu performance in Meadows of Dan on Saturday, July 24 around 1 p.m. to benefit the community and businesses in the business district..
Group leader Russell Shock said that while the group will not be wearing the traditional German lederhosen, it will perform authentic and historically accurate versions of songs.
“We’ll also be playing some modern stuff that reflects what’s being done in Germany today. They have a lot of traditional stuff, and they have current, more pop-impact things,” he said.
“The chicken dance is always a favorite,” he joked, adding the group will also do a lot of polkas, waltzes, marches, and beer hall songs to interact with the crowd.
The Sauerkraut Band has been playing together for 32 years in the New River Valley. It includes musicians throughout the valley, from Galax to Roanoke to Bluefield, he said.
Shock said the group decided to perform in Meadows of Dan because one of its clarinet players lives there.
“This is part of our summertime rehearsal routine. We go to different people’s houses or locations as we rehearse to get ready for the upcoming season and polish ourselves up for the upcoming Oktoberfest season,” he said.
For more information about the band, go to www.sauerkrautband.com, or Facebook.com/sauerkrautband.