The Flying Inn

The Jägermeister Wirtshaus Tour was a converted space that traveled from city to city with live bands and decent beer—basically a refusal of the standard basement-club model. The appeal was obvious if you’ve ever spent an hour wedged in a sweating crowd while the sound system distorts and the only exit is a six-foot climb over three rows of people. The Wirtshaus just… had room. Air. A place to actually stand or sit without working for it.

Cologne got a date in March 2011 with The Subs and Proxy on the bill, which I didn’t make it to but heard was fine. The format never really stuck. Traveling venues need consistent curation, decent logistics, and an audience willing to show up even without heavy marketing. Most of these things failed at step two. But the impulse—to do something besides pack them in and bleed them out—was right.

That’s the kind of failure I have some respect for. Someone looked at the way venues worked and decided it was stupid, then spent the effort to try something else. Even if it didn’t last.