Everybody hates traffic jams; the slow pace and congestion can stifle our vehicles and spirits. Most of us tune in to our favorite podcasts or audiobooks to escape the monotony and the frustrations of the road. But have you ever seen a concert in the middle of a traffic jam?
A Belgian band, Floris and the Flames, had just completed several concerts in Germany and Austria when they got stuck in a traffic jam near Nuremberg, Germany. “A long traffic jam,” Gert Peeten, one of the band members, told World Today News: “We stood still for an hour, and of course so did the cars around us.”
A perfect moment for a traffic jam concert
As time wound down, boredom and fatigue were inevitable. Warmed from their tour and armed with their instruments, the quartet devised a spontaneous idea. They could transform the arduous jam into a performance of musical joy.
Walking from car to car, they played a few songs, and motorists, families, and bus passengers were enthralled by the concert unfolding before them. In a video that the band posted on their social media, it’s evident that everybody was enjoying the show, forgetting the traffic nuisance.
Speaking about this incredible scene, the band’s Frontman Floris Willem told Classic FM: “To cheer up the traffic jam and ourselves, we came up with the idea of taking our musical instruments from the boot and playing for the people,” he said. “People started filming, dancing, and even giving money. And so we all had a good time!”
What kind of music does the band play
Floris and the Flames is a Belgian band that blends piano, violin, drums, bass guitar, and electronics. The four members of the band include Floris Willem (violin), Dries Peeten (bass guitar), Gert Peeten (piano, electric guitar, and electronics), and Simon Schrooten (drums and percussion). Their music is a fusion of several genres, making it appealing to the young and old.
In an interview, Gert describes their type of music: “You can best compare it to a pop group where you replace the singer with a violinist. We perform reworkings of classical music, but also our own compositions or cover artists such as Queen or Led Zeppelin. We mix the different genres of classical, Folk, Pop, Jazz, Rock, and always in a fiery jacket!
And what’s this “fiery jacket” he is referring to? Besides the fiery passion for music, all the members have red hair! Hence the apt name Floris and the Flames.
Origin of Floris and the Flames
Willem is a classically trained violinist who teaches at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He has lived in Vienna for about 10 years and is currently an assistant professor to Professor Christian Altenburger. He has won awards at several international violin competitions.
He formed the band Floris and the Flames in 2017, and even though he no longer lives in Belgium, he still tours with his band members. The band has performed at the Ghent Festivities, Boombalfestival, BOZAR, and the World Expo in Dubai.
The quartet has upcoming concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium this spring. You may have missed their musical interlude in the traffic jam, but you can find out more about their tours or stream their music online.
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