“He’s this German guy who plays metal and pop covers on an electric organ,” my friend told me.  We were planning to spend an evening in Mannheim, and now that evening was going to include a concert by a man who calls himself Mambo Kurt.  Try as I might, I couldn’t imagine what was in store for me, and, curious, I agreed to come along despite the change of plans and the 14 euro ticket price.

After a two-hour train ride and ten minutes in the car, we were standing outside of Café Central in Weinheim and the first notes of Mambo Kurt’s set were there to greet us.  Inside the medium-sized pub was sardine-can full.  On a raised stage behind a wood-paneled electronic organ (a so-called Heimorgel), sat Mambo Kurt, and he was singing Slayer.

The crowd, sweaty and enthusiastic, were dancing like this was the best dance music they’d ever heard.  People swayed, people jumped, people sang along, and people stage-dived.  And Mambo Kurt sang ABBA, Slayer, Stevie Wonder, Dr. Albern, die Kassierer, and a whole bunch of German pop songs that I’d never heard before.  The crowd went wild.  I watched skeptically from the side of the room.