Zappanale Festival

50 years of Freaking Out!

It's been more than an outcry when 50 years ago Frank Zappa slapped out his Freak Out! vinyls to the Americans, who at this time were prudish and already disgusted by the flower children.

Bob Levinson explained in his review in 1966 in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner: "A new "singing group", the Mothers of Invention, have recently released their first album, entitled "Friek Out." They needn't have bothered. With voices that should put an alley cat on a fence at midnight to shame, these "mothers" have wasted two records and an album cover of indescribably poor taste recording 80 minutes of pure trash."

In addidtion to the exhibition „Penis Dimension“ Am Markt 3 there will be two more photo exhibitions in Bad Doberan. The photographers Reinhold Köstler and Raimond Ray Strauß are going to display their works around Zappanale in the Official Building of the administrative district Rostock and in the Red Pavillon (Roter Pavillon). There is free entrance to both exhibitions.

EXHIBITION „Zappanale“

„The exhibition is showing a selection of photos which I took during Zappanale 2013/14. Zappa's musical ghost is floating above the racecourt of Bad Doberan and is uniting extraordinay musicians with enthusiastic fans in a fantastic atmosphere which is most exciting for every photographer.

At this point a praise for hosts, organizers and volunteers but also for dedicated musicians and relaxed fans which make taking photos a real pleasure.“
Reinhold Köstler

Vernissage: June 30, 2015, 4:00 p.m.

Location: Außenstelle Bad Doberan des Landkreises Rostock
August-Bebel-Str. 3, 18209 Bad Doberan

Period of exhibition: June 30 - September 1, 2015
Opening hours of Official Building:
Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Exhibition „Ray Art meets Zappanale“

With this exhibition Kunstverein „Roter Pavillon“ is showing a homage to the artists who are coming to Bad Doberan. It is a thanks to Zappanale itself and its guests who are enriching this town culturally and of course to the maker of this festival.

Photographer Raimond Ray Strauß is operating for several years at the festival. He has captured stage performances and backstage atmosphere, and some years ago he acted out himself with a bodypainting show. Some of his pictures are an image of the seen, but often they are overreaching artistically with effects of zooming and turning. But first of all his pictures are catching the magnificient atmosphere on and before the stage.

Vernissage: Thursday July 16, 2015, 3 p.m.

Location: Galerie und Kunstverein Roter Pavillon e.V.
Am Kamp, 18209 Bad Doberan

period of exhibition: July 16 - 30, 2015

Opening hours:
Wednesday - Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

The measure of all things...

can be taken by the exhibition visitors at Zappanale #26 when they have a look at the sculptures of Cynthia Plaster Caster. "Penis Dimension" is the motto of a very special area in the rooms Am Markt 3 in Bad Doberan. And also the friends of Titties & Beer are not forgotten, even if the search for beer will be in vain.

"Anything over a mouth full, is wasted!" ... so Zappa's attitude towards the state of things. And he himself once got a certain Cynt...hia Albritton (art student) to LA, took care of her and even gave her financial support. The cock-rock groupie, henceforth called Cynthia Plaster Caster, together with her friend as the "Chicago Plaster Caster" was now able to let her passions run free and expand their collection.

After some initial oral persuasion their models were made “ready”, so that they could be coated with alginate, a fast curing compound that usually applies to the dentist. Then it was only a minute or two of "Attention!" and the blank for another trophy was in their hands.

Cynthia specialized in rock stars and their environment. 30 penis busts will be on display at the exhibition, including Jimi Hendrix, Zappa's bodyguard John Smoothers and Aynsley Dunbar.

Our exhibition evergreen Helmut King could not withstand this hot topic. This year, his pictures show an impressive stability: He will revive the Plaster Caster legend in his works and represent the male appendage as the center of his current work.

Of course, this year the "third stage" will offer live music again, lectures will be held and more exhibits from the zappaesque environment will be shown.

The exhibition opening will take place on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 2 PM. It will be open daily from July 16 – 19, 10AM to 2PM. Admission is free.