The so-called ‘Platzkonzerte’ in the leafy inner courtyard of the WUK cultural centre will be tempting guests to linger there in July and August. A richly varied programme of live music from Monday to Friday will be providing a pleasant way to spend the evening in the middle of the city.

With music ranging from indie pop and folk to electronic and jazz, the concert series boasts a colourful mix – and this variety isn’t confined to the music styles, with both tried-and-trusted established stars and newly discovered up-and-coming talents performing in the WUK’s courtyard every weekday evening. And while the series focuses primarily on Austrian musicians, there is a scattering of international performers as well. Launched in 2006 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the WUK in Vienna’s 9th district, the ‘Platzkonzerte’ have become established as a small summer festival in the middle of the city. The shady, leafy inner courtyard, complete with bar, provides the ideal open-air surroundings for listening to evocative music – and entry is free!

Experimental sounds from Japan

The indie pop group The More Or The Less will open the series on 9 July with Radio FM4 tested songs from their second album, ‘Keep Calm’, followed by an acoustic concert on 10 July by the country trash band Rewolfinger, whose motto could be summed up as: three to five chords and the truth. The first international performers will be appearing on 13 July – the Japanese experimental duo ToRi, currently based in Denmark, will be sticking to their aim of making music that has never been heard before, merging innovative performances with traditional Japanese music.

Tango flair and slide guitar blues

La sensación! The Argentinian group Capitan Tifus will be bringing Latin flair to Vienna on 24 July with their mixture of reggae and ska. The next day, a popular regular guest will be arriving – Gottfried Gfrerer will be treating the audience to his blues and folk music on 25 July, when listeners will scarcely believe their eyes and ears as his fingers fly over his self-made slide guitar. Ripoff Raskolnikov follows the same route a few days before (16 July), when the experienced blues guitarist, singer and songwriter will be presenting his new CD.

Female stars in classical music and soul pop

Another musician giving her ‘Platzkonzert’ debut is the pianist Stephie Hacker (2 August), who succeeds in bridging the gap between classical music and jazz. Magdalena Piatti’s music can also be classified as classical pop with an Anglo-American influence. Together with the cellist Irmi Vukovich, she will bring the concert series to a fitting close on 8 August. Other successful female artists will be given a platform in the WUK: the singer and songwriter Katrin Navessi is presenting her debut CD on 23 July, the guitarist Dana Tupinambá will be performing her finely-woven jazz-inspired works (30 July) and the Mary Broadcast Band, who almost became Austria’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest, will be creating a great atmosphere in the WUK instead of Baku (7 August).

Musical pleasures taking over from football

Other highlights include the performance by guitarist Daniel Pabst, once called “Austria’s leading hardcore jazz punk guitarist” by the ‘Concerto’ magazine, or the concert given by one of the best jazz trumpeters in Austria, Michaela Rabitsch, who is appearing with her talented partner, the guitarist Robert Pawlik. The two of them recently toured Africa and develop jazz, Latin and funk elements into catchy melodies and coherent harmonies. After the WUK’s green Euro 2012 carpet has been rolled up on 2 July, there will be nothing to distract you from the music from 9 July onwards, with the high standards and good entertainment value a common feature of both the football and the concert series.