“We really didn’t notice him at all,” Jochen Kaluza-Praschl laughs afterwards. He, who runs the event company in Graz “Eventwide” operates, was with his friend Stefan Kuerzel for a “cool blond” at the sausage stand in Vienna – and meanwhile several million people worldwide know that.
Because next to them was Mick Jagger, frontman of the Rolling Stones, who on the eve of big concert in the Happel Stadium viewed Vienna by night – and posted photos of it on social media on Friday morning. You can see it: Jagger at the sausage stand, in the background Kaluza-Praschl and Kuerzel, deep in conversation.
“These two will be kicking themselves in the morning when they find out who was standing next to them,” a Stones fan wrote on Facebook. Kaluza-Praschl takes it with humor. “Now we have a cool photo anyway. And the funniest thing: we both talked about music. Stefan is a DJ, I’m a singer and songwriter, but now we work in the event industry, where we prepare the stage for others.”
The two of them can’t make it to the Stones concert, “we’re going to organize an event in the Hofburg ourselves that evening,” says Kaluza-Praschl.
Mick Jagger, the Falco brew and the quiet
At the Bitzinger sausage stand, the old rocker allowed himself a can of beer. “A Falco Brew from Ottakringer,” says Würstelstand employee Hakan Zarali, who was on duty at the time. A modern “16 sheet metal” so. “I didn’t recognize him at first because he was wearing a cap,” says Zarali. Even a big fan, it was a shocking moment for him. However, he did not allow himself to be tempted to take a selfie. “He wanted peace, you can tell,” says Hakan Zarali. Other guests only recognized him later. Visiting celebrities is not uncommon at Bitzinger’s cult sausage stand. “When the guest comes, he has the right to be left alone,” clarifies owner Josef Bitzinger. No matter who he is.
Before his nocturnal foray, Jagger himself met another Grazer who recognized him very well: Jagger was with star chef Konstantin Filippou in his restaurant of the same name. Of course there is a picture of that too.
Rolling Stones concert at the Ernst Happel Stadium
Mick Jagger performs with the Rolling Stones at Ernst Happel Stadium tonight. The gates of the stadium in the 2nd district of Vienna open at 5 p.m., from 6.30 p.m. picture books can be heard as the pre-program. The Rolling Stones are scheduled to take the stage at 8:45 p.m. The show will last around two hours. More information about the process and arrival can be found here.