2023-09-15 11:41:18
As a musician, MANU DELAGO stands with international greats such as BJÖRK, ANOUSHKA SHANKAR or ÓLAFUR ARNALDS on stage, is already on played on six continents and finds his personal CO2 footprint far too high. As bandleader, the Tyrolean native packed his crew and all the equipment on his bike and started the ReCycling Tour. As part of this series, MANU DELAGO gives us insights into adventuring on cargo bikes and tells us what the crew was thrown back into on this unusual tour.
“In 4 weeks we cycled 1425km from Innsbruck to Amsterdam and played 18 concerts on the way”
What measures are you personally taking to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable in your work as a music creator? Where do you find it particularly difficult to change your behavior in relation to your work in the music industry??
Manu Delago: Free Mp3 Download My most successful measure so far was this ReCycling Tour, which has already taken place twice. In 2021, my band and crew cycled from Innsbruck via Salzburg and Linz to Vienna, and then back via Graz and Klagenfurt. In total we covered 1600km in five weeks and played 18 concerts along the way. The equipment was transported in bicycle trailers equipped with PV panels. These in turn fed batteries with which we operated the stage power and the lights. The diet on the tour was generally vegetarian and, where possible, we had the audience provide us with home-cooked food. In June 2023 we repeated the tour with a similar concept, but a little more international. In four weeks we cycled 1,425km from Innsbruck to Amsterdam and played 18 concerts on the way, but we took the train home on the way home. These tours were very nice adventures and inspired many other people to cycle and live a sustainable lifestyle. At the same time, however, we needed a lot of planning time because the routing had to be perfect and the time required overall was very large for everyone involved. Another disadvantage is that you are geographically restricted, and for me personally this is the biggest challenge as a musician when it comes to sustainability.
“I’m trying to fly a lot less these days and plan tours more efficiently, but unfortunately my personal carbon footprint is still too high.”
It was a childhood dream of mine to travel internationally. I have now played in over 50 countries and 6 continents, but have accumulated far too many airline miles. I’m trying to fly a lot less these days and plan tours more efficiently, but unfortunately my personal carbon footprint is still too high.
Actions that disrupt our daily lives receive a lot of media attention. Concerts also have media impact: What effect could concerts and festivals have? How do you see your role?
Manu Delago: Free Mp3 Download At many concerts or festivals, large crowds come together and many artists reach a large audience, so something can definitely be achieved. Every step counts. Topics such as waste prevention, transport, nutrition and energy are certainly already being considered by many people, but still far too little. I am often shocked at how much single-use plastic is found at events and which catering riders are requested by bands or provided by organizers. You could also give the audience more incentive to travel on foot, by bike or by public transport (e.g. reduced tickets). Of course, there are many more steps here, but it is at least as important that stricter measures are taken from the political side. During Covid times we saw that politics can change our lives; in comparison, very little is happening with the climate crisis.
“It was very impressive to see what space there is in a cargo bike.”
Have you come across any sustainability initiatives in the music scene? If so, which ones and in what way did they influence you?
Manu Delago: Free Mp3 Download On the ReCycling Tour We played in a few venues that have various green certificates or hold so-called “green events”. It was definitely noticeable there that someone was thinking about sustainability and that CO2 emissions could be saved without much effort. If you consider that hundreds, if not thousands, of people walk in and out of many houses every day, such measures are definitely worthwhile. Maybe there should be funding for venues as an additional incentive? Also VeloConcerts I think it’s a very nice initiative, a stage with a sound system as a cargo bike. As a start of the ReCycling Tour 2023 I’m on one VeloConcertsstage and it was very impressive to see what space there is on or in such a cargo bike.
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Links:
Manu Delago – The Best Of Manu Delago
Recycling Tour 2023
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