From School Bus to Stage:

The captivating transformation from Diskretion V to Szenario

The School Band Era: In the spring of 1986, the paths of two music enthusiasts, Christoph Broll and Stefan Bender, crossed on the 781 bus route in Hilden. A lively discussion ignited their shared passion for music, and soon they found themselves in the basement of the Broll family, with a violin and a guitar. Their spontaneous jam sessions became a secret tip among friends and relatives, and in May 1986, they dared to have their first joint performance at a garden party.

This duo, initially unable to come up with a band name, eventually called themselves “Soare,” inspired by a Romanian word for “sun” often used by Stefan’s guitar teacher. The first performances in NRW followed, and the response was overwhelming. In 1988, Enno Kremser on bass and Mario Wissmann on drums joined, and Diskretion V was born.

The Dawn of Diskretion V:

Setting Sail for New Horizons

In 1989, Diskretion V was completed by the new sound engineer Alex Fararuni, and their program “Talk of the Town” was born. With Katrin Degenhardt as singer, their first demo recording was made in the Elronds House studio in Düsseldorf. School friend E-guitarist Christoph Peeters and percussionist F.J. Haanstra from the Netherlands joined the band.

Diskretion V’s first gigs were a complete success, including the premiere in the auditorium of the Bonhoeffer Gymnasium in Hilden with Katrin Degenhardt and Katja Symannek. Further performances followed at the Hilden Music Cult Club JWD, at the Kalkofen Festival in the Sauerland with 5,000 spectators, and at the Haarstrangfestival with 10,000 visitors.

In 1991, Diskretion V reached another milestone: the production of their first and only CD at the Heartbeat Studio by Paul Grau in Cologne. With singer Georgia Fröhling and studio mixer Tim Buktu, the band had an impressive studio experience. The same year saw their first TV appearance on the “Aktuelle Stunde” with moderators Christine Westermann and Frank Plasberg, further propelling the band’s rise.

The Evolution into a Professional Band:

A pivotal turning point came when Diskretion V met Petra Hube of the Art Box during a performance at the Kö Galerie in Düsseldorf. Her contacts helped the band with agency placement, and suddenly Diskretion V found themselves in the spotlight of the first TUI Germany Tour as a trio. Collaborations with the best event artists in the country like Tebe & Leise, Boul, and the Willy Ketzer Band paved the way for larger stages.

The Transformation to Professionalism:

Diskretion V becomes Szenario

Drawing: Monica Barahona Ramos

1993 was a year of change and renewal for the band. Under the new identity “Szenario,” Petra Hube recommended the fantastic singer Sheila Gathright, whose charismatic presence thrilled the audience in Hamburg at their first joint performance.

The Professionalization of Entertainment:

Szenario Conquers the Stages

The professionalization of external representation, booking, and marketing led by Peter Lomme resulted in a series of spectacular events.From Dubai in the desert oasis to the Wilhelmstraßenfest in Wiesbaden, Szenario was everywhere, captivating audiences with their unique stage presence.

In 1996, Dieter Kürten, known from the Aktuelles Sportstudio, reviewed Szenario’s demo tape. This led to an exclusive invitation to a Christmas concert at the prestigious Kurhaus Wiesbaden. The band shared the stage with world champion boxer Henry Maske and opera singer Sandra Schwarzhaupt. The next evening, an unexpected jam session with the renowned Paul Kuhn took place at the esteemed restaurant “Die Ente vom Lehel” in the Nasshauer Hof in Wiesbaden.

Another unforgettable moment was their television appearance on ORF in Linz, Austria, where they thrilled the audience alongside the legendary Bud Spencer.

In 1998, Thomas Bruchhäuser, now director of the Höhner Circus Show, together with the comedy duo Tebe & Leiste, staged a fascinating variety show at the GOP Essen. This was where we discovered new ways to combine music and artistry. At the Scalaria on Lake Wolfgang, Peter Lomme staged an electrifying event where Szenario and Udo Jürgens shared the stage, while sound designer Rainer Kremer firmly joined our band.

In 1999, Szenario performed at the charity gala of the private radio station Radio Regenbogen, under the patronage of Hannelore Kohl. Harald Juhnke was the star guest on stage that evening.

In 2000, we had the honor of meeting the Spanish King Don Carlos at the inauguration of the Autostadt. Directed by Hans Reitz from “Circ” in Wiesbaden.

2001 was another significant year for us: We released our third CD album “One World.” Also in 2001, we were guests at the “Benefice for Life” event in the EZ 2 Hall in Saarbrücken, among others with Thomas Gottschalk and Haddaway. At an exclusive ZDF event in the Fernsehgarten, their stage presence seamlessly complemented the legendary performance of the Buena Vista Social Club.

With the change of Christoph Peeters and JoJo Duboz in 2001, Szenario experienced a transformative phase: Stefan Dreyer on electric guitar and keyboardist Ramon F. Tenorio Jr. joined the band, while the band produced their live documentary “Szenario in Monte Carlo.” This time marked the beginning of a new chapter for the band.

New Milestones:

In 2004, vocalist Butch Williams joined the band, adding a new artistic dimension to Szenario. Two years later, in 2006, Szenario was again a guest at the prestigious Christmas concert at the Kurhaus Wiesbaden. They shared the stage with renowned opera tenor Rene Kollo, celebrated opera singer Anna Maria Kaufmann, Cardinal Lehmann, and well-known sports moderator Dieter Kürten, captivating the audience.

IOver time, the Szenario team has strengthened its ranks with outstanding members such as Xaver Fischer, Ralf Göbel, Aniko, and Maloy. This unique combination of creativity and expertise has led to numerous unforgettable highlights.

Noteworthy events include the Scalaria in the Salzburg region, where we flew with a spectacular seaplane from Salzburg to the picturesque Wolfgangsee. Equally impressive was the show production “Café Central” directed by Christian Eggert, held at the renowned Lichtburg Essen with Gerburg Janke and many other artists.

Another highlight was the “Cirque Nouveau Mobile,” the first circus festival at the Autostadt Wolfsburg in 2016, which enthralled a wide audience. In 2018, our event show production with the renowned circus Flic Flac caused a sensation. The September Special in Aachen 2019 and our performance at the summit cross of the Zugspitze 2022 are just a few examples of our successful events that continually captivate the audience.

Onward to New Peaks.