Local band to play at Olympics

Soon, the nations of the globe will focus on Whistler Resort, where one of the World’s most celebrated events will unfold — the 2010 Olympic Winter Games –- and some local musicians will be a part of it.

Franz Grasegger, of the local band Late (L8) was approached last July by the German Tourism Bureau asking if he would be interested in entertaining at an event on Whistler Mountain for an Olympic celebration on February 27.

Plans are now underway for Grasegger, who along with Adi Unterberger, Pat Hess, and Dwayne Diakiw to be flown to the top of Whistler Mountain where they will play their Alpine repertoire to about 50 very important Olympic delegates who are involved in the determination of where the 2018 Olympic Games will be held.

Grasegger is a familiar valley musician who is characteristically seen playing his accordion at various events throughout the region. What most people don’t know about Grasegger however is that this local musician is internationally recognized for his accordion talent. Grasegger has practiced the ‘squeezebox’ since his childhood growing up in the mountains of Garmisch, Germany. The instrument became his life at a very early age. His love for music brought him to Canada in 1988 to play at various venues throughout Canada and the United States.

“My love for the Canadian mountains, the people, the space, the freedom and the Canadian spirit kept me in Invermere,” says Grasegger. “I can’t imagine leaving this beautiful place. I love to visit Garmisch and I miss my family, but coming home to Invermere is always a beautiful thing.”

It’s the musicians’ unique attributes that landed them the Whistler gig. Adi Unterberger, originally of Austria, has been yodelling his way through many Western Canadian regions to ultimately land in Kimberley, BC where he and his wife Erika own a shop called the Yodelling Woodcarver. Unterberger’s amazing ability to carry a scale from the majors to the minors, even at the age of 71, keeps him traveling throughout the region, and beyond, to yodel for the best of them.

Although the Olympic debut is set for February 27, the band will head to Whistler on February 11 to start their adventure by entertaining in the Austria House in Whistler Village for 11 days.

The entertainment world is small and when the Austria House event organizer Max Frohnwieser learned that Kimberley’s legendary yodeller was coming to Whistler to play with Grasegger, he asked if they would entertain at the ‘House.’

Both musicians, along with bass player Dwayne Diakiw and guitar/vocals Pat Hess are tremendously excited to be a part of the Olympic celebrations. “It is a privilege and honour to be the ones chosen to showcase our passion for music at this very special event,” says Grasegger, adding that the “generous pay” is just a bonus.