- The Swingin' Hermlins launched daily 30-minute swing shows on social media from 15 March 2020, drawing fans from across America, Asia, Africa and Europe
- Band leader Andrej Hermlin told TUKO.co.ke the group played unamplified instruments and wore original 1930s wardrobe to keep every performance authentic
- The Berlin band's pandemic story caught global attention, earning coverage in the New York Times, Forbes Magazine and The Guardian
- The group plans to hold their first concert in Kenya in March 2027 making it the first band performance in East Africa
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When the world went quiet in March 2020, most musicians packed away their instruments. The Swingin' Hermlins did the opposite.
Source: UGC
The Berlin-based swing band decided on 15 March 2020 that the lockdown would not silence them. Almost every evening from that date, they broadcast a 30-minute live show on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, performing authentic 1930s swing in rotating small line-ups alongside friends and fellow musicians who share a passion for the sounds of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Glenn Miller and Jimmie Lunceford.
How Hermlinville was born
What began as a way to fill empty concert halls quickly became something much bigger. Thousands of viewers from the United States, Asia, Africa and Europe tuned in daily, and that audience gradually grew into a tight-knit online community the band named Hermlinville.
In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, band leader Andrej Hermlin explained the thinking behind the project.
"When everything closed, we decided we would not stop playing," he said.
The authenticity of their performances set them apart from ordinary streaming acts.
"We play, apart from the vocals, unamplified, as was customary at the time. Our wardrobe, desks, microphones, instruments are originals or perfect copies," Hermlin told TUKO.co.ke.
Their setlist stretches from well-loved classics such as "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" and "A Tisket, A Tasket" to forgotten gems that rarely get a second hearing anywhere else.
From streams to stages
The pandemic years were productive beyond the camera. The band recorded several albums, published a book and found creative ways to perform even under strict lockdown restrictions. In January 2021, Hermlin and celebrated photographer Uwe Hauth launched the "Hermlinville Times," a printed cultural newspaper designed to give their digital community a physical voice.
The story resonated far beyond Germany. Publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, Forbes Magazine and the Los Angeles Times all picked up on the small Berlin band that had quietly become a source of comfort for listeners worldwide. Deutsche Welle and ZDF heute journal also covered their journey.
Now, more than five years after their first pandemic broadcast, The Swingin' Hermlins have stepped away from the camera and back onto the concert stage with a new live programme carrying the same name as their beloved show.
"Instead of looking at camera lenses, we're looking at people's faces again. What a great feeling! We want to thank our listeners. And we give something back to them: Our love for swing music, a nice solo, a great song, and a smile..." the band told TUKO.co.ke.
Their concerts continue the philosophy that carried them through the pandemic: live, unamplified and rooted entirely in the spirit of the 1930s.
Source: UGC
And Kenyan fans will soon get to experience it live. The group plans to hold their first concert in Kenya in March 2027, Hermlin confirmed to TUKO.co.ke, bringing their new concert program "The Music Goes Round And Around" to East Africa for the very first time.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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