Austrian guitar virtuoso Bernth Brodträger and UK-born bass phenom Charles Berthoud have become internet sensations, bridging the worlds of metal, jazz, funk and progressive rock through their boundary-pushing technique and inventive online videos. Now, the two instrumental innovators are taking their skills offline and bringing their Escape The Internet Tour to Australia for the first time, combining concert, conversation and masterclass in one immersive evening.
Watch the Noise11 Escape The Internet interview:
For Bernth and Charles, the concept behind Escape The Internet is as literal as it sounds – an effort to reconnect with audiences beyond YouTube, TikTok and algorithmic fame. “It’ll start with instruction,” Bernth explains. “For the VIPs we do a Q&A clinic before every show, where people can ask questions about guitar, bass or the music business. Then we do a meet and greet, and the main concert follows.”
That main concert will feature The Omnific, the Australian instrumental trio known for their dual-bass theatrics. Between the technical wizardry and the light-hearted challenges (audience members clapping along to complex polyrhythms, for example), Escape The Internet aims to prove that virtuosity can also be fun.
For artists who built their followings online, turning clicks into concert tickets was a leap of faith. “I wasn’t sure if all those views actually meant people would show up,” Bernth admits. “Two years ago I tried touring for the first time, just to see, and people really came. That changed everything.”
Since then, Bernth and Berthoud have sold out shows across Europe, now expanding to Asia and Australia, with plans for a North American leg next year. “It’s been amazing to see that our audience wants to experience this live,” Bernth says. “The internet is great, but the connection in the room – that’s what music is really about.”
One of the stranger side effects of fame in the streaming age is losing control over your own identity. Bernth recently discovered tracks on Spotify falsely listing him as a collaborator. “I checked one day and saw an album I’d never even heard of, supposedly featuring me,” he recalls. “It was awful. Anyone using dodgy distribution platforms can upload a song and tag you as a collaborator, and it ends up on your profile. That’s scary.”
The incident ties into wider industry anxiety over AI-generated music. “People are already listening to AI lo-fi playlists and don’t care whether humans made the music,” Bernth notes. “If Spotify isn’t foolproof, artists could wake up one day and find a bad song released under their name.”
For Berthoud, whose virtuosic bass videos have earned praise from legends like Victor Wooten, the journey from bedroom musician to world stages has been both surreal and instructive. “I only met Victor a few weeks ago,” he recalls. “We jammed live for the first time at Berklee, on a song I’d never heard before – totally improvised. I was terrified, but it was incredible. Sometimes it’s good to be pushed outside your comfort zone.”
When asked about his breakdowns of iconic basslines like Billie Jean and Another One Bites The Dust, Berthoud says the magic is in simplicity. “It’s insanely catchy – that’s what people care about. I took those lines and reimagined them as crazy slap-bass solos, just for fun.”
Bernth, meanwhile, remains devoted to the band that first inspired him to pick up a guitar – Metallica. “When I first heard them, it wasn’t about the solos or technique, it was the riffs,” he says. “I just wanted to play along. Kirk Hammett gets criticised online, but his parts inspired millions to start playing guitar. That’s what really matters.”
Both musicians agree that great songs outweigh pure technical display. “You can show off,” Bernth says, “but the challenge is combining virtuosity with memorable music. That’s our mission statement.”
Australian Tour Dates – Escape The Internet Tour 2025
31 October – Brisbane, The Tivoli
1 November – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre
2 November – Sydney, The Metro Theatre
https://thephoenix.au/escape-the-internet/
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