„Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing.“- Hunter S.Thompson; Masters of Dirt
invitation
There are evenings when you already know what to expect. A lovely dinner, an elegant ball, a museum visit, a glass of champagne somewhere in Vienna. And then there are evenings when you have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen—and that’s precisely why they stick in your mind. That’s how it was for me last weekend at the Vienna Stadthalle.
I was there with my husband and my best friend. The occasion? Masters of Dirt. And I’ll be completely honest with you: I really didn’t know what to expect. I usually write here on vanivanity about elegant restaurants, beautiful hotels, museums, or things you’d categorize as „quiet luxury.“ But sometimes—very rarely—an opportunity comes along that’s simply too exciting to pass up. And Masters of Dirt was exactly that kind of opportunity.
I even had to laugh at myself a little when we stood in front of the arena. While I usually write about opera evenings, elegant bars, or art, I was suddenly waiting for an event where motorcycles would be flying through the air. That’s probably exactly why Masters of Dirt was so much fun. Because sometimes it’s simply refreshing to experience something completely different. As soon as you entered the arena, you could tell: This wasn’t going to be a normal evening. Music everywhere, energy everywhere, people everywhere who obviously knew that something pretty crazy was about to happen.
And us? We were incredibly lucky with our seats. We were positioned so well that we could see absolutely everything perfectly. Every ramp. Every landing. Every movement. At Masters of Dirt, that’s a huge difference – because the whole thing doesn’t just take place on a stage, but in the air.
The show begins
– and suddenly everything is loud, wild, and spectacular.
I think the first thing that really surprised me was the atmosphere. Because Masters of Dirt isn’t just a motorsport show. It’s a mix of stunts, showmanship, music, performance, pyrotechnics, and pure adrenaline. Suddenly, dancers appeared on stage. Then came fire. Then loud engines. Then music that vibrated throughout the entire hall. And this fire wasn’t just a small stage detail. Flames suddenly shot up beside the ramps, smoke drifted through the hall, and the light reflected everywhere in the fog.
For a brief moment, you felt like you weren’t sitting in the concert hall anymore, but somewhere in the middle of a huge action show. The dancers moved to the rhythm of the music, while in the background the motorcycles were already roaring. This interplay of light, fire, music, and engine sounds instantly gave me goosebumps.
And somewhere in between, motorcycles suddenly started flying over huge jumps. There’s no slow introduction at Masters of Dirt. It starts right away. The riders were introduced individually – each with their own moment, their own music, and a short introduction. You could immediately tell that these were real stars of the scene. And I have to say: Even if, like me, you know nothing about the world of stunts, Masters of Dirt is extremely exciting.
Because everything looks so spectacular.
Georg Fechter and his idea
– behind Masters of Dirt
Behind the whole show, by the way, is Georg Fechter.
He founded Masters of Dirt over 20 years ago and turned it into one of the biggest freestyle motocross shows in the world. It’s now an international act, touring various cities. The idea behind it is actually pretty ingenious. The best riders from different extreme sports come together and show off their most spectacular tricks.
Freestyle motocross. Mountain biking. BMX. Snowmobile. And a few other crazy things on wheels.
Masters of Dirt is all about pushing boundaries. And that’s exactly what you see on stage. You immediately notice how much training, courage, and sheer madness goes into it. And yes – you probably have to be a little crazy, too.
Jumps, tricks
and breathtaking moments
The jumps are huge. Like, really huge. If you only see them in photos, you might think, „Yeah, okay, a bit high.“ But when you’re sitting in front of them and see a motorcycle hurtling towards them at full throttle, you realize just how absurdly high these jumps actually are. At Masters of Dirt, the riders fly several meters through the air. And while they’re flying, they do things I wouldn’t even attempt on the ground.
They let go of the handlebars. They spin around. They stretch their legs completely off the motorcycle. Some just hang off the side of the bike for a moment.
And it’s precisely in those seconds that you notice the entire hall briefly fall silent. Everyone looks up, following the movement in the air and waiting for the landing. This brief pause is almost as exciting as the jump itself. The announcers kept calling out the names of the tricks – and I’m sure that true fans know exactly what a „backflip,“ a „Superman,“ or a „cliffhanger“ is. I, on the other hand, was simply busy watching.
Because so much happens at Masters of Dirt at once that you don’t even have time to remember everything. The riders spin in the air, stretch out their arms and legs, or suddenly hang from their motorcycles by just one hand. Some moments seem almost unreal, as if someone had briefly switched off gravity.
You just watch and think: Okay. Wow.
The unique moment
we were all suddenly badass
I think part of the fun of Masters of Dirt is that as a spectator, you suddenly feel a bit like you’re part of it. The engines roar. The music is loud. The riders land right in front of you. And suddenly you think to yourself: That doesn’t actually look that hard. My best friend had exactly that moment. He looks at me and says, completely deadpan: „Well, I could easily do that.“ I just looked at him and laughed. No. He can’t.
And honestly, neither can I. But in the atmosphere of Masters of Dirt, you suddenly feel a bit like a badass. I was so hyped that for a moment I really thought: „If someone put me on a motorcycle right now, I’ll just go for it.“
Would I have jumped? Maybe. But probably with my eyes closed.
One moment particularly impressed me. Masters of Dirt isn’t just for pros. There are also young riders – and one of them was just seven years old. Seven. I was probably still trying to ride a bike halfway straight when I was seven. And this kid was riding a motorcycle over a ramp. Of course, he was a bit smaller than the big pros, but still incredibly impressive. The whole hall erupted in cheers. And you immediately realized: it’s precisely moments like these that make Masters of Dirt so special. It’s not just about spectacular tricks. It’s also about the passion that goes into this sport.
From the town hall
directly to the afterparty
One detail I found particularly interesting: Georg Fechter isn’t just behind Masters of Dirt. He also owns the brand Kult & Kante. If you’re familiar with the brand – it stands for a pretty cool, urban style. A bit edgy. A bit rebellious. And somehow that fits Masters of Dirt perfectly.
The whole show has exactly that energy. Wild, loud, confident. And at the same time, extremely professionally organized.
The evening was far from over after the show. Because Masters of Dirt traditionally includes an afterparty. And this year it took place at the O Club Vienna. One of the clubs that’s truly famous in Vienna. There are a few places in this city that everyone knows when they want to go out – and the O Club is definitely one of them. The journey there was almost as fun as the party itself.
We went in a Red Bull bus. And I swear to you: It felt like a cross between a school trip and a party. Music. Laughter. People who had just seen motorcycles flying through the air. The atmosphere was simply incredible. And the evening continued in exactly the same way.
Why Masters of Dirt is exciting
for non-motorsport fans
The funny thing is: I’m not really a motorsport fan. I don’t follow races. I don’t know any of the drivers. And before that evening, I didn’t even know exactly how many different disciplines there are at Masters of Dirt. But that’s precisely why I can say: You absolutely don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it.
Because Masters of Dirt also works simply as a show. As an experience. As an evening where you keep thinking:
„They didn’t really just do that.“
Even if you can’t name the tricks, you immediately understand how spectacular they are. You see how high the drivers jump, how close some of the landings look, and how much courage is behind every single jump.
There are so many moments when the whole arena goes silent for a moment – because everyone holds their breath at once. And then, when the landing is perfect, the room erupts in cheers. People jump up, clap, whistle, and celebrate every successful trick as if someone had just scored a goal in the final. You can really feel this energy everywhere. And that’s exactly what makes Masters of Dirt so special.
my summary
loud, wild and free
Would I go again? Honestly? Yes.
And I certainly wouldn’t have thought so before the show. But Masters of Dirt is one of those shows where you leave the venue thinking: That was really cool. It’s loud. It’s wild. It’s spectacular. And somehow, Masters of Dirt manages to completely transport even people like me—who usually hang out in art galleries, cafes, and elegant restaurants—into another world for one evening.
A world of engines, ramps, fire, and crazy tricks. And that’s exactly why this evening was so special. Because sometimes it doesn’t take much. Just a good seat. The right people next to you. And a show like Masters of Dirt, which reminds you how much fun it can be to try something completely new.
And M.O.D. is still on tour. That means anyone who missed them has the chance to see them somewhere else.
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