N-Joy Reeper Bus in Spielbude Platz, Hamburg |
The Reeperbahn is a street in Hamburg which historically led from the city towards the Danish border and was thus outside the city limits, and by the docks. The name in fact means rope walk, and the area became notorious as a red light district. But it has also been a home to music venues including the clubs which hosted the Beatles when they played here in the 1960's before they became famous. For three days in September the area is taken over, as over 60 venues present a diverse range of bands. The venues themselves are very varied ranging from small clubs and bars to huge clubs, and even taking in a church and open air venues. The programmers have no preconception about style, genre or nationality. Instead they focus on quality, so part of the charm of the festival is serendipity, wandering into a small bar and seeing a band playing to a packed room knowing that next year you may see them playing to far bigger venues.
The event acts as a showcase and many attending are industry professionals and journalists. But for 35 euros you can by a tageskarte (a day card, actually a wrist band) and 70 euros gets you a 3-day pass. Spielbude Platz is the hub of the festival with venues like the famous bar, Molotow (currently under threat of redevelopment) as well as the open stage. There are art events associated with the festival, ranging from photography exhibitions to Flatstock the European Poster Convention.
By day the area is a bit grim looking, full of seedy sex shops, but by night it comes alive. Prostitution is legal here and restricted to a single street, so you can walk about freely. And people do, the whole area is throbbing with a remarkable mix of people, all ages and styles, come to see the bands or simply enjoy the atmosphere. Spielbude Platz is the home of the festival's open stage, so even if you don't want to pay there is chance to sample the wares. Elsewhere on this blog:
- Win tickets to Roderick Williams' recital at Temple Music
- Reader Offer - discount tickets for English Chamber Orchestra
- Temple Song - Annette Dasch and Julius Drake
- Voices from the Past - Anneke Scott - CD review
- Vim and Vigour - Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival
- Electric Dreaming - Uniko: Kronos Quartet at the Barbican
- An encounter with left-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy
- London International Players
- A second helping - Kings Place Festival
- Aurora Orchestra at the Kings Place Festival
- Vivid Comedy - Cimarosa's The Secret Marriage with British Youth Opera
- Fine ensemble - Britten's Paul Bunyan with British Youth Opera
- Lise Lindstrom as Turandot at Covent Garden
- Light over Earth - Daniel Bjarnason - CD review
- Home
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