Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [616]
The authorities want to turn inner-city quarters like St Pauli into ‘family quarters’. Rents for venues are going up – sometimes a 100% increase from year to year – and leases are getting shorter. There’s no money from the government; venues have to pay performers, staff wages, royalties; they survive only from drinks. Young audiences often buy drinks nearby at petrol stations or drink before going into the venues, so there’s no money in the club. I get requests from bands and DJs from all over the world to play at Hafenklang, but we’re very lucky; we make enough money from big parties that we don’t have to make a profit from concerts. The income from putting on parties means I can book quality acts attracting only a small crowd to keep the diversity of the scene in Hamburg. The Molotow Club is one of Hamburg’s most important music venues; it’s been breaking in new bands and DJs for decades, but recently it had big financial problems and nearly closed down. Other venues helped save it with donations and cross-promotions. Now it works, but it’s an ongoing challenge for all venues.
Despite the challenges, Drews believes that ‘Hamburg’s bands and DJs are strong enough to survive – even if it means moving to the other side of the Elbe.’
Aside from the Molotow Club, and, of course, Hafenklang, Drews’ favourite venues include Knust im Schlachthof (p695; ‘it hosts really well-known bands, but in an interactive atmosphere’), Komet Musik Bar (p695; ‘the best range of drinks and the best DJs, who are real collectors’) and the Golden Pudel Club (p695; ‘it has cult status’).
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Also recommended:
Grosse Freiheit 36/Kaiserkeller (Map; 3177 7811; www.grossefreiheit36.de, in German; Grosse Freiheit 36; from 10pm Tue-Sat) The Beatles once played in the basement Kaiserkeller at this now-mainstream venue mounting pop and rock concerts.
King Calavera (Map; www.kingcalavera.de, in German; Hans-Albers-Platz 1) Rockabilly, trash, outlaw country and much, much more.
Mobile Blues Club (www.mobile-blues-club.de, in German) An old shipping container is this blues club’s roving home.
Queen Calavera (Map; www.queen-calavera.de; Gerhardstrasse 7; from 9pm Thu-Sat) Tasteful burlesque.
Uebel & Gefährlich (Map; www.uebelundgefaehrlich.com, in German; Feldstrasse 66) DJ sets, live music and parties rock this soundproof WWII bunker.
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Cinema
Several cinemas screen movies in the original language with subtitles. Look for the acronym ‘OmU’ (Original mit Untertiteln). Venues include Abaton Kino ( 4132 0320; www.abaton.de, in German; cnr Grindelhof & Allende Platz, Universitätsviertel) and 3001 (Map; 437 679; www.3001-kino.de, in German; Schanzenstrasse 75).
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Theatre
Deutsches Schauspielhaus (Map; 248 710; www.schauspielhaus.de, in German; Kirchenallee 39) Germany’s largest and most important theatre presents imaginative interpretations of the classics (Shakespeare, Goethe, Chekhov et al) alongside new works.
Thalia Theater (Map; 3281 4444; www.thalia-theater.de, in German; Alstertor 1) This intimate, galleried venue with a central stage is fond of cutting-edge adaptations of classics and cinema (for example, from Krzysztof Kieślowski and Lars von Trier).
English Theatre ( 227 7089; www.englishtheatre.de; Lerchenfeld 14; Mundsburg) Predominantly British actors perform mysteries, comedies and the occasional classic, such as Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, at this venue in Winterhude.
Schmidt Theater (Map; 3177 8899; www.tivoli.de, in German; Spielbudenplatz 24) This plush former ballroom now stages a cornucopia of saucy musical reviews, comedies, soap operas and variety shows. Midnight shows