The Reeperbahn, the “cool mile” (Udo). neon lights at night. Clubs, pubs, bars, dive bars. There should also be brothels. They weren’t good years for the establishments of the night. That will also be the focus of this year’s Reeperbahn Festival, where this unique Hamburg biotope of nightclubs, discotheques and theaters will once again become the venue for Europe’s largest club festival.
From 21 to 24 September 2022, the Reeperbahn Festival, presented by Musikexpress, will combine an eclectic line-up of international up-and-coming talent with a progressive conference programme. Since its debut in 2006, the festival has grown into one of the music industry’s most important meeting places. It impressively shows how a diverse musical program can be combined with the interests of the music industry and civil society commitment.
One of the confirmed highlights of the music program so far is a concert by German indie pop musician Betterov, who will be performing at St. Michaelis Church with a unique group of friends. Among the local highlights are the electro-poppers Hundreds, who have planned a mixture of concert and experiment at the “Michel”, and the great chansonière Stella Sommer. Anna Calvi will play in the Elbphilharmonie, the Angolan singer and dancer Pongo will combine the kuduro dance of her old home country with the samba soul of her new home country of Portugal. The Ghanaian singer, songwriter and beatmaker KiDi, who has long been a star on the African continent, will bring his modern high-life sound to Hamburg.
MUSIKEXPRESS night
We are also particularly looking forward to the MUSIKEXPRESS night on September 23rd in the Grünspan: Our editorial favourite Mia Morgan will perform, as well as the Ukrainian rapper Alyona Alyona and the Tamil-Swiss singer/songwriter Priya Ragu.
The festival’s conference program is open to an international audience of professionals from all sectors of the music industry. On Thursday, September 22, 2022, and Friday, September 23, 2022, around 130 sessions, divided into twelve thematic chains, will provide information on live entertainment, sound recordings, dubbed business, as well as marketing, media and news. Another focus will be on social and political issues such as the effects of the war in Ukraine and the climate crisis.
The 350 speakers will include Canadian producer and musician Daniel Lanois (U2, Neil Young) and political activist group Pussy Riot. A conversation between pianist Igor Levit and Hamburg’s Senator for Culture and Media Dr. Carsten Brosda (DEU), who discuss the effects of two pandemic years and the Ukraine war on the music landscape and ask how political the sound of this special time is, can and must be.
The development of sustainable processes and formats for music production is particularly important to the festival, as is gender equality at all levels of music culture and business. Its continuous promotion of diversity aims to create a culture and living space free from prejudice and non-discrimination. This also includes the targeted and sustainable promotion of talent in the form of the Anchor Awards, which are presented every year as part of the Reeperbahn Festival by a top-class jury, which in recent years has been headed by Bowie producer Tony Visconti.
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