Live Music in Essen

Few cities of Essen's size can claim to have hosted Pink Floyd twice within a single year, yet that is exactly what happened in 1968 and 1969, when the city organised two landmark festivals that triggered a nationwide wave of festival culture across Germany. That history of punching above its weight carries into the present. Thrash metal band Kreator put Essen on the global metal map, and the venue Turock remains a credible destination for the genre today. The city's north, particularly Altenessen, has produced a concentrated cluster of German street rap talent including Sinan G, Favorite, and PA Sports. Across the broader scene, venues range from the acoustically refined Philharmonie Essen and its classical and jazz programming to La Cave, where local rock bands and jazz acts share a stage in considerably more intimate surroundings.