Tip: Click for an audio preview!
Weekend Highlights
The weekend kicks off with a bang: Avatar take over the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund on Friday – the Swedish metal showmen on the biggest stage in the Ruhr area, this is going to be epic. Across town in Köln, J.B.O. bring their trademark fun-metal to Carlswerk Victoria.
Saturday keeps the momentum going: Against The Current deliver their high-energy rock show at Club Volta in Köln. Meanwhile, Die Kantine hosts a killer triple bill – Sullivan King merging metal with dubstep, plus Dublin post-punk firecrackers Sprints – an absolutely explosive combination.
Punk Legends and Local Heroes
Oi! history goes down Saturday at Don't Panic in Essen: Cockney Rejects – the godfathers of East End street punk – in the most intimate venue imaginable. This will be raw, loud, and glorious.
The local heroes shine bright this weekend! Axxis – NRW's power metal institution for over 35 years – rock the Alter Schlachthof in Düsseldorf. Mr. Irish Bastard bring their Celtic punk party to Turock in Essen – perfect timing just before St. Patrick's Day. Motorjesus blast their Ruhr-area rock'n'roll through The Pogs in Mönchengladbach, and Heldmaschine hammer out Neue Deutsche Härte at the Junkyard in Dortmund.
From Gothic to EBM – The Dark Side
The dark scene is spoiled for choice: Goethes Erben present "Dystopie frisst Empathie" at Kulturfabrik Krefeld on Friday – dark poetry meets stage drama. Kontrast deliver EBM at Diskothek Shadow in Leverkusen. Saturday gets industrial at Matrix Bochum with Stahlmann and their finest NDH. At Luxor in Köln, Manntra teams up with Wisborg – industrial metal meets post-punk, a dream double bill.
Hidden Gems and Sunday Wind-Down
Friday night at Turock: Call Of Charon and Words Of Farewell – two metalcore/melodic death gems from the region. At FZW in Dortmund, Schmutzki delivers a proper punk rock party. If you're not spending Sunday in bed: Keith Caputo (Life of Agony) brings his haunting solo show to Matrix Bochum.
Don't Miss a Thing with KRACH!
Over 87 shows in a single weekend – from the Westfalenhalle to the smallest club in Herne. Download KRACH and find your shows! 🤘
