Molotow Club
55°51′47″N 4°15′54″W / 55.863°N 4.265°W
 Molotow Club (2016) | |
 | |
| Location | Hamburg, Germany |
|---|---|
| Owner | privately owned |
| Type | Live Music Venue |
| Genre(s) | rock 'n' roll, punk rock, indie rock, alternative rock |
| Seating type | Standing |
| Capacity | 350 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | August 1990 |
| Renovated | 2014 |
| Website | |
| Molotow's official website | |
Molotow, also known as Molotow Club or Molotow Music Club is one of the most famous and popular live music venues in Germany.[1] It is located on the Reeperbahn, in St. Pauli, Hamburg.
The Molotow won numerous "Club of the year"[2] and "Best National live music Venue" awards.[3][4] Intro magazine has the Molotow in their Best Club-Top 5 list regularly.[5] Biggest German music paper Musikexpress named it third best club.
History
[edit]
The Molotow is internationally acknowledged and has established a reputation[6] for showcasing new talent and hosting many well-known bands' first shows at the beginning of their careers such as The Killers,[7] The White Stripes,[8][9][10] The Black Keys[11] or Mumford & Sons[12][13] and is noted for being a stepping stone for bands before they get famous. Others who have played gigs at Molotow early in their careers include Vampire Weekend,[14][15] Biffy Clyro,[16] Idles,[17] The Hives, LCD Soundsystem,[18] St. Vincent,[19] The National[20] and Imagine Dragons.[21] Vice magazine wrote: 'Without the Molotow Rock'n'Roll in Hamburg would be lost long ago."[22]
The Molotow was a hot spot for a 90s German indie rock movement going by the name of "Hamburger Schule". One of those bands, "Muff Potter", recorded a tribute song about the club entitled “Wir sitzen so vorm Molotow”[23][24] which means "We're just hanging in front of the Molotow".
Hellacopters frontman Nicke Andersson said in 2005 when asked why he played at a small location like Molotow: "Rock 'n' roll is not made to be viewed with binoculars from a great distance, or on large screens".[25]
In 2013 the building where the club was located got demolished and the Molotow moved to the other end of the Reeperbahn at the intersection of Grosse Freiheit next to the Beatles-Platz.[26]
In 2016 a book about the Molotow by Sebastian Meissner was published by Junius Verlag.[27][28][29][30]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 Frank Turner played an exclusive online stream show to help the Molotow during the crisis.[31]
In December 2023, the Molotow received notice of termination from the location's tenant and presumably have to vacate it by 30 June 2024 at the latest.[32][needs update] There was a solidarity demonstration, also covered by nationwide #1 evening news show Tagesschau, to support the Molotow on December 30th 2023 with several thousand people in front of the club.[33][34]
In 2025 the club plans to move to the old Top Ten Club location.
References
[edit]- ^ "Der beste Club heißt Molotow - WELT". 24 January 2013.
- ^ Hamburg Clubs rewarded Setlist
- ^ Heinrich Oehmsen: Nur schnelle Hilfe kann noch retten in Hamburger Abendblatt, 27. Juni 2008
- ^ "Clubguide Top 50 (Visions, 2005)".
- ^ Intro Nr. 157, Februar 2008
- ^ "German Vice Magazine article". 30 November 2017.
- ^ "The Killers concert setlist at Molotow, Hamburg, Germany on July 1st, 2004". www.setlisting.com.
- ^ "The White Stripes Setlist at Molotow, Hamburg". setlist.fm.
- ^ "The Killers concerts in Germany - Guestpectacular".
- ^ "Jul 01, 2007: The Killers at Molotow Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany | Concert Archives".
- ^ https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-black-keys/2004/molotow-hamburg-germany-1bde0184.html Setlist
- ^ "Mumford & Sons Setlist at Molotow, Hamburg". setlist.fm.
- ^ "Mumford & Sons live @ Molotow". 18 November 2009.
- ^ https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/vampire-weekend-bf7cbc97-814d-4f03-96d8-ef33d609f2b9 Setlist
- ^ "Vampire Weekend & Ghostface Killah - albums, Tour Dates". 9 November 2007.
- ^ https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/biffy-clyro/2005/molotow-hamburg-germany-5bde3fd8.html Setlist
- ^ "IDLES Setlist at Molotow, Hamburg". setlist.fm.
- ^ "LCD Soundsystem Setlist at Molotow, Hamburg". setlist.fm.
- ^ "Line-up for St. Vincent at Molotow (Hamburg) on 4 Dec 2007". Last.fm.
- ^ "The National Setlist at Molotow, Hamburg". setlist.fm.
- ^ "Imagine Dragons Setlist at Molotow, Hamburg". setlist.fm.
- ^ "German Vice Magazine article". 30 November 2017.
- ^ Muff Potter: Wir retten so das Molotow auf pop-frontal.de
- ^ "Muff potter. - Wir sitzen so vorm Molotow Songtext".
- ^ Kruska, Nils Robin (27 June 2005). "The Hellacopters Nicke Andersson, Kopf der Hellacopters, im Gespräch" [The Hellacopters Nicke Andersson, head of the Hellacopters, in an interview]. Bizarre Radio (in German). Retrieved 14 December 2023.
Rock´nroll wird nicht gemacht, um sich den mit Ferngläsern aus großer Distanz anzuschauen, oder mit großen Monitoren.
- ^ "Molotow - Politicians want to bring legendary club back".
- ^ "Das "Molotow" - St.Pauli-Kult-Club bekommt ein Buch geschenkt". Deutschlandfunk.
- ^ "SEBASTIAN MEISSNER – molotow das buch (Papier) – Flight 13 Records".
- ^ "Reeperbahn Festival 2014: Livestream vom Kiez mit Geheimkonzert". Der Spiegel. September 17, 2014 – via www.spiegel.de.
- ^ "TRUST Fanzine » Molotow das Buch, Sebastian Meißner".
- ^ "Frank Turner widmet seine Liveshow dem Molotow". May 7, 2020.
- ^ Zuschlag, André (23 December 2023). "Club-Sterben in Hamburg: Dem Molotow droht das Aus" [Dying clubs in Hamburg: Molotow threatened with demise]. Die Tageszeitung (in German). Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ "Molotow muss bleiben: Heute demonstriert die Hamburger Clubkultur mit Liveacts" [Molotow must stay: Hamburg's club culture demonstrates today with live acts] (in German). January 2024.
- ^ "Bezirk-Mitte will weniger Hotelneubauten auf dem Kiez" [The Mitte district wants fewer new hotel buildings on the Kiez]. Tagesschau (in German).