Molotow, also known as Molotow Club or Molotow Music Club is one of the most famous and popular live music venues in Germany. It is located on the

Reeperbahn The Reeperbahn () is a street and entertainment district in Hamburg's St. Pauli district, one of the two centres of Hamburg's nightlife (the other being Sternschanze) and also the city's major red-light district. In German, it is also n ...

, in St. Pauli, Hamburg. The Molotow won numerous "Club of the year" and "Best National live music Venue" awards. Intro magazine has the Molotow in their Best Club-Top 5 list regularly. Biggest German music paper

Musikexpress The ''Musikexpress'' is a monthly German magazine that mainly writes about the rock and pop music. In addition to detailed interviews and articles about important rock, electro, hip-hop, pop, and independent musicians, the magazine offers review ...

named it third best club.

History

The Molotow is internationally acknowledged and has established a reputation for showcasing new talent and hosting many well-known bands' first shows at the beginning of their careers such as

The Killers The Killers are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After the band went through a number of short-term bas ...

The White Stripes The White Stripes were an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White (guitar, keyboards, piano, vocals) and Meg White (drums, percussion, vocals). They were a leading group of 2000s indi ...

The Black Keys The Black Keys are an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, Singing, vocals) and Patrick Carney (Drum kit, drums). The duo began as an Independent music, independent act, record ...

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-black-keys/2004/molotow-hamburg-germany-1bde0184.html Setlist or

Mumford & Sons Mumford & Sons are a British folk rock band formed in London in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums), Ted Dwane (vocals, double bass, bass guitar), and Ben Lovett (British musician), B ...

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 Vampire Weekend are an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chr ...

,https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/vampire-weekend-bf7cbc97-814d-4f03-96d8-ef33d609f2b9 Setlist

Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish Rock music, rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, composed of Simon Neil (lead vocals, guitar) and twin brothers James Johnston (Scottish musician), James (bass, backing vocals) and Ben Johnston (Scottish musician), Be ...

,https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/biffy-clyro/2005/molotow-hamburg-germany-5bde3fd8.html Setlist

Idles Idles are an English post-punk band formed in Bristol in 2009. The band consists of Adam Devonshire (bass), Joe Talbot (singer), Joe Talbot (vocals), Mark Bowen (guitar), Lee Kiernan (guitar), and Jon Beavis (drums). After spending eight yea ...

, The Hives,

LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem is an American Dance-punk#Contemporary dance-punk, dance-punk revival band from Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002 by James Murphy (electronic musician), James Murphy, of DFA Records. The band comprises Murphy (vocals ...

, St. Vincent, The National and

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. Vice magazine wrote: 'Without the Molotow Rock'n'Roll in Hamburg would be lost long ago." The Molotow was a hot spot for a 90s German indie rock movement going by the name of "

Hamburger Schule The ''Hamburger Schule'' ( German for 'Hamburg School') is a music movement current in Germany during the 1980s and early 1990s. With some active bands and artists it is still present. It took up traditions of Neue Deutsche Welle and combined th ...

". One of those bands, "Muff Potter", recorded a tribute song about the club entitled “Wir sitzen so vorm Molotow” 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". 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. In 2016 a book about the Molotow by Sebastian Meissner was published by Junius Verlag. During the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

pandemic in 2020

Frank Turner Francis Edward Turner (born 28 December 1981) is an English Punk rock, punk and Folk music, folk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Hampshire. He began his career as the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, then embarked upon a primaril ...

played an exclusive online stream show to help the Molotow during the crisis. 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. 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. In March 2025 the club moved to the old

Top Ten Club The Top Ten Club was a music club in Hamburg's St. Pauli district at Reeperbahn 136, which opened on 31 October 1960 and kept its name until 1994. In 1961, the Beatles performed 92 times at the Top Ten Club. History At the beginning of the 2 ...

location.

References

External links

Official website

Norddeutscher Rundfunk (; "North German Broadcasting"), commonly shortened to NDR (), is a public broadcasting, public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR broadcasts for the German states of Lower Saxony, ...

television article
Nightflow review page

Hamburg nightlife Molotow

Vice Magazine article
{cbignore, bot=medic Music venues in Germany Music venues Nightclubs in Hamburg Music venues completed in 1990 Culture in Hamburg Demolished buildings and structures in Germany Buildings and structures demolished in 2014 Music in Hamburg