Molotow Club
53°32′56″N 9°57′32″W / 53.549°N 9.959°W
 Molotow Club (Nobistor location, 2014-24) | |
 | |
| Address | Reeperbahn 136 20359 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 |
| Demolished | 2013 |
| 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][3] and "Best National live music Venue" awards.[4][5] Intro magazine has the Molotow in their Best Club-Top 5 list regularly.[6] Biggest German music paper Musikexpress named it third best club.
History
[edit]
The Molotow is internationally acknowledged and has established a reputation[7] for showcasing new talent and hosting many well-known bands' first shows at the beginning of their careers such as The Killers,[8] The White Stripes,[9][10][11] The Black Keys[12] or Mumford & Sons[13][14] 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,[15][16] Biffy Clyro,[17] Idles,[18] The Hives, LCD Soundsystem,[19] St. Vincent,[20] The National[21] and Imagine Dragons.[22] Vice magazine wrote: 'Without the Molotow Rock'n'Roll in Hamburg would be lost long ago."[23]
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”[24][25] 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".[26]
In 2013 the building where the club was located got demolished and the Molotow moved to the other end of the Reeperbahn to Nobistor, next to the Beatles-Platz.[27]
In 2016 a book about the Molotow by Sebastian Meissner was published by Junius Verlag.[28][29][30][31]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 Frank Turner played an exclusive online stream show to help the Molotow during the crisis.[32]
In December 2023, the Molotow received notice of termination from the location's tenant and was ordered to vacate it by 30 June 2024 at the latest.[33] 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.[34][35] Ultimately, a temporary extension of the lease until December 31, 2024 was negotiated with the support of Hamburg's senator for culture and media, and the borough Hamburg Mitte.[36]
In March 2025 the club moved to the old Top Ten Club location. The building was leased until at least 2037 by Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, a public agency promoting creative industries in the city of Hamburg, and appropriate rooms were sublet to the Molotow.[37]
References
[edit]- ^ "Der beste Club heißt Molotow - WELT". 24 January 2013.
- ^ Hamburg Clubs rewarded Setlist
- ^ "clubaward 2023: Das Molotow ist Hamburgs Lieblingsclub des Jahres". Szene Hamburg. 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
- ^ 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).
- ^ Engelking, Von Karina (2024-02-01). "Aufschub für das Molotow: Hamburger Musikclub darf länger bleiben". SZENE HAMBURG (in German). Archived from the original on 2025-04-22. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
- ^ Ahmedov, Marta (2024-07-05). "Hamburger Musikclub: Rettung für das Molotow". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2025-06-23.