Reeperbahn Festival
© Stefan Malzkorn
Concerts & Live Music

Hamburg – a fantastic place for fantastic music!

From classical music to electro festivals, from music history to a thriving live music scene and vibrant nightlife… Hamburg’s got it all! Indeed, Europe’s first civic opera opened here in 1678, and the city’s own sons Brahms and Telemann are undoubtedly grand masters of classical music and form part of our musical heritage. The Elbphilharmonie Hamburg is also a cultural symbol in its own right and is known well beyond our beloved city. It’s safe to say that Hamburg is the gateway to the world as far as music is concerned – it was in St. Pauli in the 1960s that the Beatles cast the first stone in their global career. Moreover, at countless festivals in and around Hamburg, unique venues and diverse sounds merge to create a musical experience like no other. Hamburg is the epitome of live music. Something for everyone can be found every day in the countless clubs and bars surrounding the Reeperbahn, in musical theatre, our concert halls or even in the open air.

© Ralph Larmann

Ensembles, brands, traditions Music from Hamburg

Musicians of all genres compose, make music, fascinate in the city where the Beatles grew up, where stars like Udo Lindenberg, Ace Tee or the Beginner are at home. Here, people not only experience music, but also create it.

Music from Hamburg
© André Benz on Unsplash

Hamburg is a place for live music Music styles & concert dates

When the beat flows through your whole body, a thousand beautiful sounds surround your ears and everything feels in harmony - then it's live music. The music metropolis of Hamburg offers the liveliest and most diverse live music scene in Northern…

Music styles & concert dates
© ThisIsJulia Photography

A Milestone in Pop Music The Beatles in Hamburg

In the matter of two years, five young lads from Liverpool transformed into the most famous pop band of the 1960s: the Beatles! It was in the live music clubs of St Pauli that the Beatles developed their distinctive style and laid the foundations for…

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The Beatles in Hamburg
© Geheimtipp Hamburg

Hamburg like a local On the go with Antje

Hamburg is Antje's workplace. The singer-songwriter can write her wonderful texts anywhere and travels throughout her chosen hometown of Hamburg looking for stories and inspiration.

Blog
On the go with Antje

There is always a musical reason to celebrate Music festivals

No matter what sound your ears are looking for - Hamburg and its metropolitan region offer the right sounds. When the days get longer again, visitors to the Hanseatic city can look forward to countless diverse festivals.

Music festivals

EXPLORE NOW Current live concerts in Hamburg

© Eva Maria Richter

Carte Blance – Schumann Quartett

  • 21.03.2024
  • 19:30
  • TONALi Saal
LUCAS ETCHEVERRIA
© LUCAS ETCHEVERRIA

FatJazz präsentiert: LUCAS ETCHEVERRIA QUINTET

  • 20.03.2024
  • 20:00
  • Restaurant Brückenstern
Pouya Abdi Quartett
© Pouya Abdi

Pouya Abdi Quartett

  • 23.03.2024
  • 20:30
  • White Cube

Hamburg’s music scene – live, unique and rich in tradition

Our city is inspiration for composers and musicians alike

Hamburg without music? Unthinkable! There must be something in the air between the Alster and Elbe rivers that inspires performers, whose affection for our beautiful city has been evident in numerous compositions, albums and songs over the years. Indeed, it was composer Georg Philipp Telemann who created the “Alster Overture” in the 18th century and the Beatles are known to have stated that they didn’t do their growing up in Liverpool, rather in Hamburg. What’s more, in the 1990s the Hamburg School was the counterpart to the growing American indie music scene and German artists such as Die Beginner, Deichkind and Samy Deluxe have shown that hip-hop could also become popular in northern Germany. Despite the fact that the areas around the Reeperbahn and the Schanzenviertel are undoubtedly familiar to most music lovers, other districts in the north and south of the city are also great places to catch some excellent live music.

Longstanding tradition for classical music

If unamplified music is more your thing, you’ll certainly find something to your liking among Hamburg’s wealth of classical ensembles and orchestras. Founded in the mid-19th century, the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra is the oldest ensemble in the city and, in the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, the famous concert hall on the river Elbe has its own orchestra. With its neo-baroque architecture, the Laeiszhalle in the city centre is one of the most beautiful venues for a classical concert imaginable, already having hosted performances by Igor Stravinsky and Maria Callas. The venue was donated to Hamburg by local shipowner Carl Heinrich Laeisz and is, therefore, the perfect embodiment of our beloved city’s widespread patronage of classical music.

Numerous open air festivals

As much as we love our clubs and concert halls here in Hamburg, there’s also no stopping us venturing out to enjoy music in the open air at festivals such as the MS Dockville in Wilhelmsburg and at ELBJAZZ that takes place around the harbour. A number of bands and, of course, many more loyal fans always come to the Stadtpark OpenAir in “Hamburg’s green living room” and, each year in May, it’s not just maritime music that fills the air during the Hafengeburtstag (Harbour Birthday) celebrations… the variety of stages play host to music for almost every taste. Finally, the Reeperbahn Festival combines the festival feeling of being outside, meeting friends and listening to music with the atmosphere of a small club where it’s possible to get up close and personal with the performers.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS Concerts & Live Music in Hamburg

© J. Konrad Schmidt

Hamburg's music history Exploring the city’s unique music scene with all your senses

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Hamburg’s vibrant music scene is deeply rooted in the history of the city. Institutions such as St Michael's Church, the Hamburg State Opera and the…

Exploring the city’s unique music scene with all your senses
© Liesa Meinen

Newcomer Music Festival on the Reeperbahn Reeperbahn Festival

The Reeperbahn Festival presents a colorful program again in September. Around 300 concerts are scheduled in each of the previous years to put the…

Reeperbahn Festival
Underpressure
© Underpressure

A great place for vinyl lovers Record shops

For many music lovers, there’s nothing like good old vinyl. Here you can find rare gems, classic pieces as well as new releases from literally any…

Record shops
© Geheimtipp Hamburg

Fascinated by Hamburg Interview with Valentin Priebus

Blog

Good coffee in the Grindel district, rehearsal with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra or a delicious dinner at the cult restaurant "Vienna" in…

Interview with Valentin Priebus
© DoubleVision

World renowned concert hall and city emblem Elbphilharmonie

Hamburg has a new cultural landmark! The Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall represents an unprecedented synthesis of the arts - architecture, music and the…

Elbphilharmonie
© Katja Ruge

Immerse yourself in Hamburg’s soundtrack VYNL Hamburg

Bringing the soundtrack of a city to life through an immersive and interactive multimedia series: this is the declared goal of the makers of VYNL. As…

VYNL Hamburg
The Festival Album
© The Festival Album / Kevin McElvaney

The Festival Album Hamburg's festival culture captured in beautiful photos

Blog

Magic moments in the here and now, and memories that stay forever: Hamburg-based photographer Kevin McElvaney spent an entire summer capturing the…

Hamburg's festival culture captured in beautiful photos

BOOK NOW Offers for concerts and live music

Package: ELBJAZZ
© Jens Schlenker

ELBJAZZ - jazz 'n' stay Music Event in Harbour

  • overnight stay in a hotel, with breakfast
  • 2-day ticket to the ELBJAZZ festival (07. & 08.06.2024)
  • Hamburg CARD (3 Days) – ticket worth 31.90€ 
    ELBJAZZ - jazz 'n' stay
    To offer
    from 338.00

    More Hamburg
    Experience & Save

    Free travel by bus, train & harbour ferries,
    up to 50% discount on over 150 activities,
    attractions and restaurants.

    More Hamburg
    Info & Booking
    from 11.90

    Free travel

    Free travel everywhere by bus, train & harbour ferries

    Many discounts

    Up to 50% discount on over 150 tourist attractions

    Buy now

    Online, tourist info, hotel or ticket machine

    DISCOVER NOW Culture & Music in Hamburg

    Harry Potter Theater Hamburg
    © Manuel Harlan

    Great productions Theater & Stage Arts

    In addition to famous theaters, the stage landscape offers a state opera, raunchy cabaret, impressive dance performances, open-air shows and plays specifically designed for kids.

    Theater & Stage Arts
    Elbphilharmonie
    © Mediaserver Hamburg / Jung von Matt

    Hamburg's landmark on the Waterfront Elbphilharmonie

    In building the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg certainly put itself on the map! Our concert hall, with its impressive glass wave architecture and interior furnishings, is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

    Elbphilharmonie
    Hamburger Kunsthalle
    © Hamburger Kunsthalle / Foto: Kay Riechers

    Artistic highlights Art & Exhibitions

    A visit to one of Hamburg’s museums involves rare old pieces on display in our magnificent buildings, but you’ll also find a number of smaller, owner-operated galleries, as well as contemporary art, pop up installations, street art and collections aimed specifically at the littlest visitors.

    Art & Exhibitions

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