The Grugahalle in Essen, © Ole Löding

Gruga­halle


The char­ac­ter­ist­ic wing-shaped hall with ac­cess to the park and fair

No doubt that the "Gruga" is the popmystical center of the Ruhr Area. It is here where the musical revolution took place: In september 1995, shortly after the hitsingle "(I can't get no) Satisfaction" was released, the Rolling Stones played a gig in Essen. 1968, the Grugahalle was hosting the "International Essen Song Days", the first big festival for political- and avantgarde artists from the fields of chanson, rock, cabaret and folk. Only a year later, Grugahalle was stage to the first commercial festivals in German pop history. The "International Essen Pop- and Bluesfestival" brought world famous artists such as Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple and many more into the Ruhr Area.

So many people were flooding the concerts that the only way to avoid panic was for some bands to play gigs for free. From 1977 onwards, Essen became the "City of Rockpalast" due to the famous TV show being recorded there. The Kinks, The Who, Van Morrison and many more played in those 17 TV-Shows, bringing rock music to Germany's living rooms.Two concerts are still memorable: Bill Haleys gig on October 28th 958, only three days after the Gruga Halle was opened. And the gig of the greatest bands of all time: In 1966, the Beatles stopped by on their only Germany-Tour. The "Fab Four" visited only three cities on their „BRAVO-Blitztournee“: Munich, Hamburg and Essen. Eleven songs in thirty minutes, the first line being: „Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music!”

More information
Messeplatz 1, 45131 Essen

www.grugahalle.de

All Pop-Spots Ruhr Area

Südrock, © Michael Wrede

Südrock

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The Bermuda3Eck at daytime, © Tourismus NRW e.V.

The Pop-Trail Bo­chum

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View towards the Bermuda3Eck, © Tourismus NRW e.V.

Ber­muda3Eck Haupt­platz

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FZW crowd, © FZW

EX- Folk­club Wit­ten

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Former JZE location today, © Jule Körber

EX-Ju­gendzen­trum JZE

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Poster Music Circus, © Tourismus NRW e.V.

(Ex) Mu­sic Cir­cus Ruhr

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The Unperfekthaus, © Ole Löding

Un­per­fek­thaus

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Matrix Crowd, © Matrix

Osthaus-Mu­seum

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The location of the Grugahalle, © Jule Körber

Gruga­halle

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The Die Horst-Schimanski-Gasse, © Jule Körber

Horst-Schi­manski-Gasse

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