There could be a New Year’s Eve party in Munich this year like never before: The Rammstein band wants to give a concert on the Theresienwiese for 145,000 spectators on the last evening of the year. The city has recently received an inquiry from the musicians, who have also been playing internationally in the top league of the industry for decades. According to information from the SZ, another location in Germany is said to be in the running: the Zollverein in Essen, a former colliery site in the Ruhr area.
“Munich would be the first choice,” said economics officer Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU), who is also responsible for tourism in the city. A concert with a crowd puller like Rammstein would be “a wonderful opportunity” for the people of Munich and also for many visitors from outside who he would expect to such an event, he said. He doesn’t think it’s a major problem that the Winter Tollwood was being held on the Theresienwiese in the weeks before. The space potential there is shown every year at the Oktoberfest. The area is large enough to allow both events to take place. “There would even be a lot of interaction possible,” said Baumgärtner. Both events could potentially benefit from each other.
Rammstein concerts are characterized by the fact that very hard music can be heard very loudly in the arena and beyond. In addition, there is usually no lack of pyro effects and the attention of the worldwide fan base. Rammstein fits New Year’s Eve, on this evening there are not many people on the road and the mood is loud and exuberant, said Baumgärtner. And Rammstein, in turn, likes New Year’s Eve as a concert date, in 2018, for example, they played in Mexico. At that time they performed on the beach, this time the big show should be in the heart of Munich. It can probably be ruled out that snow, ice or rain would keep the fans from attending the concert. Even the often high ticket prices usually do not slow down the visitors.
Baumgärtner hopes that the targeted high number of viewers will keep the prices reasonably within limits. In the Olympic Stadium with a capacity of around 70,000 visitors that is hardly possible, he said. In addition, the renovation would already start there. That’s why Baumgärtner thinks the Theresienwiese is a good choice, although he knows that people look very closely there when concerts aren’t staged in the city’s big arenas. Modern technology would be used on the Theresienwiese, like the upcoming major concerts in the trade fair in Riem, which should keep the volume to the outside within limits, he explained.
In his tourism strategy, the business consultant focuses on positioning Munich as a top international event and concert location. This is one of the reasons why Robbie Williams, Helene Fischer and Andreas Gabalier will appear in Riem in the coming days. A Rammstein concert in the city center would also cause an international sensation, he is convinced of that. Rammstein has a worldwide fan base like no other German band.
The Rammstein concert is to be broadcast live
A live broadcast of the performance would also be planned, possibly via a prominent streaming service. Baumgärtner speaks of an “enormous advertising value” for Munich, and some things would also get stuck economically. The lucrative advance ticket sale could go through Munich ticket, the MVG should receive a combined ticket for arrival.
The task at City Hall is to form an opinion as quickly as possible. “Last exit August,” said Baumgärtner. It was initially unclear whether and when the Rammstein plans would be put on the agenda. During the summer break there are three emergency sessions in which urgent issues are dealt with. The local politicians in the adjacent district committees are often critical of an additional use of the Theresienwiese. The city council would make such a decision anyway.