The Amphi Festival is more than just a music festival, it’s the family reunion of the black scene! Since 2005 we have dedicated ourselves to creating a platform where like-minded people can come together to experience music, make friends and enjoy the unique atmosphere.

Our history is characterised by our passion and commitment to bring you the best music, the best location and the most unforgettable moments.

What once started as a small event in the eponymous Amphi Theatre Gelsenkirchen, grew into an annual meeting place for over 12,500 music lovers from all over the world with the move to Cologne’s Tanzbrunnen in 2006.

We pride ourselves on fostering an atmosphere of inclusivity and acceptance, where everyone feels welcome and respected. Our festival site, right on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne, provides the ideal backdrop for a weekend of exceptional music and community, bringing together the international greats of the goth, new wave, post punk, NDH, EBM, synthpop and industrial scenes. The heroes of the 80s, OMD, The Sisters Of Mercy and Midge Ure have also performed at Amphi.

From the iconic stages to the diverse food and market stalls, to the beach club overlooking Cologne Cathedral – every aspect of the Amphi Festival is designed to provide a unique experience.

But the true centrepiece of the Amphi Festival is you, our visitors. Your enthusiasm, your energy and your dedication make Amphi something very special every year. It’s your passion that makes Amphi what it is – a place of togetherness, celebration and joy.

Welcome to the Amphi Festival – where the music lives, the darkness shines and the community comes together.

The location

The Tanzbrunnen

The Cologne Tanzbrunnen is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful event venues in Germany.

Located directly on the Cologne-Deutz riverside, the current area, which is approximately 30,000 square meters, with its picturesque 360° fountain platform and the concert stage surrounded by characteristic mushroom-shaped roofs, is considered Cologne’s most famous open-air venue. Since 2006, it has been home to the Amphi Festival.

But it’s not just the special atmosphere that makes the Tanzbrunnen unique compared to traditional open-air venues. The comfort level is also top-notch. Fixed toilet facilities ensure cleanliness at all times, and thanks to the paved ground, there are no dust deserts at the Amphi Festival, nor mud baths after a heavy summer rain.

Instead, the Tanzbrunnen spoils you with the adjacent Beachclub “km 689,” offering 3500 square meters of sandy beach and a perfect holiday feeling right on the banks of the Rhine. It’s the ideal place to relax in one of the deck chairs between concerts and enjoy the view of the Cologne Cathedral and the passing Rhine ships with a refreshing drink.

The impressive fountain roundabout in the center of the grounds also invites socializing during the Amphi Festival and has affectionately been called “Metinsel” for some time now. Up to 300 seats with a panoramic view await you on the platform, along with the iconic mead stand, where popular specialties like honey wine, bear trap, or the extremely refreshing Viking blood slush in summer are the highlights!

During Amphi time, the Tanzbrunnen is also filled with diverse gastronomy and many Gothic merchants, inviting you to shop, browse, and enjoy around the fountain.

In addition to the well-known main stage with its partially covered audience area, the Theater am Tanzbrunnen serves as an indoor stage for concerts and after-show parties. The theater, with its dark atmosphere and impressive, mechanically reminiscent ceiling construction, provides a welcome counterpoint to the organic flair of the open-air venue.

In 2016, the Amphi Festival received its first star on the “Wall of Fame” at the Tanzbrunnen for ten festivals held on the premises. The Amphi thus unmistakably belongs to a very special circle of events, for whose audience the Tanzbrunnen has become an inseparable home in annual tradition.

Our values

This framework of values serves as a guide for our interactions with each other and with all stakeholders. It aims to ensure that the Amphi Festival creates a respectful, diverse, and inclusive environment for all, thus becoming a place of joy, unity, and music. Should these values be violated, the Amphi Festival reserves the right to take appropriate measures.

1. Acceptance and Tolerance: The Amphi Festival stands for an open and inclusive festival culture that welcomes people regardless of their sexual orientation, skin colour, origin, gender, or diverse backgrounds. Every attendee and every band is respected and valued.
2. Diversity and Variety: The Amphi Festival promotes a wide range of music genres and artists that cater to diverse tastes and preferences. We believe that shared experiences among different people are enriching and form a strong community.
3. Equality: The Amphi Festival places great importance on the equal treatment of all attendees, bands, and staff. Everyone has the right to unfold and enjoy themselves free from discrimination and prejudice.
4. Respect and Appreciation: Respect is the foundation for harmonious interaction. The Amphi Festival encourages its attendees and bands to show consideration for each other and to peacefully coexist. It is important to us that everyone feels safe and comfortable.
5. Community and Unity: The Amphi Festival promotes the unity and togetherness of the festival community. Everyone who attends or participates in the festival is part of a large family that comes together to experience music and exchange ideas.
6. Zero Tolerance towards Xenophobia, Racism, Extremism, and Violence: The Amphi Festival condemns any form of xenophobia, racism, extremism, and violence. We are committed to ensuring that such behaviours have no place at the festival.