Around 40 artists and bands are expected to perform on three stages in total. In the scope of the gamescom city festival, under the motto “Wähle jon” (go and vote), the legendary Cologne artist initiative “AG Arsch Huh – Zäng ussenander” (AG arse into gear – mouth open) will bring its campaign “Du bes Kölen” (You are Cologne) to a close with a several hour programme on the stage at Hohenzollernring. The furniture store porta Möbel and the automobile brand smart are joining the ranks of the cooperation partners for the first time. Together with the long-standing partner SUPER RTL and its TOGGO Tour, they will ensure action and entertainment and turn the gamescom city festival into a festival for the entire family. With over 30 suppliers, the Street Food Market will once provide a diversified offer of culinary delights. At the same time, it will beyond this – supported by the Environmental Office of the City of Cologne and the Cologne Nutrition Council – convey thought-provoking material on the theme “Think global, eat local” in a special programme item
From 25 to 27 August 2017 (Friday to Sunday) the motto at Neumarkt, Rudolfplatz and Hohenzollernring will once again be: Stage free for games, music and street food! Once again this year, the gamescom city festival will be offering pure entertainment and thus the people from Cologne and guests from all over the globe an attractive programme in the heart of the metropolis on the Rhine.
Even if the preparations for the three-day festival are still in full swing, most of the programme has already been finalised. Supported by new cooperation partners, parallel to gamescom, we have succeeded in presenting a diversified festival in the city centre of Cologne – a festival that under this year’s motto “Music, Food & Games” will not only be exciting and entertaining, but which will also hold interesting and thought-provoking material in store for its visitors. A combination between regional players as well as nationwide famous artists and bands also promises an exciting and entertaining musical programme again this year.
Friday, 25 August 2017:
Hohenzollernring Stage
In January “Anarchie und Alltag” (Anarchy and Everyday Life), the current album of the Antilopen Gang, was released – a modern rap album, the music of which is more elaborate than anything Antilopen has published before. Their concerts are mind-expanding group therapy sessions: Somewhere between a drama, a comedy and an action film, the band is well-known for tearing down everything live. On the way to unknown spheres, the Antilopen Gang will also use the stage on Hohenzollernring as a blunt instrument. A further highlight will be the appearance of Grossstadtgeflüster, who not only attract their confirmed fan community with their combination between electro, pop and punk music and their texts about love, sex and personal freedom. Prior to that, Alice Merton will present among others her summer hit “No Roots” on the stage at Hohenzollernring.
porta Stage, Rudolfplatz
Rudolfplatz is the location of the porta Stage this year. With the support of the furnishing store, porta-Möbel, this square will be rocked predominantly by artists and bands from in and around Cologne on the three evenings. On the first evening of the porta Stage, Cat Ballou will impress the crowd with captivating Cologne-style music for instance, before Team Rhythmusgymastik, Cologne’s most sporty DJ team, take the helm. The hard-hitting action birds of paradise really don’t miss any opportunity and will make sure everyone follows them into the perfect world of good atmosphere: Long live sport!
Saturday: 26 August, 2017
Hohenzollernring Stage
Querbeat, a band from Cologne that has won over the hearts of its fans with lively pop music, is awaiting the crowd at Hohenzollernring on Saturday. The 15 members of the band inspire thousands of fans at sold out concerts and festival stages throughout North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond. The performance of Moop Mama, who combines the art of telling stories with a unique sound of horns, beats and rap into “Urban Brass”, will also be a true spectacle. Before that the artist from Salzburg, Dame, will make the formula for success heard that allowed him to rise up from being a street musician to a YouTube star. Meanwhile he has also conquered the charts in Austria and Germany.
porta Stage, Rudolfplatz
On Saturday, the programme on the porta Stage kicks off with the Cologne band 5vor12 with their captivating indie pop music. But music won’t be the only thing on offer on the porta Stage. Before the singer Stefan Knittler gets the crowd singing along to his Cologne pop melodies, the evening will also be filled with poesy. Against the background of the diverse offer of street food around Rudolfplatz, the famous poetry slammers “Reim in Flammen” (Rhyme in Flames) will grapple with the motto “Think global, eat local,” and battle it out in the search for the best text. In concrete terms, this theme deals with sustainability and supporting regional markets in the production of food. The slammers will however make sure that the entertainment factor also plays a major role in the contest. They will additionally be supported by the musician, Elias. Elias was already equally impressive as the support band for The Fray, Jake Bugge or Newton Faulkner and during his performances in the pedestrian zones.
Sunday, 27 August 2017:
Hohenzollernring Stage
An extraordinary highlight is taking place on the stage at Hohenzollernring at the end of the gamescom week, namely the grand finale of the “Du bes Kölle” (You are Cologne) campaign of the AG Arsch Huh. On this day in question the focus of the campaign, which is predominantly about calling upon people to show democratic commitment and moral courage, is particularly to encourage people to go out and vote at the imminent parliamentary elections. In this way, numerous prominent artists from the Cologne culture scene will attract even more attention to the call to “Go and vote” with their music and verbal contributions. The following are on board: Arsch Huh Band, Jürgen Becker, Bläck Fööss, Brings, Buntes Herz, Cat Ballou, Fatih Çevikkollu, Björn Heuser, Höhner, Kasalla, Lamya Kaddor, Carolin Kebekus, Aladin El-Mafaalani, Franz Meurer, Hermann Rheindorf, Shary Reeves, Wilfried Schmickler, Purple Schulz, Biggi Wanninger / Ozan Akhan and Jürgen Zeltinger.
porta Stage, Rudolfplatz
On Sunday evening Guildo Horn will spellbound the crowd in front of the porta Stage with orthopaedic stockings and his musical mass therapy. One glance through the horn-rimmed glasses and one is ready to believe that the way he travels through his crazy world is absolutely authentic. The master’s show is absolutely captivating as well as demonstrating a high musical level. But, before Guildo takes over the stage, the visitors to the porta Stage can experience Linus and his legendary talent audition once again. Prior to his last appearance at the Tanzbrunnen, Linus will offer several young talents the opportunity to present themselves to a larger audience. The fans of the talent audition are well familiar with the fact that as well as providing musical entertainment, some of the performances are also very amusing.
Saturday 26.08. and Sunday 27.08.2017
TOGGO Tour at Neumarkt
In addition to the stages at Hohenzollernring and Rudolfplatz on
Saturday and Sunday, SUPER RTL is also organising a fantastic stage show, first-class live acts (Feuerherz, Jamie-Lee Kriewitz, Germain Shull) and interactive TV at Cologne’s Neumarkt and will give children the chance to explore the 3,000 m² of tour grounds, meet their favourite TV stars and experience great bands, live. And all of this for free! On Saturday Jamie-Lee Kriewitz & Germain Shull will be performing there and on Sunday additionally Feuerherz.
Three-day Street Food Market – Rudolfplatz and Hohenzollernring
Whether meat or fish, vegan or vegetarian, sweet or sour:
Even fans of sophisticated street food cuisine will not only be able to find their favourite dishes at the over 30 stands at Rudolfplatz and Hohenzollernring during the three festival days, but also a few new creations.
At the same time, in cooperation with the Früh brewery and Red Bull at one of the largest street food markets in Cologne a wide selection of products will be available to make sure that nobody goes thirsty. In addition to the classic Red Bull Energy drink, the range of beverages also includes Simply Cola by Red Bull, the ingredients of which are made out of 100% natural products.
Further offer of entertainment and infotainment
Thanks to the repeated commitment of the cooperation partners and sponsors, the gamescom city festival offers a spectrum of information and entertainment contributions once again this year, which stretch far beyond musical and culinary offerings. For example, on the theme of “Mobility” smart is inviting everyone to climb on board at Hohenzollernring: One can get to know the city speedsters over the three days of the festival in an uncomplicated process by taking one out for a spontaneous test drive – whether the two-seater, four-seater or the convertible. Under the motto, “Hot Hot Summer”, the smart models will be gearing up everyone, who wants to rediscover urban mobility. With a bit of luck, people who take part in the test drive event might even win twice: On top of the lasting driving impression, attractive prizes are up for grabs in the accompanying prize drawn.
Sponsors and supporters – the guarantors of the gamescom city festival
A festival in the magnitude of the gamescom city festival that presents its programme offer to the visitors free of charge is inconceivable without cooperation partners and sponsors.
First and foremost, the long-standing cooperation partners, the City of Cologne and Koelnmesse GmbH, should be mentioned here. Although they are the two main guarantors of the festival, its diverse programme wouldn’t be possible without the additional commitment of further partners. Super RTL has also been on board for many years with its TOGGO Tour as well as the Früh brewery and Red Bull.
For the first time this year, the furniture store, porta Möbel, will be providing exciting entertainment and musical fun. Represented by the three large furniture stores in Bornheim, Frechen and Cologne Porz-Lind, the company is the top dog for furnishing ideas in Rhineland. The diversity of furniture dreams that porta presents its customers with in its stores, is also reflected on the big porta Stage at Rudolfplatz. “The wide product range of porta Möbel is just as multi-faceted as the acts on our porta Stage. That is why we are glad to support the gamescom city festival,” explained Krisha Buchholz, Managing Director Sales at porta-West.
And when it comes down to designing this year’s stage programme, further cooperation partners and supporters have to be mentioned: First of all, the AG Arsch Huh, who are responsible for the programme item “Wähle jon”, supported by the Federal Agency for Civic Education. The environmental office of the City of Cologne and the Cologne Nutrition Council are also making sure that as well as the culinary offer, there is also plenty of food for thought.
The automobile brand, smart, is also celebrating its premiere at the gamescom city festival as a programme provider. Following good tradition, it will be securing the festival an attractive new angle on the theme “Mobility” in the form of its presentation and offer of test drive vehicles.
The organisers would like to express their special thanks to all of these cooperation partners and sponsors.
The gamescom city festival is being organised by Media Kultur Köln GmbH in cooperation with prime entertainment GmbH and with the support of the City of Cologne and Koelnmesse.
Further information and updates on the gamescom city festival 2017 are available at www.gamescom-cologne.com under the section ‘Events’.
Press material on the bands appearing can be requested by sending an e-mail to info@prime-entertainment.de.
Koelnmesse – Global Competence in Digital Media, Entertainment and Mobility:
Koelnmesse is an international leader in organising trade fairs in the Digital Media, Entertainment und Mobility segments. Trade fairs like photokina, dmexco, gamescom, INTERMOT and THE TIRE COLOGNE are established as leading international trade fairs and are being expanded by future-oriented formats like DIGILITY. Koelnmesse not only organises trade fairs in these areas in Cologne, but also in other growth markets like, for example, China, Singapore and Thailand, which have different areas of focus and content. These global activities offer customers of Koelnmesse tailor-made events in different markets, which guarantee sustainable and international business.
The next events:
dmexco, Cologne, Germany, 13.-14.09.2017
SIGGRAPH Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, 28.- 30.11.2017
Business Forum Imaging Cologne, Cologne, Germany, 28.02. – 01.03.2018
