DistantNews
Support us
🇩🇪 Germany /Culture & Society

Despite being invited back, Alphaville rejects festival appearance over political statements

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Outcome reported
  • Alphaville rejected a renewed invitation to perform at the Glücksgefühle Festival after an earlier dispute over political statements on stage.
  • Singer Marian Gold said the organizers’ remarks created an atmosphere in which the band no longer wanted to appear.
  • The band plans to donate its fee for the canceled performance to a charitable organization.

Alphaville will not return to the Glücksgefühle Festival, even after organizer Markus Krampe apologized and invited the band back. The festival is scheduled to take place at the Hockenheimring.

We take note of the organizer Markus Krampe’s apology and renewed invitation, and hope that from now on he will properly respect the importance of freedom of speech and artistic freedom at the Glücksgefühle Festival.

· Marian GoldGold responded to the festival organizer’s apology and renewed invitation.

Singer Marian Gold said the band acknowledged the apology and renewed invitation, but that the dispute had already changed the atmosphere around the performance. “We take note of the organizer Markus Krampe’s apology and renewed invitation, and hope that from now on he will properly respect the importance of freedom of speech and artistic freedom at the Glücksgefühle Festival,” Gold told the dpa news agency.

“Regardless of that, the previous statements created an atmosphere in which we will refrain from performing,” he added. Alphaville said it would donate the fee for the canceled appearance to a nonprofit organization.

Regardless of that, the previous statements created an atmosphere in which we will refrain from performing.

· Marian GoldHe explained why Alphaville would still reject the festival appearance.

The organizers had removed the band after failing to agree that political statements would be prohibited on the festival stage. Gold called the decision a “gag order” and made the cancellation public. The move drew criticism across Germany, including from Campino of the band Die Toten Hosen.

Gag order

· Marian GoldGold used the phrase to criticize the band’s initial removal from the festival.

Krampe later acknowledged that removing Alphaville had been “a mistake” and invited the group back. The band nevertheless decided not to perform.

A mistake

· Markus KrampeThe organizer described the decision to disinvite Alphaville in those terms.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog