'For the protection of subculture': Hamburg activists launch Demorave campaign to defend local venues against gentrification
- PublishedMon, Jan 15, 2024, 09:00
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- Planned reconstruction of the Sternbrücke bridge means all nearby venues must close or relocate.
- A series of solidarity events are in the works to reclaim Hamburg from gentrification and campaign against the closure and relocation of local venues. Launched on January 1st by promoters DANS Collective and Dance Til' Oblivion, Demorave is a response to the planned reconstruction of Sternbrücke, a bridge in the Altona area that's currently being rebuilt. Rising rents and noise complaints have also contributed to the threat against venues. Speaking to Resident Advisor, Demorave cofounder Alex Strauss said "all clubs" located near the bridge are relocating or closing. "People were arguing if better solutions could have been found without tearing out the heart of the neighbourhood," he added. "I can't and don't want to judge whether demolition of the old Sternbrücke was necessary, but I'm just sad about it." The venues impacted include Beat Boutique, Molotow and PAL, which closed on New Year's Day. Also, Strauss said open-air venue Central Park was forced to close because of the bridge in 2022, while former alternative club Moloch shut down in 2018 because of property developments and noise complaints. The Demorave series will continue until May at venues in Hamburg, Leipzig and Berlin. Street parades will follow in the summer. The intention is to work with these events to raise funds for infrastructure required to stage a major protest rave, planned for later this year in Hamburg. Strauss said the Demorave movement "stands for the protection of subculture." It's why the looming closure of Hamburg venue Molotow intensified Demorave's social media campaign. Founded and run by Andi Schmidt for 30-plus years, the 580-capacity venue is a renowned grassroots space for up-and-coming artists. It's been at its current location since 2014—previously, gentrification had forced Schmidt out of two spaces. He recently announced that the venue must close by June because Lindner Hotels & Resorts has been given the green light to develop on the same site. "We would love to stay at this place," he told RA. "The property developer wants us out and a hotel in so he can make more profit. The city said they will help us find a solution. We're trying to be as visible and as loud as we can. If this won't work out, we'll have to close, as many places before us." Carsten Brosda, senator of the Department for Culture and the Media in Hamburg, pledged support for Molotow last month via X. "I can't and don't want to imagine a cultural city of Hamburg without Molotow," he wrote. "We're in contact with Molotow and will meet as quickly as possible with as many players as possible to find a perspective for the club." A spokesperson for Carsten Brosda told RA that he's already helped several venues find new homes and "is working with [Molotow] to find a new space, preferably in St. Pauli." But a spokesperson for Molotow said a solution has yet to be reached. "They're still trying to figure something out, but it won't be easy at this point," they added. For Strauss, seeking new spaces isn't the ultimate solution because venues can still be driven out by gentrification and urban densification. This is why the Demorave movement is demanding "protection and recognition of the city's subcultural spaces." He said the goal is to follow the example of German city Bremen and implement an "open-air party law," which will provide easy access to open-air locations and make it legal to host "spontaneous, non-commercial events." Despite the challenges facing venues, Stauss said he's hopeful the Demorave movement will generate constructive results–especially with support from subculture lobby Clubkombinat and from local and national scenes. "It's pretty special right now," he said. "Many collectives want to get involved, organise solidarity and charity events or take part in our demonstrations. Clubs are also offering us discounted prices so we can organise charity events." According to Strauss, Demorave's December 30th Molotow Must Stay party generated solidarity across Germany. "In the end, we're pulling in the same direction and fighting the same problems: high rents, private landlords, poor working conditions, ruthless environmental pollution." These issues, he added, are universal and go beyond the culture sector, therefore galvanising more support for the movement. "Right now, we live in a democracy and we're all starting to stand up," he said. "Let's see how the ride goes." Find out more about how to take part or volunteer with Demorave via this form. We'll report more on this story as it unfolds. Browse Instagram to see videos of the latest Demorave and learn more about the campaign. Photo: Demorave
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