Alphaville rejects Glücksgefühle Festival reinvitation and pledges to donate fee

Disinvitation over stage remarks

German synth-pop band Alphaville has refused a reinvitation to perform at the Glücksgefühle Festival at the Hockenheimring, concluding a public dispute over political speech on stage. The festival organizer, Markus Krampe Entertainment Group, initially canceled the group's scheduled Friday appearance after failing to reach an agreement regarding stage commentary. The controversy followed a mid-July appearance at the Die 80er live festival in Hamburg alongside artists including Kim Wilde and Boy George, where 72-year-old frontman Marian Gold spoke out against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and displayed a rainbow flag during the song Carry Your Flag. Organizers defended the cancellation on Wednesday, asserting that the festival is strictly non-political and designed solely for happiness and shared entertainment. Gold criticized the cancellation on social media, comparing the restriction to a gag order.

That such a restriction of freedom of opinion, speech, and artistic freedom now appears to have arrived at one of the largest pop festivals in Germany is something we find absolutely intolerable and distressing.

Solidarity from fellow musicians

The decision prompted immediate condemnation from several German musicians and bands on Wednesday. During a performance at Halle Münsterland in Münster, Die Toten Hosen frontman Campino condemned the disinvitation and brought Gold onto the stage alongside Donots singer Ingo Knollmann. Mateo Jasik of Culcha Candela, a group scheduled to perform at the festival on Saturday, criticized the ban and questioned the management's understanding of democracy. In an interview with tagesschau24, Gold defended his statements, asserting that artistic freedom is protected under the German Basic Law and warning against the rise of right-wing extremism. Facing widespread criticism, festival director Markus Krampe retracted the ban on Thursday, telling the newspaper Bild that the cancellation was a mistake and extending a formal reinvitation.

How we acted was indeed a mistake. I am sorry about that. Freedom of opinion is the highest good we have in Germany, and it must be protected.

Rejection of reinvitation and donation

Despite Krampe's retraction and public apology, Alphaville confirmed on Thursday afternoon that the group would not perform at the Hockenheimring. Gold announced via the German Press Agency that previous statements by festival management had created an atmosphere incompatible with an appearance. The group confirmed that the entire performance fee from the scheduled concert would be donated to a non-profit organization. The dispute concluded seven weeks of contention following the Hamburg concert, leaving the festival to proceed over the weekend in Baden-Württemberg without the band on the roster.

We take note of the apology and reinvitation from organizer Markus Krampe and hope that from now on he duly respects the importance of freedom of speech and artistic freedom at the Glücksgefühle Festival. Regardless of this, the preceding remarks have created an atmosphere in which we refrain from an appearance. The fee for the canceled performance will be donated by Alphaville to a non-profit organization.