Concerts & Music in Cologne

Concerts, music & pub concerts, live music and musicals in Cologne

Cologne and music is not a love story, it's a lifelong affair. Anyone who has ever experienced a concert in this city immediately understands why people stay here. The live music scene is not just a side note in the events calendar, it is the heart of Cologne's city life, all year round. Whether you are looking for classical symphonic music, smoky jazz, punky indie rock or singer-songwriter living room sounds, Cologne has the right concert and the right location for every mood. So the question is not if, but when you'll go out next. Let's get started. For many, the Cologne Philharmonie is something like the musical conscience of the city, an impressive hall on the banks of the Rhine where concerts take place almost every day, from classical music to jazz and pop. Sounds like a Sunday outfit and stiff posture? You thought wrong. The Philharmonie is no longer an elitist temple, but an open house for everyone who appreciates good music. For those who like it a little rougher, we recommend an evening at Luxor, a real cult location in the Cologne music scene, which has developed into the place to go for indie, rock and alternative sounds over the years. The stage is small enough for you to see the musicians' sweat drops, and that's exactly what makes it so charming. You can get just as close at Gebäude 9 in Deutz, a former factory space that has become a mecca for concert enthusiasts. Here, the walls resonate with decades of live music, and that is meant literally. The Stadtgarten in Ehrenfeld is an institution for all those who not only want to listen to jazz, but also really soak it up, a jazz club with a program that regularly hosts concerts of the highest standard and still conveys the feeling of a cosy evening with friends. Things are even more intimate at Living Room Concerts Cologne, where an open stage regularly takes place in Kulturraum 405 in Ehrenfeld and living room concerts in changing locations provide a special listening experience. This is music at eye level, no podium, no backstage secrets, just sounds and people in a room. And then there's Papa Joe's jazz bar "Em Streckstrump" on Buttermarkt, where different jazz bands play every evening and admission is free, which is a blessing for both wallets and spontaneity. In short: Cologne is a city that takes its music seriously, but never forgets to have fun. Whether you want to become a regular at the next singer-songwriter evening, step into a concert hall for the first time or simply experience an evening that feels like more than Netflix on the couch, you'll always find the right event here in the event calendar. You may have heard your next favorite song live tomorrow.