BAP - Fünfzig Jahre – Die Zielgerade - Die Tournee 2026

In the organizer's words:

To mark the occasion, an arena tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. An anniversary like this needs to be celebrated.

When you talk about BAP, you talk about German rock history. With their Cologne lyrics, they have achieved what few bands have managed to do on this scale: they have helped local cultural assets to achieve universal relevance, celebrating unimagined success far beyond the borders of their home city of Cologne and Germany.

2026 will be a very special year for BAP and their huge fan base, as the band, which was founded in 1976, celebrates its 50th anniversary and founder Wolfgang Niedecken his 75th birthday. Reason enough to return to where Niedecken loves to be: To his home, in this case his home soccer stadium, close to his fans.

Under the title "Fifty Years of BAP - The Home Stretch", the Cologne rock legend will then embark on a major anniversary tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland for 19 dates this winter.

With early hits such as "Verdamp lang her", "Kristallnaach", "Müslimän", "Waschsalon" and "Do kanns Zaubere", BAP wrote music history back in the 80s, played their way irrevocably into the hearts of their fans and established themselves as a genuine rock institution in the German music scene with passion, attitude and an unmistakable sound.

Thirteen number one albums, precious metal awards, coveted music prizes and, above all, live successes over five decades.

Following the sold-out ZEITREISE Tour 2024/25, rock legend Wolfgang Niedecken and his band will once again be on stage next year, taking the audience on a musical journey through time to celebrate their enormous repertoire spanning 50 years - including their greatest hits.

Since its foundation in the mid-70s, the band has had a lasting impact on the German rock and pop landscape. Their hits became anthems for an entire generation and are still highly topical and relevant today.

Even today, Niedecken is not afraid to tackle difficult topics or political current affairs in his profound, poetic and touching songs. The stories that the charismatic singer and frontman tells with his warm, smoky voice are authentic and close.

The BAP sound is an ingenious mix of rock and folk elements. You can feel that Niedecken grew up with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks and Bob Dylan.

As a Cologne boy. Where others see dialect as a barrier, he has turned it into a door opener with his band - straight into the heart. Despite initial criticism of his decision to sing in Kölsch, Niedecken remained true to his regional dialect - and his success proved him right.

The band embarked on their first tour of Germany in the early 1980s and have continued to do so over the following decades of their band history to great acclaim.

Even 50 years later, the BAP phenomenon continues to unfold in all its unique form, especially live.

So it is hardly surprising that the concert for the band's 50th anniversary on July 10, 2026 in Cologne's RheinEnergieStadion was sold out within a short space of time. All fans who were unable to get a ticket now have the opportunity to experience the band live from November 27, 2026 as part of their big anniversary tour "Fifty Years of BAP - The Home Stretch".

There will be a total of 19 dates in Germany, Austria and Switzerland - including in Hamburg's Barclays Arena, Stuttgart's Porsche Arena, Munich's Olympiahalle, Berlin's Uber Arena and for the "homecoming" in Cologne's Lanxessarena.

When asked whether "The home stretch" in the tour title is supposed to herald the band's departure from the stage, Wolfgang says:

"For us, the greatest thing is to play the songs live in front of our loyal fans of many years. Even at an advanced age, I still have an incredible amount of fun. But you have to be realistic: planning such big tours is always a bet on the future.

For now, let's celebrate our anniversary together. A home stretch like this can sometimes be longer than you think - and ours has only just begun. Always take one step at a time, otherwise you might stumble."

Photo credit: Tina Niedecken