World-famous for huge Oktoberfest, cosy beer gardens, and lush English Garden, Munich is not only one of the must stops for touring acts. Moreover it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Having tickets for a concert in Olympic Stadium or Olympic Hall, this subTOUR will guide you to some record stores in the vibrant heart of Munich's inner city before heading to Olympic Park. Visit the Olympic Tower with former world's highest Rock Museum and follow the Olympic Walk of Stars.
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It has been probably one of the world's highest museums - at least it has been the highest Rock museum in the world. 190 meters above ground, located at the top of the Olympic Tower. That was the Rock Museum. Today you can visit the museum at least virtually, for more information just visit the museum member's website. The members collect items documenting Rock history of more than 70 years. From original guitars to backstage passes, concert posters and unique tickets.
Anyway, you can still take the lift to the top of the tower. Well worth as the view from up there is mind blowing. Not only for an amazing view upon the city of Munich, but also for the panoramic outlook with the Alps being pretty close.
Be spoilt of cafés and bars in Munich’s Glockenbach district. Follow the traces of Freddie Mercury from Queen who lived here. Browse independent record stores until you reach beautiful Isar river. End this tour in party area near major venue Tonhalle.
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More than 170 stars have put their hands into Munich's solid ground so far. This Walk Of Stars features bands and musicians such as Metallica, Rammstein, Kings Of Leon, Roger Waters, or Kylie Minogue to name just a few. Not only Rock stars, also sport stars and other VIPs found their place. It’s a beautiful walk around the lake in Olympic Park anyway. If you’re interested in the background stories of each star, check this website.
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subTOURING isn’t about mainstream sightseeing. It is travelling inspired by music. A hand-picked guide from passionate music lovers for enthusiasts of Rock, Indie, Metal, and Punk tunes. Offering a unique music travel experience in Munich.
Get your authentic music experience in and around Munich.
EXPLORE THE MUSIC MAPS
Up for a weekend trip with concert in Munich? Check out the venue city guides focussing on before and after the concert. Get our best tips for accommodation and day activities including record stores as well as bars and restaurants.
Get the most music out of your trip. Hit the road. Follow your band.
GET YOUR GUIDESightseeing inspired by music
In Munich, follow the traces of Freddie Mercury in Glockenbach district where the Queen lead singer once lived. Visit the Olympic Tower and explore the Olympic Walk Of The Stars. Find out where Oasis had a fist fight in a high-class hotel and enjoy relaxed hours in one of the numerous beer gardens.
Explore hidden music gems when on tour. Discover music stories beyond the common sightseeing spots. Where history of Rock is revealed and brought to life again.
Be spoilt of cafés and bars in Munich’s Glockenbach district. Follow the traces of Freddie Mercury from Queen who lived here. Browse independent record stores until you reach beautiful Isar river. End this tour in party area near major venue Tonhalle.
EXPLOREHaving tickets for a concert in Olympic Stadium or Olympic Hall, this subTOUR will guide you to some record stores in the vibrant heart of Munich's inner city before heading to Olympic Park. Visit the Olympic Tower with former world's highest Rock Museum and follow the Olympic Walk of Stars.
EXPLORESubway line U6 connects the inner city with venue Zenith. This subTOUR guides you to independent Munich record stores in student district Schwabing and a place where Rock history was written before heading to your Zenith concert. Also find some ideas where to mingle with locals before and after the gig.
EXPLOREGet your authentic music experience
Munich is one of the major cities in Germany when it comes to big concerts, international stars, and world-class venues and clubs. The capital of Bavaria boasts with cultural heritage, impressive architecture, and the cosiness of outdoor beer gardens. Despite of being a buzzing metropolis, it still preserved a rather relaxed charme.
Check out the venue and festival guide below to get our best tips for accomodation, day activities as well as bars and restaurants before and after the gig.
Get your authentic music experience in and around Munich with subTOURING.
Use the map to discover the venues in Munich with surrounding places to enjoy before and after the gig.
Music may not be on top of your list when visiting Munich. Nevertheless, it plays an important role in the Bavarian capital.
To see world-class performers, head to Olympic Stadium in summer. If you’re more into something special, why not spend the evening at Backstage, one of the best live venues for Heavy Metal and Hard Rock in Germany. For intimate evenings, Strom offers small but yet incomparable live acts.
For more live music experiences, explore our full list of venues and festivals.
The most popular Munich based Pop and Rock act
Munich Metalcore on headliner level
Heavy Psychedelic at its best
Experimental Gothic since 1992
The home of Bavarian Rock ’n’ Roll
Rock based in Germany, but connected world-wide
Characteristic and energetic southern Rock
World-class venues and second home to Freddie Mercury
When in the Bavarian capital of Munich, you will have a broad choice of live venues: huge ones for the big names in business as well as intimate clubs for upcoming bands. Two of the major venues are located in Olympic Park northwest of the city centre: Olympic Stadium and Olympic Hall - surrounded by a beautiful park scenery and the Olympic Tower, these are the venues for international top acts of all genres.
This is also the place where big Rock festivals have their roots. In 1995 and 1996, the stadium hosted an event that we know today as Rock im Park. Originally based in Vienna, later moved to Munich, the festival’s name derives from the city’s Olympic Park. Since 1997, Rock im Park takes place in Nuremberg, but until today, the name was kept.
In 2015, Rockavaria festival kicked off with an amazing Rock and Metal line up right from the very start. The likes of Iron Maiden, Metallica and many more played the Olympic Park. Nowadays, the festival takes place in the heart of Munich, at Königsplatz.
Beyond the cosy streets of the Bavarian capital, Rock history was written. It was famous producer Giorgio Moroder who founded a music studio in the basement of Arabella Sheraton Hotel in the early 70s hosting acts like Queen, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, or Iggy Pop. Unfortunately, a subway line ended all recording activities. In consequence, Giorgio Moroder went to New York, where Disco style finally went big. But its roots still lie in Munich.
The lead singer of legendary British band Queen had a very close relationship to the city: Freddie Mercury even lived here for some time in the 80s. Back then, he celebrated his birthday here, and was a frequent guest in bars and clubs that still today play a major role in the city’s gay community. Three Queen albums were finally recorded in Munich.
It was on 1 March 1994, when a legendary gig took place at Munich Airport Riem, terminal 1: it was the 3rd concert of Grunge stars Nirvana in town and it was the very last one for the band forever. The following concerts were cancelled due to throat problems and a reportedly suicide attempt by lead singer Kurt Cobain. On 5 April 1994, he was found dead in Seattle, USA and Nirvana was history.
Not only behind the walls of Arabella Sheraton Hotel, Rock history can be discovered. Also luxury hotel Bayerischer Hof has seen some tales to be told. In 2002, Britpop combo Oasis ended up in jail after a fight in the hotel’s bar which led to cancellation of the next day’s concert in Hamburg. Right in front of the hotel, fans of Michael Jackson created a sort of monument for their King of Pop as he often stayed in this place.
The variety of musicians coming from the Bavarian capital of Munich is huge. Whether Rock, Metal, and Alternative, or acts from other genres. Spider Murphy Gang with their powerful Bavarian Rock ’n’ Roll provides tunes everyone ever been to Oktoberfest knows. Embryo is a Krautrock band influenced by oriental elements as well as Jazz and Rock. They play shows worldwide with one of the most remarkable ones in 1972 at the Olympic Games in Munich. Colour Haze are strongly dedicated to heavy Psychedelic Rock.
Sportfreunde Stiller may be the most famous band from town. Completely obsessed with football, they started making music back in 1996 with a name derived from their former soccer instructor, Mr. Stiller. It was end of the 90s, when one night’s main act in Backstage venue cancelled on short notice. As replacement the venue’s management got a recommendation for a small school band from Germering - a western suburb of Munich. This was the first big gig for Sportfreunde Stiller.
For those who are into Metal, Emil Bulls should be on your playlist. Founded 1995 in Hohenschäftlarn south of Munich, a rural and lovely area one wouldn’t connect with Metalcore music. It was in the small town of Pullach where the Emil Bulls recorded the The Life Acoustic album in 2007. If you are in town and have the chance to attend a home gig of the guys, grab the chance.
Some more bands from town are Munich natives Smoke the Sky or Darkseed. Whereas Smoke the Sky combine heavy Rock and Metal riffs with a dose of bluesy edge for an energetic southern Rock sound, Darkseed go for an experimental Gothic style since 1992.
