KARAT - Tour 2026
KARAT – Tour 2026
The Berlin cult band KARAT celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. 50 years – that's two generations and almost a lifetime. There are only a few bands of note that can look back on such a long history. Most of them – let's be honest – have long since become nostalgic cover bands of themselves.
KARAT has chosen a different path: that of continuous search, constant movement, and self-examination. There have been some breaks in this five-decade process. Musicians who significantly shaped the course and sound of the band for years made way for new characters and new ideas. A permanent rejuvenation, a constant renewal process. Those celebrating the 50th band anniversary today come from different generations and offer a wide range of experiences. And yet, or rather: precisely for that reason, the underlying idea has always remained youthful.
This unique band development as an open creative system is exemplified clearly in the position of the frontman: Herbert Dreilich held this role for three decades. During this time, the band's biggest successes were celebrated, and he essentially gave them a face. For the past two decades, his son has taken his place. He has silenced the skeptics long ago and has proven that he not only resembles his father outwardly but has also inherited his creative energy. However, Claudius Dreilich is by no means a copy; with his singing, charisma, and approachable extroversion, he has become an artistic personality. Today, he can be as much a driving force for the band as his father was for 30 years.
Over 50 years, KARAT is primarily known for its numerous, great hits – now all established classics. But they fit wonderfully into the here and now because they are timeless in the true sense: Here, we do not worship the ashes of the fire, but carry on its embers. KARAT represents five decades of German-German music history. In the very first decade, numerous milestones are created, and in the Federal Republic of Germany, they are honored with gold records, they appear on "Wetten dass..." and Peter Maffay celebrates his biggest hit with the KARAT cover "Über sieben Brücken musst du gehn" – all of this was not only highly gratifying but a sensation – for a band from the East. The second decade begins with the award of the Golden Europa (1986) and ends in a reunified Germany with the already tenth KARAT album "Die geschenkte Stunde" (1995) – three years earlier, guitarist Bernd Römer and his colleagues brought the new keyboardist Martin Becker into the band. The third decade features highlights such as an appearance at "Rockpalast" and a tour with the Babelsberg Film Orchestra, but it ends tragically: Herbert Dreilich succumbed to his battle with cancer in 2004.
A new era begins with the fourth decade, as with Claudius Dreilich as the new singer, KARAT enjoys the stroke of luck that the band has reinterpreted the difficult farewell as an opportunity for the future. And they remain successful: in addition to many of their own tours, they are part of the "Ostrock Klassik" concerts, they bring in an a cappella women's quintet for a Christmas tour, collaborate with the Kiel Philharmonic, and celebrate the interpretations of their songs by (among others) Helene Fischer, Chris de Burgh, and Max Raabe. Not least, they once again received a gold record (2010 for "Vierzehn Karat") and five years later, the Golden Henne.
In the most recent decade, KARAT remains on the fast track, as a new distribution partner for their new albums is found with Universal Music, and even a pandemic could not stop this band: KARAT has returned from the Covid19 abyss with drive-in and hotel room concerts as well as approximately 40 concerts with limited audience capacity. The fifth decade also stands for another lineup change: Daniel Bätge and Heiko Jung are the new additions on bass and drums respectively. The seasoned musicians are known from their collaborations with Udo Lindenberg, Wolfgang Niedecken, Jan Josef Liefers, or Clueso. Now they bring new energy to KARAT with groove, passion, and musical skill.
At the events in the CD-Kaserne, a wide range of beverages and snacks (pretzel pastries, peanuts, etc.) are available.
Doors open at 7 PM
Photo credit: Marcel Brell
CD-Kaserne gGmbH is supported by Sparkasse Celle-Gifhorn-Wolfsburg.
Doors open at 7 PM
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