30 YEARS OF KIESGRUBE: EUROPE’S LONGEST RUNNING OPEN-AIR CLUB UNVEILS FULL 2026 SEASON

Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, Peggy Gou, The Martinez Brothers, Amelie Lens, Maceo Plex, Sven Väth, Dixon B2B Jimi Jules & more are all confirmed to play.

In 2026, Kiesgrube celebrates 30 years as one of Europe’s longest-standing open-air electronic music venues. Since 1996, it has operated as a weekly open-air event, a format that has allowed it to remain a constant presence on the European circuit. Three decades on, the venue has been reimagined and rebuilt, with a brand-new L-Acoustics sound system and expanded dance areas for 2026 season.

“Over the last three decades, Kiesgrube has remained independent, defined by its raw, unfiltered connection between artist and audience”, says founder Tom Preuss. “For the 30th anniversary, our intention is to protect this spirit while preparing it for the decades ahead. Not only for Düsseldorf, but for the wider European dance music community.”

There is hardly a global electronic music heavyweight who has not played Kiesgrube over the years, but the venue has never been about names alone. It’s about the feeling that has always brought like-minded people together from around the world to gather each Sunday. That is reflected in this special season to mark its 30-year anniversary from April through August, culminating in a landmark closing celebration.

The 30th anniversary season kicks off on Sunday April 19, with a Pre-Opening Open Air led by Maceo Plex. The official Opening on Friday May 01 sees global icon Peggy Gou headline alongside Dennis Cruz, while May continues at full intensity with and WhoMadeWho on May 14, followed by a heavyweight pairing of Pawsa on May 25. Early summer reaches another peak on June 14 as Black Coffee returns, joined by, before techno takes centre stage on June 21 with Amelie Lens. Late June delivers one of the most anticipated highlights of the season on June 28, as Jamie Jones and The Martinez Brothers lead an all-star showcase alongside Vintage Culture and Paco Osuna. July continues with a landmark appearance from Cocoon legend Sven Väth on July 12, and he shares the bill with Dixon B2B Jimi Jules. The early August Weekender brings Mahmut Orhan across both outdoor and indoor formats while mid-August welcomes Boris Brejcha and Andrea Oliva. The 30-year celebrations culminate on Sunday August 30 with a monumental Season Closing featuring Joseph Capriati b2b Mau P.

Located in western Germany and within reach of Cologne, Düsseldorf and the wider NRW region, it has become a cornerstone of European club culture and a place of musical immersion set within raw, natural surroundings. As part of the 30-year renovations, the venue is planning a brand new restaurant concept, a dedicated food area and upgraded digital infrastructure improvements designed to elevate the experience while keeping the club’s spirit intact. The sprawling site delivers Ibiza-inspired open-air energy with sand underfoot, green trees overhead and a dance floor to remove the usual barriers between headliner and crowd. The audio-visual setup is high-spec and high impact, and the closeness of DJ and dancers creates an intensity rarely found elsewhere.

Thirty years on, Kiesgrube remains what it has always been: a sanctuary for electronic music lovers under the sun and the stars. 

For tickets and more information head to; http://kiesgrube.net

LINE UPS

SUN APRIL 19 – Pre Opening Open Air

Maceo Plex

Marten Lou

Joëlla Jackson B2B Chris Di Perri

Onfaya

Mike Litt

FRI MAY 01  

Kiesgrube Opening Open Air 

Peggy Gou pres. Gou Talk

Peggy Gou

Dennis Cruz

More to be revealed

THU MAY 14

WhoMadeWho

• Special Guest

Nick Curly B2B Manda Moor

Belladonna

Darpat

MON MAY 25

Pawsa

Chris Stussy

Thabo

Klaudie

Ludwig

THU JUNE 04 – Fronleichnam

Gordo

+Special Guest 

Nic Fanciulli B2B Dubfire

Somma & Yuma

Ludwig

SUN JUNE 14

Black Coffee

• Special Guests

SAT JUNE 20 – Season Special

BUNT.

Marco Faraone

Steve Bug

SUN JUNE 21

Amelie Lens

Deborah De Luca

Negitiv

Brian Knauss

SUN JUNE 28

Jamie Jones 

The Martinez Brothers 

Vintage Culture

Paco Osuna 

Stassy

Tina Colada

SAT JULY 12

Sven Väth

Dixon B2B Jimi Jules

Jonathan Kaspar

Jamiie

SAT AUGUST 01 – Weekender Day 1

Hugel

Sebastian Konrad

Nicole Da Silva

Isa Roos

Mr. Conery

SUN AUGUST 02 – Outdoor Weekender Day 1

Mahmut Orhan

Rivo

People Like Us

Lilya Mandre

SUN AUGUST 02 – Indoor Weekender Day 2 Night

Mahmut Orhan

• Guests 

SUN AUGUST 16

Boris Brejcha

Andrea Oliva

Lovra

Tobi Neumann

SUN AUGUST 23

Novah

Cloudy

Negitiv

Vagabund

SUN AUGUST 30 – Season Closing

Joseph Capriati 

Mau P 

A Very Special Guest 

DJ Gigola

Paola Poletto B2B Francisco Allendes

INNELLEA TAKES AIM AT ALGORITHM CULTURE ON “SLAVE TO THE HYPE”

Due for worldwide release on March 20, the new single arrives as a playful critique of the modern electronic music landscape, and a parody of the endless cycle of hype, engagement and algorithm-chasing that now shapes the scene.

A new beginning for Innellea: Off the back of a phase of artistic friction, shaped by algorithms, expectations and a scene increasingly driven by fast-moving digital trends, Innellea now unveils “Slave To The Hype”: a deliberately provocative release that acts as both parody and a tongue-in-cheek critique of the modern electronic music landscape. Due for worldwide release on March 20, the new single sees Innellea turn a mirror towards an industry increasingly defined by hype cycles, algorithmic visibility and the pressure to constantly chase the next viral moment.

On February 11, Innellea shared a deeply personal message across his social channels, admitting he felt creatively stuck within an ecosystem increasingly shaped by metrics, online feedback and the pressure to constantly deliver the next moment of hype. The post quickly resonated far beyond his immediate audience, sparking a wave of support from fans, fellow artists and industry peers who recognised the same tension between creativity and the expectations of the digital age.

What began as a pause quickly became a moment of clarity; a chance to break with the past and create something new, yet still born from the same seed. By shedding expectations, familiar routines and the frameworks that had built up around the project, “Slave to the Hype” emerges from this space: reduced, direct and guided once again by instinct rather than external noise. 

The artistic process itself becomes the defining focus once again. After years of working towards outcomes – the next hit, the next sold-out show, the next milestone – Innellea now reconnects with what made him fall in love with music in the first place: the joy of creating, the community and the freedom to follow curiosity rather than pressure. A strong wave of support from his community has reinforced this shift, reminding him of a time when everything felt lighter, more honest and unfiltered. 

Musically, “Slave to the Hype” leans into raw rhythm, tight percussion and a driving, hypnotic bassline. The production is direct and club-first, built for late nights and dancers who move with their eyes closed. Conceptually, the release reflects a broader reset. Rather than refining a single “Innellea sound”, Michi reclaims the freedom to move across the full spectrum of electronic music without being boxed in by expectations or past successes. 

For Innellea’s label belonging, the track also marks a subtle realignment. The label remains rooted in contemporary dance music while pushing toward a tougher, more minimal and uncompromising aesthetic. Less spectacle, more intensity. Less narrative, more motion. This is not nostalgia for an old rave; it is a statement for what comes next.

TERMINAL V ANNOUNCE LAST EVER FESTIVAL IN EDINBURGH

Nine-year Edinburgh run to close as festival prepares to evolve

Terminal V has announced that this year’s April festival marks the final edition of the festival in Edinburgh and the closing of a defining almost decade chapter in the city. This difficult decision follows the evolving operational requirements and challenges of delivering the event at this scale in the city, with policing and associated deployment costs now representing a significant proportion of overall delivery costs at the site.

18 - 19 April 2026 will be the last edition to take place at The Royal Highland Centre. The festival will be delivered with the same award winning production and format audiences have come to expect and love.

Since launching at the venue in 2017, Terminal V has grown into one of the UK’s largest electronic music festivals, ranking Number 1 in Scotland, Number 5 in the UK and Number 34 in the world (DJ Mag Awards). It has welcomed more than a quarter of a million fans from all over the UK and further afield to Edinburgh and hosting leading names across techno and house. It has become a key fixture in Scotland’s festival and electronic music calendar.

“This is a significant moment for us,” said Derek Martin, Co-Founder of Terminal V. “Edinburgh has been home to Terminal V since the beginning, and some of our biggest moments have happened here. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built in Edinburgh, the Festival City, over the past nine years, and grateful to The Royal Highland Centre and all of our partners who have supported the brand’s growth during this time.

Simon McGrath added: “To deliver the level of event we’ve produced over the last nine years is becoming increasingly challenging in the current environment. We’re not prepared to compromise on quality. Making this move will now allow us to take the festival further and deliver even more ambitious electronic music experiences in the years ahead. While April 2026 will be the last edition in Edinburgh, we have some exciting plans ahead for the growth of Terminal V this year and beyond.”

With six stages, a massive line-up of more than 100 artists (99999999, Anetha, Ben Hemsley, Ben Techy x Luciid,  Clouds x Tommy Holohan, DJ Gigola x Øtta, East End Dubs, Hate Models, Klangkuenstler, Klofama, Mall Grab, Patrick Topping, Pegassi, Restricted, Robert Hood, Sara Landry, SIM0NE X SPFDJ, Will Atkinson, Yanamaste) every stage will be completely reimagined for this final edition.

A collaboration with global audio leaders d&b audiotechnik, the festival will also introduce a fully bespoke site-wide sound re-design, delivering its most refined and powerful production to date across all six stages.

Terminal V’s trajectory over the past decade has extended far beyond Edinburgh. Named Best UK Festival at the DJ Mag Awards in 2023,  the brand now stages a Croatian festival edition each summer, recently made its London debut last year at the 15,000 capacity Drumsheds, and are set to announce a new festival site location for 2027 alongside a global tour of international shows to celebrate a decade of Terminal V.

Final remaining tickets for the April 2026 edition go on sale at 12noon on Tuesday 3rd March, marking the final ever opportunity to be part of Terminal V at the Royal Highland Centre. Sign up here to secure them.

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