BAP

BAP
FIFTY YEARS – THE FINAL STRETCH
THE 2026 TOUR

To mark the occasion, this time there will be an arena tour through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. An anniversary like this needs to be celebrated. When you talk about BAP, you're talking about German rock history. With their Cologne-based lyrics, they have achieved what few bands of this caliber have managed: they have helped local cultural heritage gain universal relevance, celebrating unprecedented success far beyond the borders of their hometown of Cologne and Germany. 2026 will be a very special year for BAP and their huge fan base, as the band, founded in 1976, celebrates its 50th anniversary and founder Wolfgang Niedecken celebrates his 75th birthday. Reason enough to return to where Niedecken loves to be most: in his hometown, in this case at his local 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 in the winter, with 19 dates.

With early hits such as “Verdamp lang her,” “Kristallnaach,” “Müslimän,” “Waschsalon,” and “Do kanns Zaubere,” BAP made music history in the 1980s, playing their way irrevocably into the hearts of their fans and establishing themselves as an authentic rock institution in the German music scene with their passion, attitude, and unmistakable sound. Thirteen number one albums,
precious metal awards, coveted music prizes and, above all, live performances have brought BAP great success over five decades. After the sold-out ZEITREISE tour in 2024/25, rock legend Wolfgang Niedecken and his band will be back on stage next year, taking the audience on a musical journey through time to celebrate their enormous repertoire from 50 years – including their greatest hits.

Since its formation in the mid-1970s, the band has had a lasting impact on the German rock and pop scene. Their hits became anthems for an entire generation and are still highly topical and relevant today. Even today, Niedecken does not shy away from addressing difficult topics or current political events in his profound, poetic, and touching songs. The stories told by the charismatic singer and frontman with his warm, smoky voice are authentic and intimate. The BAP sound is an ingenious mix of rock and folk elements. You can sense 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 and his band have turned it into a door opener, straight to the heart. Despite initial criticism of his decision to sing in Kölsch, Niedecken remained true to his regional dialect—and his success has proven him right.
Already in the early 1980s, the band went on its first tour of Germany and has continued to do so with great success in the decades since. The band went on their first tour of Germany in the early 1980s and have done so repeatedly in the following decades of their band history, always to great acclaim.

There will be a total of 19 dates in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, including one at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund.
When asked whether “Die Zielgerade” (The Home Stretch) in the tour title is meant to announce the band's farewell 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 my advanced age, I still enjoy it incredibly much. But you have to remain realistic: planning such big tours is always a bet on the future. Let's celebrate our anniversary together first. The home stretch can sometimes be longer than you think, and ours has only just begun. Always take it step by step, otherwise you might stumble."

(Information provided by the organizer. Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe GmbH accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the information.)