From the coconut to the Mad Music Club: Hameln's club story told!

From the coconut to the Mad Music Club: Hameln's club story told!

The history of gastronomy in Hameln has a lot to tell, especially at Südstraße 6, where cultural life pulsated for decades. In 2019, the Mad Music Club, which had been known as a place to go for punk, ska and rock for 30 years, had to close. But the roots of this place go back much further than the last thirty years. Café Arendt opened its doors here in 1949 and was renamed Café “Vaterland” two years later. Run by Olga Sobainski, the “Fatherland” quickly developed into a popular meeting place for the people of Hamelin.

In the following years the location underwent several changes. In 1955 the “Fatherland” was transformed into the “Coconut”, which closed its last gate in 1988. In between there were numerous renovations and a constant change in the offering, from a dance bar to film screenings in the 1970s. The “Coconut” bar was known for its “hot movies” and “nice atmosphere.” After this establishment closed, the gaming club “Royal” followed in 1989, and in 1990 Thomas Kroll took over the location with his Mad Music Club, which quickly became a heart of the music scene in Hameln.

The Change by Thomas Kroll

After his club closed, Thomas Kroll, now 62 years old, took a new career direction. Nowadays he works for the German Red Cross and picks up patients from the hospital. Although he enjoys his new job, he misses the intense connection to the music scene that he was able to experience at the Mad Music Club. “I miss the atmosphere and the musicians,” says Kroll, who valued his time in the club very much and therefore it is particularly challenging for him to maintain contact with the musicians.

Kroll continues to move in the music scene by brokering offers from bands to other promoters and hosting his own radio show called “Krolli's Mad & Confused”. Boat trips on the Weser with live bands are also planned - an exciting opportunity to renew old acquaintances and create new encounters.

A piece of political controversy

However, there are also dark sides that concern Kroll. He expresses dissatisfaction with the political use of his former club by the party “Die Basis”. This political development has a bittersweet note for him, as the venue that has represented so many unforgettable nights of music is now also a venue for political agendas.

Thomas Kroll has an eventful biography: As a part-time employee, he now works at least 40 hours a week, also looks after children with disabilities, distributes lollipops and enjoys chatting on his journeys. His path takes him from Bavaria to Thuringia, and even if the changes are challenging, he remains someone who has a good knack for the next steps. A piece of Hamelin's gastronomic history may be gone, but the spirit of the Mad Music Club will live on, even if the sounds transform into new melodies.

The excitement and memories left behind by the Mad Music Club are a testament to the cultural diversity and vibrant history of Hameln that continues to be kept alive.

For more information about the gastronomic history in Hamelin, visit Dewezet and for insights into Thomas Kroll's current activities, take a look HamelnR over.