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 have gone their own way: One of permanent search, constant movement and self-questioning. There have been a few breaks in this five-decade process. Musicians who for years had a decisive influence on the band's course and sound made way for new characters and new ideas. A permanent fresh cell cure, a constant rejuvenation process. Some of those celebrating the band's 50th birthday today come from different generations and offer a broad spectrum of life experience. And despite this, or rather because of this, the idea behind it has always remained young.
This unique development of the band as an open creative system is exemplified by the position of frontman, which Herbert Dreilich held for three decades. He celebrated the band's greatest successes and gave them a face, so to speak. His son has taken his place for two decades. He silenced the skeptics long ago and has proven that he not only looks like his father on the outside, but has also inherited his creative energy. But Claudius Dreilich is by no means a copy; with his singing as well as his charisma and yet approachable extroversion, he has become an artistic personality.
artistic personality. He can be just as much a driving force for the band today as his father was for 30 years.
A new era begins with the fourth decade, because with Claudius Dreilich as the new singer, KARAT experience 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, bring in an a cappella women's quintet for a Christmas tour, collaborate with the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra and are delighted with the interpretations of their songs by (among others) Helene
Fischer, Chris de Burgh and Max Raabe. Last but not least, they were once again awarded a Golden Record (2010 for "Vierzehn Karat") and five years later the Golden Hen.
KARAT are also in the fast lane in the last decade so far, finding a new distribution partner for the new albums in Universal Music and even a pandemic can't stop this band: KARAT returned from the Covid19 lockdown with car and hotel room tours and around 40 concerts with limited audience numbers. The fifth decade also marks another line-up change: Daniel Bätge and Heiko Jung are the new additions on bass and drums respectively. The seasoned musicians are known from their collaboration with Udo Lindenberg, Wolfgang Niedecken, Jan Josef Liefers and Clueso, for example. Now they bring a new level of energy to KARAT with groove, passion and musical skill.
