KAUE - Gelsenkirchen

In the location's words:

What the people of Gelsenkirchen, the Ruhr region and a wide-ranging art scene know today as "DIE KAUE" was for a long time a machine hall in the building ensemble of the Wilhelmine Victoria colliery in Schalke.

When finding a name for this venue, the team at the time was looking for a common term from miners' terminology, which proved to be misleading - especially for artists from outside the Ruhr area. Comedian Michael Mittermeier asked us at his first guest performance in 1996 how a venue could be named after the imperative of the verb "to chew".

After the closure in the 1960s, the Gelsenkirchen church district acquired some parts of the former colliery after almost 20 years of standstill in order to set up an employment promotion company. Part of this company was also to become a socio-cultural center. Conversion work began in 1989 and lasted two years.

After some turbulent years with various changes of ownership, the Kaue, once a place of hard work and sweat, now shines in new splendor. Under the management of emschertainment GmbH, it is now a vibrant venue for cabaret and musical life, combining charm, tradition and culture.

Since the early 1990s, the industrial monument has been a sought-after venue with a special Ruhrpott ambience and a great attraction for all lovers of cabaret, concert or theater events on a smaller scale with up to 500 visitors (seating 325, standing room 500). Whether music events, theater performances, comedy performances or readings - the KAUE offers a stage for artists of all genres.

Attractive details and pictures in all the rooms and corridors tell the story of this house, where the charm of a long-gone and very influential episode in the Ruhr region is still in the air today. The lovingly selected posters, show relics and event announcements take the eye on a journey through the history of cabaret and concert culture in the Ruhr region.

The hall is a pleasant size. The high ceilings and the dark walls, discreetly decorated with posters and in keeping with the overall atmosphere, give this venue a feel-good ambience and a real touch of mining charm. The fact that all guests can sit or stand very close to the stage comes very close to promising a particularly up-close experience. The short distance between the audience and the stage means that sparks quickly fly between artists and guests. This is also why creative minds from Gelsenkirchen's independent scene appreciate the KAUE so much.

In addition to the event hall in the former machine hall and the smaller ventilator buildings, the Kaue also has a pub with an original colliery flair in the colliery's former brand control room. The "homely" atmosphere of the entire building is continued in the integrated restaurant, where the staff provide a selection of hot and cold drinks, the classic Ruhrpott currywurst, pretzels and various sweets for guests at every event.

Over the years, the list of national and international artists who have performed in the Kaue has grown steadily. Many of them, who now perform in large, sold-out venues, took their first steps in the KAUE, many of them like to return there later to test and develop new programs due to the special ambience, and many new faces are added every year. And we want it to stay that way.