Southside Festival 2025: Böhmermann's sharp criticism and colorful costumes!

Southside Festival 2025: Böhmermann's sharp criticism and colorful costumes!

On June 22, 2025, the Southside Festival in Neuhausen ob Eck experienced an exciting start with over 65,000 enthusiastic visitors. Numerous top-class artists performed on the first day of the festival, including Nina Chuba, the band Green Day and the eager provocateur Jan Böhmermann, who caused a few words with his appearance. The sun shone over the festival grounds with pleasant temperatures above 25 degrees, which boosted the mood considerably.

Böhmermann, who was on stage with the Ehrenfeld Radio Dance Orchestra, left no doubt that he can also criticize beyond music. With his sharp humor, he addressed the inadequate bicycle infrastructure in Tuttlingen and identified himself as a “human destroyer”. A real performance that captivated not only the fans but also the critics. Festival-goers showed off their creative diversity, with many wearing impressive costumes, from fairy wings to butterfly outfits. There was also a new attraction at the festival: bull riding, which provided both atmosphere and laughter.

Weather and admission

Entry times often vary from year to year, but this time the first visitors waited from 1:30 p.m., even though the gates only opened at 1:56 p.m. The weather was ideal for an open-air event, with early temperatures of 14 to 15 degrees and pleasant evening temperatures between 20 and 22 degrees.

Southside Festival is making a remarkable comeback this year with a variety of acts spanning different genres. In addition to Jan Böhmermann, Rise Against, described as “perhaps the most important punk band on the planet”, as well as hip-hop group Kneecap and Grammy award winner Lucy Dacus will also take the stage. The festival, which was originally launched near Munich in 1999, continues its reputation as a meeting place for rock, alternative, independent and electro.

Cultural significance

A look at the German music festival scene shows the growing importance of such events for the country's cultural landscape. A current compilation of data and statistics on the topic of “national cultural statistics” makes it clear that festivals not only contribute to entertainment, but also to Germany’s economic and cultural diversity. The Southside Festival is just one of many festivals that attract numerous visitors every year and fill the music scene with life. The Hessian State Statistical Office documents such events to demonstrate the value and diversity of cultural events.

With this in mind, everyone is looking forward to the next few days of the Southside Festival, which provides unforgettable experiences every year. We can only hope that the weather holds up and the challenges, like last year, don't arise. The Southside Festival remains not only a highlight for music lovers, but also an important piece of cultural history in Germany.

For more information and the latest news from the festival, you are recommended to follow coverage, including from Swabian, Mercury and KMK.