Knust

Knust is a live music venue at Neuer Kamp 30 in Hamburg’s Sternschanze district, with space for about 500 people. Its history goes back to Jazzhouse Hamburg, which opened at Brandstwiete 2 in August 1966 under the management of NDR Big Band trumpeter Fred Christmann and his brother. In 1976, Dieter Dombrowski led its conversion into a folk pub and music venue under the name Knust. The name refers to bread ends with lard, given away at the bar. Karsten Schölermann took over the venue in 1983 and became its sole owner in 1988.

Knust’s live program covers jazz, punk, world music and other popular styles. Datadrift has promoted events there, and the venue has repeatedly modernized its sound and lighting equipment. The Jazzhouse concert series returned in 2015 with a focus on experimental jazz. Torfrock’s early history includes a 1976 Knust performance of “Hey Joe” in Low German. R.E.M. played two early shows at the venue in 1984; Jeff Buckley and Heather Nova appeared there in the early 1990s.

Knust became associated with the Hamburger Schule scene in the late 1990s, including through bands such as Die Sterne. From 2011 to 2025, acoustic concerts under the name Knust Accoustics were held on Lattenplatz. Schölermann also created the Hamburg Engtanzfete, which reached 1,370 editions.