Hagen Sound Revolution: Self-guided 80s Music Podcast Tour

A post-industrial steel city became the birthplace of 99 Luftballons and the Hagener Szene.

Self-guided podcast tour of Hagen following the rise of the city's 1970s-80s music scene, with six stops across 3.9 km told through expert and local narration in podcast style. The app provides point-to-point navigation, an interactive AI guide for questions about history and surroundings, and verified facts woven into the story. Suitable for ages 13 and up. Available in English and German.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hagen's music and cultural sites

• Visit the main station
• Walk through Wehringhausen central square
• See historicist architecture street
• Explore grassroots cultural center
• Relax in central park
• Visit large entertainment venue

The experience

Hagen's transformation from gray industrial city to epicenter of the New German Wave unfolds across six stations you navigate yourself using the app. The route traces where Nena's band found its first notes, where guitarist Carlo Karges dreamed up 99 Luftballons, and how Extrabreit turned working-class frustration into rebellion anthems. You move at your own pace through the main station, an ironic landmark in NDW mythology, the Wehringhausen district's central square, a street of historicist villas that housed communal living and rehearsal spaces, a DIY cultural center in a former school, a park where Cold War fears shaped a generation, and the concert venue that cemented the city's musical legacy.

The podcast narration comes from experts and locals, not a single guide voice, so the story carries multiple perspectives on how a working-class city participated in the pop revolution of the 80s. The app's interactive AI guide lets you ask questions about the history and surroundings at any stop, and verified facts are built into the narrative rather than listed as trivia. Navigation between stops is handled by the app, so you don't need to plan the route beforehand.

The full tour runs roughly two hours over 3.9 km, though you set the pace and can linger at any station. Service animals are welcome, and public transportation options are nearby if you want to break up the walk or skip between distant stops. The tour works for all fitness levels since you're moving through city streets at your own speed, not keeping up with a group.

What’s included

• Podcast-style audio narration from experts and locals in English or German.
• point-to-point navigation via app between all six stops.
• interactive AI guide for questions about history and surroundings.
• verified historical facts woven into the story.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?The podcast format and app-based navigation mean you move through Hagen at your own speed without waiting for a group or keeping pace with a guide: ideal if you want to linger at a villa or a park, or move quickly between stops depending on your interest in each station.

Top questions

What is the Hagener Szene and why does it matter to music history?

The Hagener Szene was Hagen's alternative and creative scene of the late 1970s and 80s, where punk collided with the neon aesthetic of the New German Wave. The city produced major acts like Nena and Extrabreit, and the DIY ethos of the scene (rehearsal spaces in communal villas, a grassroots cultural center in a former school) shaped how these musicians made their breakthrough records.

How long does the tour take and how far do I walk?

The tour covers 3.9 km across six stops and runs roughly two hours, though you control the pace and can spend more or less time at each station depending on your interest.

Do I need to understand German to follow the podcast narration?

The audio guide is available in both English and German, so you can choose the language that suits you before you start.

What happens if I have questions about the places I'm visiting?

The app includes an interactive AI guide that lets you ask questions about the history and surroundings at any stop along the route, so you can dig deeper into what you're seeing.

Can I take public transportation to reach the starting point?

Public transportation options are available nearby, so you can reach the main station and the tour's starting points without a car.