Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2023: Leipzig Guide and Festival Guide

The following bands have been announced for WGT 2023 (selection, last updated May 15th):

1919 (UK) – A Place To Bury Strangers (USA) – Absolute Body Control (B) – Adam Tristar (NL/USA) – Aeon Sable (D) – Antipole (N) – Antlers Mulm (D) – Apokalypse Orchestra (S) – Apoptose + Fanfarenzug Leipzig (D) – Ash Code (I) – Assemblage 23 (USA) – Attrition (UK) – Auger (UK) – Axel Thielmann (D) – Baical (D) – Ben Haim Trio (IL) – Betterov (D) – BFG (UK) – Blackbriar (NL) – Blind Delon (F) – Bloody, Dead & Sexy (D) – Bootblacks (USA) – Bragolin (NL) – Buzz Kull (AUS) – Capella Fidicinia (D) – Cat Rapes Dog (S) – Cattac (D) – Chameleons (UK) – Chor und Orchester der Musikalischen Komödie (D) – Christian von Aster (D) – Claudia Gräf (D) – Cold Cave (USA) – Corpus Delicti (F) – Covenant (S) – Cult Of Youth (USA) – Dance My Darling (RUS) – Darkwood (D) – Das Ich (D) – David Leubner (D) – De/Vision (D) – Deine Lakaien (D) – Der Fluch (D) – Der Tod (Death Comedy) (D) – Diary Of Dreams (D) – Die Andere Seite (D) – Die Selektion (D) – Donner & Doria (D) – Dornenreich (A) – Dr. Mark Benecke (D) – Dragol (D) – Edwin Rosen (D) – Eisfabrik (D) – Eisregen (D) – Ekkehard Fellner (D) – Elvenking (I) – Empathy Test (UK) – Erk Aicrag (MEX) – Ernie Fleetenkieker (D) – Estampie (D) – FabrikC (D) – Faun (D) – Fiasko Leitmotiv (I) – Fire + Ice (UK) – Florentine Joop (D) – For All The Emptiness (CDN) – Forced To Mode (D) – Forever Grey (USA) – Frank The Baptist (USA) – Front 242 (B) – Frontline Assembly (CDN) – General Dynamics (UK/CDN) – Gewalt (D) – Ghosting (D) – Goethes Erben (D) – Gossenpoeten (D) – Grausame Töchter (D) – Grey Gallows (GR) – Harpyie (D) – Harry Yeff – Reeps100 (UK) – Harsh Symmetry (USA) – Hekate (D) – Heldmaschine (D) – Her Abscence Fill The World (D/TR) – Hocico (MEX) – Holger Much (D) – Hubertus Schmidt (D) – Iamnoone (I) – Ice XVIII (D) – Ikon (AUS) – Ivo Nitschke (D) – J:Dead (D) – Jäger 90 (D) – Je T’aime (F) – Jürgen Meier (D) – Kaelte (D) – Katharina Nuttall (S) – Kiew (D) – Koenix (CH) – Kreign (USA) – Kælan Mikla (IS) – La Frontera Victoriana (D) – Lebanon Hanover (D/UK) – Left For Pleasure (D) – Left Hand Black (DK) – Leipziger Ballett (D) – Leæther Strip (DK) – Lisa Eckhart (A) – Lisanne Surborg (D) – Loell Duinn (HR) – Lord Of The Lost (D) – Lucas Lanthier (USA) – Lukas Dreyer (D) – Machinista (S) – Man In Motion (MEX) – Manntra (HR) – Markus Heitz (D) – Michael Schönheit (D) – Midgards Boten (D) – Milliken Chamber (USA) – Minuit Machine (F) – Miriam Haltmeier (D) – Mono No Aware (D) – Monolith (B) – Morgenstern (D) – Mosaic (D) – Nachtmahr (A) – Nachtwindheim (D) – Neuroklast (D) – Nikolas Schreck (USA) – Oberer Totpunkt (D) – Oswald Henke (D) – Pahl! (D) – Parade Ground (B) – Paradox Obscur (GR) – Patenbrigade: Wolff (D) – Perchta (A) – Philipp Hülsenbeck (D) – Piston Damp (N/DK) – Ploho (RUS) – Poison Point (F) – Qntal (D) – Ragnarök Nordic & Viking Folk (I) – Rauhbein (D) – Rein (S) – Remember Twilight (D) – Rosa Crux (F) – Rosegarden Funeral Party (USA) – Rotting Christ (GR) – Samuel Waffler (D) – Sardh (D) – Scherbentanz (D) – Sebastian Fitzek (D) – Shaârghot (F) – Shireen (NL) – Sieben (UK) – Skálmöld (IS) – Skeletal Family (UK) – So Long Until The Seance (NI/UK) – Solitary Experiments (D) – Soman (D) – Starlights Live – Die Kirchen-Orgel-Show (D) – Steintor Herrenchor (D) – Stimmgewalt (D) – Stranger & Lovers (MEX) – Strobo.Lolita (D) – Suicide Commando (B) – Sündenklang (D) – Super Besse (BY) – Synthattack (D) – Tales Of Nebelheym (D) – Talk To Her (I) – tAngerinecAt (UK) – Teknovore (GR) – Temmis (D) – Tension Control (D) – The Arch (B) – The KVB (UK) – The March Violets (UK) – The Mission (UK) – The Other (D) – TheaterPACK (D) – Thilo Farr (D) – This Eternal Decay (I) – Thyrfing (S) – Tilo Augsten (D) – Toal (D) – Traitrs (CDN) – Tristan Brusch (D) – Ultra Sunn (B) – Undertheskin (PL) – Untoten (D) – Unzucht (D) – Utmarken (S) – V2A (UK) – Versus Goliath (D) – Vision Video (USA) – Vlure (UK) – Vogelfrey (D) – Vortex (D) – Wingtips (USA) – Wolfenmond (D) – XIV Dark Centuries (D) – Zanias (AUS) – Zwischenlichten (D) – Zynic (D)

…and more! You can find the current lineup and venues on the official WGT website or via their Facebook page.

Besides live concerts there are two medieval markets (at Moritzbastei and Torhaus Dölitz), art exhibitions, readings, classical concerts and theater performances. During the day, you can go shopping for all kinds of dark clothing and accessories from corsets to tailor-made vampire fangs at the Black Market – a huge hall full of stands on the agra festival site. At night, the party continues at several clubs where international DJs play different dark styles from 80s to industrial.

In addition to the official program, there are lots of unofficial fringe events happening during WGT in Leipzig, too. Don’t miss the highlights below!

Victorian Picnic
The „Victorian Picnic“ on Friday afternoon in the park is an iconic event during WGT, especially for those who like to dress up in Victorian, steampunk, baroque or all kinds of neo/dark romantic styles. Hundreds of elegantly costumed people meet up in style for a dazzling picnic or stroll in the park! More on the Facebook-Event page.

Friday, May 26, 2 pm – 5 pm, Clara-Zetkin-Park, free admission

Medieval market „Heidnisches Dorf“
The medieval market is definitely among the highlights of WGT each year. Soak in the atmosphere at Torhaus Dölitz, where lots of stalls sell clothing, accessories, hearty food and drink among shady trees or demonstrate traditional arts and crafts.

Sit on the grass, sip mead beer and listen to medieval/folk/classical live music all day before catching a fire show at night!

Note: The medieval markets are open for everyone, not just festivalgoers, but there’s no entrance fee if you have a WGT wristband.

Heidnisches Dorf, daily from Friday to Monday, 11 am until late, Torhaus Dölitz, Helenenstr. 24, tram stop: Leinestr.

Museums, exhibitions and guided tours during WGT
During WGT, several Leipzig museums offer free admission to exhibitions or special guided tours and lectures for WGT attendees. Visiting one of the museums during the day before going to band gigs later is highly recommended!

You can find more information about museums, exhibitions and guided tours here.

Classical music, opera and theater
For those of you interested in classical music, Opera Leipzig, ballet and theater, the concert hall Gewandhaus and others usually offer a limited share of free tickets for WGT attendees. You can’t make a reservation, so be there super early!

Find more information in the official program!

Musikalische Komödie presents "Sweeney Todd"
This year, Leipzig Opera will make gothic hearts beat a little faster: "Sweeney Todd", the dark musical comedy by Stephen Sondheim, is on during WGT weekend! Every goth knows the story of the bloodthirsty barber from Tim Burton's film starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, which has its roots in the "Penny Dreadful" horror stories popular in Victorian England.

More info and tickets here! There will be a limited amount of free tickets for WGT attendees for every show (no reservation possible, so be there early)!

Use the hashtag #WGTLeipzig to share your WGT pics on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and find out what else is going on during WGT!

We will be posting from WGT so feel free to follow Leipzig Travel on Facebook and Instagram and make sure you also follow our guest blogger Susi from Black Dots White Spots on Instagram.

You’re a photographer or blogger interested in a cooperation or in being featured? Contact us and tag @leipzigtravel in your posts!

Fans of retro-futurism will meet on Saturday afternoon for a picnic in dazzling steampunk costumes at Deutsches Kleingärtnermuseum. Find out more about the event here.

Saturday, May 27, 2 – 6 pm, Deutsches Kleingärtnermuseum, Aachener Str. 7, free admission

“Indie boys, gothic girls and sissy punks” can dance the night away to old school wave, post punk, synth pop and indietronics tunes at this „Queer Wave Party“ on Saturday night.

Saturday, May 27, from 10 pm, Institut für Zukunft, An den Tierkliniken 38-40, tickets at the door, more info here.

NINE INCH NAILS | INDUSTRIAL ROCK | ULTRA-HEAVY BEATS

DJ PuPPe (Villa, EBM Warm-Up, FT, Bunker/Dresden)
Dj dRiLL (Terror Dance, dRiLL, WGT-Leipzig, Common Roots, FT…)

Saturday, May 27, from 11 pm, Soltmann, Riemannstr. 40, more info: Facebook event page

Discover Leipzig’s dark secrets on two guided ghost tours - especially made for WGT (in German only). One is a cemetery tour of Alter Johannisfriedhof, Leipzig’s oldest cemetery. The other will reveal dark secrets in the city’s historic center. Book your tour - if you dare!

If you need a moment of peace and quiet during WGT, enjoy the gloomy and sepulchral atmosphere of Leipzig's historic cemeteries. Alter Johannisfriedhof („Old St. John’s Cemetery“) at the eastern end of the city center is an impressive park with approx. 400 tombs from the periods of Baroque, Classicism and Historicism.

Südfriedhof („Southern Cemetery“) is one of the largest cemeteries in Germany and definitely worth a visit.

During WGT, you can explore both cemeteries on special guided cemetery tours (in German only). More details here!

You are in town for WGT and would like to see more of Leipzig’s and visit a cool neighborhood?

Join a guided walking tour through Plagwitz and Lindenau, two alternative and up- and coming neighborhoods in Leipzig’s west end. Walk or take a boat tour along the canals and discover historic industrial buildings that are now being used as art and event spaces.

You can book tours on foot, bike or boat here and here (you can make a request for an English tour).

There is a great variety of food options in Leipzig from traditional German food to all kinds of international cuisines, from vegetarian and vegan fare to sweet delights. We listed some of our favorite food spots for you.

Acapulco Leipzig
„Mexican meets Saxon“ fusion restaurant on the hip Karl-Liebknecht-Straße or “Karli” in the trendy Südvorstadt district (in between city center and agra festival site). Reasonably priced, large selection of drinks, friendly staff and cosy atmosphere.
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 42
04107 Leipzig

Zest Leipzig
“Vegan experimental” probably describes this restaurant best. Situated on Bornaische Straße in Connewitz, this restaurant is worth a visit for the extraordinary (and yummy) dishes and drinks.
Bornaische Straße 54
Leipzig 04277

Café Cantona
A stylish mix between breakfast café, restaurant and sports bar with retro flair close to the city centre. Stop here for breakfast, coffee, burgers, sandwiches or drinks.
Windmühlenstr. 29
04107 Leipzig

Cafe Maître
French-style café on Karl-Liebknecht-Straße (main drag of Leipzig’s hip Südvorstadt). Good for breakfast, coffee, tea and homemade pastries from their patisserie. We love the crepes and galettes!
Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 62
04275 Leipzig

Andria
Italian restaurant in the middle of downtown with a special gothic menu during WGT. The restaurant is quite large so odds are good to get a table during WGT weekend.
Nikolaistr. 22
04109 Leipzig

Kaiserbad
Café/bar/restaurant/beer garden with a retro-industrial feel in a former industrial building at Westwerk. Stylish interior, breakfast, lunch, dinner, beer garden and bar.
Karl-Heine-Str. 93
04229 Leipzig

Süß + Salzig
Cosy café with homemade cakes, quiches and salads in Leipzig’s west. Breakfast starts every morning at 10 am (including vegan and vegetarian options.)
Merseburger Str. 44
04177 Leipzig

Green Soul
This vegan and vegetarian restaurant in the east of Leipzig serves international food from Thai curry to pasta and German cuisine like vegan gulasch or Spätzle. Guests include Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore.
Johannisallee 7
04317 Leipzig

Symbiose
100% organic vegan restaurant on Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, between the city centre and the agra festival site. Symbiose has creative vegan dishes, homemade lemonade and an organic vegan brunch on Sundays.
Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 112
04275 Leipzig

Mintastique
Quirky atmosphere und freshly baked cupcakes made several times a day. A must for goths with a sweet fang!
Straße des 17. Juni 11
04107 Leipzig

Café Albert
Small and cosy café in Leipzig’s hip Plagwitz district in the west end. Homemade cakes, sandwiches and breakfast (also vegan and vegetarian options).
Karl-Heine-Str. 74
04229 Leipzig

Café Grundmann
Nostalgic Viennese-style café with a wide selection of coffee specialties and delicious breakfast offers.
August-Bebel-Straße 2
04275 Leipzig

Leipzig offers lots of shopping opportunities and also has several historic shopping arcades. You can also shop all sorts of dark fashion and accessories in Leipzig – from gothic or steampunk to metal and fetish clothing.

Black Market at WGT
The Black Market at the agra festival site is a huge hall full of vendors of dark clothing, accessoires, music and decor during Wave-Gotik-Treffen (you need the official WGT wristband to get in).
Bornaische Straße 210
04279 Leipzig
Hall 1-4

EMP Store
Band shirts, metal and goth clothing and accessories on three floors in the city center.
Brühl 10
04109 Leipzig

Gothic-Second-Hand
This little thrift shop in Connewitz offers gothic, punk and metal clothing only - all second hand.
Wolfgang-Heinze-Straße 9
04277 Leipzig-Connewitz

DarkXity Gothic Shop
Goth, punk and medieval clothing and accessories.
Ranstädter Steinweg 5
04109 Leipzig

Queen of Darkness Gothic Store (WGT Shopping)
Pop-up goth shop by goth clothing brand Queen of Darkness on WGT Friday, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 8 pm.
Ludwig-Hupfeld-Straße 16
04178 Leipzig
You can also shop at flea/vintage/antique markets during WGT! You can find all dates for flea markets in Leipzig here.

During Wave Gotik Treffen, public transport in the city is already included in your festival ticket! The easiest option is to use the trams to get to the festival locations. Just follow the groups of black-clad people!

Public transport and transport app
In order to find out about connections, we recommend you use the map and journey planner by Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe, Leipzig’s official public transport. You can also get a map at the LVB service center in Peters-/Markgrafenstraße or at the LVB office inside the main station, or you can download the free LeipzigMOVE app to your phone to check connections.

You can find all info on tickets and prices for public transport in Leipzig here.

Leipzig by bike
Leipzigers love to cycle around – join them! You can rent a city bike via Nextbike - if your outfit permits. You can find the available bikes nearest to you via the Nextbike app, rent them and return them in many places all over the city via the app.

Leipzig Card
If you arrive in Leipzig before WGT or plan to extend your stay to explore more of the city, check out our Leipzig Card which gives you free public transport on all bus, tram and S-Bahn lines in the city and up to 50% discount for museums, cultural events, recreational facilities but also restaurants, cafés, city tours etc. The Leipzig Card ist available online or at the tourist information.

Leipzig Regio Card
The Leipzig Regio Card includes all the benefits and discounts of the regular Leipzig Card but also includes the whole region: You can use transport within the Transport Middle Germany network (Verkehrsverbund Mitteldeutschland (MDV)) and get discounts and special offers for museums, theaters, restaurants, shops and recreational facilities in Leipzig and the surrounding region.

Search for accomodation in Leipzig here, or give the official accommodation office a call – they can help you find a place to stay: +49 (0)341 7104 225.
You can also try the WGT forum to find private accomodation in Leipzig for the festival, or offer others a place to sleep if you live in Leipzig.
Couchsurfing is a community where travelers can find private hosts to stay with all over the world by ’surfing‘ on their couch or host guests themselves. It’s free or rather based on a non-monetary exchange such as cooking a meal or showing your guest around. It’s a great way to find cheap accomodation, to connect with locals and meet other travelers. You need to become a member and create a profile on the website.
There is a festival campsite at the agra fair grounds that you can use during WGT after getting an additional ticket for 30,- Euros („Obsorge Ticket“, see „tickets“ above). Be there at the moment it opens to get a good space!

While wild camping is not allowed, there are several campsites for campers, caravans or RVs around Leipzig, e.g. Wohnmobilstellplatz Auenhain or Campingplatz Markkleeberger See.

The campsite at Lake Kulkwitz (Kulkwitzer See) is spacious and only ten minutes from the city center. There are also bungalows and holiday apartments.

A centrally-located option is Wohnmobilstellplatz Leipzig Zentrum und Zoo.

Six kilometers from the city center, you’ll find the modern 4-star campsite and motel Auensee. The campsite has a good reputation for its clean sanitary facilities. There are also sites for caravans and RVs.

You can also stay at LAGOVIDA Holiday Resort at Störmthaler See with more than 45 caravan sites.
Do you have any questions? The tourist information team at Katharinenstraße 8 in the city center will support you during WGT and help you with all your questions concerning Leipzig and the region.