Leipzig’s Longest-Running Club Distillery Hosts Its Last Dance

Over a 72-hour party marathon, legendary Leipzig club Distillery bid farewell to its hallowed location on Kurt-Eisner-Strasse last weekend. Teeming with emotions and beats, the music temple’s closing party welcomed a nostalgic crowd of long-time patrons, techno aficionados, and curious first-timers. 

Among the crowd were those like Maxi and Susan, regulars since 1998, who saw the club as a cornerstone of their youth. They watched as a heart-shaped cluster of candles flickered on the dance floor, a silent testament to their collective sadness. 

“It’s his life’s work. At some point, the excavators will be here and flatten the club,” Maxi said, referring to club operator Steffen Kache.

With a history spanning three decades, Distillery is one of Leipzig’s cultural insitutions, hosting renowned artists like Ellen Allien and Dan Drastic. 

Last month, Leipzig’s oldest nightclub announced that its Kurt-Eisner-Strasse home would be demolished for a new housing project. Despite fighting against the proposal for over a decade, Distillery’s management couldn’t avoid the imminent danger. 

“In the end, the property developers came with so much money and the politicians couldn’t say no,” Distillery’s Anne Petzold told Resident Advisor. 

“Over 30 years of history is dying right now. How can a city like Leipzig let something like this happen?”

But every ending has a new beginning. The team behind Distillery plans to construct a new club at a different location in Leipzig. If all goes according to plan, the music institution could reopen its doors before the end of the year.