„All queer, all loud! Everyone here who dares!“ - As soon as you enter the Banane Autonomous Youth Centre in Erfurt, there is a certain energy in the air. It is one of those evenings that is more than just a concert. One that shows what is possible when people come together to strengthen each other. One that is loud and at the same time deeply solidary.
Rap as attitude and solidarity
An anti-fascist rap evening took place here on 6 December 2025. Organised as a benefit concert for the Queer Centre Erfurt, it quickly became clear that it wasn't just about rap music and shrill lyrics, but about visibility, cohesion and concrete support.
One song that sets the tone for the evening is „Coming Out Bernd“ by Thuringian artists TRAUMFRESSER and HAZEL. The song was originally released for Pride Month 2024, a politically charged year with state elections.
When it echoes through the room: „Dismantle heteronorms! Smash tradition! Backward-looking people will be amazed at how lovingly we're hitting the brown shit!’, then it's not just provocation. It is attitude. And it is supported by the audience.
Why support is so important
While the crowd gathers in front of the stage, it becomes clear in the background why this evening is necessary at all. The Queer Centre in Erfurt has existed since September 2021 and is funded by the Thuringian state budget. But this funding is anything but secure. Year after year, the centre has to tremble again: Will the money be granted again? Can the rent and staff still be paid? The first few months of the year in particular are characterised by uncertainty - a situation that saps energy and makes long-term prospects difficult.
This is precisely why a large number of acts from central Germany have joined forces. Whether it's DER NEBENWIDERSPRUCH from Halle, TRICKEL and TRAUMFRESSER from Weimar or SOLJANKA MC feat. CHAVVYNASTY and HAZEL from Jena: they will all be on stage together that evening - without a fee or reimbursement of travel expenses. What unites them is the desire to support the Queer Centre. And this in a city where right-wing violence is at an alarming level and queer people in particular are repeatedly the target of attacks!
This attitude is also evident behind the scenes. The AJZ „Banane“ team works entirely on a voluntary basis. Admission is based on donations, and even proceeds from the bar and the merch stand end up in the common pot. It is an evening that is fuelled by voluntary commitment from start to finish.
Mobilisation, doubt and full response
The preparations were anything but a matter of course. „Posters were put up all over the city,“ says main organiser IZZY BÜRGERMEISTER-LIPPENSTIFT, himself part of TRAUMFRESSER. They also mobilised online, a share pic went viral on social networks, collected over 270 likes and was shared many times. For a comparatively small event, that is quite remarkable. Nevertheless, the uncertainty remains: Will enough people turn up? Will it be enough to really make a difference?
But the AJZ does not remain empty. On the contrary: around 70 to 80 visitors turn up throughout the evening. For a room that can hold around 100 people, that's a great response. The atmosphere is great. People are rapping, dancing and chanting along.
In the end, IZZY draws a clear conclusion: „For Erfurt and the size of the location, I am very satisfied.“ But as he himself emphasises, the real benchmark is a different one: the amount of money raised.
When solidarity becomes concrete
And here, too, the evening lives up to its claim. A total of 856 euros was raised. 481 euros of which came directly from the visitors„ donations. The AJZ “Banane" contributed a further 375 euros. This is a clear sign that solidarity is not just a word here.
„My expectations were definitely exceeded!“ says IZZY looking back. And indeed, this evening shows how much is possible when many small contributions come together. When people share their time, their art and their resources.
What remains is more than a number. It is the feeling of having been part of something. A community that refuses to be intimidated. A community that is loud when it needs to be - and loving when it matters.
That was probably the greatest strength of this evening: It showed that resistance is not just about protest, but also about caring and solidarity. That culture can create spaces in which people feel safer.
What remains of this evening
When the karaoke machine is switched on towards the end, the boundaries between stage and audience are finally blurred. It no longer matters who is performing and who is watching. Everyone is part of the whole.
And perhaps that is precisely why one sentence resonates for a long time:
All queer, loud and here, who dare.
John Sherbaz
AJZ „Banane“ Erfurt
An important place for culture, encounters and commitment
The AJZ „Banane“ in Erfurt is a self-organised place for concerts, events, political education and solidarity. You can find more information about the centre, dates and history directly on the AJZ website.
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