KW - Das Heizkraftwerk was a nightclub in Munich, Germany from 1996 to 2003. The techno club belonged, besides the Tresor and E-Werk in Berlin, the Dorian Gray and Omen in Frankfurt, and the Munich-based clubs Ultraschall, Natraj Temple and Millennium, to the most renowned clubs of Germany's 1990s techno culture.
- Venue
- KW - Das Heizkraftwerk
- Town
- Berg am Laim, DE
KW - Das Heizkraftwerk was a nightclub in Munich, Germany from 1996 to 2003. The techno club belonged, besides the Tresor and E-Werk in Berlin, the Dorian Gray and Omen in Frankfurt, and the Munich-based clubs Ultraschall, Natraj Temple and Millennium, to the most renowned clubs of Germany's 1990s techno culture. The nightclub, which in everyday language often was just called KW or Kraftwerk (English: power plant), opened in 1996 in a former combined heat and power plant on the grounds of the Kunstpark Ost, a former factory site of 90.000 m2 close to the Ostbahnhof train station in Munich's Berg am Laim district. It was the first large techno club on the grounds of the Kunstpark factory site. The club was renowned for featuring international stars of the techno, house and pop scene. The New Yorker David Morales was the premiere guest at the regular Saturday event called World League, which was held for the first time on 31 October 1996. Alongside Morales, international star DJs and live acts such as Sven Väth, Carl Cox, Paul van Dyk, Armand van Helden, Daft Punk, Masters at Work, Talla 2XLC, Marc Spoon, DJ Sneak, Frankie Knuckles, Bob Sinclar or Westbam performed regularly and often exclusively at the KW, when they were in Munich. Likewise, international pop stars such as Boy George or Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat chose the KW for their concerts. Such events then frequently attracted thousands of visitors, many of them arriving from afar, to the Kunstpark Ost, and soon the KW had built up a reputation all over Europe. The musical program of the nightclub concentrated on techno and house music. The Friday event Powerplant laid the focus on techno. In contrast, the Saturday event called World League, which lives on as one of Munich's most famous event series in other clubs to this day, was dedicated to house music as well as guest appearances of international stars. Among the residents of the KW were René Vaitl and DJ Tomcraft. The door policy of the club was rega