Coll:b am Hof – Local Bands, Live Music

Last week Innsbruck felt a little different. The Marktplatz already becomes one of the city’s main meeting points once the weather gets warmer. Last week from Wednesday through Saturday Coll:b am Hof took over the space, it turned into something between an open-air living room and a small music festival. Even though the weather wasn’t always the best, that didn’t stop people coming out to support local, up and coming bands and DJ’s and put music in the forefront. 

The soft opening of the event was Wednesday so I stopped by after work. The sun was still high, people were sitting everywhere along the square, and there was that first real feeling of summer in the city. A four-piece rock band opened the evening with original songs before things slowly shifted into a DJ set with relaxed, easy-going beats. Nobody seemed in a rush to be anywhere else. People stayed for the last warm hours of the day, drinks in hand, listening to music as the light faded behind the mountains.

One thing I really liked was how naturally the whole setup fit into the Marktplatz. Stage 12 had a cargo container that was a compact little bar serving drinks and snacks, there are ping pong tables and the new seating areas of the Marktplatz, including rentable folding chairs which made it easy to stay longer than planned. Families with kids were running around the square, students were stretched out in the sun, tourists stopped to listen for a while, and locals treated it like their usual after-work spot. Typical warm weather Innsbruck vibes! 

That seems to be the whole idea behind Coll:b am Hof. While Austria was busy with Eurovision fever, this project focused more on the local and regional music scene. Over four days, the Marktplatz became an open stage for emerging artists from Tirol, Südtirol and Trentino, mixed with workshops, discussions and DJ sessions. The program moved easily between indie, soul, electronic music, hip-hop, metal and experimental sounds without feeling forced.

Friday had a completely different atmosphere. The weather had turned colder, and rain was threatening all evening. I caught Leol’s set just after work — a solo performance built around a small travel guitar, looping station and understated electronic beats. It fit the mood perfectly. People were standing closer together this time, some wrapped in jackets, others holding umbrellas that spent the evening switching between sun protection and rain cover, which honestly feels very typical for Innsbruck in May.

Even with the grey skies, the crowd stayed. Maybe not as many people lounging around as on Wednesday, but still enough to give the space energy. The rain only really started later in the evening, and until then people kept swaying along to the music like they had collectively decided to ignore the weather for a few more hours. Coll:b am Hof simply gave space to local artists, good music and people wanting to spend time outside together. Sometimes that’s all we could have asked for! 

All Photos : @Laura Wunsch