Our Story · Philosophy · History
Non-commercial, independent, and fuelled entirely by a love for music. This is the full story of why we started, what we believe, and where we've been.
Founded 2016 · Oberhausen, Germany · Dietmar Leibecke, Founder & Curator
Our Philosophy
MORE THAN JUST MUSIC
Static Roots Festival isn't just about the notes played. It's a feeling, a shared passion that genuinely connects everyone involved. Born from a deep love for roots, folk, and Americana, it has grown into a cherished gathering celebrated for its uniquely warm, family-like atmosphere.
Our core philosophy echoes 'Peace, Love, Rock'n'Roll'. We focus on creating a truly welcoming environment where everyone - artists and audience alike - feels valued and right at home.
We believe in sustainability that cares for both our environment and the well-being of everyone attending. Our motto, roots music to feed your soul, speaks to the heart of what we offer: an experience where the deep emotional power of music can genuinely nourish and inspire, creating lasting memories.
Static Roots is above all about connection. It's a place where people from across the globe gather, drawn together by their passion for music, ready to share unforgettable moments. In a world that often feels rushed, we cherish authenticity and depth: celebrating the power of music to truly connect us, heart to heart.
Ultimately, Static Roots weaves together well-being, artistic discovery, and community spirit. It's an invitation to celebrate the music you love in a way that also honours genuine connection, sustainability, and making a positive impact together.
A Stage for Emerging Artists
Hand-in-hand with our welcoming atmosphere is our commitment to providing a stage for incredible lesser-known and emerging artists - helping them connect with new fans who appreciate authentic talent before an international audience.
Acting On Values
We're proud to actively support the vital work of Doctors Without Borders / Ärzte Ohne Grenzen through our merchandise sales - turning our shared love for music into tangible help and demonstrating our commitment to compassion and solidarity.
Non-Commercial & Independent
Static Roots is non-commercial and independent. No corporate backing. No sponsored stages. Just music, community, and a genuine commitment to doing things the right way.
A True Community
The festival is built on the relationships between artists, audience, team, and organiser - all of equal importance. Everyone who comes to Static Roots, whether on stage or in front of it, is part of the same family.
The Founding Story
In 2016, Dietmar Leibecke found himself at a confluence of milestones: a 50th birthday, 25 years of marriage, a decade of promoting live music, and - most profoundly - a kidney transplant from his wife. Rather than conventional celebrations, the decision was to do something that reflected what truly mattered: music, community, and giving back.
What began as a personal celebration became something much larger. The inaugural Static Roots Festival was held at Zentrum Altenberg in Oberhausen, a former industrial church complex in the heart of the Ruhrgebiet, and was immediately voted one of the three best Americana music festivals in the world by LonesomeHighway.com readers (alongside AmericanaFest Nashville and Kilkenny Roots Festival).
Ten editions later, every early bird ticket has sold out. The international press has run out of superlatives. Artists keep coming back. And the community - from Oberhausen, from across Germany, from Ireland, the UK, the US & Canada, from everywhere - keeps finding its way here every July.
HOW THE NAME WAS BORN
While working as a Software Engineer, Dietmar came across an ESA article about data transmission from space - and the techniques used to minimise static noise that causes data errors. The word "static" stuck. Combined with the roots festival tradition (Kilkenny Roots, Take Root, ...), it became Static Roots. A festival named after a space agency's signal problem. That felt right.
Every Edition · 2016–2025
Ten years of music, community, and unforgettable weekends. Browse every edition: lineup, photos, and stories.
2025
Early birds gone in 10 minutes. Universal critical acclaim. Smaller room sold out before announcing lineup -> move into a bigger room. 30 tickets short of selling out.
2024
"The best little festival in Europe" - early sellout, even more accolades.
2022
A spectacular return after an almost three-year-hiatus. The community came back stronger.
2017
The first fully public edition. Two days, ninge acts. The format is born.
2016
The inaugural festival. Semi-public. Two days, eight acts (and one who never arrived).
Beyond The Festival Weekend
The festival is one weekend a year. The rest of the time, Static Roots doesn't stand still.
Static Roots Presents
The concert promotion side of Static Roots goes back further than the festival itself. Dietmar began promoting shows in 2006 and launched the Raumfahrtzentrum Saarner Kuppe house concert series in 2007. German music magazine Folker declared it one of Germany's most successful house concert series. Over 13 years and roughly 90 shows, it built the audience and community that the festival now draws from.
When the pandemic brought house concerts to a halt, Static Roots Presents was born in 2021 - public shows at intimate venues across the Ruhrgebiet, bringing the same spirit of curation to a new format. Artists like Jerry Joseph, Jesse Malin, The Delines, Chuck Prophet, Jesper Lindell, and Hayley Reardon have all come through.
Static Roots Sessions
Our commitment to artists goes beyond the festival stage. Every artist performing at Static Roots Festival is invited to record and film a professional session at TRESOHR Studios in Oberhausen - completely free of charge. World-class studio sound, multi-camera filming, and a growing archive of intimate performances.
The Sessions are made possible with the generous support of the Stiftung für Bildung und Kultur, standing with the festival for the third consecutive year. They help artists book gigs, reach new fans, and build momentum long after the festival weekend.
Stay Safe Sessions
When the world went into lockdown in 2020 and live music stopped, Static Roots didn't. The Stay Safe Sessions invited artists from across the world to contribute a video of one of their songs - keeping the community connected and giving musicians a platform during the hardest period the live music world had seen. Even someone as big today as Sierra Ferrell contributed a video to our series!
The response was extraordinary. The archive of performances that came in from artists across multiple continents became a testament to the resilience of the roots music community - and to the relationships that Static Roots had built over the years.
Static Roots on Spotify
Music is the point, year-round, not just in July. The Static Roots Spotify page curates playlists drawn from the community's listening: recommendations from friends across the world, from musicians seen live, and from the constant search for songs worth sharing.
The accompanying blog presents each addition to the playlist and explains why it's there - making it a genuine recommendation service rather than just an algorithm feed.
Ready For the 10th Anniversary?
Static Roots Festival 2026 — 10. & 11. Juli · Zentrum Altenberg · Oberhausen. The anniversary edition. Tickets are available now.
What the community says
TEN YEARS OF
SPINE-TINGLING MOMENTS
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