How Baden-Baden became Sportfreunde Stiller's rebellious second home
Sportfreunde Stiller's Baden-Baden Connection Goes Far Beyond Casino Nights
For Sportfreunde Stiller, Baden-Baden means far more than just their Casino Session on Thursday evening. The band's ties to the spa town stretch back over 30 years. After a long day, one of their favorite pastimes? A detour to the thermal baths—though sometimes, by the time they arrived, the place was already closed. That didn't stop singer Peter Brugger and drummer Florian Weber from finding a way in. In an interview with our music editor Matthias Kugler, they share the full story:
"Baden-Baden means so much more to us than just our Casino Session on Thursday night. We've been coming here for over 30 years. After a great day, nothing beat a spontaneous trip to the thermal baths—even if it was already closed. Peter and I still managed to get inside."
But let's rewind. You might be wondering: How did the Sportis end up in Baden-Baden in the first place? And how did they even come up with the idea of breaking into the thermal baths? In our morning show, the band told hosts Kemal and Anneta all about that unforgettable night—from the pub to the thermal bath heist.
Singer Peter Brugger and drummer Florian Weber first crossed paths in a Baden-Baden pub. They'd known each other before, but the band didn't exist yet. Back then, they were sports students with a friend from Baden-Baden. Together, they partied hard, danced the night away—and the rest, as they say, is history.
What happened next in Baden-Baden could almost be the plot of a crime thriller. Not only did they break into the thermal baths—they got caught.
"That night, the caretaker came by with his dog. And that's when we knew it was time to run."
—Drummer Florian Weber, in our interview
But before the thermal bath escapade, Weber recalls a pivotal moment in that pub—one that might just have been the spark for the band's entire story:
"At some point, I see Peter messing around at the DJ booth, telling the guy to cut the music. Then he grabs the mic, turns to the crowd, and announces he's about to sing a song. And he launches into this Italian ode to Diego Maradona. Unforgettable. Maybe that was the moment our band was born."
—Florian Weber, drummer of Sportfreunde Stiller, in our interview
