Following Deathstars, it was finally time for Rammstein. "Why are you going to watch them? They don't even sing in English!" This has been the common, narrow minded question, put to me a lot, leading up to this show. Well, by the end of this review, I hope to have explained why.
First, there is the music, because at the end of the day, no matter how good a stage show is, it's the music that makes or breaks bands, and Rammstein have been around long enough to know this. In fact, this tour is in support of their new greatest hits compilation, entitled 'Made In Germany 1995-2011'. This is the bands first greatest hits album in their 17 year career, which started back in 1994, when they formed in Berlin. During this time, the band have amassed an impressive arsenal of hits including 'Du Hast', 'Ich Will' and 'Feuer Frei!', all of which received an airing tonight.
During their career, they have released six studio albums, 'Herzeleid', 'Sehnsucht', 'Mutter', 'Reise, Reise', 'Rosenrot' and 'Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da'. And material from all six of these, was also featured tonight. Rammstein opened their set with the epic 'Sonne', taken from the classic 'Mutter' album. From this point on the crowd were treated to hit after hit. Highlights as you would expect included 'Mutter', 'Mein Teil and 'Links 2-3-4. An encore of 'Mein Herz Brennt', 'Amerika', 'Ich Will', 'Engel' and the provocative 'Pussy' end the night in style and are a show of just how good these musicians are.
The line up of, singer Till Lindemann, guitarists Richard Z. Kruspe, Paul H. Landers, Oliver 'Ollie' Riedel, drummer Christoph 'Doom' Schneider and keyboardist Christian 'Flake' Lorenz has remained intact throughout the bands entire 17 year career, which is quite rare these days, and you could see it in their performance tonight. They clearly love what they do and show a great respect to the crowd.
If the great music isn't enough, Rammstein really do go all out with their stage show. And their stage show is my second answer for the "why are you going to see them?" question. You knew you were in for an amazing night when the lights first go out and a walkway was lowered from the roof of the arena and positioned over the heads of the crowd, linking the stage to a smaller stage located within the sound desk. The band members then made their way, through the crowd to this second stage, led out by a flaming torch. One by one the band made their way across the walkway to the main stage and the single torch lights two larger torches, one on each side of the stage.
Each song from this point seems to have it's own special prop. Be it Lorenz walking on a treadmill whilst playing his keyboards, flares or other forms of pyrotechnics coming from various band members or flaming microphones, Rammstein suck you into a show. Even if you don't know the music of Rammstein, their show is worth the ticket price alone.
Keyboardist Lorenz, played a large part in their show. Whether he was walking on his treadmill or surfing through the crowd on his rubber dingy, he was able to draw your attention. During 'Amerika', he walked to the front of the stage, using a Zimmer frame, which doubled up as a keyboard. If that wasn't cool enough, it then shot confetti out, all over the crowd. Lorenz and Lindemann's interaction throughout the show is also noteworthy. At one point Lindemann emerged from a trap door in the stage with a giant cauldron. Soon it was revealed that Lorenz was in the cauldron and Lindemann proceeded to engulf the cauldron in flames via a flamethrower.
Lindemann wasn't without his stage props either with a giant bow which shot sparks and a giant penis shaped cannon which sprayed foam over the audience during 'Pussy'. During 'Mutter' he was rained on by sparks, but perhaps Lindemann's most stunning prop, were the giant angel wings he dons for 'Engel'. Of course these were no normal angel wings, these wings shot flames out of their tips.
For the end of their main set, Rammstein headed back across the walkway to the second stage, with Schneider wearing a dress and wig, walking his band mates on leads and all fours. Once on the second stage they finished the main set with 'Buck Dich', 'Mann Gegen Mann' and 'Ohne Dich'. For the performance the second stage even rose, and lowered adding to the spectacle.
This leads me to point number three, the overall experience, a Rammstein gig is like no other! With Rammstein, you get brilliant music, an awesome stage show, packed full of pyrotechnics and props, and you have the great fans that support this band. So "Why are you going to see them? They don't even sing in English?" I say "Why don't you go and see for yourself, because words alone cannot do Rammstein justice."
article by: Paul Barnes
published: 27/02/2012 16:49
FUTURE GIGS
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