A lot of Fire in the Stadium

Rammstein is the biggest rock band on Earth at the moment. It was quite logical that this show at de Kuip (Rotterdam) had been sold out in two hours. Today two main things could spoil the fun. One was the warmth: Rammstein adds a big flames inferno to the show and that with an outside temperature of 30 degrees. The other issue might be the location: The old de Kuip is a football stadium that has to be renovated. How to host a hyper-modern and technical high-level rock show? And more important: how do you make it sound good?
Great that the mentioned issues were at the end non-issues. The heat plan worked pretty well. Loads of (free) water taps were helpful. Even the sun participated. Just in time the sun disappeared behind the stadium ring. The dark, impressive sound of the band was in de Kuip remarkable good. Loud as it should be, but completely reverb free.

The invited support / special guests, Duo Jatekok, was a bold and interesting choice. But fitting to Rammstein. Position two classic pianists at a special stage in the middle of the stadium and let them play Rammstein. Sometimes it was hard to recognize the songs, arranged for two pianos or at one point Quatre-main. However, for me it worked pretty well. I think, any ‘normal’ metal band would encounter less support from the audience as we were waiting for the big Rammstein.

The new, last month released album worked as a blood transfusion for the Germans, new energy. The Rammstein shows were always impressive, but the new album opened new possibilities to incorporate in their theatrical show. When processing the photos (shot by compact / no photo pass) you clearly see that a Rammstein show consist out of a scene for each song. The stage is a reference to Metropolis of Fritz Lang.

Rammstein opened with a big bang. The band entered stage one by one and started with ‘Was ich liebe‘, a song from the new album “Rammstein”. At the end the Stadium was filled by a black smelling smoke. The classic ‘Links 2-3-4‘ was followed by the new ‘Tattoo’ with singer Till Lindemann in his recognizable pounding mode. With ‘Sehnsucht” an oldie and to keep the balance the new ‘Zeig Dich’. After a bombastic intro, we had to wait for the chorus to get loads of fire.

The a bit slower ‘Mein Herz brennt’, with the ‘burning heart’ of Till, was a better known song and the crowd joined the chorus. In the song ‘Puppe’, in which Till sings about sexual confusion and child anxiety, a giant stroller gets on fire. The image is impressive, also because a camera captures the melting doll in the car and displays at in screen in top of the stage. At the end a dark cloud of black confetti covered the audience.

Actor/entertainer Till performs ‘Heirate Mich’ in style with a lot fire and smoke. The tragic love song ‘Diamond’ was full of emotion. Mid in the set is the controversial ‘Deutschland’. At first in a remix (dance) version with four man in suits with light elements. This took away a little the momentum. Or was it because the intended light show did not do a proper job due that it was still too bright. Smoke marked the changeover to the album version. With this the show started to build up again. After a block new songs ending with ‘Radio’ it was time for a block of classics.

This block opened with ‘Mein Teil’ including the cooking gimmick with the pot and the fire canon. The reaction of the crowd with ‘Du hasst’ was obvious. Within the song Till activated some pyro with the pyro gun. That went to the two light towers in the field and back. The fire technician was making overtime because loads of fire again with ‘Sonne’. The slow song ‘Ohne Dich’ with stage in blue lights was the end of this act.

The band went off stage and walked thru the crowd, in a corridor arranged by security, to the small stage in the middle of the field. There they performed ‘Engel’, in the Scala & Kolacny Brothers version, supported by Duo Jatekok. Impressive by its simplicity and the many telephone light all over in the stadium. All band member (except Till) went back by rubber boat; ‘surfing’ over the crowd.

The first encore. if you want to call it. started when all were back on Main Stage with ‘Ausländer’ supported by a bright white light show. In green light Till opened ‘Du Du riechst so gut’ with a pyro bow. When the green light changed to blue, the two guitarists activated the pyro at the sleeves of their suits. The song closed again in green. During the song the crew positioned the foam cannon in front of stage. During the song ‘Pussy’ the crowd directly in front of the stage was foamed by Till riding the cannon. Smoke and white confetti completed this experience.

In the meantime it has become more dark, bringing added value to the lightshow. The second encore was again overtime for the fire-crew. This last act opened with the song with the band’s name ‘Rammstein’. Loads of fire and additional fire from the fire wings of Till and two fire guitars. Rammstein closed with ‘Ich will‘. With loads of pyro including upwards pyro curtains. And finally the stage tower was on fire. To end with a bang.

With a Rammstein show, eye and ear go beautifully together. The burning tower will be in your memory (forever). That it tastes more is clear. The recently announced 2020 show in Goffert Park is already sold out.

More Photos: Rammstein, Duo Jatekok