FACE IN THE
CROWD
Is this you having a lovely time
watching Rammstein? Well, you’ve
won a Rammstein skate deck! Send
a picture of your face and your
ticket to [email protected] to
claim your loot!KERRANG! 61HOW WAS IT
FOR YOU?
TORE
MILTON KEYNES
“This was my
first time seeing
Rammstein. My
dad brought me
tonight, and I thought they
were absolutely brilliant. My
favourite bits were when they
had lots of explosions and fire!
I’d recommend anyone who
loves a great gig to come and
see Rammstein – there’s so much
going on.”CAM
SOUTH WALES
“They were fucking
unbelievable! I’ve
probably been a fan
of Rammstein for
about 11 years, after a friend at
school introduced me to them.
Sonne was my highlight, as it’s
my favourite song of theirs. The
only way tonight could have
been better was if I’d been
standing instead of seated, but
other than that, it was perfect.”AMY
LONDON
“I’m not sure it
gets any better
than that! I’ve liked
Rammstein for years.
Obviously they’re known for
their incredible live shows, but
that took it to the next level.
Everywhere you looked there
was something happening.
Sometimes shows that big
can feel a bit soulless, but
this was anything but.”Rammstein at a typical
small, DIY basement showW
e’re seven songs in when
Till Lindemann appears
pushing a giant, old-
fashioned pram. The
hulking frontman is wearing
a head-cam that projects his line of vision on
to the screen high above. We see the cool
expressions on the faces of guitarists Richard
Z. Kruspe and Paul Landers as they strum
the ominous chords to Puppe. We witness
the 30,000 people stretched out before
the band, unsure quite what to expect.
They’re right to be cautious, because as Till
gazes into the pram, we’re confronted with
the face of a demonic baby, crying as it’s
suddenly engulfed in flames. Just then, the
various towers around the venue follow suit,
as if fighting off a plague. It’s a genuinely
disturbing moment, and certainly not one
you’d expect from a stadium show, where
scale can often nullify emotional impact. But
then again, this is Rammstein, and thus metal
as performance art on the biggest stage
possible. And it’s fucking awesome.
This stage’s construction began a week
before the gig, which makes sense, given
how elaborate it is. Even during the fire-free
numbers, its sheer domineering size and
scale is something to behold – its enormous,
retina-destroying lights alone give the
impression of watching an industrial UFO,
and firmly put other bands in the shade.
These are given a proper workout during
Mein Herz Brennt, the orchestral chorus
of which provides the evening’s first – but
not last – breathtaking moment. Some that
follow, such as Richard DJing his remix of
Deutschland while his bandmates perform a
dance routine dressed in light-up suits, are
brand new. Others, such as Mein Teil, present
knowing callbacks that reward fandom. We’re
used to seeing Till forcing long-suffering
keyboard player Christian ‘Flake’ Lorenz into
a pot in an attempt to flambé him, only to
fail. As the song goes on, Till upgrades to a
flamethrower so unnecessarily big it’s fixed to
the ground. It is delightfully ludicrous.
But for all of the blockbusting, fiery and,
actually, genuinely creative and imaginative
set pieces, Rammstein’s music never feels
it’s being carried by them. Even the slow-
burning, effect-free opener of Was Ich Liebe
receives a stadium-wide sing-along, and when
Du Hast and Sonne hit, the response is one
other bands would kill for.
Despite the clout of its sound and the
scope of its vision, metal has few bands
capable of bothering places this size, let
alone putting on a show so expertly executed
and comprehensively thrilling. It makes you
wonder how it could be topped. Much like
the question of why the Germans chose this
venue, the home of League One football club
MK Dons, as the site of their only UK date
this year, it’s one only Rammstein can answer.
But there can be no doubt, it will be top of
the league stuff.JAMES HICKIE