Rammstein / Coventry Building Society Arena / Coventry
Rammstein are a band I’ve wanted to see live for so long, and I regret not getting tickets to see them at the then named Trent FM Arena in Nottingham years back. Now I only have one option…. a mega-stadium show. I hate large venues, almost as much as festivals lol…. For me, my love of live music is in club and small venues, intimate, close, where audience and band are as one, where you meet new friends and enjoy a cheap beer and a laugh and meet the band at the merch table after. I don’t think there’s any atmosphere like it…..
What can I say about stadiums ? Firstly, the ‘exclusive’ and expensive on site premium parking costs, then the queues for miles before you even get there, the long wait for the show, because no matter how early you leave, you still hit stadium queues, and finally the ticket prices ! all these put me off big time. Then there is the show itself…. I see these mega shows on tv at Wembley and the like, with tiny ants far away on a platform, surrounded by a huge set, which partly obscures the view, so you end up watching the performers on the big screens. For me, they feel utterly pointless, too remote and aloof from the fans.
But once every now and again, I have to, because quite simply if you don’t, you can’t see certain bands anywhere else. So for the Foo Fighters, Green Day, Metallica and Black Sabbath…. I have broken that rule, and tonight, it was the turn of Rammstein. No media access for this one…. Band photographer only I’m told, such a shame as the image possibilities were incredible, but in some ways, nice to simply sit back enjoy every second.
Rammstein…… Till, Flake, Richard, Paul, Christoph and Oliver…… the legendary German industrial metal masters with a penchant for flamethrowers returned to the UK, and the unlikely surroundings of Coventry and a new (excellent album) in “Zeit” to perform.
I was right about the queues. Timed it to get there for 17:30 for a 19:30 show start and sat in a 4 mile queue on the M6. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Coventry Arena as a venue, and the food and drink outlets were plentiful, and reasonably priced too which made me happier while I waited for the show. Support was provided by Duo Jatekok a French duo who performed a number of piano arrangements of Rammstein songs from atop a small tower in the crowd. Thoroughly entertaining and a joy to listen to, demonstrating that metal and be delicate and beautiful. Sensational.
Then, the wait was over, the sun, which had been burning our eyes for the last two hours, was finally starting to dip behind the grandstand opposite, as the huge set stirred into action. As the introductory music (Handel?) played, a video screen of a waving Union Jack rose to the top to cheers.
The set starts with songs from the latest album “Zeit” with Armee der Tristan proving to be a great opener and setting a dramatic and moody atmosphere for whats to come next. This is followed by the quirky and snappy Zick Zack before we dive into the archive for the first time, with the ever-popular Links 2-3-4 with its powerful marching beat and it’s simply but infectious chorus that has the huge crowd singing along.
As the set progresses, it amazes me how well known the German lyrics are, and a great example is with Mein Hertz Brennt. An usual visual experience as Til sets a giant pram on fire mid stage. As with all the other stage props used tonight, it’s comically, ridiculously oversized… but I think thats the point, you can still watch whats happening without resorting to the TV screens. It works so well, and holds your attention.
The set is simply the biggest I’ve ever seen, the twin towers reaching high into the night sky above the rim of the stadium roof, the wall of lights and what can you say about the pyrotechnics ? With additional towers out in the floor standing crowd, the energy and heat created, feels warm on your face in the seating it’s so intense ! The next day, local news sources were reporting that the thunderous noise of the show and pyrotechnics could be heard as far as 11 miles away !!!
Half way through we are treated to a remix of Deustchland by Richard Z Kruspe, who performs from a lift rising between the twin towers, and has the whole audience on it’s feet dancing and waving their arms in the air. The rets of the band return to the stage and perform the same track in it’s usual form, before moving straight into one of my favourites Radio as the flames dance into the night sky.
Til’s maniacal stage persona is ‘on fire’ (sorry couldn’t resist) and no more so than in Mein Teil during which keyboardist Flake is stranded in a giant cauldron on stage, and is roasted three times by Til, starting with a small flamethrower, then something a little larger, before he storms off to the edge of the stage, as we watch Flake donning full fire retardant mask, the kind of thing a steel worker wears, before Til reappears with a flame cannon. The effect is incredible, and the protection is genuinely needed !
We head into Du Hast again, another track we all know the lyrics to before the main set ends with their classic Sonne. The flames reaching into the night, as what must have been about 30,000 metalheads sing along is simply an incredible sight.
As we waited the camera crews showed images of faces from the crowd on screen. Picking out one German fan with flag, moustache and glasses, it quickly descended into a fun game of cheers (when he appeared) and boos (when pretty much anyone else appeared) on screen. We didn’t have to wait long though and as the encore starts, the band appear on the small tour in the middle of the crowd, joined by support act Duo Jatekot, who played piano for a wonderful acoustic version of Engel. The band left the pianists playing and descended the stairs to where a fleet of inflatable dingy’s were waiting, and the crowd willingly carried them aloft back to the stage – Crowd surfing with a difference !
Back on the main stage, one of the many stand out performances came with Auslander followed by Du Riechst So Gut the two tracks back to back, working brilliantly together. Then, we had Pussy….. self explanatory track really, and this time instead of a flaming pram or cauldron, a giant cock-cannon is wheeled out onto the stage, that Till straddles, and joyfully rides across the stage, spraying the crowd with foam. And they loved it !
As the show draws to an end, we go back to where it all started really with a great rendition of Rammstein with its powerful and menacing riffs before we have Ich Will one of my favourite Rammstein tracks and the usual show closer, immaculately performed. But, we had one last surprise in store, as the band said Adieu by playing the final track from ‘Zeit’ to close the set. um.
And what a fitting end to an incredible night. The band stood in a row and Til thanked the crowd for singing along to their ’little German songs’ as they bowed and said their thank you’s, before standing in the cradle and being lifted to the top of the towers, before literally vanishing in a huge flash of explosions, smoke and flames.
And that was it, we rushed back to the car parks, trying to out-run each other to avoid the worst of the queues back onto the motorway, with the nights entertainment still ringing in our ears.
Quite simply….. it was stunning.
I still don’t care much for stadium/arena shows, for all the reasons listed (and moaned about) above. I think my problem is that the wrong kind of acts do mega shows. Solo artists like Ed Sheeran alone on a huge stage….? Nah !
Leave it to the German Industrial Masters……… !
If you only ever do one mega show…… make sure it’s a Rammstein show.
