Rammstein

As I put this post together I realize that some people may find the imagery and content of this post to be distasteful, disturbing and offensive. I would urge those people to decide whether or not to continue. Please remember my opening statement here in Abretokia. If you truly don't think you can handle it you can escape by clicking HERE. Otherwise, come with me as I talk about my favorite heavy metal band.

Several years ago I was listening to Bob and Brian (two morning talk show hosts on a local rock radio station) and they were mocking a German heavy metal band for writing a song where they said their name over and over again. They played the song and I admit I was amused to hear this word repeated many times through out the song. They then played the “single” of the most recent album. Less then a minute into that song I know I’d be learning more about this band. The song was “Du Hast” and the band was Rammstein.




Rammstein is a Heavy/Industrial Metal band from Germany. Formed in 1994, the band consists of members Till Lindemann (lead vocals), Richard Z. Kruspe (lead guitar and backing vocals), Paul H. Landers (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Oliver "Ollie" Riedel (bass guitar), Christoph "Doom" Schneider (drums and electronic percussion) and Christian "Flake" Lorenz (keyboards) all of which have remained with the band through out its career. The majority of their work is sung in German but instances of English, Spanish, French, and Russian can be found scattered amongst their catalog. They take their name from a town in Germany which was the site of an air show disaster in 1988.

What attracted me to Rammstein was the heavy and massive riffs carried along by the tank treads of the rhythm section. Add to this the cold industrial element supplied by the keyboard player and a vocal line delivered in growled, German gravel and you have what I believe is a perfect example of what “METAL” can sound like.
• "Du Riechst So Gut"
• “Sonne”
• “Mein Teil”



As I collected their albums I found other elements I liked. Many of their songs contain an undeniable groove that prevents the ability to stand still. Rammstein is not a one trick pony though. They have written some especially melodic songs where the aggression is soothed by a calmer vocal line and a more traditionally musical foundation.

• “Seemann”
• “Ohne dich”
• "Roter Sand"

As you can tell from most of the examples above they have a flair for theatrics in their videos. In addition to theatrical music videos, Rammstein is popularly known for their extensive pyrotechnical stage shows. In the above video for “Feuer Frei!” the face mounted blow-torches are used regularly on tour in addition to various “hands on” pyro devices (The “Fire Bow”, burning mic stands, a old time fuel pump with nozzle that the singer torches a “fan” with, Ect).









Included in the stage show are various moving stage parts (Hydraulic lifts the band uses during segments of the show) moving backdrops and custom lighting rigs, as well as a large and suspiciously shaped cannon that showers the audience with foam and streamers




and a raft in which one of the members “sails” over the crowd.




All in all Rammstein delivers on all fronts as a premier metal band,so you can imagine my excitement when a friend clues me in on their up-coming American tour, especially considering it’s been 10 years since their last U.S. tour. I found out they would be playing 8 shows in North America and 2 shows in Canada. One of those shows was in Chicago. I now had a mission.

Step 1: Get Ticket. For this I turned to my friend Mel, a veteran concert go’er. She helped me land the all important paper passport to musical greatness.

Next, I had to wait for the show date.

So I did………………….

The next thing I know, I’m standing in the sun in the parking lot outside the arena trying to take my own picture with marquee saying “Rammstein”.

This was achieved….


Eventually.



I then found some parking and made my way toward the line which was still in the sun and still in the parking lot. No worries thought, I had bought two bottles of water to drink while waiting.




I was in line for about 4 and a half hours when they let us in. I raced through the line, got my wristband




and made for the stage! The seating was general admission which means you got as close to the stage as you fought to be and I was with in the first two “rows”




In general admission shows, especially metal shows, when the show starts everyone pushes forward and thus everyone becomes sandwiched together with everyone else. It is essentially like 500 people embraced in one massive, heaving sweaty, gyrating hug. All of your parts and pressed firmly (and eventually moistly) against the person in front of you and at least 3 other people are pressed against you. So while waiting for the show to start, several of us struck up conversations with each other comparing drive times and concert stories. I chatted with people from Detroit, Pittsburg, Ohio, North Carolina, Kenosha, and Germany! Music is the great solidifier. Outside this arena we might fight hand and tooth but for a few hours on a Tuesday night we shared song and sweat as one family.

At long last the lights dim and the crowd goes wild!! The opening band is a group called Combicrist.



They had been getting some poor reviews but they tore up the stage at this show. There was a lot of good groove, metal, and action during their 45 minute set. They finished up with a toss about of their equipment on the stage. Now the tension ramped up a bit because we knew in a little bit, Rammstein would hit the stage!!

And the light went out again.

As the opening threads of the first song start playing the curtain opens to reveal what appears to be a factory wall. All of a sudden a pick axe begins breaking its way through on one side and a guitar starts breaking through on the other side. The two guitar players make their way through the wall and stand before us as a stream of sparks begins to flow from the center of the wall torch cutting yet another passage way for the lead singer to emerge from. The wall then falls and Rammstein begins their first show in Chicago in over 10 years!!

Setlist: I have tried to find live versions of all these songs so you can check them out at your leisure.

1. Rammlied
2. Buckstabu
3. Waidmanns Heil
4. Keine Lust
5. Weisses Fleisch
6. Feuer Frei!
7. Wiener Blut
8. Fruhling Un París
9. Ich Tu Dir Weh
10. Du Riescht So gut
11. Benzin
12. Links 2-3-4
13. Du Hast - This was the show I was at!!!
14. Pussy
15. Sonne - My favorite Song!!
16. Haifisch
17. Ich Will
18. Engel

The show ends with all six members coming to the front of the stage and kneeling down in thanks.



Till (the singer) with a heavy German accent, thanked us in English and told us it’s Christophe’s (the drummer) birthday. Everyone cheers and sings “Happy Birthday” while the band shares a glass of champagne on stage. Eventually the band leaves the stage and the house light come up and we all made our way out of the building and on to our own destinations.

As I drove home I reflected on the past several hours and smiled. I was soaked with sweat and sore from the physicality of the audience but I was deeply satisfied with the experience. I got to witness a band I’ve only seen in videos, a band comprised of great music and storylines with a stage show full of action, drama, and fire.




Oh, and did I mention that the arena I saw them in had a WOOD ROOF!!



I have heard rumors that a great deal of footage has been recorded from this tour and will be released as a concert DVD next year. I hope with great enthusiasm that this is true because I would love for people to get to see what I experienced in person because words don’t describe it. I have seen some monumental shows in my life but the Rammstein concert on May 10th 2011 will be a highlight for many, many years.