Rammstein Bring The Heat In Frankfurt

Swiss psychologist Carl Jung said, “The difference between a bad life and a good life is how well you walk through the fire.” In those terms German Metal behemoth Rammstein have been living their best lives for decades now.

Rammstein

Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt – 11 July 2024

Words: Ian Sutherland

Photography: Rob Lewis

No one comes close to the flamethrower bravado that surrounds their legendary stage shows, and this has grown from the daring club shows of the 1990s into a full-on stadium show extravaganza, which they’ve been touring around Europe this summer.

With no UK show in the offing and having only caught the band in their pre-stadium form previously, I was drawn to make the journey to Frankfurt and see what this band look like all grown up.

This is the first of three sold-out shows at the Deutsche Bank Park, fresh from hosting Euro 2024 football games. The weather has cooperated nicely, and the sun soaks into thousands of black-clad Metalheads outside the stadium, ready to feel the heat from another direction.

It’s still sunny when it’s showtime. The fact that the intro music used is Handel’s music from the Royal Fireworks is one of the subtle touches that signals that this is a band that thinks about things.

They launch into Ramm 4, and the sound is a bit boomy in the arena, but you can hear every instrument clearly. While you would hardly call them brutal in modern Metal terminology, the effect is of a massively solid juggernaut of a band with a sound to match the location. 

The first few numbers are mostly just highlighted with some lights and show that, stripped of pyro, they are still magnetic and a force to be reckoned with. 

Links 2-3-4 has the audience right in the mood and stomping along, while Sensucht is a masterclass in riffs and high energy. 

The first really theatrical point of the set comes with Puppe, a giant pram being set on fire is a suitably dark illustration for one of their darkest songs.

They are very comfortable mixing old favourites and more recent fayre, and the crowd is as word-perfect on the likes of Deutschland and Radio as they are on classics like Mein Hertz Brent.

The atmosphere is building and the main set comes to a close with three of the band’s most famous songs, each with an iconic piece of fiery theatre.

Mein Teil is on the third iteration of boiling keyboardist Flake alive in a cooking pot, and the flamethrowers get ever bigger.

Du Hast showcases singer Till Lindeman’s remarkable crowd control and the sight of fireworks flying across the arena to explode on the stage has lost none of its potency.

Sonne is the set closer which every band wishes it had. A deep sonorous yet catchy soundtrack illustrated with pyro that threatens to singe the roof of the stadium makes for an epic finish and huge smiles all around me. You can feel the heat from anywhere in the place.

Of course, they are far from finished, and they reappear on a small stage in the standing area to perform an unexpected (to me at least) piano and vocal version of Engel, followed by the now traditional crowd surfing in rubber boats return to the main stage.

They have more tunes to play to their adoring crowd and after being foamed in massive style during Pussy, Ich Will brings them to a new crescendo. The Deutsche Bank Park was rocking, grooving, getting down, singing, punching the air and generally having the time of their lives to this belter of a tune.

Another break and then the massive pyro attack on the senses which is their title song Rammstein hits home and with a final Adieu it’s all over.

Well over two hours of magnificent, epic, dark, thoughtful and sometimes downright weird Metal has left tens of thousands of fans elated, exhausted and satisfied. I’m generally not a fan of gigs in stadiums but this is one band which are totally capable of making it a worthwhile experience in terms of both sound and theatre.

There was a small demonstration outside regarding the accusations documented in the press about the band’s singer, and it remains to be seen whether that is a controversy that could derail this metal train.

On this showing, the appetite seems to be growing rather than receding, and I’m fascinated to see what they do next. Maybe some UK dates would be nice?

This article as updated on 16 July 2024, over the status of the retractable roof.