Rammstein, Dublin 2024. Photo – Down the Barrel Photography, exclusively for www.overdirve.ie © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
The long wait was finally over yesterday (June 23rd), and with a whole new generation of concert-attending fans ready to pop their collective Rammstein cherries, the concert Gods graced the Irish capital with a truly sensational day of glorious sunshine, setting the scene for a memorable event that will, no doubt, be ranked as one of the best live shows of the year.
Upon entering the venue, the striking image of Rammstein’s wildly impressive industrial fortress inspired the feeling of rigid dichotomy, as it stood in all it’s ominous magnificence, like a manifested H.R. Giger dream against the backdrop of the Disney-like clear blue sky. The electrifying anticipation of seeing this monstrosity in operation was rampant as the punters filled into the stadium while French classical piano duo, Abélard, performed their own rendition of Rammstein compositions, providing a calm and almost, surreal atmosphere before the main attraction.
With the clock striking eight, the theatrics of the bands entrance was compromised by the glaring sun, (which took away some of the visual impact), but by no means upstaged the fever that had gripped the 38k screaming fans in attendance, as they descended towards the stage in an elevator to the soundtrack of, ‘Music For the Royal Fireworks‘, before the first (of many) pyro explosions kicked off the evenings performance with ‘Ramm4‘.
Rammstein, Dublin 2024. Photo – Down the Barrel Photography, exclusively for www.overdirve.ie © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Looking every bit the superstars that they are, Rammstein get down to business with a formidable 21-track setlist, featuring ‘Links 2-3-4‘, ‘Keine Lust‘, ‘Sehnsucht‘, ‘Asche zu Asche‘, for starters, allowing their presence to blossom into a truly impressive visual beast.
With little to no between-song, commentary from Till, the band stick to the script, and let the music (and visuals) do the talking. Case in point with ‘Puppe‘, which saw the bands black-clad stage techs scurry about preparing for the entry of an enormous baby stroller which (yep, you guessed it), was on fire within moments of arriving on stage.
Rammstein, Dublin 2024. Photo – Down the Barrel Photography, exclusively for www.overdirve.ie © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
As thick plumes of black, red and white smoke seeped from the four imposing towers that populated the packed ‘Fuerzone‘, guitarists, Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe ripped through the bands setlist with their trademark, eccentric swagger, while keyboardist, Christian Lorenze, (who adorned in a gold sequenced number), was the target of a series of flame throwers during a pulsating version of, ‘Mein Teil‘, providing that light-hearted humour ,combined with outrageous pyro that Rammstein do so very well.
As the sun descended into the lush Dublin 4 background, the stage theatrics only intensified as explosions, confetti cannons and flares illuminated the venue, much to the delight of the captivated audience. ‘Du hast‘ saw a deafening chant that, I’m sure could be heard from miles away, causing residents from overlooking properties to stare on in bewilderment and fascination, proving that Rammstein truly are unmatched when it comes to a live extravaganza.
Rammstein, Dublin 2024. Photo – Down the Barrel Photography, exclusively for www.overdirve.ie © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the evening for me was ‘Sonne‘, which boomed into the atmosphere accompanied by blazing plumes of pyro that shot into the night sky. The level of commitment from the 38k attendees, and the ferocious execution from the band, will be a memory that will stay with me for years to come.
Following, ‘Sonne‘ the band members made their way to ‘Tower B‘, deep within the ‘Fuerzone‘, where they were joined by Abélard, for a piano version of ‘Engel‘, after which, the band made their way back to the stage via a fleet of dinghy boats, where they then proceeded to smash through, ‘Ausländer‘, ‘Du Riechst So Gut‘, and the infectious anthem that is, ‘Pussy‘, which saw Till ride a giant industrial phallic “foam” dispenser, back and forth, turning in the first twenty rows of punters into a hot mess.
They finish off their set with, ‘Ich Will‘, and return for an encore where they blast the venue with everything they have during, ‘Rammstein‘, and final track, ‘Adieu‘, lighting up the twilight sky with their monolithic presence.
As they bid their farewells amidst a hales of white confetti and wide-eyed hysteria from the crowd, the members of Rammstein return to the elevator platform they arrived in over two hours prior, and ascended into the heavens like super-humans at the end of a big budget blockbuster movie.
From the weather to the performance, to the energy of the punters, this show was simply spectacular. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another twelve years for their next return to Ireland. 5/5
Rammstein, Dublin 2024. Photo – Down the Barrel Photography, exclusively for www.overdirve.ie © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Words – Oran O’Beirne
Photography – Down The Barrel Photography, exclusively for www.overdrive.ie 2024
© 2024. All Rights Reserved
