Information
Date: November 9, 2004
City: Lisbon, Portugal
Author: anjo_negro
Review
November 9, 2004 - a day to remember. The day when Rammstein set Lisboa's Pavilhão Atlântico on fire and I was there to see it.
It was not my first time on a R+ show, but nevertheless it was well worth travelling 8 hours in one day, on an uncomfortable train where all we could breathe was bad weed, just to see them. It was also well worth almost getting trampeled by the insane mosh I was pushed into, all of a sudden.Someone must tell me, one day, why people want to miss such a spectacle for mosh. But not now.
Now I just want to write down every little detail I can still think of, for time erases precious small memories, things I'll want to remember forever.
I had already heard something about this tour's features, so I wasn't totally caught by surprise, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw and felt. Also I was expecting that I wouldn't feel it as strongly as in the last time I saw them, 2 years ago, as there's nothing like the first time... but I was wrong. I surrendered again, just like before.
Exilia had done their best, no doubt (despite every song sounding exactly the same as the previous one), but no one could stand waiting any longer for Rammstein. So, as the men in the flashlight-bats came in, in their executive oufits, and the big black curtain fell down with a swift drop unveiling the band at once, the crowd went bezerk. Sanity had lost its place in there for the next 2 hours.
I consider myself a rather contained person, but I couldn't help feeling a very strong comotion as I heard the first chords of 'Reise Reise'. Almost as if I couldn't believe it was real. That song really makes an effect on us and it's definitely very well chosen for the opening. I was surprised to see Flake doing so well with the accordion - it's a good thing they're getting more into using real instruments instead of sampling everything on the keyboard. As the song evolved, we were getting in touch with the enormous stage - more industrial-like and cold-looking than ever - and its new features, such as the two little lifts that brought Richard and Paul down from the 2nd floor, where Schneider stood behind the drums almost throughout all the show.
Right after, with no time to breathe between songs, came Links and its military rhythm we all know and love. The audience immediately responded and sang along from beginning to end.
Next, Keine Lust, Feuer Frei and Rein Raus. A powerful trio driving every drop of adrenaline wild. I got to see my beloved flamethrowing masks again! Awesome as ever, putting on an overwhelming show, leaving everyone breathless, histerical, mad... whatever!
Morgenstern follows. Personally, I didn't think it worked as well as the other songs live, which was a shame. I really like it, but some songs just work better than others. Still, it was very good and had a very good response from the public. In fact, there was nothing the public didn't respond well to. :D
Then came Mein Teil, this tour's crown jewel. Some even say, the substitute for Bück Dich, and there's a reason for that: Flake gets bullied again by a Till in a chef's costume. Holding a knife microphone, the metzgermeister carries out to the stage a huge cauldron with a strangely clad Flake cooking inside. Of course, there had to be some fire to cook him, so Till uses a flamethrower again (don't we just love to see him do that? :D) and points it directly to the cauldron. By the end of the song, Flake jumps out and bursts into little explosions. Needless to say we all went nuts with this one.
Next, Stein um Stein. Not one of my favorites, but I must recognize it works very well live. It's a powerful ballad, and Till's voice is more melodic than ever before.
Los. One of the moments I had higher expectations on. Rammstein going acoustic is something I had never heard of before, and it worked amazingly. Everyone sang along (especially the 'los' parts :D). I knew Los was next when I saw the crew bringing in a smaller drum set to the platform on the right (really close to where I was standing :D). Then Schneider came down from the 2nd floor in one of the lifts, and only then did I see him properly. Nice legs indeed, but those fishnet stockings don't suit him, in my opinion.
Then, Moskau. I have not much to say about this one, for here was when I had a harder time with the moshpit, and I was forced to be more worried about saving my skin than seeing what went on the stage. :( All I can remember is the intro, the brothel lights (after all, they do say Moskau's a prositute, don't they? :P), then someone pushing me around to god knows where, and then Till substituting the girl with his own german version in the "Ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst" part. I also remember being amazed at how well the public knew the russian bits and sang them as well! I never thougth there were so many as crazy as myself. :D In fact, I was surprised that so many already knew most of the lyrics of "Reise, Reise". Right in the end of the song, where the girl shouts "Moskau!" one last time, Till said "Lissbôa" instead.
Now, the next one I remember very well: Du Riescht so Gut. One of my favorite oldies, both due to the song itself and to its performance on stage. Seeing the mithical sparkling bow in action is unforgettable. What an effect! The novelty of the fire... er.. thingies attached to Paul's and Richard's arms was awesome too! Of course, it was one of the songs that had the most enthusiasm from the audience, since I bet every soul in there knew it by heart.
Much like the next one: Du Hast. I'd dare say it was the best moment of the night, but I can't, because every different moment was so great. But it's a pretty close runner up. Not only it is perhaps the best known Rammstein song, but it also presented us with a new fire trick, besides the usual (and much loved) giant flames in the back and front of the stage: in the middle of the song, Till points some sort of cross-bow above his head and shoots fire on something above the stage, that ricochets two fireballs to a pole in the middle of the public (which I hadn't noticed before), where they finally explode. Twice! The sight of fire going over our heads was way wicked! :D
In Sehnsucht, I finally got the answer to something that I wondered since I entered the venue: "what are those strings with little balls hanging on top of the stage for?" Well, they're for exploding, sinchronized with the drums in the beggining of the song! :D Another sing-along for us all, fantastic every second. No words, really.
Then, the song that would finish the main setlist: Amerika. Now, this was a surprise. The lights in the back of the stage move to form some sort of distorted american flag (everything in that stage moves, it's amazing!), and Flake climbs on a moving platform with a keyboard, which he drives himself at will. What followed was pure Las Vegas-style entertainment: thousands of millions of silver confettis are blown from behind Flake into the audience, driving everyone wild. It was stunning!
The first encore started with Rammstein. No more asbestos jacket for Till, as he now uses a flamethrower attached to each arm and no longer sets himself on fire. It's good to see some changes every now and then, even though we love the old tricks.
Next, Sonne. Better than before, even if that seemed impossible to achieve. The fire effects keep getting better and better, it's unbelievable! The numbers appeared in the back lights during the chorus, counting along with everyone... "EINS" - "hier kommt die sonne"... "ZWEI"... and so on.
Ich Will follows, to present us with one of the best moments of the concert. The fact that everyone knew the lyrics also helped to the magnificence of this song, but the band really outdid themselves in this one, in my opinion. A surprisingly well-pronounced "Obrigado, foi um prazer" [means "thank you, it's been a pleasure"] is heard for the first time in the pavillion.
After a short break, the second encore started in a lighter tone, with Ohne Dich. Leaning his head on Flake's shoulder, Till showed a very well trained and melodic voice. It was not one of my favorite songs, I confess, and at start I felt a bit disappointed that they dissed other songs and kept this one, but now I must say it works very, very well live. Everyone joined in and it was a beautiful moment.
Then, the wrap-up: Stripped. The raging crowd goes wild one final time with this powerful song, only to settle for a little while to see who would get on the rubber dinghy: good old, brave Olli! :D I wouldn't have been that brave, getting in the middle of that crowd! At one point there was this guy trying to get on the boat with him, and it nearly tipped over! I remember looking at the stage and seeing the rest of the guys laughing like mad at that sight! :D I hadn't seen the boat in 2002, so it was a highlight for me. A must in every Rammstein concert, forever. They can drop the Bück Dich act, but not the dinghy!
Once everyone's back in their place, it's time for the final "Obrigado"s. One by one, the band members go from side to side of the stage, to make sure they thank everyone, and finally leave the stage through the central hatch. Only Flake stays behind for a while longer, playing his portable keyboard as he's lifted to the 2nd floor... and disappears down the stairs at his left. In the air, a new sample from "engel" was used: a chorus sung in a robotic voice imitating little children... a perfect "goodbye". A sign that they haven't forgotten it, perhaps... let's hope one day we'll be lucky to see it again live.
And this is my review. Not a strictly descriptive one, as I can't even remember all tiny details for as much as I'd want to, but that was not what I wanted to do anyway. I prefer to write down my personal point of view about what went on, about all that I saw and felt.
All in all, I was positively surprised at how well Till's voice is sounding today - when I compare it to what I heard in 2002, it's much more trained and melodic, as well as deep and strong when it must. I was a bit afraid that, because the new album is so much more sung than growled (though I've absolutely nothing against Till's growling, that's what caught me in the first place :D ), it wouldn't work so well live, but I was completely wrong. Their sound is better than ever. The fire stunts are even more exquisite. The band's empathy with the public is more evident, they've lost some of the cold, distant look that characterized them back in the LAB days, and have lost nothing by assuming they like interacting with us just as much as the next artist. Still, they haven't lost the theatricalness we all love about them. Their act is even more elaborate and one notices it required much practice. And much pleasure in conceiving it too.
I tried to find a word to wrap this review with. One that would resume what I felt... but I can't find one. So, all I can think of right now is this:
"Thank you, Rammstein."