Venue: Arena / Zagreb / Croatia
Concert date: 08.11.2011
Attendance: 10
Ticket price: 46.10€ (floor)
Sometimes a day just seems totally wrong for going to a gig – and that’s exactly how I felt before the Rammstein show in Zagreb. But you push yourself and go anyway, with a little voice in your head already saying you won’t regret it in the end. And that voice was right – I would have been seriously sorry to miss this one.
The packed parking lot around Arena and the nearby shopping center was proof that by around 8 p.m. things were already in full swing inside. This time the security guys at the Arena entrance were a bit friendlier to me too (or rather, I’d learned my lesson: nothing metal into the Arena except car keys – but of course that only applies to me, nobody else seems to have a problem with it), so we got into the hall quickly, where the screaming and playing of the Swedish band Deathstars was already echoing around. The support act grabbed the crowd’s attention with a tight, confident set and got a roaring round of applause after every song in return. A little past half eight Deathstars said their goodbyes, the hall started filling up fast, and total darkness at exactly nine o’clock announced the grand arrival of the stars of the night.
The intro tape played while a metal structure was lowered, serving as a bridge between the main stage and a smaller stage in the middle of the hall in front of the mixing desk. Rhythmic puffs of smoke blew out of the sides of the bridge as it came down. Rammstein marched into the hall from the side with a Croatian flag and a Rammstein flag in their hands. They slowly made their way onto the small stage, then across the bridge to the main stage, and hit us with the first song – Sonne. The hall glowed yellow, and the star of the night – keyboardist Flake – took his spot on the treadmill and so “walked” through most of the show. They continued with Amerika, Keine Lust, Asche zu Asche. Right from the start it was clear that Rammstein would keep their reputation for blazing shows, and they gave us some extra warmth on a cold November night with all sorts of pyro, including both guitarists spewing fire during Feuer frei. Then came the ballad Mutter with plenty of hot flames shooting from the stage, and a provocative show during Mein Tail, when Lindermann, in a bloody apron with a knife in his hand, chased poor treadmill-bound Flake, finally caught him and “cooked” him in a giant pot on stage.
Flake climbed out of the pot and back onto his treadmill, and the band carried on with the old hit Du riechst so gut, with sparks flying and guitars set on fire. We marched together to the beat of Links 2 3 4, and then came the peak of the crowd’s happiness (judging by the reaction, anyway) with Du hast. The whole hall sang along loudly with Lindermann on vocals. After roars of excitement – also thanks to outstanding pyro that lit up the entire hall – came Haifisch, during which sacrificial lamb Flake went on a “stroll through the crowd” in a rubber dinghy. He lived through some serious storms and turbulence, but made it back to the stage safe and sound, while the crew quickly set up equipment on the little stage in the middle of the hall in front of the mixing desk. At the end of the song the metal structure came down from the ceiling again, and the drummer led the rest of the band along the bridge to the small stage, where they took their positions and played Bück dich. During the song Lindermann sprayed the crowd with an artificial penis. On the small stage they then played Mann gegen Mann and the provocative Pussy, then moved back to the big stage, where Lindermann kept up the spraying, this time from a gigantic artificial penis that shot foam all over the audience.
After the first part ended, Rammstein came back on stage following a short bit of the crowd calling for them. So we also got Mein Herz brennt, Wollt ihr das Bett in flammen sehen and Ohne dich. Then Rammstein left the stage again, but everyone knew they wouldn’t say their final goodbye without Engel. And we were right – Lindermann returned to the stage with flaming wings, and to close they played Ich will and showered the audience in Zagreb’s Arena with colorful bits of paper.
Definitely one of those unforgettable gigs, if not for the music then for the show that goes with it. Outstanding pyro and theatrics, special makeup, and the theme and backdrop changing to match each song. Absolutely a show worth seeing!
photos: Milan Krušič
Setlist
1. Sonne 2. Amerika 3. Keine Lust 4. Asche zu Asche 5. Feuer frei 6. Mutter 7. Mein Tail 8. Du riechst so gut 9. Links 2 3 4 10 . Du hast 11. Haifisch 12. Bück dich 13. Mann gegen Mann 14. Pussy —encore I.— 15. Mein Herz brennt 16. Wollt ihr das Bett in flammen sehen 17. Ohne dich —encore II.— 18. Engel 19. Ich will
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