Palladium, Cologne, Germany18th December 2024
Die Antwoord - “Zef Winter Wonderland Tour” - Support: Lil2Hood
DIE ANTWOORD are continuing their project with additional concerts in Germany that they kicked off in Spring 2024: the “REANIMATION” of the South African duo that has shaken up the Pop, Electro, and Rap game in recent years. People from Western Germany and close foreign countries made their way to Cologne to see a short, but energetic show. The evening was opened by US DJane LIL2HOOD.
Lil2Hood
Last night in Cologne, FLASH WRLDWIDE aka LIL2HOOD set the crowd on fire as she opened for the South African cult band DIE ANTWOORD. Hailing from Southside Jamaica Queens, New York City, this DJ has taken the music world by storm since launching her career in 2015. With her innovative blend of sounds and genres, she has carved out a distinctive niche that excites her fans while challenging the music scene. https://www.flashwrldwide.net / https://www.facebook.com/flash.niper.1
Music & Performance
LIL2HOOD is known for breaking musical barriers and pushing the boundaries of the expected. Her set in Cologne was a perfect example of this philosophy: it kicked off with pulsating beats from dance, hard electro, and genres like Gqom and Baile Funk, eventually taking the audience to unexpected dimensions. Tracks like NIRVANA’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, RAMMSTEIN’s ‘Du hast’, SYSTEM OF A DOWN’s ‘Chop Suey’, and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s iconic ‘Killing in the Name’ made the set a truly unique experience. Beyond her technical brilliance, LIL2HOOD captivates with her striking visual aesthetic and sense of fashion. Her connection to her African roots is a central part of her work, seamlessly blending traditional influences with global trends to create a powerful and unparalleled atmosphere. With a global tour and a growing fan base, LIL2HOOD is well on her way to becoming one of the most influential artists of her time. Her mission: to transform the dance floor into a space of unity, energy, and ecstasy - a mission she more than accomplished in Cologne that night.
Die Antwoord
Let’s remember: in 2019, DIE ANTWOORD took a long break from touring around the world to focus again on what they love most: music and art. Ninja said, “We’ve been working in private for so long that some people thought we were dead!” At their first shows after the break, it became clear again that songs like ‘I Fink U Freeky’, ‘Baby’s On Fire’, and ‘Ugly Boy’ are still incredibly mind-blowing Rave-Rap bastards. Recently, the band also released the new documentary ‘ZEF The Story of Die Antwoord’. The producer and director is South African filmmaker Jon Day. By the way, the narrator of the documentary is Ninja and ¥o-Landi’s daughter, Sixteen Jones. https://dieantwoord.com / https://www.facebook.com/DieAntwoord
Music & Performance
Last night, the South African cult band DIE ANTWOORD transformed the Palladium in Cologne into a bizarre, electrifying Zef wonderland. As part of their “Zef Winter Wonderland” tour, Ninja (aka Watkin Jones) and Yolandi Visser (aka Anri du Toit) delivered their final show of the year, captivating both fans and critics - though not without the shadow of controversies and accusations.
The surreal stage design was both a mirror of their madness and a visual spectacle: massive inflatable figures resembling dreamlike creatures from another dimension dominated the scene, underscoring the band’s eccentric aesthetic. Combined with futuristic lighting effects, it created an atmosphere suspended somewhere between nightmare and fascination. However, a slight downside was the sound, which, in my opinion, was unbearably loud at times, even with ear protection. The setlist was a journey through the peaks and valleys of Zef. The musical experience began with a haunting intro by the Chanting Monks and an electrifying rendition of Carl Orff’s ‘O Fortuna’. This was followed by an explosive sequence of hits like ‘Fatty Boom Boom’, ‘Bang On Em’, and ‘Daddy’. Classics like ‘Banana Brain’ and ‘I Fink U Freeky’ had the crowd in a frenzy, while a surprising cover - TECHNOHEAD’s ‘I Wanna Be a Hippy’ - added unexpected moments to the show. The finale, ‘Enter the Ninja’, swept the audience away, providing a fitting end to an evening brimming with energy.
As overwhelming as the show’s staging was, the controversies surrounding DIE ANTWOORD were palpable and cast a shadow over the performance. Since 2019, the band has faced serious allegations. The homophobic attack on Andy Butler, accusations of sexual coercion by Zheani and Dionna Dal Monte, as well as the harrowing abuse claims by their adoptive son Gabriel du Preez are just a few examples. Critics accuse the band of using their artistic freedom as a shield for morally questionable behaviour. DIE ANTWOORD remains a double-edged sword: their artistic vision and captivating stage presence mesmerize fans, yet the ongoing controversies raise questions about whether their art can - or should - be viewed independently of its context. For the fans in Cologne, it was nevertheless an evening that will be remembered both musically and visually. Whether the band can continue to inspire the same enthusiasm in the future remains uncertain.
Setlist
00. Intro: Chanting Monks
01. O Fortuna (Carl Orff cover) (Remix à la Die Antwoord)
02. Fatty Boom Boom
03. Bang On Em
04. Daddy
05. Banana Brain
06. Pokèmon
07. Everything is Perfect (a capella)
08. Ugly Boy
09. Wat Pomp?
10. Fish Paste
11. I Wanna Be a Hippy (Technohead cover)
12. Pitbull Terrier (God’s Bezerker Trap Remix)
13. DIE ANTWOORD IS (not) DEAD
14. Baby’s on Fire
15. I Fink U Freeky
16. Happy Go Sucky Fucky
17. Never Le Nkemise 2
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18. Enter the Ninja
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 6
Light: 8
Total: 7.5 / 10
All Pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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