Stadtpark Open Air, Hamburg, Germany18th July 2025
Air - “Play Moon Safari 2025” - Support: The Hidden Cameras
On 18 July 2025, AIR - the iconic French electronic duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean‑Benoît Dunckel - took to the stage at Stadtpark Open Air, Hamburg, to perform their groundbreaking album ‘Moon Safari’ in full. This celebrated 25th anniversary event was part of a very exclusive German leg of their tour with shows only in Munich, Hamburg, and an upcoming performance in Bonn on 6 August 2025 at Kunst!rasen Bonn. Complementing the dreamy elegance of AIR’s performance, THE HIDDEN CAMERAS delivered the supporting set, perfectly setting the tone for a magical evening.
Being local to Hamburg, we were truly fortunate - Hamburgers were among the lucky few to witness this rare live rendition of ‘Moon Safari’. Although some fans might remember AIR playing in Germany before, their appearances here have been few and far between - and mostly a long time ago. They did return to Berlin recently for a handful of intimate shows, sparking plenty of nostalgia among longtime listeners. Still, performances like these remain rare and truly special moments for German audiences.
The Hidden Cameras
THE HIDDEN CAMERAS are much more than just a band - they’re a spectacle, a celebration, and a statement. Founded in Toronto in 2001 by singer‑songwriter Joel Gibb, the group quickly made a name for themselves with their unique self‑described style: “Gay Church Folk.” Blending Indie Pop, Folk, Gospel, and a Theatrical edge, their music is both playful and profound - exploring themes of sexuality, identity, and belonging with wit and heart.
Their live shows are legendary: flamboyant, immersive performances featuring choirs, strings, dancers, and a joyous sense of freedom that draws the audience into their world. Over the years, they’ve released acclaimed albums like ‘Ecce Homo’, ‘The Smell of Our Own’, ‘Mississauga Goddam’, ‘Awoo’, and ‘Home on Native Land’. Their upcoming record ‘Bronto’, recorded in Munich and Berlin, is set to continue their creative journey in 2025. THE HIDDEN CAMERAS remain a rare and unforgettable act - unapologetically bold, beautifully melodic, and always full of life. For more, visit their official site: thehiddencameras.com
Music & Performance
THE HIDDEN CAMERAS opened the evening in Hamburg with a captivating and focused solo set by Joel Gibb. Steering away from theatrical production, Gibb took the stage unaccompanied - just him, his guitar, and a compact effects pedal. With each note, he played with sound, weaving in reverb and subtle distortion: moments felt hushed and intimate, others climbed into beautiful, echoing shifts that grabbed the listener’s attention.
Drawing from his extensive catalogue, Joel performed fan favourites like ‘Don’t Tell Me’, ‘Ceremony’, ‘Awoo’, ‘He Falls to Me’, ‘Undertow’, ‘Follow These Eyes’, ‘Mississauga Goddam’, ‘Day I Left Home’, ‘How Do You Love?’, ‘You Can Call’, and ‘A Miracle’ - mirroring the setlist he used throughout Europe this summer. Each song flowed seamlessly into the next, showcasing both his songwriting skill and his emotional delivery.
On stage, Gibb’s athletic presence - tall, lean, and agile - made a strong visual impact. He moved with quiet confidence, his physique reflecting arduous touring and the slower, contemplative intensity he brings to solo performances. His voice, warm and textured, filled the open-air stage, capturing both melancholy and charm.
This minimalist approach - no choir, no dancers, no strings - put Gibb front and centre, and he didn’t disappoint. The performance embodied vulnerability and precision, a raw snapshot of the creative core behind THE HIDDEN CAMERAS. It was a fitting, evocative prelude to AIR’s headlining show that evening.
Air
Few bands have shaped modern music quite like AIR. Since forming in Versailles in 1995, Nicolas Godin and Jean‑Benoît Dunckel have crafted a signature sound - dreamy, cinematic, and timeless - blending retro warmth with futuristic cool. Their debut album, ‘Moon Safari’ (1998), became an instant classic, with hits like ‘Sexy Boy’, ‘All I Need’, and ‘Kelly Watch the Stars’. It sold millions, influenced a generation, and remains one of the most iconic electronic records ever.
They followed with acclaimed albums and soundtracks, including ‘The Virgin Suicides’, ‘Talkie Walkie’, and ‘Pocket Symphony’, earning international awards and collaborations with artists like CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG, BECK, and DAVID BOWIE. Now, in 2025, AIR are celebrating the 25th anniversary of ‘Moon Safari’ with a rare tour performing the album live in full - a special gift to fans in select cities, including just three dates in Germany: Munich, Hamburg, and Bonn. AIR’s music is more than sound - it’s atmosphere and emotion, as timeless today as it was 25 years ago. https://www.airfrenchband.com / https://www.facebook.com/airfrenchband
Music & Performance
On a warm July night, Hamburg’s Stadtpark became the epicentre of a spellbinding sonic journey as AIR graced the stage with their “Moon Safari 25th Anniversary Tour”. What unfolded was more than just a concert - it was a fully immersive experience, a surreal voyage through sound and light, where the stage itself seemed to breathe like a living organism.
The performance began, as promised, with ‘Moon Safari’ in its entirety. The opening notes of ‘La Femme d’argent’ washed over the crowd like a tide of shimmering synths and gentle bass, setting the dreamlike tone of the evening. ‘Sexy Boy’ followed, playful and iconic, instantly awakening the audience’s nostalgia as everyone swayed and sang along to its cheeky refrain. Then came the tender melancholy of ‘All I Need’, its whispered lyrics and haunting strings tugging at heartstrings, while ‘Kelly Watch the Stars’ brought a breezy, upbeat energy, evoking summer skies and stargazing innocence.
Songs like ‘Talisman’, ‘Remember’, and ‘You Make It Easy’ unfolded like pages of an old, beloved diary - subtle, romantic, and full of quiet longing - while ‘Ce matin‐là’ and ‘New Star in the Sky (Chanson pour Solal)’ painted lush, cinematic soundscapes that transported the crowd into a dream. The closing notes of ‘Le Voyage de Pénélope’, hypnotic and mysterious, left the audience suspended in awe before the second set began.
Then AIR dove into other highlights from their celebrated career. ‘Radian and Venus’ (from ‘Talkie Walkie’, 2004) glowed with tender beauty. The beloved ‘Cherry Blossom Girl’, delicate yet seductive, sent a hush through the park, while ‘Run and Highschool Lover’ (from ‘The Virgin Suicides’ soundtrack) brought a bittersweet, nostalgic mood. The darker, more experimental ‘Dirty Trip’ and the pulsing ‘Don’t Be Light’ revealed the duo’s more daring side, before the encore swept everyone into quiet reverie with ‘Alone in Kyoto’ and the futuristic grandeur of ‘Electronic Performers’.
The stage design was nothing short of spectacular - a bombastic visual universe of its own. The band performed inside what felt like a shimmering aquarium of light and sound, with translucent panels, glowing colours, and evolving backdrops that shifted from starry skies to abstract dreamscapes. With each song, the lights and projections transformed the space into another world - at times cosmic, at times intimate, as if the audience was being gently submerged into different dimensions of AIR’s inner universe.
Throughout, Nicolas Godin and Jean‑Benoît Dunckel remained calm and graceful at the centre of it all, masters of their craft, letting the music speak for itself. Their performance was technically flawless, emotionally rich, and deeply moving - a perfect tribute to the timelessness of ‘Moon Safari’ and the beauty of their entire oeuvre. The crowd left the park visibly moved, some in quiet reflection, others beaming with joy - proof that even 25 years later, AIR still has the power to transport listeners to another world. A night to remember - a universe to return to, again and again.
Setlist
---Set 1: Moon Safari---
01. La Femme d’argent
02. Sexy Boy
03. All I Need
04. Kelly Watch the Stars
05. Talisman
06. Remember
07. You Make It Easy
08. Ce matin‐là
09. New Star in the Sky (Chanson pour Solal)
10. Le Voyage de Pénélope
---Set 2---
11. Radian
12. Venus
13. Cherry Blossom Girl
14. Run
15. Highschool Lover
16. Dirty Trip
17. Don’t Be Light
---
18. Alone in Kyoto
19. Electronic Performers
All Pictures by Iryna Kalenska
