Georg Elser Halle, Hamburg, Germany15th November 2025
D-A-D & The 69 Eyes - “Cowpunks and Glampires” Co-Headliner Tour 2025
On November 15th, 2025, Hamburg’s Georg Elser Halle transformed into the meeting point of two worlds - cowpunk grit and glampire glamour - as D-A-D and THE 69 EYES brought their explosive “Cowpunks and Glampires” Co-Headliner Tour to the city.
Perched atop a futuristic bunker-like building, the venue itself added a layer of drama to the night. Reaching it already felt like an adventure: a long climb up steep, dizzyingly high stairs that can easily challenge anyone with a fear of heights. But the reward was undeniable - a sweeping view over Hamburg, including the bright, carnival glow of the Hamburg Dom and all its attractions below. A strangely beautiful prelude to an already extraordinary evening.
Inside the hall, the atmosphere shifted from panoramic wonder to electric anticipation. The night kicked off with the long-awaited Helsinki Vampires, THE 69 EYES, taking the stage first. And to my delight - and rare luck - I was given permission to photograph their entire set, an uncommon but deeply appreciated privilege.
The 69 Eyes
Formed in Helsinki in 1989, THE 69 EYES have become icons of Goth’n’Roll, blending Glam, Sleaze and Gothic Rock into their unmistakable signature sound. The band’s classic line-up - Jyrki 69, Bazie, Timo-Timo, Archzie and Jussi 69 - has remained unchanged since 1992, contributing to their longevity and tight musical identity. Known as the Helsinki Vampires, they built their legacy through dark romanticism, cinematic imagery and brooding Rock melodies. https://69eyes.com / https://www.facebook.com/the69eyes
Music & Performance
The set opened with ‘Devils’ - a powerful, driving opener that immediately established the signature gothic-rock mood of the night. It was followed by ‘Don’t Turn Your Back on Fear’ and ‘Feel Berlin’, both from the album Devils (2004) and showcasing the band’s blend of sleazy riffs and midnight-glam atmospheres. The pace shifted slightly with ‘Perfect Skin’, bringing in a more melodic drive, before ‘I Know What You Did…’ (also from the same era) that introduced a creeping gothic undercurrent.
‘Betty Blue’ and ‘Drive’ picked up the energy again: the former with its classic hooky chorus, the latter with a crunching guitar tone and rock’n’roll swagger. Then came ‘The Chair’, which delivered a cooler, more vampiric groove, followed by ‘Never Say Die’ - typical of the band’s perseverance theme - and ‘Still Waters Run Deep’, a dark-shaded piece from their earlier catalogue.
Before performing the iconic ‘Wasting the Dawn’, Jyrki delivered one of the evening’s most charming moments. With a sly smile, he told the audience: “Now I will sing a song that will make all of us cry - but you won’t see my tears, because I’m wearing sunglasses.” The hall erupted in laughter before sinking into the emotional twilight of the song. The mood lifted again as the band moved into the eternal classic ‘Gothic Girl’ from Blessed Be (2000), followed by the soaring, cinematic ‘Brandon Lee’ - always a highlight, always a crowd favourite.
Then came the encore - and the comedy. Jyrki leaned toward the crowd and asked: “So, what do you want to hear now?” The hall exploded: “LOST BOYS! LOST BOYS!” And Jyrki… ignored everyone completely, grinning as the band launched into ‘Framed in Blood’ (also from ‘Blessed Be’). The audience stood there half-laughing, half-bewildered, like: “Why did you even ask then?” Bazie was cracking up, Jyrki looked absolutely satisfied with himself, and the whole scene became one of those perfect Rock’n’Roll moments where everyone is in on the joke. Of course, they eventually gave the crowd their wish - ending with the beloved ‘Lost Boys’.
In the bigger picture, the band delivered a tight, confident, unmistakably their performance. They stay true to their Goth’n’Roll identity - visually, musically, emotionally. And as for Jussi 69: honestly, the band is incredibly lucky to have a drummer of such charisma, precision and power. His playing elevates everything on stage - he’s a force, and they absolutely struck gold with him. As the final chords faded, a wave of nostalgia washed over me - memories of THE 69 EYES shows in Lviv and Kyiv, long before the war and even before the lockdown.
I remembered interviewing Jyrki, hearing him speak about apocalyptic themes and the strange way everything connects. Standing here again, years later, it felt like those words carried more weight than ever.
Setlist
01. Devils
02. Don’t Turn Your Back on Fear
03. Feel Berlin
04. Perfect Skin
05. I know what you did…
06. Betty Blue
07. Drive
08. The Chair
09. Never Say Die
10. Still Waters Run Deep
11. I Love the Darkness in You
12. Wasting the Dawn
13. Gothic Girl
14. Brandon Lee
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15. Framed in Blood
16. Dance d’Amour
17. Lost Boys
D-A-D
Formed in Copenhagen in 1982 under the name “Disneyland After Dark” before changing to D-A-D to avoid legal issues with the Walt Disney Company. Their style blends cowpunk roots with melodic hard rock and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. Recently the band released their 13th studio album ‘Speed Of Darkness’ (2024), featuring 14 tracks and marking their 40th anniversary - many critics call it a masterclass of mature rock. They’re also co-headlining the “Cowpunks and Glampires Tour 2025” with The 69 Eyes. https://d-a-d.com / https://www.facebook.com/d.landafterdark
Music & Performance
D-A-D took the stage like a spark hitting dry powder - immediate, loud, charismatic, and unapologetically themselves. They opened with the fierce punch of ‘Jihad’ from D.A.D Draws a Circle (1985), a raw and aggressive statement that instantly transported the crowd back to their cowpunk beginnings. Energy surged into ‘1st, 2nd & 3rd’, and then the sleazy, swagger-filled ‘Girl Nation’ from Riskin’ It All (1991), one of their most unmistakably 90s, attitude-soaked tracks.
What absolutely stunned me was the guitarist’s performance - a full-on old school Rock’n’Roll spectacle. He twisted and spun the guitar like it weighed nothing, striking wild, almost acrobatic poses, lifting it, swinging it, flipping it, jumping, spinning, and moving with pure chaotic elegance. One of those moments where you catch yourself thinking: “Wait… was this really a thing back then? And is it still allowed to look this cool?” The answer: absolutely yes. And he proved it.
The newer era came roaring in with ‘Speed of Darkness’, the title track from their 2024 album - heavy, sharp, and packed with blues-rock grit, beautifully bridging the old and the new. ‘Rim of Hell’ kept the tension burning with its dark groove, and ‘Riding With Sue’ lifted the mood into pure, carefree Rock’n’Roll mischief.
‘The Ghost’ (from Everything Glows, 2000) added an atmospheric, slightly melancholic layer, while ‘Something Good’ swung back into that classic melodic D-A-D sound, warm and uplifting. ‘Grow or Pay’ returned everyone straight to the reckless glam-cowpunk 90s, followed by the philosophical stomp of ‘Monster Philosophy’ (2008), a fan-favourite with its mix of grit and melody.
‘Everything Glows’ carried its bright, soaring chorus with ease, and the main set ended with the chaotic, wonderfully unhinged ‘Bad Craziness’ - a celebration of everything wild and tongue-in-cheek about the band. The encore opened tenderly with ‘Laugh ‘n’ a ½’, a bittersweet classic from No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims (1989), followed by the eternal anthem ‘Sleeping My Day Away’ - loud, powerful, an absolute must at any D-A-D show. They closed the night with ‘It’s After Dark’, their iconic closer, turning the hall into one huge, joyful singalong.
D-A-D delivered a show that was both nostalgic and fresh - solid musicianship, undeniable charisma, humour, and a style that remains unmistakably theirs. They’re a band that never lost their identity, and hearing these songs - from early cowpunk chaos to modern hard rock - felt like watching a long, loud, beautifully unruly story unfold.
Setlist
01. Jihad
02. 1st, 2nd & 3rd
03. Girl Nation
04. Speed of Darkness
05. Rim of Hell
06. Riding With Sue
07. The Ghost
08. Something Good
09. Grow or Pay
10. Monster Philosophy
11. Everything Glows
12. Bad Craziness
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13. Laugh ‘n’ a ½
14. Sleeping My Day Away
15. It’s After Dark
All Pictures by Iryna Kalenska
