Palladium, Cologne, Germany 20th February 2026
Airbourne - “Gutsy Tour 2026” - Special Guests: Avalanche, Asomvel
The air inside the Palladium in Cologne felt thick with anticipation and the faint, unmistakable scent of stale beer and fully patched leather / denim vests. It was a cold February night outside, but inside, the „Gutsy World Tour” was about to turn the sold-out venue into a high-voltage pressure cooker. With three bands cut from the same rowdy cloth of blue-collar Rock’n’Roll, this was never going to be a night for the faint of heart.
Avalanche
This four-piece Hard Tock juggernaut hailing from Sydney, Australia, proudly carries the torch of the “Pub Rock” tradition. Their style is a no-frills, high-octane blend of electrified blues and traditional heavy metal, characterized by the rhythmic precision of a runaway train and the raw, piercing vocals of Steven Campbell. Formed in the late 2010s, the band quickly earned a reputation for their “bloody loud” live shows, drawing heavily from the heritage of their countrymen in AC/DC and ROSE TATTOO.
Their discography reflects a steady climb in intensity, from their early EP ‘Sentimental Education’ (2017) to the riff-heavy ‘Second Hand High’ (2021). By early 2026, the band had just released their debut full-length studio album, ‘Armed to the Teeth’, a record that serves as a manifesto for the enduring power of the Gibson SG and a Marshall stack. www.avalanchebandrock.com
Music & Performance
Opening the night, AVALANCHE acted as a literal seismic event. From the first chord of their opener, the band commanded the early arrivals to move. Veronica “V” Campbell is a force on lead guitar, duck-walking across the stage with an energy that felt like a lightning strike. The only downside was that both guitars were way too low volume-wise.
Especially during the solos, the rest of the band drowned out the guitar work, lending an improvised feel to the gig. Undaunted, the atmosphere transformed into a sweat-soaked celebration of Australian grit. By the time they reached the anthem ‘Ride or Die’, the front rows were already a sea of pumping fists, proving that AVALANCHE is far more than just a support act - they are the future of the genre.
Asomvel
The British Heavy Metal power quartet has spent over three decades perfecting a sound that is often described as “MOTÖRHEAD’s meaner little brother.” Founded in 1993 by guitarist Lenny Robinson and the late Jay-Jay Winter, the band’s style is a relentless assault of speed metal and traditional heavy rock, rooted deeply in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) heritage.
Following the tragic passing of Winter in 2010, the band continued with his nephew Conan taking over bass and vocal duties, preserving the group’s snarling, biker-metal soul. Their discography is a testament to stubborn persistence, featuring cult classics like ‘Kamikaze’ (2009) and the thunderous ‘World Shaker’ (2019). With their 2024 release ‘Born to Rock’n’Roll’ and the 2025 single ‘Take You to Hell’, ASOMVEL has remained a bastion of loud, nasty, and unashamedly dirty Rock’n’Roll. https://asomvel.com
Music & Performance
When ASOMVEL took the stage, the volume in the Palladium seemed to double, as they literally hit the ground running. Conan’s bass tone was a distorted, growling monster that rattled the rafters, while Robinson’s guitar work provided a jagged, high-speed edge. The performance was a masterclass in “foot-on-the-monitor” Heavy Metal.
The atmosphere shifted from the bouncy rock of the openers to something more aggressive and primal. Tracks like ‘Outside the Law’ and ‘Born to Rock’n’Roll’ turned the floor into a swirling pit of leather jackets. ASOMVEL doesn’t ask for the audience’s attention; they bludgeon them into submission with a wall of sound that would have made Lemmy Kilmister proud.
Airbourne
Australian AIRBOURNE is the definitive standard-bearer for working-class Hard Rock in the 21st century. Hailing from Warrnambool, the band was formed in 2001 by brothers Joel and Ryan O’Keeffe, who sought to recapture the raw, dangerous energy of 1970s arena rock. Their style is built on a foundation of massive, syncopated riffs, stadium-shaking choruses, and an almost frightening level of physical endurance on stage. Their heritage is a lineage of rock royalty, merging the simplicity of the blues with the sheer volume of heavy metal.
Their discography is a string of successes, beginning with the explosive debut ‘Runnin’ Wild’ (2007), which garnered international acclaim and awards. Through albums like ‘No Guts. No Glory’. (2010), ‘Black Dog Barking’ (2013), and ‘Boneshaker’ (2019), they have consistently topped charts in Germany, their spiritual second home. With the 2026 release of their latest album, ‘Gutsy’, and the addition of Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar, AIRBOURNE has reinforced their status as an unstoppable touring machine. https://airbournerock.com
Music & Performance
The moment the lights dimmed and the Terminator intro theme began to drone through the PA, the Palladium erupted. AIRBOURNE launched into their latest hit single ‘Gutsy’, and Joel O’Keeffe appeared like a man possessed, his hair already drenched in sweat and beer within the first thirty seconds. The performance was a relentless physical assault; Joel was famously hoisted onto a roadie’s shoulders who carried him into the pit to play a blistering solo in the middle of the crowd during ‘Girls in Black’, smashing cans of beer against his head until the froth rained down on the front rows.
The atmosphere was electric, a collective release of pure adrenaline. When the band tore through ‘Back In The Game’, the crowd’s response was as deafening as it was for the classics. The chemistry between the O’Keeffe brothers remains the band’s engine - Ryan’s drumming is a steady, punishing heartbeat that allows Joel to fly off the rails. And Joel kept the crowd busy by artfully throwing half-full beer cups into the crowd even over massive distances.
Closing with the double-treat of ‘Rock‘n’Roll for Life’, and the inevitable explosion of ‘Runnin’ Wild’, AIRBOURNE proved once again that they aren’t just playing a show - they are keeping the very heart of Rock‘n’Roll beating.
Setlist
01. Gutsy
02. Fat City
03. Cradle to the Grave
04. Hungry
05. Back in the Game
06. Raise the Flag
07. Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women
08. Alive After Death
09. Diamond in the Rough
10. Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast
11. Breakin’ Outta Hell
12. Live It Up
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13. Rock‘n’Roll for Life
14. Runnin’ Wild
All Pictures by André Wilms
