Batschkapp, Frankfurt, Germany15th June 2025
Kat von D - “EU / UK Tour & 2025” - Support: Prayers
Tattoo icon and successful entrepreneur KAT VON D is currently touring through the UK and Europe, trying to successfully step conquer the world of touring artists. With Meet & Greet options at every show, KAT VON D wants to get close to her fans. Sharing stages with her husband PRAYERS, the current EU / UK tour brought them to the Batschkapp in Frankfurt tonight, which was surprisingly empty. Less than 100 fans had come out on this Sunday evening to see either of the two acts, hoping for an even more intimate and exclusive show this way.
Prayers
Rafael Reyes founded PRAYERS in 2013. While he calls the genre in which his music fits “Cholo Goth”, I would put it somewhere between Electronica, Hip Hop and Industrial music. So far, he has released four full-length studio albums and had collaborated with artists such as CHRISTIAN DEATH throughout his musical career. In 2017, he even toured with A PERFECT CIRCLE. Now, he is currently touring through Europe and the United Kingdom alongside his wife KAT VON D. https://chologoth.com / https://www.facebook.com/PRAYERS/
Music & Performance
Stepping on stage at 8pm sharp, PRAYERS opened the night. The light was dim, the small audience excited and curious, as most did not know what to expect. PRAYERS was joined on stage by two “brothers”, one on each side. These two heavily tattooed, Mexican looking fellas were switching between crossing machetes in front of their chest and letting their arms hang down on the sides for the first five songs, before they ultimately let their arms hang down on the sides for the remainder of the show. Other than these arm movements, the two men did not move or change their facial expression. Just standing still, like statues.
PRAYERS, on the other hand, moved around on stage while performing his songs. The two screens in the back of the stage framed PRAYERS while playing static or video samples. Some of the songs were sung in Spanish, others in English, some a mix of both. Every now and then PRAYERS told a little something about the upcoming song, thanking the audience for having come out. While some in the audience were rather overwhelmed by the musical style of PRAYERS, some seemed to love and even know it, dancing the night away and cheering loudly after each song.
Music wise, PRAYERS landed somewhere between electronica, Mexican Hip-Hop and Industrial. Sometimes his music and performance reminded slightly of HOCICO, but PRAYERS is special in his verse own way. Before he began playing ‘Perfect for You’, PRAYERS explained that while his music usually is rather dark and angry, this is probably the only true love song he ever wrote, fully dedicated to his wife. After that he closed with ‘La vida es un sueño’ and ended his set after a little over thirty minutes.
Setlist
01. Edge of the Blade
02. Paloma Negra
03. Young Gods Never Die
04. Chologoth
05. Young Gods
06. Gothic Summer
07. From Dog To God
08. Perfect for You
09. La vida es un sueño
Kat von D
KAT VON D is a name that probably all of you have heard of before. Whether through the TV series ‘LA INK’, her collaboration with BAM MARGERA, her former make-up line or shoe line or within the music context through her features with THE 69 EYES. With her debut album ‘Love Made Me Do It’ in 2021 and the current ‘My Side Of The Mountain’, which was released in 2024, her music is filled with romantic gothic music, that seeks to be touching the heart and leaving a mark. https://katvond.com / https://www.facebook.com/katvond
Music & Performance
KAT VON D began her set at 9pm sharp. After KAT VON D’s version of the song ‘All By Myself’ was played on the two screens on stage, two ladies entered the stage to finish the song. KAT VON D was only accompanied by Sammi Doll, who also plays for IAMX and BULLET HEIGHT. Both were dressed up in gothic outfits. While KAT VON D wore something like a one piece and a wig, Sammi Doll was wearing a hot red corsage, matching long leather gloves and tights. Both were dancing while playing the songs, but somehow rushed through the set.
There was barely any interaction between audience and band. While KAT VON D looked stunning on stage, dancing to her songs, performing and Sammi Doll also danced it off behind her keys, the audience hid behind their phone screens, filming the performance rather than dancing along. The cheering after each song was there, but not as enthusiastic as I would have hoped. Ferras’ part of ‘Set Myself on Fire’ was played on the screen, so it was almost as if he took part through a video call. After the song ‘Por Ti’, Sammi Doll played an interlude which gave KAT VON D enough time to take off her wig in the backstage and come back with her real hair let down.
And on it went with the set. Two songs later, the two ladies played the next instrumental interlude, only to close after another two songs. For ‘I Am Machine’, Alissa White-Gluz’s part also came from the screen. After this song, both vanished off stage, only to come back after a few minutes to play ‘Dead’ and ‘Black Leather’ which is a song by PRAYERS, who also joined on stage for this last song. The couple celebrated the US Father’s Day on this Sunday. And then, the show was over. After merely forty-five minutes. The audience was left behind a little baffled and tried to get either one back on stage by shouting “Encore”, but nothing happened.
That was a slightly disappointing ending to a rather speedy show. While the light was perfect for the melancholic and romantic mood, KAT VON D’s outfit was perfect and the music has potential, there was something missing. To put it into a somewhat poetic conclusion: While the artistry of the performance was fabulous, it was missing a certain spark, thus lacking the connection to the audience. Well, maybe next time. We will see.
Setlist
01. All by Myself
02. With You
03. Vampire Love
04. Hate
05. Set Myself on Fire
06. Illusion
07. Por Ti
08. Intro
09. Exorcism
10. Truth in Reverse
11. Interlude II
12. Running Away
13. I Am a Machine
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14. Dead
15. Black Leather (PRAYER cover)
All Pictures by Nina Mende
