Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany 2nd March 2026
MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) - “Lost Americana Tour 2026” - Special guests: Julia Wolf
Cologne’s Lanxess Arena has hosted its fair share of spectacles but tonight felt like a collision of eras. The “Lost Americana” tour rolled into the cathedral city with a sense of high-stakes theatre, cementing MGK’s transition from a lightning rod of controversy to a multi-genre arena titan. The air was charged with anticipation by the predominantly female fans, a testament to an artist who has spent the last decade refusing to stay in one lane.
Julia Wolf
JULIA WOLF is the architect of a “shy-girl-turned-savage” Alt-Pop sound that balances ethereal, R&B-influenced vocals with the jagged, distorted textures of modern Rock. Hailing from Long Island, New York, her history is rooted in the DIY digital age, gaining traction via self-produced tracks on TikTok before signing with Republic Records. Her heritage is a unique blend of early-2000s Pop-Soul and the dark, cinematic mood of Indie-Rock, often citing a fascination with gothic aesthetics and Heavy Metal imagery.
Her discography began with the viral success of her debut EP ‘Girls in Purgatory’ (2021) and the critically acclaimed studio album ‘Good Thing We Stayed’ (2023). By 2025, her follow-up record ‘Pressure’ saw her leaning further into a “powerful rather than palatable” sound, garnering praise for its raw examination of creative anxiety. As an artist, she represents the voice of a generation that finds empowerment through vulnerability, delivered over a backdrop of minimal yet crushing production. https://girlsinpurgatory.com
Music & Performance
Opening for MGK, JULIA WOLF acted as a haunting, high-energy prelude. The atmosphere in the Lanxess Arena was one of immediate captivation; as she moved across the stage during ‘Last Summer,’ her stage presence felt both intimate and commanding. The bass-heavy production rattled the arena’s foundations, providing a grit that contrasted beautifully with her silky vocal delivery. By the time she performed ‘Jennifer’s Body,’ the crowd was fully locked in, swaying to the moody, slow-burn energy she has mastered. It was a performance that stripped away the “newcomer” label, proving MGK was right to expose her to the spotlight of the world's largest stages.
MGK
MGK, born Colson Baker, is a genre-bending firebrand whose career has been a relentless cycle of reinvention. His musical style is a high-voltage hybrid of rapid-fire Cleveland rap, pop-punk anthems, and gritty alternative rock. His history is one of the most storied in modern music: emerging from the underground rap scene with the 2012 debut ‘Lace Up’, he battled his way to the top of the hip-hop charts before stunning the world in 2020 with the pop-punk masterpiece ‘Tickets to My Downfall’.
His heritage is built on the foundation of mid-western grit and a “don’t give a damn” attitude inherited from his early punk influences and rap icons like DMX. His massive discography - ranging from the rap-heavy ‘Hotel Diablo’ (2019) to the chart-topping rock of ‘Mainstream Sellout’ (2022) - reached a new peak with the 2025 release of ‘Lost Americana’. This latest record, teased with a narration by BOB DYLAN, sees him returning to his rap roots while maintaining the stadium-sized rock production that has become his signature https://www.machinegunkelly.com.
Music & Performance
The moment MGK ascended to the stage, the Lanxess Arena erupted into a sea of pink and black. Opening with the title track of ‘Lost Americana’, the atmosphere was electric, a frenetic explosion of energy that never dipped over the two-hour set. The energy was palpable among the audience inside the sold-out arena. Someone had put in a lot of work and effort to distribute semi-transparent colour paper cuts in the different seat blocks for people to hold in front of their phone flashlight, thereby adding a colourful edge to the regular “sea of lights” scenery for the track ‘goddamn’.
MGK’s performance was a masterclass in arena-rock showmanship; during ‘bloody valentine,’ the entire floor turned into a massive, surging pit, while the newer rap-centric tracks like ‘vampire diaries’ showed a lyrical sharpness that silenced any lingering sceptics. The highlight of the night was a communal moment during ‘iris,’ where JULIA WOLF returned to the stage to join him. The chemistry between them brought a hush over the 18,000-strong crowd, a rare moment of stillness in a night otherwise defined by chaos.
Between the pyro, the levitating platforms, and the raw, confessional monologues about his journey through fame and fatherhood, MGK proved that he is no longer just a trend-chaser. He is the main event. As the final notes of ‘vampire diaries’ rang out, it was clear that the “Lost Americana” tour is more than just a comeback - it’s a victory lap, which will stay ingrained in the memory of the lucky fans witnessing this spectacle.
Setlist
01. outlaw overture
02. starman
03. dont wait run fast
04. maybe / Wild Boy / El Diablo
05. ay!
06. F*CK YOU, GOODBYE (The Kid LAROI cover)
07. goddamn
08. I Think I’m OKAY
09. title track
10. drunk face
11. bloody valentine
12. forget me too
---B-Stage---
13. Who I Was (NF cover) (Acoustic)
14. times of my life (Acoustic)
15. 27 (Acoustic)
---Main stage---
16. Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover) (With Julia Wolf on stage)
17. treading water
18. DAYWALKER
19. concert for aliens
20. my ex’s best friend
---
21. jawbreaker
22. nothing inside
23. twin flame
24. play this when I’m gone
25. Papercuts
26. Lonely Road
27. cliché
28. sweet coraline
29. vampire diaries
All Pictures by Andreas Klüppelberg
