Kulttempel, Oberhausen, Germany4th April 2026
Nitzer Ebb & Support: SIIE
NITZER EBB have seen troublesome and tragic times recently with the passing of founding member and vocalist Douglas McCarthy last summer. The remaining members, Bon Harris and David Gooday, decided to keep the band alive according to McCarthy’s wish before his death, and we checked out the penultimate gig of NITZER EBB’s Spring tour.
SIIE
Swiss-German electro duo SIIE (still not sure how to pronounce this) is one of the up-and-coming acts of the Dark Wave scene. Based in Hamburg, they create their own unique sound by blending dark and dystopian moods with pressing dance beats, female vocals with French lyrics, and a distinct visual aesthetic. The duo remains somewhat anonymous, always wearing glittery masks, and they are committed to produce imaginative and creative videos for their singles. Really, you just have to check out their Youtube channel, no AI slob but rather cool stuff filmed in interesting locations.
No easy feat for a rather small band with probably little budget, and their efforts were rewarded at the Berlin Music Video Awards in the Best Performer category for the video for Le Sept with performer Eléa Ha Minh Tay. https://siie.bandcamp.com/
Music & Performance
As NITZER EBB’s support, SIIE still brought their video show and gave the crowd 45 minutes of their own mix of Synth Wave retro-feel, modern beats and the spoken words and vivid stage presence of whatever-her-name-is. Half of the set was taken from their debut album ‘Acme’, released in May last year on the reputable Cold Transmission label, plus a few takes from the singles they have released since 2023 including the latest and quite wonderful ‘Papier Glacé’.
Certainly, one of those acts on which you should keep an eye on, and SIIE’s performance was well received by the crowd at the Kulttempel.
Setlist
01. 5ème Avenue
02. Cité Lunaire
03. Violent
04. À Travers
05. Grand Virage
06. Tendance
07. Opaque Couché
08. J’attends
09. Nightlife
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 9
Light: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10
Nitzer Ebb
Calling NITZER EBB a legend would almost be an understatement. From their humble beginnings in Chelmsford, Essex, as teenagers adoring bands such as DIE KRUPPS or DEUTSCH-AMERIKANISCHE FREUNDSCHAFT and the aggressive energy of Punk, they quickly became a pioneering act whose influence certainly goes way beyond the EBM scene. Their 1980s singles like ‘Join in The Chant’ and ‘Control I’m Here’ left their marks on the emerging House scene in Detroit and Ibiza, and with ‘Ebbhead’ (1991) they merged their abrasive Electronics with Rock, Dance and even Hip Hop to create a crossover which brought bands like NINE INCH NAILS global fame a few years later.
NITZER EBB were never afraid of change, but this time they simply had to change because of the tragic death of singer Douglas J. McCarthy on June 11th, 2025. Douglas requested that his long-time partner Bon Harris continues the journey of NITZER EBB, and founding member David Gooday - who left the band in 1988 and re-joined in 2018 - is still on board, too. New in the line-up is Tim Kroker, for years drummer of Belgian EBM trailblazers FRONT 242 who ended their career as a live-act in early 2025 with three mind-blowing gigs at their “home club”, Ancienne Belgique.
By the way, all members were in the crowd this night at the Kulttempel. So lucky Tim got a new job, and NITZER EBB and their audience are also pretty lucky to have him! After NITZER EBB re-invented their live performances as some sort of Techno set in 2018 with remixes of their classics transitioning seamlessly from one to the next, the addition of a live drummer gives the whole thing a much more organic feel. Which is just wonderful and works miracles! https://www.nitzerebbprodukt.com
Music & Performance
NITZER EBB start with four songs in a row from the classic 1989 album ‘Belief’ - and they do sound significantly different to the last time I saw the band - which happened to be at the Kulttempel in Oberhausen, as well. Oberhausen has become a hot spot for NITZER EBB over the last few years, playing a total of six shows since 2019 in this city in the Ruhr valley including a headlining spot at the E-Tropolis festival at the massive (and awful) Turbinenhalle just around the corner from the Kulttempel and a stop of the “Join The Forces” tour with FRONT 242.
But the Kulttempel, one of the best live clubs in Germany, is the perfect place for them. Just a shame that this time it is not quite sold out. There’s of course the unstable and insecure political and economic situation of these days, and people sit on their money and cut expenses for leisure activities, such as concerts. And then losing a singer and another person taking over this duty is never an easy thing for any band and their fanbase. Bon Harris has assumed this role since the last time Douglas McCarthy was on stage - on March 1st, 2024, in Aarschot, Belgium- and even before that he stepped in a few times when Douglas was already too weak and frail to perform.
Massive footsteps to fill, for sure, but Harris proves that he is a great performer in his own right. The deep cuts in the middle of the set, such as ‘Payroll’ from the ‘Industrial Complex’ album and ‘Cherry Blossom’, opener of their controversial 1995 album ‘Big Hit’, even seem to be tailormade for him. The latter song was one of the unexpected highlights for me, as they transform ‘Cherry Blossom” ‘rom the synthesized Psychedelic Rock of the studio version to a throbbing, menacing Electro beast. As a longtime fan of the band I come for these moments, not the umptiest rendition of ‘Join In The Chant’. Which was of course also in the set and proved to be quite the crowd pleaser, as usual, but I rather welcomed the return of another ‘That Total Age’ classic, ‘Let Your Body Learn’, which hasn’t been performed in a while and was played in a slightly reworked version including a subtle guitar sample over the prominent synth bass sequence.
‘Murderous’ completed the trio of ‘Total Age’ songs which finished the main set but the frenetic crowd definitely wanted more. Unfortunately, we didn’t get ‘How Time Flies’, the touching tribute to Douglas J. McCarthy, but the slow version of ‘Violent Playground’ is a beauty, too. Amazing how they manage to turn an old, hyperaggressive EBM banger into a ballad, I actually like that! The epic anthem ‘I Give To You’ concluded the show which hardly left anything to complain but had a lot to offer for both casual fans and die-hards like me.
If anything, the band could do something about the video slideshow they use as a backdrop, which was a little unimaginative and inconclusive at times. A flashy video show of course wouldn’t fit the minimalist approach of NITZER EBB, but e.g. showing ‘Belief’ imagery for a song from ‘Showtime’ looks a little too random for me. I’m probably the only one but that’s what you get when you let a nitpicking trainspotter of a fan write a review… Aside from this tittle I have no complaints and was a happy bunny after this great performance.
NITZER EBB have opened up a new chapter, simply due to force majeure and tragedy, and they’ve actually succeeded and Bon has found his foot in his new role. There have been - and will be - discussions among fans that NITZER EBB are not same anymore since Douglas’ passing. Which is true! But they are still brilliant. As much as I miss Doug, and his death hit me more than I can say, I welcome this new chapter with open arms and loved every minute of what the new line-up offered at the Kulttempel. All those who missed out because the original singer is sadly gone should give the band a chance next time.
NITZER EBB deserve sold out shows just like only a few years ago, and they deserve all the love in the world.
Setlist
01. Hearts and Minds
02. Control I’m Here
03. Blood Money
04. For Fun
05. Lightning Man
06. Captivate
07. Payroll
08. Once You Say
09. Come Alive
10. Cherry Blossom
11. Fun to Be Had
12. Godhead
13. Join in the Chant
14. Let Your Body Learn
15. Murderous
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16. Violent Playground
17. I Give to You
Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 10
Sound: 10
Light: 8
Total: 9.5 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
