Live Review: E-tropolis Festival - Oberhausen 2026

Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen, Germany
28th March 2026
E-tropolis Festival 2026 with Project Pitchfork, Kite, Combichrist, Neuroticfish, Faderhead, Noisuf-X, Funker Vogt, Ultra Sunn, Welle:Erdball, Fix8:Sed8, Vanguard, Synthattack and Zweite Jugend

Music is the strongest form of magic. When you stand in the crowd feeling the same thing at the same moment, you become part of something greater than yourself. You feel connected to the audience and supported. You can sing, you can move and you feel emotions you might suppress in daily life. The crowd permits intensity and deep in your brain you may register this as freedom. You belong somewhere and feel understood by strangers who love the same music as you do. That’s magic. And E-tropolis 2026 had quite a few magical moments in store for me. But first things first but not necessarily in that order.

Our E-tropolis day begins shortly before six o’clock in the morning in Leipzig, where I stayed overnight with a dear friend. The previous evening, VANGUARD from Gothenburg, Sweden played an intense full-time show at the cosy Dark Flower - something we simply could not miss. And our presence there will even earn us our two seconds of fame today.

By half past six we are already on the road. We make surprisingly good progress and, after a short stop in Essen, where my friend leaves her luggage at the hotel, we arrive at the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen as early as half past twelve. It has actually just stopped raining. Despite the miserable weather, the first guests have already gathered on the landing in front of the door. We soon meet the first friends and join the colourful-black crowd. Just a few minutes later, the staircase is full, the line curves perfectly onwards into the parking lot. I’d say perfect timing today.



The doors open punctually at one o’clock in the afternoon. While I collect my press wristband, my friends head straight into Turbinenhalle 1 to secure a decent spot in front of the stage. As we wait there for the first band of the day, the unpleasant part upfront: the issue of waste due to the lack of a cup deposit system remains unresolved, even though rubbish is at least collected between performances. This at least prevents you from constantly tripping over empty cups. It does not, however, reduce the amount of waste.

In the small hall, we have to witness several times that empty cups are thrown towards the stage - extremely unpleasant. Something like this might also be curbed with a deposit system. Otherwise: anyone lacking decency and respect will hardly be deterred by a cup deposit. And just like last year, a few individual fans once again stand out negatively this year, thinking they can shamelessly push their way into the front row. Just a suggestion: simply ask politely. If there is enough space, most people will actually move aside a little and gladly let someone in.



Where there is criticism, there should also be praise. After all, we are not in Franconia, where not complaining is praise enough. My praise today goes above all to organisation, technics, logistics, artists and crews, and everyone else involved. Smooth procedures, fantastic lighting, decent sound (at times even surprisingly good), right through to clean toilets and appropriate catering. Thank you for a beautiful and intense day full of magical moments among friends.

And that begins with small things such as punctual admission and a website containing all the information you need in advance to be well prepared, right through to a friendly farewell after a long day for us all. Because the event staff also contribute to your sense of well-being. If you feel welcomed and supported by the people organising the event, you perceive the entire environment as safe. The space in front of a stage is my happy place. All the more reason why it is wonderful when it is also a safe space for everyone. The organisers of E-tropolis have definitely succeeded in that. At this point, I am happy to quote Peter Spilles (PROJECT PITCHFORK): “E-tropolis, thank you for letting us be with you. It was once again an honour for us.”



But the festival day is only just beginning. Thirteen bands across two stages await us. It should be clear to everyone that it is impossible to see everything. So as always, it is a matter of setting priorities. My plan begins (with ZWEITE JUGEND and VANGUARD) and ends (with PROJECT PITCHFORK) in front of the main stage. In between, the smaller Turbinenhalle 2 is set to become my today’s happy place, where FIX8:SED8, ULTRA SUNN, NEUROTICFISH and KITE are firmly on my list.

Whether I switch back to the big hall in between to catch a few moments of FUNKER VOGT and FADERHEAD or simply stay with NOISUF-X remains to be seen. I will definitely not make it to SYNTHATTACK, who open the smaller stage today at half past two, nor to WELLE:ERDBALL and COMBICHRIST, who will surely shake the main hall. But I am not here alone. These moments have also been captured in images, so you can at least look forward to a few visual impressions.



“So, here we go. Hello Oberhausen!” Our favourite host, summer goth Jens Domgörgen, opens E-tropolis 2026 shortly before two o’clock. After a few organisational notes for E-tropolis newcomers, he announces the first act of the day on the main stage: ZWEITE JUGEND - electronic body music from Osnabrück, or in the presenter’s words, “something to wake you up”.


Zweite Jugend

Although it is early in the afternoon, Turbinenhalle 1 is already very well filled. Even up on the balconies, many lovers of the darker musical realms have already gathered. And Oberhausen seems to be in great spirits and really up for it. Eli Van Vegas and Marcel Lüke are greeted with loud shrieks and energetic applause. “Hallo Oberhausen!” The intro opens the sonic space for ‘Der Wille zur Nacht’, and the audience is already singing and dancing exuberantly.



The duo’s fans can look forward to an energetic set. Eli darts across the vast stage, repeatedly joining Marcel at the drums or climbing on top of them and throwing his arms into the air. He jumps up and down on the stage and onto the speakers in the photo pit, where he involves the audience in the show and repeatedly holds the microphone out to the fans. They gladly take up the invitation, singing along at the top of their lungs or taking over parts of the vocal sections.



ZWEITE JUGEND call for ‘Liebe für alle’ and give expression to this demand by proudly holding up the “Inclusive Pride Flag”. The band place importance on their concerts being a safe space for everyone. Eli thanks the majority of their fans for helping to make this possible, and for over ten years of ZWEITE JUGEND, and seems almost surprised at how far things have come in that time.



With ‘Salz’, ‘Elektronische Körpermusik’, and ‘Reminiszenz’, the set drives itself towards its first peak. ‘Flucht Von Der Erde’ is an all-time favourite for most fans and is celebrated accordingly with great enthusiasm. “The stage is so big, the band is small.” So, they have brought us a guest. Franzi from AKTION:FIASKO is welcomed with great cheers and heavy applause, and since she has nothing else planned for today, she stays until the end.



Whenever the two artists share the stage - or dance with and against each other - the already high-energy show gains even more dynamism each time. It is simply a true delight, and the energy level rises once again considerably. At that moment becomes “ganz Oberhausen aus Gold” a choir at a signal - “Hoch die Tassen, auf die Jugend. Auf das Wohl und auf die Tugend...”. To conclude, Eli thanks bandmate Marcel and Franzi, a quick closing photo is taken, and then the musicians leave the stage.



A more than successful opening of E-tropolis 2026 with perfect lighting and surprisingly good sound. Unfortunately, not all bands today will be mixed quite as well. // Setlist: 01. Intro 25 DWZN / 02. Der Wille zur Nacht / 03. Liebe für alle / 04. Salz / 05. Elektronische Körpermusik / 06. Reminiszenz / 07. Flucht Von Der Erde / 08. Die Ganze Nacht / 09. Euroträume KURZ / 10. Hoch Die Tassen 2025

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While the drum kits are being swapped, keyboards set up, and we wait for the next band on this stage, lovers of hard beats and raw, powerful vocals can dance their hearts out next door at SYNTHATTAC. In any case, we are looking forward to “Swedish Weeks at E-tropolis 2026”, Part 1.


Vanguard

At a quarter to three, VANGUARD take to the stage. As host Jens reveals, the band “were actually still in Leipzig yesterday and played to a sold-out crowd there”. And there they are - our two seconds of fame - as the host asks who was already there yesterday. Now they are here, just like us - “fresh and lively”. Although I must admit, the gentlemen appear significantly livelier than we do, even though their night was certainly shorter than ours.



The duo from Gothenburg, consisting of Patrik Hansson and Jonas Olofsson, are supported whenever possible by producer Rob Dust on second keyboard and backing vocals. This is also the case this weekend. During the set, Jonas regularly switches from the electronic drums to the keyboard and back again, or reinforces the vocals with a megaphone. Unfortunately, the sound for the Swedes is not quite as perfectly mixed as before. The bass is booming, and the vocals could do with being a bit louder.



While yesterday also had room for quieter, more emotional moments in the set, they dispense with those today. The band have put together a true power set. It kicks off in an almost full hall with ‘Insight’, moving on to ‘Punches’ and then ‘Unz’. Even though people are already singing along loudly and dancing extensively, I get the impression that the energy has not quite crossed the wide photo pit yet. But with ‘Open Sky’, the spark finally ignites.



“An open sky lies before me / Stars shining in the night / There’s a new light in the darkness / It shines brighter since the day you came” - hope, a new perspective, and the vision of a freer, self-determined future. All of this is what music can achieve with its magic. And music can do even more. It can spark a ‘Riot’. It can engage with critical issues such as social networks that deliberately generate attention through fake news, exaggerations, or unrealistic portrayals and make their users addicted (‘Venom’), or with human irresponsibility (‘Ragnarök’).



And everything is better with music. Everything is easier with music. Everything is simply more beautiful with music. And music can save you - or ‘Save Me’. Music can transform you from within and give you strength. It can help you reorganise your thoughts, process past experiences, and rediscover your own inner potential. It can be like a reset for mind and soul, igniting your light and delivering you from the dark. And with this magic, VANGUARD leave the stage at twenty past three, after a warm embrace and a farewell photo. // Setlist: 01. Inside / 02. Punches / 03. Unz / 04. Open Sky / 05. Riot / 06. Venom / 07. Ragnarök / 08. Save Me

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While the main stage of Turbinenhalle 1 is being prepared for WELLE:ERDBALL, we make our way into the smaller Turbinenhalle 2, where the changeover has already taken place and everything is ready for the next act.

Fix8:Sed8

The dark electro project was founded in 2003 in Wiesbaden by Martin Sane and, over the course of several albums, developed into an established force within the Electro-Industrial scene. The band’s name is derived from the psychiatric terms “fixated/sedated”. With ‘The Inevitable Relapse’, they achieved their breakthrough from insider tip to an established scene act. Last year, the project released its sixth studio album, ‘Octagram’, and yet their performance today at E-tropolis Festival 2026 is, in fact, a premiere for me.



Today’s performance is almost something of a closing concert for their “Lessons in Humility Tour”, and as the band wrote in advance on their Facebook page, all these props are being brought onto the stage one last time. The stage setting is truly impressive. It is dominated at the front by an hourglass as a symbol of time and transience. Various props are distributed across the stage, which, over the course of the show, reveal themselves as a coherent visual structure, each finding its place within the staging. Everything is covered in sharp spikes and thorn-like structures, creating an almost dystopian impression.



Twenty minutes to four, the intro begins, and the stage is filled with red light and flickering shadows. We have found a spot to the side. Unfortunately, the bass is booming here as well, and there is a slight lack of depth. The synthesisers almost resemble a wall behind which the person at the keys nearly disappears. Martin Sane is wrapped in a Frisian raincoat and pushes a spiked pram in front of him. The audience appears captivated and sways in time with the almost hypnotic soundscapes.



Around the middle of the set, we manage to move a bit further towards the centre. From here, I have a better view of the stage, and the sound is also improved. The staging is conceptually dense and consistent throughout. The performance appears deliberately reduced to body language and precise gestures, creating an almost ritualistic atmosphere. The 45-minute performance comes to an end with a short "stop!", forming a coherent fusion of performance, visual symbolism, and complex sound structures into a remarkable highlight of this festival day. // Setlist: 01. New Eden / 02. Flatline Friend / 03. pROGNOSIs / 04. Baptism of Fire / 05. The Needle / 06. uNKNOWn tO vIRTUe / 07. Tyrants

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Welle:Erdball

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Ultra Sunn

During the changeover break, the hall clears a little, and we manage to make it to the front row for ULTRA SUNN. Host Jens is concerned about the well-being of the festival-goers: “So, everyone still fit? Are you drinking enough?” That would be advisable, because what awaits us is a real power workout. The host is particularly looking forward to the following band - just like I am.



I have already had several opportunities to experience the live qualities of the Belgian duo, founded in 2019, who are performing at E-tropolis Festival for the first time today. Most of the audience gathered in front of the stage know what to expect. The excitement is correspondingly high. Frontman Sam Huge, keyboardist and producer Gaelle Souflet, and live keyboardist and percussionist Alexis Andrigo are welcomed with great enthusiasm before disappearing into the fog that floods the stage.



The very first two tracks, ‘The Speed’ and ‘Young Foxes’, already unleash an immense energy. Gaelle and Alexis dance and jump behind their instruments throughout the entire set - fully immersed and completely absorbed in the music. Singer and frontman Sam moves across the stage without pause - from right to left, from back to front and back again. The hall seems packed to the brim. As much as the tight space allows, the audience dances to the mix of Cold Wave, EBM, Electronic, and Belgian New Beat just as intensely as the musicians on stage. The spark transfers instantly.



I particularly like the lighting during this performance. It complements the music and enhances the atmosphere. The fog is used deliberately to draw focus to the music. The stage becomes shifting silhouettes and light. Even in such moments, the connection with the audience never breaks. ‘Some Ghost Could Follow’, ‘Broken Monsters’ - the crowd follows everything and is completely ‘Out of the Cage’. The hall is boiling. “All right, c’mon let me hear you!” Sam fires up the audience, and they sing with full passion: “I am a shark out of the cage / You better rush cause it’s time to move / Finally rid of the rage / I’ve got nothing to lose”.



“All right - ‘Can You Believe it’. Are you gonna sing with me? Let’s go!” Sam engages in a full-on vocal battle with the crowd. The lines are sung alternately: “I’m coming back to life / Can you believe it? / When the day fades and dies - sing! - / Can you believe it?...” Hands are thrown into the air, and from hundreds of throats comes “Can you believe it?”. This is followed by the first and only song from the current album ‘The Beast in You’. The album opener and title track is celebrated just as much and is definitely a highlight for me. The energy on stage and in the room is simply overwhelming, and the track receives thunderous applause.



After ‘Keep Your Eyes Peeled’, ULTRA SUNN close today’s set with ‘Night is Mine’. “This is the last song for us today. Thank you for having us. We had such a great time with you all. Are you ready?” - “Yeaaaaaaaah!” One final time, everyone sings together - “Is it all? / All you leave behind you? / Is it all? / All you wanna say?” - before, at half past five, they wave goodbye once more and leave the stage to loud cheers and applause. // Setlist: 01. The Speed / 02. Young Foxes / 03. Some Ghost Could Follow / 04. Broken Monsters / 05. Out of the Cage / 06. Can You Believe it / 07. The Beast in You / 08. Keep Your Eyes Peeled / 09. Night is Mine

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Funker Vogt

Turbinenhalle 2 is starting to empty out, and we also consider whether to head over for a short detour to FUNKER VOGT and FADERHEAD. But for one thing, it is already packed to the brim over there. For another, I could really use a short breather during the changeover. Besides, I do not want to give up my spot in the front row, because at the latest for NEUROTICFISH and KITE, I want to be standing right here. That also rules out a visit to the merch area in Turbinenhalle 3, and the culinary offerings remain unexplored for now. It is twenty to six. I am as tired as if it were eleven. The far too short night is making itself felt. But we’ll hold our ground - so, NOISUF-X it is.

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Noisuf-X

It is just after six. E-percussions and synthesisers have been set up and are flanked on both sides by large banners bearing the band’s logo. “Hello E-tropolis! Dance-ready? Dance!” The average age in the audience seems to have dropped. I am pleased to see many young people in the crowd. The invitation to dance is gladly accepted, and in return, the temperature in Turbinenhalle 2 quickly rises. The side project of X-FUSION mastermind Jan Loamfield really turns up the heat with a mix of Techno and Rhythm ‘n’ Noise, making the hall shake.



Hard, distorted beats, experimental sounds, and driving sequences accompany us for the next 50 minutes. The two men on percussion and controls give it their all. The audience dances itself into near ecstasy, and on the screen, we can watch ants and other creatures battling for survival in a struggle for the right of the strongest. The stage remains quite dark and is bathed in blue. Bright flashes flicker and pierce through the fog. The bass pounds relentlessly. This combination, along with the strong contrast between the bright screen and the dark stage, puts a real strain on my eyes and triggers my nervous system - I can feel a headache building behind my eyes.



It somehow fits that the next track is called ‘Warning’. The audience is completely beside itself. All hands shoot into the air, clapping in rhythm. “This is really great fun with you.” As a reward, the audience gets to relax a little during a “little parable” before Jan challenges the fans once more: “Can you keep going? Then prove it!” And for the final song of the set, both the artists and the crowd give everything once again. “Make some noise!” The audience screams, claps, dances. The balcony seems to tremble, the hall pulses. At seven o’clock, it is time for “Thank you, that was absolutely amazing with you.”, and the band leave the stage to thunderous applause and loud cheers.

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Faderhead

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Neuroticfish

During the changeover break, it remains relatively full; there seems to be little turnover in the audience, and it quickly becomes crowded again. As is often the case at NEUROTICFISH concerts, Sascha is already being cheered during the soundcheck and microphone test. Five minutes before the show begins, Sascha and Henning leave the stage with the request that, in five minutes, we should pretend we have seen nothing. “Then we’ll get started, on time!” - which happens at half past six with great cheers and heavy applause as both artists return.



The calm ‘Imposter Syndrome’ has established itself as the opener since the last album. Music is the strongest form of magic, and my headache seems to have vanished - just in time. The audience sways gently to the music. Many sing along. “Guten Abend Oberhausen!” Sascha appears to be having some technical issues with his in-ear system, and ‘Bring The Noise’ comes with a brief feedback squeal, as if to make sure everyone understands the message. “E-tropolis! It’s been nine years since we were last here. Make some noise!” Said and done. ‘Silence’ is our enemy, and so the audience gladly boards the rollercoaster, which quickly picks up speed. The hall is buzzing, and the temperature rises once again.



I admire Sascha’s vocal power, facial expressions, and gestures, with which songs like ‘Civilised’ and ‘Echokammer’ are propelled through the room, hitting straight to the core. And then ‘How To Suffer’ - so beautiful. I have to force myself not to keep my eyes closed the whole time and instead observe how many people surrender to the music in exactly that way. ‘Suffocating Right’ is one of my favourites - it goes so deep, and for the first time this evening, I am close to tears.



“Thank you. But enough with the sentimental stuff. Now it’s time to get rough again. I need to see all hands in the air. There’s no other way.” Hands shoot up. ‘Bomb’ makes the energy explode. Sascha counts down - “I’m warning you! More hands!” He practically challenges the audience, and they willingly rise to it. It is time for a synthesiser solo - “Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Henning Verlage.” The atmosphere intensifies. The audience chants “Don’t wake me up, don’t wake me up” and delivers more than just a decent chorus. Every line of the songs is sung along loudly - “We all share the scars, we all won’t belong / We carry the weight and need to be strong”.



With ‘Fluchtreflex’, an all-time favourite follows. The song is and always will be a highlight. But before that, Sascha announces a “Heimspiel” at Kulttempel Oberhausen later this year - and NEUROTICFISH are bringing a new album! You can imagine how enthusiastically this is received. The first single will be released in the summer - a reissue of a very old track. This delights my little fan heart beyond measure - the perfect opportunity to have a proper long phone call with Sascha again. The opening bars of ‘Fluchtreflex’ always - really always - trigger a wave of excitement. “Anyone not dancing now, it’s your own fault.” And the same goes for not singing along.



Did anyone really think we’d get out of here without ‘Velocity’? "No! We’ll play that until we drop!" The new version of this classic is once again sung at the top of everyone’s lungs - "And it really kicks my head / Rips me up and makes me sad / Sending shiver down on me / Expressing velocity". Sascha thanks the fans and wishes us all a great night “and enjoy KITE and the Pitchies (PROJECT PITCHFORK as we all know)”.



But before Sascha and Henning take their final bow with perfect timing, it is “one last time together” - “All I want is not for me / All I need I cannot be / Sending shiver down on me / Expressing velocity”. I have no doubt: “Home show, M’era Luna, wherever - we’ll see each other again.” // Setlist: 01. Imposter Syndrome / 02. Bring The Noise / 03. Silence / 04. Civilized / 05. Echokammer / 06. How To Suffer / 07. Suffocating Right / 08. Bomb / 09. Wake Me Up / 10. Everything / 11. Fluchtreflex / 12. Velocity N20

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Combichrist

While COMBOCHRIST are undoubtedly making the neighbouring hall shake, the stage equipment, including the lighting installation, is being set up here. In addition to various light elements attached to the instruments or distributed across the stage, a huge silver spherical balloon is placed centrally in the background. Despite the amount of technical equipment, this changeover is also completed very quickly, allowing the “Swedish Weeks - Part 2” to begin punctually at nine o’clock.

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Kite

A good hour full of magic and intense performance lies ahead of us as the lights go out, fog envelops the stage, and the intro begins. The opening alone is truly cinematic. The stage is flooded with red and turquoise lights that carve their way through the fog, merging with it and shifting constantly. Music fills the space, and goosebumps immediately set in. The lights flicker. Nicklas Stenemo’s vocals echo through the hall. The fog lifts slightly, and the lighting reveals the instruments. Christian Hutchinson Berg and Nicklas almost ghost-like take shape behind them. The crowd sways to ‘Wishful Summer Night’, while turquoise beams shoot upwards towards the ceiling, casting mesmerising patterns. Lighting and visual effects are exquisitely synchronised with the music, placing it firmly at the centre.



‘True Colours’, every flicker, every visual effect is reflected in the huge silver sphere that seems to hover above the stage. The music finds its way from the stage through the room and straight into the hearts, throats, and legs of every person. Both musicians play multiple instruments - sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneously. Nicklas repeatedly switches between instruments and microphone, performing almost acrobatic movements in between. Band and audience become completely immersed in the music, merging into one - we all belong right here in this moment and feel understood by strangers.



“Deep as I go, nothing to find / Oh catatonia, I won’t cry / Nothing can grow, everything dies / behind my glassy eyes” - the stage glows in soft orange light, and while Nicklas blows kisses to the audience, I blink away the first tears. KITE take us on an intense journey through musical soundscapes unlike any other. The music flows through the body so clearly and deeply that it can be felt in every single cell - “So tonight I’m gonna dance again / To the morning give it all I can / If there’s a chance for me and my heart / Then I will give it all that I’ve got”. The music works its magic. Hands sway in the air, faces light up - a collective sense of joy spreads.



The rhythm of ‘Jonny Boy’ grabs you instantly, and then that hook... Darkness falls, and with every piano strike, lights flash briefly through the space - ‘Panic Music’. What power lies within this music. “False alarm, empty guns / Mediocre life, restless ones / I got defeated this way / So idiots don’t follow me” - a true storm breaks loose. Lasers pulse. I have long since given up trying to hold back the tears and simply surrender to the emotion. “Boy to man, what’s the point? / Idiots in my life, thanks a lot / I got defeated this way / So idiots don’t follow me”.



Piano notes ring out, and then: “Are you there? / It’s deadly quiet in your old heart / Are you there?” - ‘Losing’ almost breaks your heart. I have goosebumps all over - “Am I delighting your life / A sense of home in the dark...” In my mind, I can hear Henric de la Cour’s voice come in - “Are you there? / I can’t describe the desolation / And hunger for real life...” And then Anna von Hausswolff - “Are you there? / It’s dеadly quiet in your old heart / Are you thеre?”



I can hear both of them clearly in my inner ear, and the tears are still streaming down my face long after Christian and Nicklas have exchanged a high-five and already left the stage. // Setlist: 01. Wishful Summer Night / 02. True Colours / 03. I Can’t Stand / 04. Hand Out the Drugs / 05. Glassy Eyes / 06. Changing / 07. The Rhythm / 08. Don’t Take the Light Away / 09. Dance Again / 10. Jonny Boy / 11. Panic Music / 12. Losing

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Project Pitchfork

Since KITE left the stage fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, there is actually enough time to make it to the main hall in time for PROJECT PITCHFORK. However, we are so emotionally overwhelmed and stirred up that we need a short break first - we need to calm down a little. So, our path initially leads us to Hall 3, where we treat ourselves to a cool drink, take a breather, and recharge our batteries.



By the time we finally pull ourselves together and drag our tired limbs into the main hall, the final notes of ‘Memento Mori’ are just fading away. We find a spot next to the rear bar, slightly elevated, which gives us a fairly good view of the stage. Music is the strongest form of magic - and so ‘I Am’ manages to breathe life back into my weary body once more. “Can you keep going? Was that a great E-tropolis? Let me hear you.” The pace remains high, while Waik attacks the keyboard during ‘Titânes’ reminding me of Animal from The Muppet Show on the drums. Speaking of drums - today, PROJECT PITCHFORK have brought a third drum kit. After all, the stage is big enough.



Usually, I find myself right at the front for this band. The change in perspective due to our late arrival gives me the opportunity to admire the lighting and visual effects from a distance for once. The visuals on the screen, combined with the sophisticated light show, really come into their own from back here. The band I practically grew up with, and who have had a lasting influence on my taste of music, have packed many classics into today’s setlist.



These old favourites have not lost any of their power or magic over the years. ‘Souls’, of course, is indispensable, and I have not heard ‘Carnival’ live for quite some time. During ‘Rain’, a murmur of pure joy moves through the crowd before ‘The Name’ briefly brings us back to the present. ‘Timekiller’, with Waik on guitar and Su on keyboards, ignites a real firework display. And ‘Mine (Beast of Prey)’ also suits the guitar incredibly well. Not having missed this song today makes me very, very happy. I love the energy this track unleashes live.



“E-tropolis, thank you for letting us be here with you. It has once again been an honour for us.” With these words from Peter and the opening notes of ‘Existence’, we call it a day. We have simply reached the end of our strength. For those who can carry on, PROJECT PITCHFORK still have three more classics in store before they too leave the stage and wave goodbye. // Setlist: 01. Drone Assembly / 02. Drone State / 03. Conjure / 04. K.N.K.A. / 05. Acid Ocean / 06. Fire and Ice / 07. Memento Mori / 08. I Am (A Thought in Slomotion) / 09. Titânes / 10. Souls / 11. Carnival / 12. Rain / 13. The Name / 14. Timekiller / 15. Mine (Beast of Prey) /16. Existence v4.1 / 17. Beholder / Encore: 18. God Wrote / 19. Rescue

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It’s been a magical evening with plenty of highlights that we’ll fondly remember for a long time. And as already last year, I was once again impressed and pleased by the interest many artists showed in the performances of their fellow musicians. What did you enjoy most about E-tropolis 2026? What bothered you, and which bands would you like to see next year? Share your thoughts in the audience survey here. You might even win one of five pairs of VIP tickets for the next E-tropolis, happening on 20th March 2027. Ticket pre-sales have already started. The first bands will be confirmed very soon.

All pictures by Andreas Klüppelberger and Daniela Vorndran