Tanzbrunnen, Cologne, Germany26th July 2026
Amphi Festival 2026 Day 2 with Motel Transylvania, Industrial Dance Video Contest, Chrom, Schattenmann, Kllsignl, Extize, Solitary Experiments, Emmon, The Sweet Kill, Lebanon Hanover, SIIE, Assemblage 23, Diary Of Dreams, Potochkine, Empathy Test, Joachim Witt, Paradox Obscur, Clan of Xymox, Eisbrecher, Welle:Erdball and Rotersand
After catching up on a bit of sleep, I begin the second festival day rested and refreshed, arriving just in time for the gates opening at 10:00 a.m. Once again, I don’t really have a plan. I will definitely be at the Theatre in time to see ASSEMBLAGE 23 and end the day aboard the MS RheinMagie with ROTERSAND. Everything else will fall into place.
Today as well, the first visitors gather directly in front of the Mainstage. Some of my friends have positioned themselves on the left-hand side and are already occupying the front row again. After an appropriate greeting, I make my way along the front of the stage towards the right. On the way, I greet a few more lovely people. Once I reach the right-hand side, I end up next to my friend Melvin (for data protection reasons, and because he’s used to it, his name has been altered), and that’s where I stay.
We haven’t seen each other for a while, so we take the opportunity for a long chat. On top of that, he is in desperate need of a coffee, while I really ought to get rid of the one I had this morning. So I keep his place for him while he joins the “queue of death” to get his hot drink. Afterwards, I go and get rid of my coffee while he keeps my place. That way, we both benefit.
Motel Transylvania
Just before eleven, it’s time. Celene and Mark welcome those present to the second festival day. Celene introduces the first band of the day: “MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA were founded in 2014 and are from Italy.” We are in for some Industrial Metal to wake us up. The band describe themselves as a particularly energetic live act. Whether that is true, we are about to find out. One thing is certain, however: today marks their Amphi debut, and it will also be my first time seeing the band live.
The intro is immediately accompanied by rhythmic clapping, cheers, and a warm welcome for drummer Leo Wayan. As he takes his place behind the drum kit, which is equipped with two bass drums, bassist Fish and guitarist Taison Gore take up positions on the left and right. Both are holding smoke flares, sending green smoke rising into the air. Singer Toxi storms onto the stage - and just like that, everyone’s awake! It’s remarkable anyway how many people are already standing in front of the stage again at this time of day. “Amphi are you here?” People scream. “I wanna see your fucking hands!” Hands shoot into the air. Hair is flying.
The Italians get the Tanzbrunnen rocking properly for an early morning session. Fish and Taison keep charging wildly across the stage. Toxi covers plenty of ground as well, appearing on the right, then the left, then in the middle, as if he had ants in his pants. A large part of the assembled crowd seems familiar with the band and their songs, singing along loudly. Out of nowhere, a black balloon comes flying through the air. It doesn’t get very far, though, and collides with the pole of one of the brand-new parasols. And that is the end of the balloon - burst. In return, MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA treat the audience to a new song with the lovely title ‘A Better Place’. “I wanna see your hands!”
Hands shoot into the air, some of them waving the little flags that were handed out before the show. If anyone still isn’t awake by now, they soon will be - morning exercise. Toxi asks the audience to crouch down. Not everyone is thrilled by the idea, but those who are physically able bend down and join in. Then comes the command: “Jump.” It looks pretty cool when a few hundred people launch themselves into the air almost in perfect unison. Before we slowly come to the end, there is one more song for all the difficult times. ‘Firmament’ is for every moment when you’ve felt that you were never good enough.
A song for the lonely and the confusing moments in life, and above all a song for every time you still got back on your feet, grew from the experience, and found the strength to carry on. The band largely leave the stage. Drumsticks are handed out, but the music continues, and the gentlemen are not quite finished yet. They thank everyone once again from the bottom of their hearts before playing ‘Rise And Fall’. In front of the stage, flags are being waved, and those without one wave their arms instead.
MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA sign off with a banger - ‘Generation Lost’. It’s written on Toxi’s vest as well. The audience once again demonstrates its singing ability, which comes across particularly well during the final a cappella singalong together. Then, after the obligatory photo, the band really do leave the stage. // Setlist: 01. Caligo / 02. To Hell / 03. Obscene / 04. A Better Place / 05. In My Mind / 06. Burning Lust / 07. Firmament / 08. Rise And Fall / 09. Generation Lost
While yesterday’s first few hours on the Mainstage remained faithful to guitar-driven sounds, today’s second act turns electronic. A keyboard replaces the drum kit, and a microphone stand is set up. With that, everything the next band needs is in place - above all, plenty of room to move.
IMP4Chrom
Shortly after twelve, the presenting trio of Jens, Celene and Mark keep the waiting audience entertained with a little quiz and a few more facts about Amphi: having appeared eight times each, PROJECT PITCHFORK and EISBRECHER share first place as the most frequently featured bands. Whoever guesses third place correctly will later be treated to a beer or a cocktail by Jens, naturally on expenses. The band with the third-highest number of appearances is one we will also be seeing later today: DIARY OF DREAMS.
Mark follows this up with another little guessing game about the name of the next act: “Do you know why the next band are called what they are? Their name is made up of the first names of the band members.” Mark doesn’t really seem keen to reveal the answer, so I’ll do it instead - after all, a bit of education never hurts. CHROM were founded in May 2007 by Christian Marquis (which provides the first part) and Thomas Winters (hence the second part of the name). By 2016, the duo had released three albums. Their last album together, ‘Peak & Decay’, even reached the official German album charts.
Thomas left the band in 2022, and since then singer and frontman Christian has continued CHROM on his own. Live, he is supported by Alexander Suttmer on keyboards. Christian has been working on new songs and released the two singles ‘Paralysed’ and ‘Agony’ in 2024. ‘Beyond The Trees’ followed in July 2025. Enough of the theory, let’s move on to the practical side. Once Alex has taken his place behind the keyboard, the intro begins and the audience immediately starts clapping along.
We are treated to a powerful fusion of Synth Pop, EBM and Club-Electro: punchy, danceable, melodic, with driving beats and penetrating bass lines. And off we go with ‘Paralysed’. And why it’s a good thing there’s plenty of space on stage becomes obvious straight away: Christian dances elegantly and exuberantly across the entire width of the stage, spending most of his time close to the audience, making full use of the available space and filling it with energy and good spirits.
Both immediately spill over to the large crowd that has gathered. The Tanzbrunnen is packed, and the masses are in motion. The atmosphere is exuberant. People clap and sing along, and Christian expresses how delighted he is to be here. Either Christian has put the biggest hits right at the start of the setlist, or we’re in for a best-of spanning the band’s history - or perhaps both.
Christian is constantly right at the front edge of the stage, encouraging the fans, spotting someone in the crowd and waving, or reacting to the actions of individual fans. He seems to have eyes everywhere and wins people over with his connection to the audience. Every gesture is appreciated, and the crowd claps and sings along enthusiastically, absorbing the energy and sending it straight back to the stage. Christian only has to raise his arms, and the fans are right there with every hand in the air.
“Amphi, how are you? Let’s hear some noise!” The crowd makes plenty of noise, and Christian beams at the sight of so many enthusiastic fans. My friend Marven seems amused by my scribbling into my mobile phone and says, “He said thank you, write that down!” Consider it done - and that’s enough joking around. After all, I’m not here for fun... or am I? “That looks absolutely amazing. Especially at this time of day. It’s so wonderful to be here with you.” In the back rows, people are waving their arms, and right in front of us two little elves have somehow managed to squeeze into the front row - it’s really sweet watching the pair of them clapping along.
Somehow Christian seems to think the distance to the fans is too great, so he climbs down into the pit and onto the barrier in front of them. Apparently it’s time to put an end to the ‘Loneliness’ and make ‘The Start of Something New’. The opening bars of the song trigger another wave of cheers from the audience. "The day’s only just beginning! Come on!" I’d say things are escalating just a little. “Thank you all so very much. Thank you! Now it’s time for our last song today.” Christian asks everyone to join in one more time for ‘Staring At The Sun’.
It’s not nearly as sunny today as it was yesterday, though. In fact, it’s quite overcast, and rain is forecast for later. Just in case, I’ve packed my rain poncho. For now, though, it’s still dry, and Christian dances across the stage one last time. “Thank you, Amphi. Thank you all for being here. On keyboards, that’s Alex, and I’m Christian.” For the final round of applause, every hand goes up into the air once more. Alex comes forward, and just before one o’clock the two of them leave the stage. // Setlist: 01. Paralysed / 02. Memories / 03. Visions / 04. Agony / 05. Beyond The Trees / 06. Loneliness / 07. The Start of Something New / 08. Staring At The Sun
Melvin says goodbye and strolls around the Tanzbrunnen for a little while before making his way to the Orbitstage for the rest of the day. Like yesterday, I meet up with my friend for coffee and cake. We recharge our batteries for a while before heading back towards the Mainstage in time for SOLITARY EXPERIMENTS. Meanwhile, the second festival day begins in the Theatre with the INDUSTRIAL DANCE VIDEO & CONTEST, followed by EXTIZE, who storm the stage shortly after two o’clock. // Setlist: 01. Redneck / 02. Dirty Freddy / 03. Pinheadbanger / 04. Medievil / 05. Gothy Cool / 06. Hot as Fuck / 07. I Don’t Wanna B / 08. Dirty Evil Women / 09. Gothbusters / 10. Guns & Cowbell / 11. Industrial Kombat
KLLSIGNL usher in the festival day on the Orbitstage with their Amphi debut almost simultaneously at quarter to two. Meanwhile, fuelled by a healthy dose of caffeine and sugar, we head back to the Mainstage full of energy and anticipation, where SCHATTENMANN are just saying goodbye to their fans with ‘Día De Muertos’. // Setlist: 01. Endgegner / 02. Kamikaze / 03. Menschenhasser / 04. Chaos / 05. Echo / 06. Besser als der Rest / 07. Intro / Schna-Na-Naps / 08. WSDEDW / 09. Kein Kommando / 10. Cosima / 11. Hände hoch / 12. Día De Muertos
Solitary Experiments
Back at the Mainstage, we actually manage to make it all the way to the front again during the changeover. The band are back to being a four-piece today, unfortunately without Seppo. But Frank is back and is already being cheered during the soundcheck, with fans calling for an encore. He visibly seems delighted by the reception. Dennis, who can only be heard during the soundcheck and entertains us in the meantime with his conversation with the sound engineer, also receives a warm round of applause.
There’s someone else we can hear during the soundcheck as well. A little surprise awaits us today, but more on that later. For now, it’s once again time for the presenting team of Jens and Mark. The latter has made a special effort for the next band and is wearing a tie by the band to mark the occasion - one that many fans have been wearing for quite a long time.
Jens explains that he already had the honour of hosting their 20th anniversary, then their 25th, and, two years ago, their 30th anniversary as well. Incidentally, there will be a “Solitary and Friends” event in Potsdam in November. “And rumour has it I’ll be hosting that one as well.” Make a note of 28 November 2026. At Lindenpark Potsdam, alongside SOLITARY EXPERIMENTS, you’ll also get fantastic acts such as TORUL, LIGHTS OF EUPHORIA and (my heart is already doing somersaults) UNIFY SEPARATE!
Why is it always the drummers who are first on stage? Has anyone else ever noticed that? Frank first strikes a pose in front of the percussion setup and enjoys the applause before taking his place behind it. Markus (on the right, my side) and Micha (on the left) head over to their keyboards. A sea of hands has already formed above the crowd as Markus encourages everyone to clap along. Dennis walks onto the stage behind the microphone. Now we’re ready to begin with ‘Stars’. What a wonderful and well-chosen opener. “Is everyone awake again?” Dennis asks.
“Good evening... no, nonsense, good afternoon! Hello Cologne. Welcome to the 20th Amphi. We’re absolutely thrilled to be back here. It’s great that you all got up so early.” And people haven’t just got up and shown up - they’re in fantastic spirits. The atmosphere is incredible! Fortunately, the band are enjoying themselves just as much. During ‘Immortal’, Markus and Frank are almost jumping up and down in perfect sync, and I realise this is going to be a great set. “Let’s go!” Time for the surprise. “Thank you very much! Are you doing well? Are you up for it? Surprise! Let’s have a great time together.” And suddenly there are five of them: Mari Kattman joins the gentlemen on stage as a guest vocalist.
To me, Mari is not only incredibly likeable but also exceptionally talented. Alongside her solo project, she also has the joint project HELIX with her husband Tom Shear and, as she is today, performs live with ASSEMBLAGE 23 as their keyboard player. Mari also appears on the bonus CD ‘La Voix De La Femme’, included with the limited edition ‘Transcendent’ wooden box set, with a cover version of ‘Achromatic’. So what could be more fitting than taking the opportunity to perform that song together with Dennis today?
“This song is for Berlin tonight!” No more words are needed to express solidarity, even though many people on Sunday afternoon are still completely unaware of yesterday’s events at the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin. Mari and Dennis deliver a dynamic performance. Have I already mentioned how much I admire this woman? A wonderful voice, fantastic stage presence and an incredibly positive energy. “Mari Kattman from the USA. Here just for you tonight!” She receives the applause she thoroughly deserves, and Mari thanks everyone before dashing off the stage again.
It starts to rain – “Come a little closer, there are umbrellas here” - and we set off on a little journey through some highlights from the band’s history. “We were young, naïve and over the top. Today we’re not a bit wiser, just older and greyer. But it’s wonderful that you’re all still here. Even if some are no longer with us. Live the moment!” And, of course: “Back then we had more hair.” Dennis looks genuinely happy. The atmosphere is fantastic, and it’s wonderful to see Frank so completely in his element again.
Everyone sings: “Turn the light on for the showdown / Give me something pure in heart / Bring the night on before our time’s gone / That’s just what it’s all about.” And look at that - “the sun has come out again. Thank you!” Hands form hearts above the audience during ‘Delight’, then something for the long-time fans with ‘Watching Over You’, and “as always, at some point the last song comes around. Right?” Dennis thanks everyone and wishes them a great rest of the festival. “We’ll see you in November in Potsdam.”
Today, SOLITARY EXPERIMENTS finish their set with a real banger, ‘Rise And Fall’. One last time, every arm is raised and everyone sings together as one huge choir. “Incredible. Thank you so much!” One more photo together with Mari. “We’ll never all be this young together again. Have a great time. Enjoy your lives. We’ll see you again. Until next time.” // Setlist: 01. Stars / 02. Crash & Burn / 03. Immortal / 04. Achromatic (with Mari Kattman) / 05. Land of Tomorrow / 06. Every Now And Then / 07. Epiphany / 08. Delight / 09. Watching Over You / 10. Rise And Fall
With that, we also bid farewell to the Mainstage. Over on the Orbitstage, the wonderful Emma Nylen is making her Amphi debut with EMMON, and we sprint towards the Theatre, where THE SWEET KILL have already played two thirds of their set by the time we arrive.
The Sweet Kill
The LA-based Post-Punk band, fronted by Pete Mills, are also making their Amphi debut today. For me, this band was a complete unknown and a genuine new discovery. Cold Wave synthesisers, melancholic guitars and Mills’ deep baritone voice - I found the combination extremely appealing. The band immediately earned a place on my Bandcamp wish-list.
The Theatre is not yet completely full, allowing us to weave our way a little further towards the front. After finally being able to praise the lighting in the Theatre last year following the experiences of previous years, it seems they have taken a step backwards again this year. It is very dark, there is far too much fog, and even from further towards the front you often cannot see much of what is happening on stage - a real shame! Unfortunately, singer and guitarist Pete Mills, “Chris Roberts on drums, Jack Glazer on bass, Lisa Bianco on guitar”, are usually little more than silhouettes.
At least I manage to catch a reasonably clear glimpse of Pete and Lisa when, at one point, they leave the stage with their instruments and charge straight past us into the middle of the audience. Sadly, I cannot say exactly during which song this happened - my notes are rather cryptic at that point. The set eventually comes to an end with a beautiful cover of the NINE INCH NAILS classic ‘Hurt’, enthusiastic applause and the obligatory closing photo. // Setlist: 01. Closer / 02. Masters of War / 03. Satellite / 04. Darkness / 05. Evil / 06. Queen / 07. Destroy / 08. Creeper / 09. Cold / 10. Blood / 11. Dead of the Night / 12. Blood Red Roses / 13. Undead / 14. Forbidden / 15. Hurt
During the changeover, we move a little closer towards the centre and make our way forward into the second row. Meanwhile, LEBANON HANOVER take to the Mainstage, while SIIE make their Amphi debut on the Orbitstage.
Assemblage 23
Twenty to five, and Jens is back. It’s absolutely packed, correspondingly warm, and the air is already far from fresh. I’m glad we arrived so early, and I’m certain that before long no one else will be getting in. “I’m really looking forward to the band that’s coming up now.” Almost twenty years ago, Jens played support with his former band, and at one festival he even got to fill in on keyboards. “For one day it was: could you just stand there at the keyboard, look good and pretend.” If anyone can do that, it’s Jens. After more than ten years, Tom Shear is back at the Amphi Festival with his project and is delighted (just like we are) to finally be here again.
ASSEMBLAGE 23 released their tenth studio album, ‘Null’, in November, and today they have certainly brought along not only plenty of classics but also a few new songs. They’ve chosen one of the latter as the opener. “I still believe that there is good left in the world” - a powerful statement about the goodness in people. What a wonderful message to start with. Mari immediately gets the crowd going, encouraging everyone to clap along. Tom’s vocals are clear and powerful, carrying the message right through the venue to the very back row. “Do you believe, Amphi?” A loud and sustained “Yeah!” is the answer.
The stage disappears into fog, the spotlights flicker, and from time to time beams of light cut through the darkness. The audience are in full singalong mode and celebrate every song enthusiastically. “Ladies and gentlemen, on keyboard Mari Kattman,” Tom says as he introduces his wife, and the audience shows its appreciation with loud cheers and applause, hands raised high in the air. Tom certainly didn’t hold back when putting together the setlist and included plenty of fan favourites. It really is a wonderful set.
The atmosphere in the Theatre is absolutely incredible, with the audience completely immersed in the music and the energy. “Here we go!” I was already feeling hot beforehand, and my clothes were sticking to my body. After this performance, I’ll probably need them surgically removed. I have the feeling the fabric is slowly merging with my skin. Despite the heat and the enormous consumption of oxygen, people are jumping and making an incredible amount of noise. “Alright, Amphi, I need to see some hands!” Then comes ‘Drive’ - “Sing it! Everybody sing it!” And sing they do. The audience know every word and throw themselves into it with everything they’ve got.
“This is another new one from the new album. This is called ‘Tolerate’. Come on!” A song about the fact that even the most tolerant person has boundaries that cannot be crossed. “This is our last song and we wanna see all of your energy, okay? Let me see you move!” And everyone gives it everything they’ve got once more. ‘The Noise Inside My Head’ gets everyone moving again, and together we sweat, dance and jump one last time. “Amphi, thank you so much. You are fucking amazing. We love you!” Tom asks for one final favour. One last group photo, and then it’s already time to say goodbye again. “Thank you so much. We hope to see you next time!” // Setlist: 01. Believe / 02. Opened / 03. Naked / 04. Disappoint / 05. Bravery / 06. Document / 07. Let the Wind Erase Me / 08. Drive / 09. Tolerate / 10. The Noise Inside My Head
On the way to the Mainstage, where DIARY OF DREAMS will be taking the stage in less than five minutes, I had actually planned to make a quick detour to the toilets. But the queue is far too long, and things are about to continue over there anyway. Never mind - I’ve probably sweated it all out by now anyway.
Diary Of Dreams
I make it back to the Mainstage just in time for the first song and find a spot somewhere centre-right. My friend left the Theatre a little earlier to recharge her batteries, so I set off from here to look for her. DIARY OF DREAMS shake the Mainstage with ‘The Chemistry of Pain’. The band are performing as a five-piece again today. On guitar and backing vocals, Yannik “Rage” Fleming has been supporting them more or less regularly since the autumn tour, whenever his schedule allows.
Eventually I find my friend and join her a little closer to the centre. Around me, people are enjoying the music rather than celebrating wildly, and I slowly let myself drift away. “The monster is me / Say my name / Say my name / Say my name” - once again, the audience forms a magnificent choir. “Amazing! Thank you so, so much!” The dynamics on stage, the energy at the Tanzbrunnen, the countless voices singing as one, hands raised high, clapping, that moment when you become one with the crowd, when strangers become friends. This is exactly that moment, ‘The Secret’. And it doesn’t end until the band leave the stage.
But we’re not there yet. Screams as soon as the opening notes of ‘King of Nowhere’ ring out, clapping in time, and one glance at the big screen gives an idea of just how incredible this must look from the stage. At this point I switch off for a while - I’ll see you again after ‘Ikarus’. The applause brings me back. “That might not have been your typical festival song.” I’m grateful for it, because I simply love that song.
‘Butterfly Dance’, ‘Endless Nights’, ‘Kindrom’ and, of course, ‘Undividable’ - for a festival set, the setlist leaves very little to be desired. Once again, a black balloon comes drifting through the air from somewhere. “Opposites attract.” Things become quieter, and I simply love this song as well. ‘She And Her Darkness’ sounds absolutely monumental on this stage. And the sky begins to cry.
And how. Under the umbrella we stay reasonably dry, but it really is raining cats and dogs. The song ends, the audience applauds enthusiastically, and then the piano begins once more. To everyone’s surprise, Adrian starts singing the chorus of ‘Traumtänzer’, and the audience immediately joins in, taking over the second half: “wie meine Augen glitzern”.
I have to admit that sometimes I simply can’t hear that song anymore. And yet, whenever the audience sings that chorus, the goosebumps are there. Every single time. Adrian conducts the crowd and leaves the singing entirely to them. He joins in one last time, and that’s it for today.
“Thank you! Thank you all so very much! You were incredible.” One final bow. It’s just after half past six, and we make our way over to the Orbitstage. // Setlist: 01. the Chemistry of Pain / 02. Lebenslang / 03. Viva la bestia / 04. the Secret / 05. King of Nowhere / 06. Ikarus / 07. Butterfly Dance / 08. Endless nights / 09. kindrom / 10. Undividable / 11. She and her darkness / 12. Traumtänzer
We make our way to the Orbitstage, where POTOCHKINE are probably just finishing their set. It’s been quite a while since I last saw EMPATHY TEST, and I would have loved to see them again today as well. But I had to make a choice somewhere.
Meanwhile, back at the Mainstage, Joachim Witt will be taking to the stage in half an hour. Hopefully we’ll have made it to the Orbitstage and dried off at least a little by then. We’ll see. For the moment, at least, the rain has eased off a bit. // Setlist: 01. Herr der Berge / 02. Das geht tief / 03. Es regnet in mir / 04. Die Erde brennt / 05. Treibjagd / 06. Signale / 07. Ohne dich / 08. Quo Vadis / 09. Dämon / 10. Die Flut / 11. Der Goldene Reiter
As my hotel is on the other side of the Rhine as well, I collect my car from the multi-storey car park, giving us a dry and comfortable journey to the Orbitstage. We even manage to find a free parking space near the landing stage without any trouble. Over the last few metres the rain becomes heavier again, and our rain ponchos finally come into use. By the time we get on board, PARADOX OBSCUR from Athens have already started their set. The Greek duo are also making their first appearance at Amphi today. Unfortunately, I don’t get to experience much of their performance.
First of all, though, I urgently need to get rid of some liquid and then replace it with something solid. I’m absolutely starving. Upstairs on the balcony we find a table with a little bit of space left, and eventually even a chair, giving our now rather tired limbs a chance to rest. With a vegan currywurst in my stomach, I already feel much better. The atmosphere downstairs in front of the stage seems excellent. It certainly sounds as though people are having a great time. Unfortunately, the sound up here isn’t particularly good; the bass is booming, so I can hardly form an opinion about the music itself.
At the same time, CLAN OF XYMOX are performing in the Theatre. // Setlist: 01. Intro / Stranger / 02. All I Ever Know / 03. X-Odus / 04. Jasmine & Rose / 05. Muscovite Musquito / 06. Emily / 07. You’re The One / 08. Loneliness / 09. She / 10. Fire / 11. A Day
We slowly make our way downstairs and find a spot in the second row on the far left. It’s about to get rather cosy here, and I’m sure things won’t look much different in front of the Mainstage. Over there, EISBRECHER will no doubt bring the festival day to a fitting close. // Setlist: 01. Minus 90 Grad / 02. Everything ist wunderbar / 03. Himmel, Arsch & Zwirn / 04. Leider / 05. Waffen Waffen Waffen / 06. Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt (+ Sortia) / 07. Dein Herz / 08. Zeitgeist (+ Witt) / 09. 1000 Narben / 10. Schwarze Witwe / 11. Auf die Zunge (+ Schattenmann) / 12. Kaltfront / 13. This is deutsch (+ Marsch) / 14. Was ist hier los / 15. Verrückt / 16. Out Of The Dark (+ Sortia + Witt + Frank)
It will no doubt be just as cosy over in the Theatre for WELLE: ERDBALL. A quarter of an hour before the final show of the day on board the MS RheinMagie, it’s already becoming rather crowded, and the air in here is anything but fresh.
Rotersand
The headliner of the Orbitstage hardly needs an introduction. And I probably can’t tell you anything new about Krischan and Rascal, better known as ROTERSAND, so let’s get straight to the point. At quarter to nine, the interval music stops and a video appears on the screen. Krischan, who is already standing behind his equipment, doesn’t seem particularly impressed. The video belongs to the intro, displays the lyrics, and has to be synchronised with the music. So the video is stopped and restarted together with the music on the count of “three”. That’s more like it. On the screen we read, and through the speakers we hear: “Don’t become the thing you hated...”
The lyrics give way to the unmistakable “R”, and the audience erupts into loud cheers, clapping along to ‘Grey’ and enthusiastically singing with the opener. I get the feeling that I made exactly the right decision for today’s finale. Somehow I can’t quite believe how much energy everyone still has left at the end of this festival - myself included. It’s as if someone has flicked a switch. The whole boat is rocking, and even up on the balcony people are dancing and clapping just as wildly and enthusiastically as they are down here.
Rascal only has to point the microphone towards the audience, and everyone screams. It’s ‘War On Error’, which means it’s time to sing along, and of course the obligatory “dance inspection” can’t be missing either. Rascal jumps off the stage, over the barrier, and prowls through the crowd. A photo here, another there, and then everyone is jumping up and down with him. And just like that, he’s back on stage again. Krischan joins him at the front: “It’s my life / It’s my mind / It’s my heart / - not a digit”.
“Thank you! Thank you so much. Thank you for coming over to this side of the river. I’ve been at home here for quite a while now.” I have no idea where my body is still finding the energy, but during ‘Higher Ground’ I suddenly find myself jumping up and down together with everyone else - I suppose there’s simply no other way. “This feels like coming home.” Every song is sung along to at full volume. Up on the balcony, people prove that you can dance both standing on two feet and sitting on your backside. “Only love can save us now.” And once again the whole ship sings: “Remain, remain, remain / Love shall remain...”.
Rascal shakes hands, even with people up on the balcony. Good thing he’s so tall. Then he runs along the front row, high-fiving the fans. Back on stage, he circles around Krischan - I don’t even want to know how many steps he has clocked up by the end of the concert. As far as the eye can see, hands are clapping in front of the stage. It must look absolutely magnificent from up there. Then Krischan and Rascal stand side by side at the front of the stage, each with a fist raised in the air.
Everyone here knows what’s coming and copies them while singing: “Exterminate - Annihilate - Destroy”. The two musicians roam constantly across the stage, repeatedly swapping sides. As always, they end the song standing side by side with their arms stretched wide apart. “I don’t know what’s going on with you lot, but I’d like a bit of it as well.” Rascal sits down on the edge of the stage, letting his legs dangle into the photo pit - ‘Undone’. As the music almost fades away, the singer lets himself fall backwards and lies almost motionless on the floor. Only one arm remains raised, reaching up again and again in time with the music as it builds once more.
The next moment he’s back on his feet and jumping again. And everyone else is jumping with him. “Cologne North Police Headquarters, hands up!” Krischan is back at the front. Every hand goes into the air one final time, and everyone sings together one last time: “Everybody needs somebody”. Since Rascal happened to be on Instagram in January and saw it there, he’d also like to take a closing photo - or perhaps it’ll be a video; no one seems entirely sure.
The important thing is that we simply keep cheering and clapping. “That was sensational. And by the way, this is 25 years of ROTERSAND.” Krischan thanks the local crew once more (“they’ve been absolutely delightful”), then their own crew (“René on lights, Peter on sound, Christian on monitors - it’s all absolutely wonderful here”), and Rascal thanks the audience, wishes everyone lots of love, and with that, the 20th Amphi Festival comes to an end for us. // Setlist: 01. Intro / 02. Grey / 03. 16 Devils / 04. War on Error / 05. Higher Ground / 06. Private Firmament / 07. Silence / 08. Don’t Stop Believing / 09. Torn Realities / 10. Electronic World Transmission / 11. First Time / 12. Rushing / 13. Waiting To Be Born / 14. Exterminate Annihilate Destroy / 15. Undone
Slowly, the crowd in front of the stage begins to thin out, allowing me to find a whole group of friends who have also chosen to end their Amphi here. One last chat, and then we too say, “See you again, Amphi.”
The anticipation for the next edition can already begin: Amphi Festival 2027 will once again take place at Cologne’s Tanzbrunnen on 24 and 25 July 2027. The first bands have already been announced. Advance ticket sales began on 27 July 2026 at 5:00 p.m., and the Early Bird tickets have already sold out. The opening event, ‘Call The Ship To Port’, on 23 July 2027 featuring SOLAR FAKE, DUCTAPE and AUGER, is already completely sold out. Tickets for Amphi 2027 are available exclusively from: www.amphi-shop.de
What did you love most about this year’s Amphi? What didn’t hit the mark? And who would you love to see next year? Share your thoughts in the official visitor survey at HERE. All participants will be entered into a prize draw to win 5 x 2 VIP tickets for Amphi 2027. Definitely worth a shot!
All Pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet) except Rotersand by Aileen Ritter
