Marktplatz Weißenfels, Germany28th August 2026
Synth Pop Night at Stadtfest Weißenfels with 80s Express, De/Vision, Kite, Camouflage
“You must not put chains on art, otherwise it becomes propaganda.” Thomas Mann
Today, I invite you to relive the Synth Pop Night at the Stadtfest Weißenfels (city festival). And for everyone who couldn’t be there: I hope my words give you at least a little impression of how the lineup of 80S EXPRESS, DE/VISION, KITE and CAMOUFLAGE turned the market square into one huge party. Enjoy reading!
Weißenfels is a medium-sized town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, located southwest of Leipzig, between Halle and Jena. According to the locals, those who come here may not necessarily fall in love with this hidden gem at first sight, but certainly will at second glance. Here, the extraordinary can be found in the seemingly ordinary. Those who take the time to look, listen and dream with curiosity and attentiveness will be rewarded with stories that have never been told quite this way before, discovering unexpected treasures along the way.
A tour through the town centre will leave you wanting to explore more. The Stadtfest, originally launched in 1991 as the Schloss Festival at Neu-Augustusburg Castle, moved to the town centre and the market square during extensive archaeological excavations at the castle. It has been held there since 2021. In previous years, the city festival has already welcomed major names from the scene, including ALPHAVILLE, IN EXTREMO and PETER HEPPNER.
80s Express
80S EXPRESS is an 80s tribute project launched in 2019 by BLIND PASSENGERS frontman Nik Page. Together with an internationally assembled band, Page brings the decade’s biggest Pop, Wave and Neue Deutsche Welle classics to the stage. The repertoire ranges from NEW ORDER, DEPECHE MODE and THE SISTERS OF MERCY to TEARS FOR FEARS and CAMOUFLAGE, as well as German acts such as NENA, PETER SCHILLING and DIE ÄRZTE.
Rather than opting for a traditional Rock band interpretation, 80S EXPRESS relies on electronically produced, danceable arrangements that preserve the distinctive sound of the original tracks. The musical programme is complemented by an elaborate, neon-coloured stage show featuring glamour, theatrical elements and plenty of authentic 80s flair. The regular line-up includes Nik Page, Finnish musician Haydee Sparks and vocalist Olivia Dynamite, among others. https://80s-express.de / https://www.facebook.com/80sExpress
Music & Performance
At 17:30, a considerable crowd had already gathered at the entrance to the Weißenfels Stadtfest. 2,800 tickets had been sold for the “Synth Pop Night”, with the local public order office releasing another 200 tickets at short notice. Clearly, there was huge interest in the event. The weather was also being kind to us: a pleasant 23°C and no rain in sight. However, with the forecast in mind, we knew we would have to expect a fair amount of rain later that day.
At around 18:30, we made it onto the festival grounds, grabbed a refreshing drink and looked for the perfect spot to enjoy the next five hours of the festival. About five minutes before the scheduled start, the announcement finally came over the speakers, unmistakably declaring that it would soon be time for “the one and only 80S EXPRESS!” A great remix of ANNE CLARK’s ‘Sleeper in Metropolis’ provided the perfect musical warm-up and helped filling the remaining minutes.
Then things began to get interesting on stage. A drummer, a man dressed as some kind of musketeer carrying a didgeridoo, and a blonde woman in a red outfit took to the stage. Stage fog began to rise, blue lighting bathed the scene in a mysterious atmosphere, and the remaining musicians made their way through the audience and onto the stage. A sign reading “Welcome to 80S EXPRESS” announced the spectacle that was about to unfold. And then, at exactly 7 p.m., the show began.
Opening with NEW ORDER’s ‘Blue Monday’ was a pretty fitting choice to kick off an 80s party. The area in front of the stage quickly filled up, and the first people started dancing. Seven musicians took their places on stage, accompanied by a mysterious man in a white jumpsuit who spent the entire show filming the action. White jets of fog shot into the air, and Nik’s microphone was decorated with various scarves that were distinctly reminiscent of 80s bandanas. The three women on stage also added their own individual visual accents with their different, figure-hugging outfits in a range of colours.
The show continued with ‘You’ by BOYTRONIC, followed by ‘More’ by THE SISTERS OF MERCY. Nik and Olivia Dynamite performed the song as a duet, with Olivia, dressed entirely in black, commanding the stage. At this point, Nik also welcomed Haydee, playfully referring to her as a “Finnish pedigree cat” - a tongue-in-cheek nod to her origins. The weather was still holding, and although the forecast continued to call for rain, the black-clad crowd in front of the stage could keep partying without getting wet.
Next came KATE BUSH’s ‘Running Up That Hill’. The very first notes were enough to trigger instant recognition among the audience. Nik and Olivia performed the song together, while the crowd enthusiastically sang along with the chorus. Nik knew exactly how to get the audience out of their shells: “To make a really good concert, you have to rhythmically disinhibit the audience, and handclaps are a good way to start.” Said and done. At this point, the ice was well and truly broken.
Despite the evening sky still being bright, the lighting combined with the rising fog was already creating a proper club atmosphere. When ‘Born to Die’ by BLIND PASSENGERS followed, I had no idea what song it was supposed to be. Neither I nor my friends could immediately figure out which 80s song was hiding behind it. So, I resorted to a tried-and-tested journalistic emergency measure: writing down a few lines of the lyrics and looking them up later. According to Google, it was indeed a song by BLIND PASSENGERS. That made sense, and I simply hope Google didn’t trick me.
‘Shout’ by TEARS FOR FEARS took us back to more familiar territory. The unmistakable chorus was made for singing along. Nik took the opportunity to introduce more members of the colourful crew: the man in the musketeer outfit turned out to be Captain Janni, who handled the keys as well as the didgeridoo, while the man on strings was introduced as Signore Rossi.
Apparently, little acrobatics was also part of the 80S EXPRESS repertoire. While I was still busy tapping notes into my smartphone, Haydee must somehow have made her way onto Captain Janni’s shoulders, because suddenly he was carrying her across the stage. Then, three barrels were positioned in front of the stage. What followed was an unusual yet highly effective piece of showmanship: ‘Shout’ culminated in a captivating drumming performance featuring Haydee, Nik and Olivia.
The energy of that performance carried straight into the final two songs of the set: DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Personal Jesus’ and ‘Photographic’. By now, the crowd was well and truly fired up. The almost entirely black-clad crowd in front of the stage embraced the songs, responding with thunderous applause. Nik once again thanked the audience and wished everyone a great time with the following acts, DE/VISION, KITE and CAMOUFLAGE. The final applause was already almost headliner-worthy, and 80S EXPRESS responded with a bow to their audience after a truly energetic set.
Nik had one final message for the crowd: anyone wanting to see the band again should follow them on Facebook or Instagram to make sure they don’t miss any upcoming dates. And for those who preferred a more personal encounter, there was an invitation to meet the band at the merch stand at 9 p.m. for some small talk and selfies.
The opener had definitely done its job: 80S EXPRESS got the crowd moving and opened the “Synth Pop Night” in Weißenfels with a generous dose of 80s nostalgia, spectacle and energy. Thank you for that, you were brilliant!
Setlist
01. Blue Monday (New Order)
02. You (Boytronic)
03. More (The Sisters Of Mercy)
04. Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)
05. Born To Die (Blind Passengers)
06. Shout (Tears For Fears)
07. Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode)
08. Photographic (Depeche Mode)
De/Vision
Since their formation in 1988, DE/VISION have been a heavyweight of the German Synth Pop scene. What began as a quartet in Bensheim near Darmstadt, developed over the years into one of Germany’s longest-running electronic music projects. After Markus Ganßert left the band in 2000, vocalist Steffen Keth and keyboardist Thomas Adam continued as a duo, shaping the distinctive DE/VISION sound with catchy melodies, electronic arrangements and Keth’s unmistakable voice. With numerous albums, singles and live shows, DE/VISION have built up a loyal following over the decades while continually exploring new facets of their Synth Pop universe.
Alongside the main band, DEVISION REDUX now exists as an additional format in which Keth, together with Daniel Myer presents well-known DE/VISION tracks in more club-oriented, contemporary and minimalist electronic versions. This remains separate from the main band. In 2026, DE/VISION are still actively performing live, proving that almost four decades after their formation, they continue to embody the combination of melodic Synth Pop, electronic danceability and a healthy dose of nostalgia - without being confined exclusively to the past. https://www.devision.rocks / https://www.facebook.com/devision1988
Music & Performance
DE/VISION were scheduled for a 45-minute slot from 8:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thomas was the first to take the stage and make his way to his instrument, followed by drummer Markus Köstner and, finally, vocalist Steffen Keth. Thunderous applause erupted, and within seconds, a sea of smartphones was held aloft to record the show, immediately obstructing my view of the stage. Steffen therefore encouraged the audience to clap instead, what is surely a much better way to spend the time than watching the entire set through a tiny screen while disturbing the people around you.
“WEISSENFELS! Great to see you all here! Great line-up, great people!” The set was opened with ‘Synchronize’, released in 2016. At this point, I have to get a little personal: during my early years in the dark scene, from around 1997 onwards, DE/VISION were my absolute favourite band for many years. One particularly special highlight for me was the album ‘Void’, which carried me through a difficult period in my life after the death of a very close friend. Musically, the album was unlike anything DE/VISION had done before. Yet, as Steffen once told me, ‘Void’ was considered the band’s least popular album, both among fans and at the label.
With its successor, ‘Two’, the band moved back towards the sound they had pursued before ‘Void’. For me, that was no longer the right direction, and so my DE/VISION era came to an end. I attended my last DE/VISION concert in 2003. Now, 23 years later, I found myself standing in front of the band once again, taking a little journey back in time to the years that shaped my place in the dark scene.
‘Try to Forget’, a melancholic and emotional song without excessive pathos, took us straight back to 1994. The stage was bathed in vivid red light, while the crowd, knowing every word, accompanied Steffen on his journey into oblivion. After forgetting came regret, and ‘I Regret’ continued the melancholic mood seamlessly. As darkness fell over Weißenfels, the stage lighting came into its own, adding even more expressive power to the songs. The third song came from a period when I no longer had any connection with DE/VISION.
All the more interesting, then, to hear ‘mAndroids’ live for the first time. I really liked the wordplay combining “man” and “androids”, as I tend to be quite a critical person, constantly reflecting on myself and the world around me. To me, the song is about human beings being reduced to dehumanised, remotely controlled machines of work and consumption. This idea feels particularly relevant today in social media, where self-presentation increasingly takes centre stage and we are becoming less and less likely to perceive ourselves as individuals with flaws and rough edges. Instead, we are caught up in an obsession with optimisation and attention that ultimately promises little good.
Steffen introduced the next song by remarking that it was an older one, perhaps even familiar to some people in the audience. A little tongue-in-cheek reference to the inexorable process of ageing that none of us can escape. With ‘Dinner Without Grace’, we travelled back to 1994 once again, and the crowd’s confident sing-along made it clear that plenty of people still knew the song. Steffen whipped up the audience, who responded with thunderous applause, cheers and even soap bubbles floating through the air, adding a touch of childlike joy and creating a genuine party atmosphere.
“This is ‘Rage’,” Steffen announced before launching into the next song ‘Rage’, another track from the 2010 album ‘Popgefahr’. Musically, the song reminded me of ‘Void’ and consequently found its way straight onto my current playlist. Sometimes in life, you need to take a break from certain things or people, only to find your way back to them years later, more mature and carrying a whole new set of experiences with you. At this point in my life, I am recovering from a kind of social burnout, and apparently, one of the many pieces of that puzzle is hidden somewhere in the music of DE/VISION.
The seventh song on the setlist, ‘Time to Be Alive’, began with a few hand signals towards FOH, but before the audience had any chance to notice that something was wrong, the issue had already been resolved. The guys at front of house clearly had everything under control. Once again, it was one of the songs from the album ‘Popgefahr’ that reminded us to find the will to live deep within ourselves and feel alive. You are the most important person in your own life, and your life rises or falls with the way you see and treat yourself. Otherwise, you end up living and dying for other people, for a god, or even for something as mundane as a cigarette.
All these distractions and objects of devotion can ultimately become nothing more than a form of self-abandonment. Only when you break free from them, your real time to live begins. The audience responded enthusiastically to the emotionally charged song. Steffen danced across the stage, completely lost in his own world, while Thomas and Markus provided a solid and professional musical foundation. “Thank you! We’ve got two more!” Steffen finally announced the last two songs of the set. “Weißenfels, where are you?”
The message was unmistakable: it was time for the crowd to make some serious noise. And the roughly 3,000 people gathered in the market square responded instantly. The bomb was dropped with the stomping ‘Flavour of the Week’ from the 2007 album ‘Noob’. It created exactly the kind of atmosphere the band had been calling for from the stage. Thomas now joined in on vocals at times, while Markus gave the song another powerful push from behind the drums. For me, this was without a doubt the ultimate crowd-pleaser of the DE/VISION set.
Once the well-deserved applause had died down, Steffen squeezed in one last announcement: “I’ve got to say something. We’ve got three minutes left. We’re playing in Leipzig on November 28 at ‘DE/VISION and Friends’.” And then the band went straight on, because the festival’s tight schedule had to be kept. “Anyone who can’t sing along, clap your hands,” Steffen urged the audience, and ‘Your Hands on My Skin’ rang out from the speakers. Yes, I could sing along, and despite spending the day working with a digital pen and paper, I couldn’t resist clapping along as well.
The song proved to be a truly worthy finale. Seeing all that positive energy on and in front of the stage, I was painfully reminded of a DE/VISION show in 2001 in my home region of rural Thuringia. The audience there had shown so little enthusiasm that after the third or fourth song, Steffen had already threatened to stop the show unless people finally started joining in. There was certainly no danger of that happening in Weißenfels today.
Quite the opposite: after this performance, I really could have enjoyed a few more songs. But waiting backstage were KITE and CAMOUFLAGE, two more bands ready to fire up the crowd. And so the DE/VISION show came to an end with a visibly moved Steffen Keth standing on stage, looking out into the crowd. Thousands of people had travelled from all over the country and beyond, singing along to his songs and embarking on this little journey through time with the band. “Thank you, you were amazing! Enjoy KITE and CAMOUFLAGE!”
As expected, calls for an encore could be heard, but with the clearly defined schedule for performances and changeovers, there was simply no time for the band to return to the stage for another song. For me, it was a wonderful experience to see my former favourite band live again after such a long time. Some music never really disappears from your life. Sometimes, it simply waits for the right moment to resurface. Thank you, DE/VISION, for this little journey back to my youth and for this energetic show!
Setlist
01. Intro/Synchronize
02. Try to forget
03. I regret
04. mAndroids
05. Dinner without grace
06. Rage
07. Time to be alive
08. Flavour of the week
09. Your hands on my skin
Kite
Since their formation in 2008, KITE have been among the most exciting acts in the Swedish Synth Pop scene. Originally from Malmö, the duo of vocalist Nicklas Stenemo and keyboardist and producer Christian Hutchinson Berg have long since made a name for themselves far beyond Sweden. Their sound combines catchy Synth Pop melodies with darker, at times almost anthemic electronic soundscapes, while Stenemo’s distinctive voice has become one of the band’s defining trademarks. After initially releasing six EPs, KITE released their latest studio album, ‘VII’, in 2024, reaching number five on the Swedish album charts.
Their extraordinary live shows have become an equally important part of their identity. The duo have performed alongside members of the Royal Swedish Orchestra at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm; the resulting live album, ‘Kite at the Royal Opera’, even reached number nine on the Swedish charts in 2020. KITE represent a form of Synth Pop that goes far beyond mere danceability: powerful melodies, electronic intensity, emotional depth and a strong visual aesthetic combine to create an almost monumental live experience. The fact that the duo have created a musical universe entirely of their own is undoubtedly one of the reasons why KITE now attract attention far beyond the traditional Synth Pop scene. https://linktr.ee/kitehq / https://www.facebook.com/KiteHQ
Music & Performance
Admittedly, writing about KITE humbles me and raises more than a doubt or two about whether I can even do them justice. At a KITE show, there is no talking between the band and the audience, no anecdotes between songs, and no athletic or acrobatic dance routines to marvel at. No one introduces themselves, and no one plays an encore. KITE on stage is like a therapy session wrapped in a live concert, and now I have to find a way to put into words what this extraordinary band does to its audience.
All the technical equipment on stage, which according to singer Nicklas is ridiculously oversized, along with the giant silver sphere and the use of light, sound, vocals and choreography, become surgical instruments used to scratch at all those locked-away parts we carry inside us, carefully prying them open and taking them apart piece by piece until there is no way left to avoid confronting ourselves. KITE do not play to please or to pose flawlessly for photographers. You don’t go to a KITE concert just for the music itself; you go there in the hope of finding some kind of salvation from all the pain and isolation that life has been throwing at you for so long.
Since I first heard about KITE more than two years ago, I had deliberately kept my distance from the Swedish Synth Pop duo. Suddenly, everyone was talking about this band, and it felt almost like an exaggerated hype that I didn’t want to get caught up in. But I also had a feeling that their sound might touch something in me more deeply than I wanted and perhaps more deeply than I could handle at the time, given my own emotional rollercoaster. And yet, there I was at the market square in Weißenfels, ready to face KITE, even though parts of me were still frozen.
As I always do, I had already done some research in preparation for this live review: listening to songs, buying albums, reading interviews, analysing lyrics and singing along at the top of my lungs in the car, especially to ‘Remember Me’, my current favourite song, which unfortunately wasn’t played tonight. The fact that KITE were part of a festival line-up gave me a sense of safety, while my determination to write about the event created the necessary distance to keep me from bursting into tears here and there.
Normally, the stage changeover between two acts isn’t particularly interesting, but with KITE, it was a different story, largely because of the giant silver sphere that was installed at the back of the stage between the two musicians. There was a flurry of activity as all the Rolands, Korgs and other gear was brought into position. Anyone wanting to get an idea of the sheer scale and showmanship KITE are capable of should check out their breathtaking ‘Kite on Ice’ show on YouTube.
During the setup, the wind picked up and, unfortunately, the rain started to fall. I had to look for somewhere dry, which I luckily found under an umbrella by the nearest drinks trailer. On stage, the fully assembled instruments were already being wiped down with towels to remove the rainwater, and I really hoped the whole show wouldn’t be called off as the weather began to turn. At 9:30 p.m., right on schedule, the lighting installation roared to life, and the opening track, ‘Wishful Summer Night’, kicked off the show. Christian Berg was the first to take the stage, heading straight to his workstation. The sunglasses he had been wearing during setup were gone.
Bright red light and dense fog already set the tone for the emotional journey KITE were about to take us on. Under the cover of fog and light, singer Nicklas Stenemo also came on stage, bouncing and prancing his way to his equipment. In general, his way of moving throughout the show is extraordinary and can hardly be compared to the rehearsed, visually perfected choreography of other bands. Here is a person who, together with his companion, creates highly complex and highly intelligent music, yet moves across the stage almost playfully, as if lost in his own childlike world.
The same goes for his outfits. It feels as though he wants to say: “Don’t worry about me, I’m just the messenger. Listen to our music and make yourselves the centre of the experience. No one should be defined by clothes or hairstyle.” KITE are not a polished band that follows a marketing blueprint and attracts fans through calculated aesthetics. Instead, you get the impression that you could show up to one of their concerts in your pyjamas and nobody would care. There is no room for masks here. Here and now, the crowd could barely contain itself at the sight of the two musicians, and the applause was already deafening.
Even though the actual headliner of the evening was still to come, it was already clear that KITE would be the highlight of the night for a huge part of the crowd. However, my refuge under that huge umbrella turned out to be rather suboptimal, both acoustically and visually. So, I did my best to gather enough impressions for the live review, but I was far from being happy with the situation. The lady in front of me, who held up her smartphone to film almost continuously, certainly didn’t make things any easier. While I understand wanting to capture a sequence or two, watching an entire concert through a tiny screen hardly seems like enjoying a live show.
During ‘True Colours’ from the 2015 EP ‘VI’, Nicklas seemed to wrap his arms around himself, rocking back and forth as if creating a safe space for himself. The ever-present fog repeatedly obscured him from view, reinforcing my impression that KITE is less about presenting a perfectly staged frontman and much more about the music itself. Then he dropped to his knees, pulled himself back up using the microphone stand, and finally rested one leg on his instruments, almost as if his part of the stage were a playground where he could escape the world of adulthood. ‘True Colours’ seems to speak to people who struggle with their true selves.
This deeply resonates with me, as I have recently experienced how people can withdraw when you have seen too much of them, because they suddenly feel ashamed and decide they are not good enough. It is deeply painful when a connection breaks down because of these kinds of self-doubts. Over the course of my life, I have heard so many people say: “I am not good enough, and you deserve better.” In the end, it is not the true colours that are the problem, but the self-doubt and self-sabotage of people who are unable to face themselves, forever running from the parts of themselves they cannot bear to confront.
As the final notes faded away, Nicklas brought his hand to his lips and blew a kiss to the audience. You don’t get much of a personal reaction from the duo, as both are fully focused on their performance, but every now and then, you catch a fleeting reaction from the singer that reveals just how much he seeks and cherishes that connection with the audience. Next came ‘I Can’t Stand’ and ‘Hand Out the Drugs’. The colour scheme shifted between vivid red and light blue, fittingly mirroring the contrasts between intense experience and inner coldness, awareness and numbness. After all, “drugs” can mean many things: not just conventional narcotics, but also social media, entertainment, consumerism, ideologies or a sense of belonging to a particular group of people.
We live in an age of constant distraction, and it is becoming harder and harder to find people who are genuinely authentic. ‘Glassy Eyes’ from their current long player ‘VII’ finally chased the rain away, allowing me to leave my dry refuge and head back in front of the stage, where I could properly enjoy the sights and sounds along with the euphoric crowd. Thundering applause erupted as the final notes of the song rang out. The stage was now bathed in hopeful white light, flanked by upward-pointing laser beams. Once again, the two protagonists vanished into the fog before ‘Changing’ followed: a musical plea to confront yourself with change. It often happens without us being able to do anything about it. Life drops things at our feet and forces us to deal with them. Whether we grow from them or break because of them is not always entirely in our hands.
For ‘The Rhythm’, the stage was bathed in deep blue light, while a searchlight swept across the crowd as though someone had gone overboard and had to be found somewhere out in the water. This was the most driving track of the set so far, and the audience celebrated it frenetically. Watching the two musicians, it quickly becomes clear what makes this performance so special: Christian Berg weaves his fantastic, almost cinematic soundscapes while handling his instruments with an almost effortless ease, often playing two of them at the same time.
Nicklas Stenemo is the physically active one on stage. Not for a single second do his movements feel rehearsed. He simply moves however the music takes him, and there is something almost adorable and deeply heartwarming about it. Combined with his unique voice, I finally understand why KITE have generated such a massive buzz since their return in 2024 and their tour through Germany.
Following ‘Don’t Take the Light Away’ and ‘Dance Again’, it was time for ‘Jonny Boy’, one of the absolute fan favourites. Rich, warm synthesizers enveloped Stenemo’s entire vocal range, turning the song into a deeply personal experience. We have all experienced heartbreak at least once in our lives. Feeling it and being alone with your thoughts can be exceptionally painful. Diving into the nightlife and dancing your feelings away can provide some relief in the moment. However, permanently suppressing those feelings prevents you from truly confronting what hurts you, and ultimately from fully opening up to another person again.
With ‘Panic Music’, the final song of the set was already looming. Apart from ‘Losing’, it was the same setlist KITE had played at the E-Tropolis Festival in Oberhausen in March 2026. ‘Panic Music’ alternates between calm and action-packed passages, driven by powerful basslines. What a way to end the set! Rather than offering any kind of release, KITE turned up the intensity one final time. The song feels almost like a psychological stress test, pushing you out of your comfort zone and forcing you to confront whatever you might still be trying to keep at bay. It is unsettling, exhilarating and strangely cathartic all at once.
By the time the final notes fade away, you are left feeling as though KITE have not simply played a concert for you, they have taken you somewhere deep inside yourself and then left you there, with nowhere left to hide, but with the chance to look at your true self. And so, a journey through fears, doubts and the twists and turns of life came to an end. Two minutes past schedule, KITE left the stage to thundering applause. I feel blessed to have experienced such an extraordinary concert, and I am definitely part of the KITE fanbase now.
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
Camouflage
CAMOUFLAGE are pioneers of German Synth Pop and now look back on more than four decades of band history. Formed in Bietigheim-Bissingen in 1983, the band achieved their international breakthrough with ‘The Great Commandment’ in 1987. Alongside DEPECHE MODE and other British influences, CAMOUFLAGE helped shape the electronic Pop of their era while developing a distinctive sound of their own from an early stage. At the heart of the band are vocalist Marcus Meyn and keyboardist, composer and producer Heiko Maile, who remain central to CAMOUFLAGE to this day. Oliver Kreyssig is also still an integral part of CAMOUFLAGE and continues to contribute to new musical ideas, but has stepped back from touring for personal reasons.
For their current live shows, the duo are joined by drummer Jochen Schmalbach and guitarist Volker Hinkel. With albums such as ‘Voices & Images’, ‘Methods of Silence’, ‘Bodega Bohemia’ and ‘Sensor’, CAMOUFLAGE have secured their place in Synth Pop history. In 2026, the band are still actively touring, combining their celebrated classics with the electronic sound world that remains very much alive today. Anyone who can still fill venues or play to sold-out crowds more than 40 years into their career has undoubtedly proven one thing: some sounds are simply timeless. https://www.camouflage-music.com / https://www.facebook.com/CamouflageMusic
Music & Performance
At exactly 11:00 p.m., the time had finally come for the evening’s headliner: CAMOUFLAGE took to the stage, which was now packed with sophisticated technology. While an oversized silver ball had drawn the eye during KITE’s performance, CAMOUFLAGE now had three huge screens, designed to turn the show into an audiovisual experience. I like that, because it not only gives you something extra to look at, but also leaves you wondering how the visuals on screen might relate to each song. Flanked by drums, synthesizers and guitar, the band got straight down to business without wasting any time.
The opener, ‘That Smiling Face’, immediately bathed the stage in deep red light and won over the audience from the very first moment. Singer Marcus Meyn encouraged the crowd to clap along right from the start, while live guitarist Stefan “Snöt” Fehling surged forward and spun around in circles with his arms outstretched. The applause that followed was correspondingly enthusiastic, before Meyn warmly welcomed the fans: “We are Camouflage, and we’re happy to be here tonight!”
‘Dreaming’ followed, a classic whose lyrics flickered across the screens in the background as a three-part visual. Snöt provided backing vocals while playing guitar. The song briefly ebbed into a more atmospheric passage, only to build up in power again moments later. Throughout the show, Marcus Meyn displayed a stage presence that, after all these years, you perhaps wouldn’t necessarily expect from him: he danced tirelessly from left to right, mimicked playing the bass, and genuinely looked every bit as fit as a 20-year-old. After an enthusiastic “Thank you!”, he visibly seemed relieved that the annoying rain had finally moved on and that now they were “only wet with sweat.”
Next up was ‘Me and You’, one of my favourite songs from the 2003 album ‘Sensor’. The audience’s arms swayed from left to right in unison again and again, and the song came to an end to thunderous applause and a delighted “Thank you! Woohoo!” from the frontman. On the next song, ‘Suspicious Love’, Meyn continued dancing across the stage, while the track gradually evolved from a rather quiet beginning into a driving Rock performance.
Accompanied by predominantly red visuals featuring the band members’ faces and powerful drums that heralded the ferocious finale, Meyn eventually sank to his knees with a “Thank you!” To give himself a brief chance to catch his breath, things became quieter with the next song, ‘Everything’. Visually, the song was accompanied by the words ‘Rewind To The Future and Goodbye’ which was the theme of their anniversary tour last year. I have to admit, I was a little puzzled as to which song this could be, as even the lyrics I had written down produced no results when I searched for them online.
The fact that the song is still unreleased, but had been performed during last year’s anniversary tour, was the final little clue needed to identify the title with certainty. Afterwards, the band used the moment for something that obviously was new to CAMOUFLAGE. “We’ve never done this before,” Meyn said with a grin, before introducing his fellow musicians: Snöt on guitar, Jochen Schmalbach on drums, and Heiko Maile on keyboards.
With the band’s now impressive 43-year history in mind, Meyn also had a few personal words to share that evening: “You really have to like each other. Love and friendship - everything else is irrelevant. Be kind to one another.” Given the band’s long history together, those words carried considerable weight. I was particularly looking forward to song number six, because ‘We Are Lovers’ is one of those tracks I had on heavy rotation for quite a while and can still almost sing along to from memory.
The song seamlessly transitioned into a fantastic cover of the New Order classic ‘Blue Monday’, which we had already heard earlier that day in 80s EXPRESS’s version. Bathed in blue-tinted visuals, the crowd celebrated the song, which Meyn capped off with a brief robot dance at the end. Next came the dreamy ‘Leave Your Room Behind’. Surrounded by green stage lighting, the singer formed a heart with his hands for the audience at the end, visibly moved.
After ‘Shine’, which with its “oh-oh” chants invited the crowd to sing along at the top of their lungs before ending in a thunderous finale, came an absolute journey back in time: ‘The Great Commandment’ from 1987. Marcus looked back with gratitude: “Three boys conquering the world thanks to you!” Accompanied by the original music video playing on the screens, the audience sang the entire chorus on their own, while Snöt once again surged forward. An overwhelmed “Thank you! Wow!” echoed from the stage.
The nostalgic ‘Strangers’ Thoughts’, accompanied by old archive photos on the screens, led seamlessly into ‘Neighbours’. The regular set finally came to a close with the almost melancholic ‘End of Words’. Meyn held his arms high above his head before leaving the stage together with the band at 12:06 a.m. to thunderous applause, but the fans were nowhere near ready to call it a night. They demanded an encore at full volume, and their wish was granted. Two minutes after midnight, the band stormed back onto the stage to a resounding “WEISSENFELS!”
The frontman thanked the fans for braving the rain all day: “A long day with rain, but we’re not letting you go just yet!” What followed, was the absolute mega-hit: ‘Love Is a Shield’ from 1989. While the original music video played on the screens in the background, Marcus held his microphone the audience, making it clear that everyone was expected to sing along. Snöt also took his microphone to the edge of the stage to capture the joyful crowd’s chorus. The song ended with an a cappella passage, accompanied only by Snöt on guitar, while the audience provided the second voice.
Heiko and Jochen left their positions and joined the others at the front. The band members stood side by side, arms around each other, and bowed to the audience for a final goodbye that night. Jochen threw his drumsticks into the crowd, and since there was still a little time for some promotion, Marcus announced that CAMOUFLAGE would be touring next October with a new album, which was met with huge cheers from the audience.
At 00:15, the band left the stage, and the Synth Pop Night in Weißenfels was officially over. The city administration and the organizers really put together a fantastic show, and unfortunately, it’s still not often that artists from this scene are given a platform on this scale. I’m more used to city festivals featuring Schlager music and cover bands. This was a fantastic lineup, and hopefully other cities will take a page out of Weißenfels’ book and be a little bolder when it comes to choosing their artists.
Setlist
01. That Smiling Face
02. Dreaming
03. Me And You
04. Suspicious Love
05. Everything
06. We Are Lovers
07. Blue Monday (Coverversion)
08. Leave Your Room Behind
09. Shine
10. The Great Commandment
11. Strangers’ Thoughts
12. Neighbours
13. End Of Words
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14. Love Is A Shield
Many thanks to Kultur Weißenfels, In Move GmbH, Protain Concerts, Pluswelt Promotion and everyone who helped organize and make this evening happen.
All Pictures by Helge Roewer / https://www.hr-pictures.de
