That’s how it was at LORDFEST with LORD OF THE LOST, OOMPH!, NACHTBLUT and ROBSE

December 14, 2024, Hamburg, Alstersdorf sports hall

LORD OF THE LOST – OOMPH! – NACHTBLUT – ROBSE

You don’t really need to say much more about Lord of the Lost – they stand for dark elegance like no other band, effortlessly combining dark metal, gothic and industrial. Since their formation in 2007, the Hamburg-based band around frontman Chris Harms have consistently broken all genre boundaries – they have even shaken up Eurovision. With their iconic look, monumental stage shows and uncompromising attitude, they are an exceptional phenomenon that is second to none. Lord of the Lost are not just music, they are a manifesto: for diversity, rebellion and the courage to be different. So it’s no wonder that they transformed Hamburg’s Alsterdorfer Sporthalle into an epicenter of the dark music scene on 14 December 2024 and invited people to the 3rd LORDFEST.

LORDFEST has long been more than just a festival – it is the crowning finale for Germany’s dark metal and gothic scene. Every December, it delights with a carefully compiled line-up of renowned artists and legends of the scene. But the magic of Lord of the Lost itself remains at the heart of the event: thrilling performances, sensational pyrotechnics, spectacular guest appearances and unexpected surprises make LORDFEST an experience that no one will forget in a hurry – whether you’re a die-hard fan or a curious explorer. – And we were there in Hamburg.

The Lord requests – Act One: Untamed Spirit

We started with Robse – a voice that makes metal tremble! Known as the former frontman of Equilibrium, Robert “Robse” Dahn has established himself as one of the most distinctive voices in the scene. With his unmistakable blend of brute growling and powerful clean vocals, he makes every stage shake. The sold-out Alsterdorfer Sporthalle was no exception. With songs like “Harlequin and Warrior” or “Hey Storm”, it was pure energy and untamed metal spirit that really took the heads and feet of the Hamburg audience by storm.

The Lord requests – Act Two: Raw Energy

After a short break for the changeover, Nachtblut continued right away – dark, provocative and mercilessly direct. With their mixture of heavy riffs, dark melodies and provocative German lyrics, they fired up the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle. With each of their songs, they unleashed pure energy and created an atmosphere that ranged from goosebump moments like “Die Toten vergessen nicht” to headbanging ecstasy during the powerful “Kaltes Herz”. Frontman Askeroth dominated the stage with his powerful presence, and the audience celebrated the band with thunderous applause.

The Lord requests – Third act: Wild passion

Although the head wasn’t completely empty after so much power, it was straight on to Oomph! – the undisputed pioneers of NDH. They have been shaping the scene with their hard riffs, driving beats and profound lyrics since the early nineties. With their iconic sound, Oomph! swept the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle away from the very first second. Classics such as “Labyrinth”, “Gekreuzigt” and the Oomph! anthem “Augen auf!” met brand new tracks and unleashed a storm of pulsating rhythms and furious guitars. (New) frontman Der Schulz knew exactly how to lead the audience through every second with his charismatic presence and powerful vocals. The hall was boiling, and Oomph! showed once again why they are still one of the greatest – wild, passionate and absolutely unforgettable.

The Lord is coming – Act Four: Complete ecstasy

When Lord of the Lost took to the stage of the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle at 8.23 pm, the atmosphere exploded – from the very first second, it was a performance that sparked nothing but pure ecstasy in the Hamburg audience. With the powerful opener “My Heart Is Black”, the band set the tone for an evening that electrified the audience right down to the last row. The fans went completely wild, sang along to almost every line and turned the hall into a seething cauldron of emotion, darkness or just pure ecstatic energy. The setlist left nothing to be desired: From anthemic classics like “Black Lolita” and “Six Feet Underground” to newer tracks like “For They Know Not What They Do”, the band took the audience on a journey through their musical diversity. Thrilling pyro effects, a bombastic light show and Chris Harms’ charismatic stage presence meant that there was never a moment’s peace.

When Joachim Witt took to the stage of the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle as the first guest of the evening, the excitement was palpable – and what followed was an absolutely legendary moment at LORDFEST 2024. Together with Lord of the Lost, the German music icon blurred the boundaries between dark rock and Neue Deutsche Welle. Without question, the highlight was the epic performance of “Die Flut” – a goosebump-inducing anthem that took on a whole new intensity in its powerful reinterpretation with Chris Harms’ deep, haunting vocals and Witt’s unmistakable voice. The crowd was in a trance, soaking up every note and singing along to every line with fervor. But that was not all: when Witt then sang his cult classic “Goldener Reiter”, all the dams broke. In a powerful, dark sound typical of LOTL, the song took on a new, raw energy that got the entire hall singing and dancing along – and everyone really did know the words. Joachim Witt impressively proved that he has lost none of his charisma – on the contrary, this fusion with Lord of the Lost created something absolutely magical.

But that wasn’t all: the other surprise guests – including Nachtblut with the Kollegah cover “Wat is’ denn los mit dir”, Swiss with “Linksradikaler Schlager” and for the finale Oomph! and Swiss with the Die Ärzte cover “Schrei nach Liebe” – together with Lord of the Lost provided unforgettable crossover moments that left the Hamburg audience unstoppable. When the last note faded away and the band said goodbye with a thunderous finale from “Blood & Glitter”, the crowd went wild and the applause seemed never-ending. Lord of the Lost not only brought the Alsterdorf sports hall to the boil, but also proved once again why they are one of the biggest and most innovative bands on the scene. A performance that will reverberate in the bones of their fans, in their tired legs – and deep in their hearts – for a long time to come. A glorious end to a triumphant year for Lord of the Lost. The 4th Lordfest in December 2025 may well come.

Text & Photos: Thomas Friedel Fuhrmann

Setlist Robse
“Intro” – “Harlequin and Warrior” – “Hey Storm” – “Out of Balance” – “From the tavern to the tavern” – “Viva La Caida”

Setlist Nachtblut
“Multikulturell” – “Kaltes Herz” – “Amok” – “Frauenausbeiner” – “Todschick” – “Alles nur geklaut” – “Song for the Gods” – “The Dead Don’t Forget”

Setlist Oomph!
“Should this be love?” – “Do you dream” – “Richter und Henker” – “Labyrinth” – “Sandmann” – “Gekreuzigt” – “Augen auf! ” – “Nobody”

Setlist Lord of the Lost
“My Heart Is Black” – “Black Lolita” – “Kingdom Come” – “Six Feet Underground” – “Born With a Broken Heart” – “Live Today” – “Die Tomorrow” – “Haythor” – “For They Know Not What They Do” – “Das Leben in mir” (with Joachim Witt) – “Die Flut” (with Joachim Witt) – “Goldener Reiter” (with Joachim Witt) – “We’re All Created Evil” – “Raining Stars” – “Black Halo” – “Drag Me to Hell” – “Wat is’ denn los mit dir (Kollegah feat. Majoe cover) (with Nachtblut) – “Loreley” – “Blood for Blood” – “The Future of a Past Life” – “One Last Song” – “Linksradikaler Schlager” (with Swiss) – “Schrei nach Liebe” (with Swiss and Oomph!) – “Blood & Glitter”