That’s how it was with FEUERSCHWANZ & LORD OF THE LOST
October 18, 2025, Düsseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Hall
Sometimes a single evening is enough to show just how diverse rock and metal can sound in the year 2025. Feuerschwanz and Lord of the Lost hosted the grand finale of their joint “Lords of Fyre” tour in Düsseldorf – folk metal met dark rock, the Middle Ages met modernity. Side by side, they unleashed a musical inferno of energy, humor and devotion.
A symphonic prelude
The Dark Side of the Moon kicked things off musically. Founded by Melissa Bonny(Ad Infinitum) and Hans Platz(Feuerschwanz), the band combines symphonic power with cinematic aesthetics. Between harp sounds, powerful guitars and orchestral melodies, fantasy and metal merge into a cinematic cosmos of their own. Right from the opening track “The Gates of Time”, it was clear that nothing was left to chance here: harpist Jenny Diehl, also an integral part of the Feuerschwanz line-up, headbanged from the very first second – with a fascinating presence and remarkable stamina that you would hardly expect from a harpist. Wearing a glittering top and a long, transparent skirt, Melissa Bonny stood on a pedestal – radiating elegance and strength in equal measure. Her clear singing, accompanied by elegant arm movements, filled the hall with melodic intensity and immediately captivated the audience.
In the glow of dream bubbles
The formation was also visually impressive: the baroque-looking outfits of the string section were perfectly coordinated – richly decorated, but never overloaded. Medieval vibes and a mystical atmosphere came together during “If I Had a Heart” (Fever Ray cover) at the latest, while the audience enthusiastically joined in with shouts of “Hey! Hey!”. With “New Horizons”, the stage was transformed into a dream sequence: a magical atmosphere was created between floating soap bubbles and fog-filled bubbles that released small veils of smoke when they burst. This mixture of light, fog and movement made the song seem like a living fairy tale – playful and yet touching.
Lots of facets
When “Jenny of Oldstones” (Florence + the Machine cover) followed, dreamy fantasy metal met a surprising growl with a wacky guitar part. Melissa and Jenny stood back to back in the cone of light – a picture of perfect balance between elegance and expressiveness. Bonny took a relaxed seat on stage for the Billie Eilish cover “No Time to Die”. Just her vocals and the harp – a quiet moment before the band joined in and the song grew into a solemn, heavy soundscape. While Jenny visibly lived the piece, empathized and sang along quietly, an intensity arose that got under your skin. Melissa began to dance to “Can’t Catch Me Now” (Olivia Rodrigo cover). As she targeted individual fans and ended the evening with “Legends Never Die”, it was clear that The Dark Side of the Moon are more than just a side project. Their performance combined grace and metallic precision – a worthy start to the tour finale.
Visual inferno
After a short changeover break, the show continued in quick succession: Lord of the Lost opened their 90-minute set with the brute newcomer “Moonstruck”. As soon as the first bars sounded, the uncompromising intensity of the new material unfolded: powerful guitars met driving drums, the chorus oscillated between anthemic melodies and industrial heaviness. The sextet’s looks were coordinated down to the last detail: Frontman Chris Harms first appeared in a long, dark coat, which concealed an opulent silver top: fine silver fringes fell over his chest and shoulders, the high-necked collar and the ornamentally embroidered front looked elegant and glamorous at the same time. His wide-cut skirt pants enhanced the dramatic silhouette. Benji Mundigler and Pi Stoffers flanked him at the front, while Claas Grenayde – unusually this time – was not positioned at the edge of the stage, but elevated next to Niklas Kahl on drums and Gared Dirge on keys. Blazing flames bathed the stage in pulsating heat – a visual inferno that underscored the uncompromising energy of “Moonstruck” with its thunderous riffs and tense interplay of melody and aggression.
In the sights
The audience had already caught fire with “I Will Die in It”. The song unleashed its dark, driving energy and effortlessly captivated the audience. This was immediately followed by “Damage”, which sparked pure drama with its striking screams and an intense breakdown. Chris Harms performed with unbridled energy, constantly seeking contact with the audience and dominating the scene with his unbridled presence. Alert as a lynx, the frontman had the crowd firmly in his sights. “Düsseldorf, if I haven’t miscounted, I haven’t seen 17 hands up … 16, 15, 14 – ah, Düsseldorf, all your hands!” Chris Harms shouted into the audience and drove the atmosphere on. He mounted the speakers in the pit to “Drag Me to Hell” and, just like the track, the heads on and in front of the stage swayed to the beat.
Courage is rewarded
“This is already the last show. You’ve given us a gigantic time – thank you so much. And I have to say it in every city: when
Pit with a difference
Lord of the Lost went one better with “Destruction Manual”. Pi Stoffers served up a powerful guitar solo, while mighty bursts of fire shot across the stage to the line “Let it burn, motherfucker, let it burn”. Claas let his braid swirl in circles, while Chris Harms let himself be carried away by the rhythm and headbanged energetically – pure energy. “We’ve seen you dance, we’ve seen you sing, but we haven’t seen you jump yet,” Chris challenged the audience shortly afterwards. There were several rounds of boisterous jumping to “Blood for Blood” until Chris grabbed his chest and laughed: “Oh, I’m not wearing a sports bra today!” – the crowd went wild. “Now you’re ready for what’s really important. We’ve given the world of heavy metal something completely new – the one-person circle pit! You can do it too – at home or in the shower! Are you in? One person circle piiiiit!” As ordered, the fans spun around laughing – a moment that summed up the band’s unmistakable mix of humor, self-irony and sense of community.
You can rely on the Lord
“Today is the last day of the tour. May I please have my cat ears? After ten years of friendship with Feuerschwanz, I have the status of Mieze. From now on I pledge to serve Feuerschwanz proudly for ten years under the name Mieze Mautz. I will now perform my very first Lord-of-the-Lost song as Mieze Mautz. It will be a premiere!” Chris was alluding to the moment when Jenny Diehl ceremoniously presented him with a hairband with cat ears backstage – and he swore an honorable oath to always have a “kitty dance” ready in future. The hilarity continued with “La Bomba”: the Feuerschwanz dancers joined in, while Chris let himself be lifted up by the fans in the photo pit – a wonderful escalation full of winks and solidarity.
Pyros & Pathos
Bazaar Bizarre” also unfolded its full effect – dark, driving and seductively theatrical at the same time. Between pounding rhythms, oriental-inspired melodic runs and menacing depths, a feverish tension was created that held the audience in its grip. Alongside the columns of fire, pyros shot up diagonally and intersected to form a flaming X above the stage – a visual spectacle that merged perfectly with the drama of the song. In “Six Feet Underground”, the singer presented himself in glittering silver leggings with a black vinyl waist corset – a contrast that perfectly matched the mixture of darkness and shine that pervaded the song. The subsequent drum storm led to an opulent solo by Niklas Kahl, during which the stage shook. “We hadn’t planned this, but from city to city more and more cell phones went up. We would be totally happy if you all lit up for the next song and us up here and we see as many lights as possible.” What followed was one of those magical concert moments: The hall lit up in a sea of cell phone flashlights for “Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness”, while Lord of the Lost competed with the lights. Chris was visibly moved.
Escalation ahead
“There are three things that aren’t easy at all: while you’re beaming and grinning all the time, you’re in tears at the same time – and you’re still trying to sing reasonably well. It’s not compatible, but it’s damn beautiful. Darlings, to create a smooth transition to Feuerschwanz, we’d like to get into the party gear. It works especially well when I try to sing in Finnish. We met the Finnish rapper Käärijä at the Eurovision Song Contest, who competed for Finland with his song ‘Cha Cha Cha’. And we thought it would be a nice idea to cover the song. The problem was that I had to try to sing in Finnish – with the emphasis on ‘try’ – with the help of lyrics. I still don’t know what it means.” And the party grenade went off. Chris swung his hips while the men on the strings bravely threw themselves into the fray for a wall of death. To the golden rain on stage, bodies collided in the crowd – a wild, exuberant mess that Chris commented on with a grin: “I’d like two guitarists and a bassist back!”
Düsseldorf remains stable
“It’s not yet fully established. Lord of the Lost fans have been calling themselves Losties for years. What do Feuerschwanz fans call themselves then? Did you just say ‘dicks’? Louder! Cocks, cocks! If there’s a semi-official Schwanzis fan club next week, we’ll call it ‘Schwanzis e.V.’ and barbecue sausages once a year. I could go on at length about how important it is to show attitude as an artist, but the next song is worth a thousand words.” Cheers erupted with the first chord of “Schrei nach Liebe” (originally by Die Ärzte). A circle pit formed, crowdsurfers glided across the crowd and loud shouts of “Nazis out!” echoed from all corners. Chris promptly countered with a broad grin: “Nazis out, dicks in!” – whereupon the hall erupted in loud laughter and even louder approval.
Golden finale
The set culminated in the grand finale with “Blood & Glitter”. Fire shot up into the air, golden sparks rained down from the ceiling and a huge choir of thousands of voices sang along line for line. Chris ran through the photo pit, seeking contact with the crowd, while Lord of the Lost sent the audience into ecstasy one last time – a finale that united everything that made this tour so special: passion, playfulness and joie de vivre.
Storming the fortress
During the changeover break, a huge curtain with a picture of the Feuerschwanz members covered the stage. Loud shouts of “Schwanzis!” spread before a deafening bang rang out: A short firework sequence fizzled out, accompanied by a shrill scream – Prince Hodenherz alias Ben Metzner entered the stage. The dancers waved large flags to “SGFRD Dragonslayer” while the curtain fell and the stage was transformed: cleverly placed lengths of fabric, projections and lighting created the impression of a medieval fortress. Two swords, anchored deep in the stage floor, served as mic stands – symbol and style in one. The fans celebrated their band from the very first bar to thunderous bursts of fire. With “Memento Mori” they went straight into full swing. Feuerschwanz transformed the memory of transience into pure joie de vivre: Hodi took up the bagpipes, while the main man accompanied the song on the mandolin. The atmosphere in the hall was almost overflowing with exuberant joy, people were cheering, jumping and dancing everywhere – the pogo started. “Untot im Drachenboot” took the energy to the extreme. The dancers swung axes and shields, while a red dragon made of fabric floated through the crowd to the driving sounds. For the climax, the ladies on stage took up flamethrowers and shot up fountains of fire.
Descent into the Knight Club
“Welcome to this tour, which is called ‘Lords of Fyre’. We must also welcome all the Losties who have joined us on this tour. And where are the dicks? It’s nice to have you all here. We want to play you a song from the time of the Vikings. Do you know who Odin is? And who Thor, the god of thunder, is? There was another one, that was Loki. He fathered many children – illegitimate ones, of course. It’s also called a bastard.” Shouts of “Bastard of Asgard” broke out – and this song was to follow. Johanna, alias Stephanie Pracht, performed an impressive solo on her blue violin before Hauptmann challenged the audience again: “Do you want to go to the ‘Knight Club’ with us? I like that. There’s a Knight Club in every city. You just have to know how to get there – we just take the elevator and go down to the basement. Then we’re already there. Everybody down! Get down!” And he meant it: the entire audience squatted down before the song exploded into an exuberant pogo party. Guitars and bass spit sparks, laser beams cut through the room, pyros fizzled and the singers wore sunglasses – a dazzling chaos of humor and rock’n’roll that left no one standing still.
Voice training
“You’ve given us a great party here. It feels like we were at the medieval market yesterday and now we’re at the Mitsubishi-Dingsbumshalle in Düsseldorf. It’s mega cool with you! The full potential is there now. We have to explain things to you. You here, to my right and to my left, you’re mine for the next song. Give me a thunderous ‘Hu’ – and you on the other side give me a resounding ‘Ha’!” The interplay continued while, almost unnoticed, “Ultima Nocte” began – “the last night before the battle”. The crowd was still too busy flexing their vocal muscles, while the dancers in the background put on a spectacular fire show and bathed the action in flickering light.
Battlefield of the hearts
We should make peace and make love – the firetail way. Form a fat trench in the middle. There will now be two battle lines facing each other. Be warned, Düsseldorf – this piece could have something to do with ‘Schubsetanz’. Watch out for each other. The Losties and the Schwanzis should unite. This should be a big party. I want to see everyone else dancing. You can form little mini thrust dances. Just a little bit. We want to see movement.” White columns of mist shot into the air, and in front of the stage as well as on it, things got wild and loose. “Düsseldorf, now put your hands in the air. Spread them left and right to your neighbors. They can’t get away, that’s good. Your scent is now my scent. Let’s do another dwarven combat jump!” So, to the tune of “Kampfzwerg”, the Schwanzis and the Losties lay in each other’s arms as row after row jumped up – a picture of pure exuberance and community.
Middle-earth training camp
Now the beer zeps were tensed and the lively training began in “Berzerkermode”. Thor’s hammer became a barbell and the spectacle took its course in the light of golden sparks. “Düsseldorf, you beautiful people! The world needs far fewer warriors, fewer dark rulers – and far more gardeners. Everyone should have one. I don’t even have a garden, but it’s about friendship.” With these words, Hodi led into “Sam the Brave” – a song dedicated to the deep friendship between Sam and Frodo from “The Lord of the Rings”. Between the sounds of flutes and epic pathos, the stage was transformed into a piece of the Shire, while in the background the giant dragon’s head rose up from the fortress and watched over the scenery. Rollo, alias Rolf Hering, now took center stage for a gifted drum solo. For “Taking the Hobbits to Isengard”, the band completely left the spotlight to him and withdrew. The audience enthusiastically joined in with the catchy melody, while the stage alternately lit up in all the colors of the rainbow. Large black balls flew through the audience, were pushed into the air with laughter for several minutes and danced across the hall – a moment of pure joy and community.
Paws up!
As befits a tour finale, Lord of the Lost had a surprise in store for Feuerschwanz. “Mieze Mautz wants my microphone,” announced the main man and Chris Harms amusedly took over: “Meow, dear dicks, here are the funny kitties for you!” The sextet took to the stage partly bare-chested, equipped with cat ears, fluffy tails and painted whiskers. While Feuerschwanz performed their version of O-Zone’s “Dragostea din tei”, a wild scene broke out on stage: The wild chicks kebabbed each other, knocking over cups, and Mieze Mautz snuggled up to the main man – only to lick him lovingly from the side the next moment, before lying down with relish and starting to preen herself. The chaos was perfect, the fans laughed tears – what a sight to end an already legendary tour.
One last vow
“You know, Düsseldorf, I’ve seen a lot in my life. But this was by far the most beautiful. The last song follows – and thanks again to our pussies. I’m totally scratched. Now comes the last song, but on one condition it won’t be the last. We have the following challenge for you: get naked and we’ll play on. Down with the T-shirts and swing over your heads!” As “Die Hörner hoch” rang out, hundreds of shirts swirled above the heads of the enthusiastic fans – a raging sea of euphoria and pure joie de vivre. The encores were not long in coming, and Feuerschwanz still had an ace up their sleeve: None other than metal queen Doro Pesch took to the stage. Together they performed “Valhalla” – the song they had already recorded together for the current studio album. A song that evokes strength, courage and solidarity – carried by Doro’s powerful voice and Feuerschwanz‘s epic bombast. The crowd went wild! “We thank you for this night – the end of the tour. It’s fantastic that you’re all here. Take your arms to your hearts and sing. Hands up, that’s what we need now for this song: ‘The Eleventh Commandment’.” Once again, everything that made this evening special came together: pathos, humor, passion.
The last spark
But what was still missing? The title song of the tour, of course: “Lords of Fyre”. Lords of the Lost and The Dark Side of the Moon also returned to the stage for the grand finale. In the middle of a sea of flames that stretched across the entire width of the stage, snow suddenly fell from the hall ceiling – fire and ice united in a breathtaking picture. “Lords of Fyre” is more than just a song: it is a symbol of community, of the fusion of different styles and souls that fuel each other. Together, all the musicians celebrated the last moments of this tour, laughing, dancing, in a whirlwind of light, intoxication and emotion – a finale that was to have a long-lasting effect.
Setlist The Dark Side of the Moon:
“The Gates of Time” – “First Light” – “If I Had a Heart” (Fever Ray cover) – “New Horizons” – “Jenny of Oldstones” (Florence + the Machine cover) – “No Time to Die” (Billie Eilish cover) – “Can’t Catch Me Now” (Olivia Rodrigo cover) – “Legends Never Die” (Against the Current cover)
Setlist Lord of the Lost:
“Moonstruck” – “I Will Die in It” – “Damage” – “Drag Me to Hell” – “Smalltown Boy” (Bronski Beat Cover) – “Destruction Manual ” – “Die Tomorrow” – “Blood for Blood” – “La Bomba” – “Children of the Damned” (Iron Maiden Cover) – “Loreley” – “The Curtain Falls” – “Bazaar Bizarre” – “Six Feet Underground” – “Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness” – “Cha Cha Cha” (Käärijä cover) – “Schrei nach Liebe” (Ärzte cover) – “Blood & Glitter”
Setlist Feuerschwanz:
“SGFRD Dragonslayer” – “Memento Mori” – “Untot im Drachenboot” – “Bastard von Asgard” – “Knight Club” – “Ultima Nocte” – “Schubsetanz” – “Kampfzwerg” – “Berzerkermode” – “Sam the Brave” – “Uruk-Hai” – “Taking the Hobbits to Isengard” – “Dragostea din tei” (O-Zone cover) – “Die Hörner hoch ” — “Valhalla” – “Das elfte Gebot” – “Lords of Fyre”
Text: Nadine Kloppert
Photos: Markus Hillgärtner
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