This is how it was at UNIVERSUM25

Automatic translation. Improvements are constantly being worked on.

February 19, 2026, Hamburg, Knust

Support: SOAB

Tour start

There are evenings when a stage is not just a stage, but a starting signal. February 19, 2026 is one such evening: Universum25 open their tour at the sold-out Knust in Hamburg – and from the very first moment, the venue seems too small for what is about to break out.

Universum25 are not a “band” in the classic sense. They are a collision, a crossover of rock, synth-rock, Neue Deutsche Härte, metal and punk – and a line-up that immediately carries weight in the scene: Michael Robert Rhein(In Extremo), Rupert Keplinger(Eisbrecher, Antitype), Pat Prziwara(Fiddler’s Green), Gunnar Schroeder(Dritte Wahl) and Alex Schwers(Slime). Five names, five biographies, five bands with weight and a sound that doesn’t ask if you’re ready. The audience is electrified right from the start. Their faces reflect this expectant “Now!”, like just before the first punch in the stomach – only here you take it voluntarily. No crossed arms, because nobody wants to watch here. Here you want to feel.

Rostock, dirt, pressure

SOAB from Rostock make it clear that this evening will not be a lukewarm start, that support is not a synonym for “opening act”. With “Hausverbot” and “Beiß ab”, they get going straight away – raw, direct, with that punk attitude that doesn’t discuss, but simply does its thing. “Alles was mal war” and “Maulmisch” continue to push forward, while the bass works dryly into the pit of the stomach and the first rows are already noticeably closer together. Later, “Gib mir Zeit” and “Mit jedem Kilometer” briefly take the tempo out without losing energy – more like a run-up, before “Dinos aus dem All” and “How We Know” get things moving again. With “Get the Fuck up”, the announcement is then finally taken literally, and by “Ich hass dich” at the latest, it’s clear: this is no decorative support, but a self-confident kick-off with dirt under the fingernails.

Demolition with an announcement

Lights off. No intro whisper. One hit – and “Wenn Roboter träumen” goes in like a jackhammer. Live debut? Doesn’t sound like a premiere. It sounds like an attack. The guitars push, the synths lay a chill over it, Michael’s voice cuts through everything. “Irgendwann” doesn’t come afterwards as a sentimental moment, but as a reworked declaration of war. No folk charm – there’s steel in the chorus here. With “I’ll give you more” it finally becomes clear: this band holds nothing back. The song comes across like a fist-pump with melody, and the front row gratefully accepts it. “Die neue Zeit” and “Harte Kost” turn up the pressure further. “Wir warten” pushes relentlessly, while “Einsamkeit” suddenly shows a different side – raw, honest, without pathos. No sentimental whining, rather that open, angry loneliness that many people are familiar with. Then “Ebbe und Flut”. Slime in NDH guise, with dirt in the sound.

The audience raises their fists, sings, sweats. “Sometimes I wonder” and “Enough” act like valves – releasing pressure, building up pressure again. And with “Zu deiner eigenen Sicherheit”, the evening finally escalates. “Lichtgeschwindigkeit” lives up to its name. No idling, no taking a deep breath. “Vor deiner Tür” is shouted collectively. Then “Nur wegen dir”, which is like a fist on the table with a heart behind it. “Horizont in Flammen” is one of those songs that makes everything seem bigger. The chorus takes off – and for a moment the Knust seems to burn, not in chaos, but in unison. This is no longer a concert. This is an announcement. And “Curtains closed”? Live debut, yes. But more like a wrecking ball with a sense of rhythm. The song hits, doesn’t leave an inch of space, forces you to move. What a board!

“The dream is over” does not come as a nostalgic bow. It comes like a mirror. Uncomfortable. Up-to-date. Loud. The Knust doesn’t just sing along – it carries the song. “Am Morgen danach” doesn’t end the evening gently. It closes it with this raw feeling that remains when the noise dies down and you realize how much it was needed.

Conclusion: Tour start with force – and with a future. Universum25 don’t deliver a test run at the start of the tour. They deliver a slap in the face – in the best sense of the word. Several songs celebrate their live premiere, and no one seems unsure or cautious. Everything fits. Everything is on fire. Sold out. Damn good. And if this was just the beginning, then this tour will be no walk in the park.

Text & Photos: Thomas Friedel Fuhrmann

Setlist Universum25:
“When robots dream” – “Irgendwann” (Fiddler’s Green cover) – “Ich gebe dir mehr” – “Die neue Zeit” – “Harte Kost” – “Wir warten” – “Einsamkeit” – “Ebbe und Flut” (Slime cover) – “Manchmal frag ich mich” (Nr. 13 cover) – “Genug” – “Zu deiner eigenen Sicherheit” – “Lichtgeschwindigkeit” – “Vor deiner Tür” – “Nur wegen dir” – “Horizon in flames” – “Curtains closed” — “The dream is over” (Ton Steine Scherben cover) – “The morning after”

In our current issue you will find an interview with Universum25