WGT Memories 2023: EMPATHY TEST
“… Just make the most of it!” (Isaac Howlett)
How often have you been to the WGT so far? (As a visitor and as an artist)
Empathy Test has now occurred three times: in 2023, 2018, and for the first time in 2015. 2015 was the most memorable gig because we had never played in a venue that was a fraction of the size of the Kohlrabizirkus, and the audience even then was about 1,000 people. It was madness. Last year (2022) I also sang at the opening party at Moritzbastei with Daniel Myer and the “Electronic All Stars” and stayed the whole weekend as a visitor. It was a lot of fun and I got to meet and talk to so many people, which was very rewarding.
What did you think before the gig and how do you look back on it today?
I’ll be honest, at WGT the shows are often difficult because there are only sound checks for the opening and headlining acts on each stage. The changeover period lasts only 20 minutes, and in that time you have to take the previous band out and the new band in and do a line check. So I kept my expectations low. But the team at the Westbad was very well organized this year, everything ran smoothly. We had a lot of technical problems because we couldn’t check everything before we went on stage. Nevertheless, we filled the hall at 18:00, and the audience participated very well. You just have to make the best of it under the circumstances!
Which song did you particularly like to play?
“Losing Touch” is the biggest song from Empathy Test and always gets the best reaction from the audience. It has a lot of energy and emotion and is very catchy, people respond well to it, which also gives us extra energy.
Were there any personal meetings that meant a lot to you?
Unfortunately, we could only go to Leipzig for one day and one night, so we weren’t there for long. It’s always nice to meet Empathy Test fans at the merch booth after the show, some of whom have traveled very far, of course. It’s always a pleasure to see Daniel Myer, and I also met Mojca Zugna from Clan of Xymox, she and Ronny have become good friends of mine. And of course there were cocktails with my good friend Daniel Graves (Aesthetic Perfection).
What will you remember for a long time from this year’s WGT?
It’s always an honor to perform at WGT, and Empathy Test didn’t expect to be invited back so soon. It’s always a great opportunity to meet new people and catch up with old friends. I wish I could have found a way to stay the whole weekend, but there’s always next year!
WGT setlist:
“Monsters” – “Empty Handed” – “Making Worlds” – “Skin” – “Stop” – “Bare My Soul” – “Kirrilee” – “Vampire Town” – “Holy Rivers” – “Incubation Song” – “Fear of Disappearing” – “Doubts” – “Demons” – “Losing Touch” – “Here Is the Place”
You can find more acts like Deine Lakaien, Front Line Assembly, Rosa†Crvx, Eisregen and V2A exclusively in the “WGT Special Issue”, which is enclosed to the current Orkus issue. You can order the July/August issue in the Orkus! Shop or in the Onlinekiosk.
