An Enchanting, Sweaty & Magical Encounter with Lord of the Lost in Berlin

I recently had the pleasure of attending LORD OF THE LOST's performance in Berlin, and I must share my thoughts on this remarkable goth metal band from Hamburg.

Fresh off their second tour with Iron Maiden and still buzzing from their participation in Eurovision 2023, I couldn't help but wonder if this intimate venue experience would be a rare treat for their fans in the future.

LORD OF THE LOST has always enjoyed success and a dedicated fanbase, achieving significant recognition in Germany with major shows like Mera Luna, Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Rockharz Open Air and Summer Breeze, as well as numerous international festivals. Their recent Blood and Glitter album sky-rocketed up the German charts landing them the number one spot.

However, their recent surge in popularity has catapulted them even higher, raising valid concerns about whether they might lose the relatability and accessibility that made them so appealing. Will their newfound fame make them arrogant? Could they become too mainstream? Will international recognition go to their heads?

Despite these apprehensions, as soon as the band graced the small stage at the Lido club in Berlin, none of that seemed to have affected them. They maintained the same easy and friendly interactions with the audience, preserving the intimacy that characterised their performances before the "Iron Maiden/Eurovision" successes.

The day of the concert was a hot and sweaty Berlin summer day, and fans had been queuing since 9 am, armed with folding chairs and coolers, enduring the wait until the doors opened at 7 pm. When I arrived, a familiar face inked a number on my pale, sweaty skin, indicating my arrival time and place in the queue. This fan-policed queuing system, which has become increasingly reverent within the fanbase, caused anxiety and occasional irritability amongst other fans, somewhat dampening the pre-show mood.

Once inside, the heat intensified, and so did the irritability. Tensions flared when a lady who was accompanying her daughter who was in a wheelchair at the front of the stage remarked to a girl that she was too fat to be in the front row. This sparked a feud and outrage among others who found the lady's comment inexcusably rude, ironically noting her own portly figure. Chants of "Jerry Jerry Jerry" echoed inside my head as the heated back and forths escalated. Later, the lady continued to be a nuisance, pushing shorter and smaller fans to the point of toppling over. However on the plus side her daughter, who didn't get involved, seemed to have the most epic time, which is what shows are meant to be about. (This is how the heated exchanges were translated to me, it was very very very intense).

Nevertheless, let's not dwell on these distractions, let's turn our attention to the band that supported LORD OF THE LOST on this final leg of their delayed Blood and Glitter small club tour, WISBORG.

Lord of the Lost's Chris Harms and the band Wisborg

WISBORG, a dark wave/goth rock/post-punk band formed in early 2017, mesmerised the audience with their performance. Drawing inspiration from elements of dark wave and post-punk, their music pays homage to the aesthetics of the German silent movie era and is reminiscent of 80s and 90s gothic rock and dark wave bands like Sisters of Mercy and Type-O-Negative.

WISBORG's charismatic and largely bare-chested performance won over the audience, setting the perfect mood for the main act. Though I wasn't previously familiar with WISBORG, they converted me into a fan, and I eagerly anticipate seeing them again in the future. They come across as genuinely pleasant individuals, taking the time to interact with the audience—a trait I greatly appreciate. They were quick to come out and hang with their fans and were very generous with their time.

Now, onto the main act: LORD OF THE LOST. The band exploded onto the stage with the synthy Rocky IV vibes of "When The Curtain Falls," which elicited enthusiastic responses from the crowd. Adorned in their signature glam goth attire and makeup, they truly looked the part.

Their dedication to their makeup artistry and attention to costume detail was evident. From sparkling hot pants to appropriately hideously gaudy earrings, sufficiently kinky S&M red PVC garments, fishnet tops and light-up trainers, the band made an intense and theatrical impression.

Highlights of their performance, for me, were "Black Halo," "Break Your Heart," "Loreley," "Blood and Glitter," and "Leave Your Hate in the Comments." I must admit that, as a long-time fan, I haven't yet had the opportunity to listen to the entire Blood and Glitter album, and a few debut songs left me underwhelmed and puzzled. However, everyone else enthusiastically screamed along with every song, displaying their impeccable knowledge of the band's lyrics and their unwavering love for this ever-evolving group.

Frontman Chris Harms encountered a few guitar malfunctions but compensated with his spry movements on stage, captivating the audience with his Bowie-esque vocals and intense gazes. Lead guitarist π (Pi Stoffers) exuded the energy of a Peloton instructor on ten Red Bulls, executing high kicks and dropping into semi-splits without missing a note. Class Grenayde (Klaas Helmecke), the bass player, delivered a steady and measured performance, growling at the appropriate moments. Gared Dirge (Gerrit Heinemann), their keyboardist/guitarist, as always, provided a cheeky drumming display, pulling faces and engaging with his band mates with Jim Carrey 90s charm. Drummer Niklas Kahl, drenched in sweat from both the heat and his energetic performance, played with a ferocity that contrasted sharply with his relaxed demeanour off stage.

The band interacted together on stage in their typical style of stroking each other's instruments and getting close and intimate enough to piss off the bible thumpers and excite their yaoi loving fangirls. When this band interact on stage it's clear how close they are and how much they enjoy performing together. Nothing is forced or fake.

Overall, the trip to Berlin was well worth it. Although I didn't wait around to see if the band would come out, as I was just one sweat drop away from fainting, I was informed by friends that the band members came out, signed autographs, and spent about ten minutes with their devoted followers.

I am eagerly awaiting LORD OF THE LOST's return to the UK later this year for more performances. Unfortunately, tickets are sold out or selling at a breakneck pace for every show, prompting venue upgrades to accommodate the overwhelming demand.

Here's a list of their upcoming shows were you too can get a chance to howl along with their incredibly catchy tunes:

Merch: http://lord-shop.de Tickets: http://tour.lordofthelost.de

HEADLINER SHOWS 2023: Jul 29 Wolfsburg (DE) Jul 31 Aschaffenburg (DE) SOLD OUT! Aug 02 Karlsruhe (DE) SOLD OUT! Sep 23 London (UK) BIGGER VENUE! Sep 24 Bristol (UK) SOLD OUT! Sep 26 Southampton (UK) LOW TICKETS! Sep 27 Nottingham (UK) SOLD OUT! Sep 28 Wolverhampton (UK) LOW TICKETS! Sep 29 Manchester (UK) SOLD OUT! Sep 30 Glasgow (UK) SOLD OUT! Oct 06 Yerevan (AM) Oct 07 Tbilisi (GE) Oct 11 Lille (FR) Oct 12 Savigny-le-Temple (FR) LOW TICKETS! Oct 13 La Roche-sur-Yon (FR) Nov 01 Tilburg (NL) SOLD OUT! Nov 04 Ittre (BE) SOLD OUT!

With IRON MAIDEN: Jul 26 Dortmund (DE) Aug 01 München (DE)

With POWERWOLF: Oct 31 Düsseldorf (DE) Nov 02 Ravensburg (DE)

Nov 03 Bamberg (DE)

FESTIVALS 2023: Jul 20 John Smith Rock Festival, Laukaa (FI) Jul 30 Amphi Festival, Köln (DE) Aug 04 Wacken Open Air (DE) Aug 12 TabulaRaaza Festival, Oldenburg (DE) Oct 14 Unter Schwarzer Flagge, Köln (DE) Nov 17+18 Gothic Meets Klassik, Leipzig (DE)

Dec 09 LORDFEST 2023, Hamburg (DE)

15 Years Of LORD OF THE LOST Tour 2024: Mar 22 Nürnberg (DE) Mar 23 München (DE) Mar 24 Trezzo sull’Adda (IT) Mar 26 Pratteln (CH) Mar 27 Grenoble (FR) Mar 29 Barcelona (ES) Mar 30 Madrid (ES) Apr 02 Paris (FR) Apr 03 Luxembourg (LU) Apr 04 Frankfurt (DE) Apr 05 Köln (DE) Apr 06 Amsterdam (NL) Apr 17 Prague (CZ) —> pre sale will start soon! Apr 18 Budapest (HU) Apr 19 Wien (AT) Apr 20 Stuttgart (DE) Apr 24 Berlin (DE) Apr 25 Warszawa (PL) Apr 26 Kraków (PL) Apr 27 Leipzig (DE)