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Rammstein announce 2024 European stadium tour

Rammstein have announced a European stadium tour for 2024, coinciding with the band’s 30th anniversary.

The 18-date tour will launch in the Czech Republic on 11 May and go on to visit Germany, Serbia, Greece, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Austria and Italy, before finishing back in their native Germany for two nights in Gelsenkirchen from 26-27 July.

At the band’s request, tickets for next year’s concerts will have the full name of the buyer printed on them in an effort to clamp down on the resale market. The ticket holder will be required to present their ID to gain access entry to the stadium, along with the rest of their party.

Frontman Till Lindemann is also embarking on a solo tour next month

Rammstein and European promoter MCT Agentur previously obtained an injunction against secondary ticketing platform Viagogo, banning the resale site from reselling tickets for the group’s 2023 tour.

Lindemann is also embarking on a solo tour next month, for which more than 80,000 tickets were sold in 48 hours.

The full list of Rammstein tour dates is as follows:
11.05.2024 – Czech Republic, Prague, Airport Letnany
15.05.2024 – Germany, Dresden, Rinne (Open Air Gelände an der Messe)
16.05.2024 – Germany, Dresden, Rinne (Open Air Gelände an der Messe)
24.05.2024 – Serbia, Belgrade, Ušce Park
30.05.2024 – Greece, Athens
05.06.2024 – Spain, San Sebastián, Estadio Anoeta
08.06.2024 – France, Marseille, Orange Vélodrome
11.06.2024 – Spain, Barcelona, Estadi Olímpic
15.06.2024 – France, Lyon, Groupama Stadium
18.06.2024 – Netherlands, Nijmegen, Goffertpark
23.06.2024 – Ireland, Dublin, RDS Arena
27.06.2024 – Belgium, Ostend, Park Nieuwe Koers
05.07.2024 – Denmark, Copenhagen, Valbyparken
17.07.2024 – Austria, Klagenfurt, Wörthersee Stadion
18.07.2024 – Austria, Klagenfurt, Wörthersee Stadion
21.07.2024 – Italy, Reggio Emilia, RCF Arena (Campovolo)
26.07.2024 – Germany, Gelsenkirchen, Veltins-Arena
27.07.2024 – Germany, Gelsenkirchen, Veltins-Arena

Prosecutors in Germany confirmed in August that they had dropped an investigation into Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann, following allegations of sexual misconduct. Lindemann denied the claims, which were dismissed by his legal team as “without exception untrue”.


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Sexual misconduct investigation into Rammstein star dropped

Prosecutors in Germany have dropped an investigation into Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann, following allegations of sexual misconduct.

The investigation was opened in June after several women claimed they were drugged and recruited to engage in sexual activity.

The selected women are said to have been given access to a so-called “Row Zero” – a restricted area directly in front of the stage.

Lindemann always denied the allegations and his legal team dismissed the claims as “without exception untrue”.

Berlin’s prosecution office shared a statement on Tuesday (29 August) that read: “The evaluation of the available evidence — above all the press reports that refer to anonymous whistleblowers, as well as the additional questioning of witnesses — has not produced any indications that the accused has carried out sexual acts on women against their will, administered disabling substances or exploited a power imbalance towards underage sexual partners in order to persuade them to have sex.”

“The rapid termination of investigative proceedings by the Berlin state prosecutor’s office shows there is insufficient evidence”

Lawyers for Lindemann said: “The rapid termination of investigative proceedings by the Berlin state prosecutor’s office shows that there is insufficient evidence that our client allegedly committed sexual offences.”

The wave of complaints about Lindemann came after a woman from Northern Ireland went public with her belief that she had been drugged by the frontman at an afterparty in Vilnius, Lithuania on 22 May. A number of other women then made further allegations against the German singer.

The claims were met with calls to axe Rammstein’s European stadium tour, with close to 100,000 people signing a petition demanding the cancellation of three sold-out concerts at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on 15-16 and 18 July. Meanwhile, hundreds of protestors assembled outside various concerts during the tour.

Promoters including Greenhouse Talent and Gadget abc subsequently addressed concerns about Rammstein tour dates, confirming there would be no “Row Zero” at their shows, while aftershow parties in Berlin and Munich were cancelled.

At the time, the band issued a statement saying they took the allegations “extremely seriously. We say to our fans: It’s important to us that you feel comfortable and safe at our shows – in front and behind the stage.”

 


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Promoters address Rammstein cancellation calls

Promoters have responded to calls to cancel Rammstein’s European tour, amid the flurry of sexual misconduct accusations made against the group’s frontman Till Lindemann.

The German metal band’s stadium tour has been marred by claims that multiple women were recruited to have sex with Lindemann, 60, at Rammstein shows. The selected women are said to have been given access to a so-called “Row Zero” – a restricted area directly in front of the stage.

Berlin police confirmed earlier this month that they were investigating Lindemann “relating to sexual offences and the distribution of narcotics” – allegations the singer’s legal team have dismissed as “without exception untrue”.

The wave of complaints came after a woman from Northern Ireland went public with her belief that she had been drugged by Lindemann at an afterparty in Vilnius, Lithuania on 22 May. However, the case is not being pursued after a subsequent investigation found “no objective factual evidence” that would prove she had been subjected to physical or mental coercion.

Nevertheless, DW reports that close to 100,000 people have signed a petition demanding the cancellation of Rammstein’s three sold-out concerts at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on 15-16 and 18 July. Around 150 protesters gathered outside the band’s gig in Bern, Switzerland, in mid June and a further protest has been organised ahead of their July shows at the Stadspark in Groningen, the Netherlands.

“There is no legal basis for a concert cancellation”

Gadget ABC, which promoted the group’s 17-18 June concerts in Bern, responded to an open letter from Swiss citizens’ movement JUSO Switzerland and Campax calling for the events to be called off.

“Such allegations of sexualised violence must be taken seriously,” said JUSO president Nicola Siegrist. “The organisers have to do the only right thing and cancel the concerts.”

In its response, published ahead of the dates and signed by Gadget’s Christof Huber, Eric Kramer, Oliver Rosa, Cyrill Stadler and Stefan Wyss, the company said it “disassociates itself from any form of violence and abuse and takes the current allegations very seriously”. It added that the current public discussion “raises very important questions” that promoters must engage with.

“The allegations levelled against the band are serious,” it continued. “Gadget does not want to participate in prejudice. We have no knowledge of that band or a band member has been proven to have committed a criminal offence. Against this background there is no legal basis for a concert cancellation vis-à-vis our contractual partner. A breach of contract would have consequences that would not be compatible with our sense of responsibility towards our employees, suppliers and partners.”

Regarding the “so-called ‘Row Zero'”, Gadget stressed that no guests beyond “security services, photographers, etc,” would be permitted to enter the zone.

“We have a structural problem in the concert scene that is now finally being talked about”

Groningen City Council also announced that promoter Greenhouse Talent had confirmed there will be no “Row Zero” for fans to stand, nor an afterparty, for the group’s upcoming shows in the Dutch city.

German trade association BDKV recently added its support to the Alliance against Sexism in the wake of the allegations. The Alliance against Sexism coalition is led by family minister Lisa Paus, who has proposed changes for the music business including protective areas for women at concerts and the use of “awareness teams” to regularly check what is happening backstage.

“Without prejudging the specific case, the way I perceive the discussion, we have a structural problem in the concert scene that is now finally being talked about,” Paus told Bild am Sonntag.

The Rammstein Stadium Tour, which is due to wrap up in Belgium later this summer, resumes in Padova, Italy this Saturday (1 July). It will then stop in Groningen, Budapest, Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Chorzow, before concluding with three nights at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium from 3-5 August.

In an Instagram post to fans earlier this month, the band asked not to be prejudged.

“The accusations have hit us all very hard and we take them extremely seriously,” read the statement. “To our fans we say: It is important to us that you feel comfortable and safe at our shows – in front of and behind the stage. We condemn any kind of assault and ask you: Do not participate in prejudgments of any kind toward those who have made accusations. They have a right to their point of view. But we, the band, also have a right — not to be prejudged either.”

 


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German trade body backs ‘Alliance against Sexism’

In the wake of sexual misconduct accusations being levelled at Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann, German trade association BDKV has added its support to the Alliance against Sexism.

The Alliance against Sexism coalition is led by family minister Lisa Paus, who has proposed changes for the music business including protective areas for women at concerts and the use of “awareness teams” to regularly check what is happening backstage.

The BDKV is offering to contribute its experiences and measures to the initiative to provide “the greatest possible guarantee of safe spaces for everyone”. The organisation recently launched a new advisory and information service on the topic of sexual abuse, and stresses that it “resolutely opposes harassment and abuse, whether in front of or behind the stage or at the workplace”.

“The industry is taking note of the current debate very carefully,” says Johannes Everke, MD of the BDKV. “In all of this, we do not see any systemic or specific problem across our entire industry. Rather, it is a fundamental societal problem that power structures or power imbalances are repeatedly abused. It is therefore urgently necessary to deal with this and to find ways to prevent it. We will do our part to actively help solve the problems.”

The move comes amid a string of allegations regarding Lindemann’s behaviour, which Rammstein deny.

The Guardian reports that multiple women have come forward to describe a systematic process whereby young female fans were recruited, either on social media or at concerts, to have sex with Lindemann during and after Rammstein shows. The selected women are said to have been given access to a so-called “Row Zero” – a restricted area directly in front of the stage.

The claims followed one fan’s allegation that her drink had been spiked at an afterparty in Vilnius, Lithuania last month.

“The accusations have hit us all very hard and we take them extremely seriously”

Rammstein are currently in the midst of a four-night spell at Munich’s Olympic Stadium as part of their European tour. The German rock band’s management has reportedly hired a law firm to investigate the allegations internally, but no criminal investigation has been launched.

Rammstein said on Twitter: “With regard to the allegations circulating on the internet about Vilnius, we can rule out the possibility that what is being claimed took place in our environment.” In a subsequent Instagram post, the band added they were taking the situation “extremely seriously” but asked not to be prejudged.

“The accusations have hit us all very hard and we take them extremely seriously,” reads the statement. “To our fans we say: It is important to us that you feel comfortable and safe at our shows – in front of and behind the stage. We condemn any kind of assault and ask you: Do not participate in prejudgments of any kind toward those who have made accusations. They have a right to their point of view. But we, the band, also have a right — not to be prejudged either.”

The Rammstein Stadium Tour is due to run until August, with shows later this month planned in Slovakia, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal.

Gadget ABC, promoter of the group’s 17-18 June concerts in Bern, tells Blick: “As always, we are working in coordination with the authorities, the venue and other partners on various measures to ensure the safety of all concert visitors and employees. Among other things, specialised care teams are on duty.

“Just as we take the allegations against Till Lindemann and Rammstein seriously, we also uphold the principle of the presumption of innocence. We are in contact with the management of the band.”

 


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80k+ tickets sold for Rammstein singer’s solo tour

More than 80,000 tickets have been sold for Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann’s 2023 solo European tour in just 48 hours, organisers have announced.

Concerts at Emsland Arena, Lingen, Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt and Sporthalle Hamburg in Germany have already sold out, alongside a show at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp, Belgium.

Promoted by DEAG’s Handwerker Promotion, the tour will kick off at the Quarterback Real Estate Arena in Leipzig, Germany on 8 November, followed by 10 more concerts in Germany. Additional stops will also take place in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, the UK, the Netherlands and France.

“We are very excited about this gigantic reception and congratulate Till Lindemann and all parties involved on this brilliant success”

“We are very excited about this gigantic reception and congratulate Till Lindemann and all parties involved on this brilliant success,” says Handwerker MD Fred Handwerker.

Support on the tour will come from Aesthetic Perfection and Phantom Vision. Lindemann is also booked to perform at the Blue Ridge Rock Fest in Virginia, US, which runs from 7-10 September.

Lindemann will also join his Rammstein bandmates for the Rammstein Stadium Tour, which returns to Europe from May to August this year. In 2022, Rammstein and European promoter MCT Agentur obtained an injunction against secondary ticketing platform Viagogo, banning the resale site from reselling tickets for the band’s 2023 European stadium tour.

 


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