After the allegations of sexual assault, Rammstein is back on tour. Also included: the old poses. Has the scandal surrounding the musicians changed anything?
From a distance, the concert venue in Dresden looks like a run-down monster. The meter-high scaffolding with lamps and pyrotechnics seems to stare down powerlessly at the crowds streaming in. Less than an hour later, the old dragon is hissing again, spitting fire like always: Till Lindemann, his band Rammstein and their bombastic stage show are back.
Just a year after rumors of alleged sexual assaults against young female fans, Germany’s most internationally successful band is touring again. “Two souls, oh, in my womb, only one can survive!” Lindemann now shouts back into the arena. Even a controversial song called “Pussy”, which was briefly removed from the program, is celebrating a comeback: “Beautiful lady, want more? Blitzkrieg with the meat gun.” The crowds cheer.
A rock concert as a demonstration of power: Till Lindemann with the infamous “penis cannon” last week in Dresden
© Thembi Wolf / stern
It is difficult not to perceive this production as a power pose. A year has passed since the allegations of abuse of power and alleged sexual assault against frontman Till Lindemann became public. The singer should have a sophisticated casting system Women were taken for sex, some heavily drunk. Several women had made allegations, some anonymously. The Berlin public prosecutor’s office has discontinued the investigation altogether “due to suspicion of committing sexual offenses as well as violations of the Narcotics Act.” His media lawyer Christian Schertz was visibly proud to explain how he got his client out in a TV portrait on the first: “The fact that a star and a fan get closer to each other and go to bed is as old as rock and roll,” he says as if the backstage orgies had been romantic dates.
The fans also seem to have had little impact on the reports of perfidious recruitment of young women for sex backstage: Rammstein started their European tour two weeks ago as if nothing had ever happened. 200,000 people made a pilgrimage to the arena in four concerts in Dresden alone, spending up to 150 euros per ticket to admire the 61-year-old Lindemann, just like in the old days, on a gigantic penis cannon from which foam is, well, ejaculated .
Depressing stories from many young women
There is probably only one change: the so-called Row Zero, where supposedly willing and previously hand-picked women once lined up to be later escorted into the depths of the backstage, is now empty. Or rather, there are only paramedics there. No female fans with good make-up, elegant cocktail dresses in bright colors, as the dress code for the stage pit used to be.
Apart from a small counter-demo, the controversial rock star no longer has to expect any headwinds. Fans forgive. And people tend to overlook the fact that the termination of proceedings does not equate to an acquittal.
But they shouldn’t have it that easy. Not only are Rammstein back, but the debate about sexual assault in the music business also continues.