I remember very well, back in 1995, where I was sitting with the complete Rammstein Band around one table for an interview in a very simple restaurant in a suburb of Munich. And even back then, these guys lead by Till Lindemann and Kruspe and Co.  did have a huge ego, although thier debut album 'Herzeleid' had just been released and their popularity just started to evolve. At that point it was still possible to lead a "normal" interview with this band (shame I didn't take any pics) - Anyway most of you know the rest of the story 'till this very day. And now 14 years later, - an interview like tho one I did back then, would be simply impossible. If you're luck enough to get one at all, then only with one of the guys, and you must also sign a contract about - not to ask this or that one, according to reports. Yeah well, times change, don't they?! And everything stands and falls with financiall power.  
Rammstein have taken care for quite some provocation in the past, and it did actually increase their popularity at their fans. Best example now is the new album 'Liebe Ist Für Alle Da' (Love is here for everyone) which has been put on the index from our family minister. But that again, first, after 500.000 units had been sold and it had gonne gold 3 times. However, what promotion could be better than this one? Right now the Cd is back again, but without that one song and one picture which was the focus of cencoring. But to be honest with you, when I listen to this song 'Ich Tue Dir Weh' (I do hurt you), then I come quickly to the solution, that every second Frank Zappa song owns worse lyrics than this one. But it's in english, and politicians  think, that we are too stupid for understanding the lyrics. So engl.songs, even with bad lyrics don't get banned over here, but the german lyrics do so,if they are bad...

I think, Rammstein did not suffer any disadvantage because of the cencored record. But they are forced to change the lyrics of this song, when performed live in Germany. In Austria and Switzerland they don't bother... 
Rammstein instead complain about beeing cencored, but they themselves cencor the press in a real tight way, not only in photographing rules, but also you have to sign a contract, when you do an interview with one of the guys. The german journalist society has asked the band to pull back from this contracts and warned the press. But it usually doesn't help much, does it?! 
The result in the end is: Rammstein's reputation is polished to a high sparkle and an even higher popularity status at their fans. 
And that's, why all their concerts are sold out completely for months, thought tickets were only available via their website.  
It's still fascinating, that in case of the Munich show and despite beeing sold out, there are hundrets of fans without tickets, gathering round the venue trying to catch at least some of the acoustic and the generell vibe. There is also 3times as much security as normally because of a certain sort of fans, you know what I mean... But thanks god, everything stays peacefull during the show - before and afterwards. 

Support comes from norwegian band Combichrist, who are appearing in a Zombie mascarade playing a mixture of Teccno and Hardcore Metal. With 2 drumkits, very less light and only a small bit of the stage, these scandinavians rather seems like a bunch of crazy undeads, constantly moving and trying to push up the 12.000 and Rammstein Fans only - to motivate. I don't have to say much more about that, because of first of all - they couldn't manage to heat the crowd up and second their set has not been very much impressing either. Whoever still wants to know about this band go to http://www.combichrist.com/

Rammstein open their set with an imaginary concrete wall (the curtain) where the musicians cut a hole with axes  and in the middle it is even burned through out. And then a show starts, which is beyond every dimension. The flames let us photographers sweat, thanks to the heat. And I'm pretty much surprised about the fact, that Munich's authorities didn't complain about it, as they are known to be very sensible about pyroshows. But not in this case, and it seems that this reign of fire and many explosions, which torture our ears, go very well down at the audiance. One thing I gotta give these musicians up there. They all own a very special aura. Most of all, when singer Till Lindemann performs the first song with an imaginary fire in  his mouth. At the cencored song he gets lifted up in the air and spills some lava flow down into the bath tub, where keyboarder flake has been thrown in before... And at the song 'Benzin' a burning stuntman runs across the stage, 'till he finally gets released from the flames. 'Pussy' doesn't show any porno elements, but therefore a huge tornado of confetti flakes. And there are many other inputs and show elements we get offered during this gig. Below underneath the setlist you find a clip, showing all these highpoints of the Rammstein Show.  

And at the final Song ‚Engel’, singerTill Lindeman got burning wings. The average enthusiasm almost gets outta hand at the audiance.
For the music itselves, I can only say, that this one is more or less a matter of taste and an attitude. And though I'm not a big Rammstein music fan myself, I have to say honestly, that this concert is perfectly organized and great.
Yeah well, I think, you have to see Rammstein once live on stage, because this description here on that page is only a small imagination,of what really happens up there. And I honestly ask myself, what it looks like in another 14 years.... 
http://www.rammstein.de/ 

PS: and not to forget: here  -  here  -  here  -  here  -  here -  here  -  here  -  here  -  here  -  here  -  here  -  here
you find some of my photos of the Munich show...