Paleface Swiss’ stage at Gruenspan, Hamburg
Studying abroad presents many exciting opportunities, such as cultural immersion and travel opportunities. But for me, one of the greatest parts of being in Germany is getting to see my favorite European bands that don’t often tour in the United States. So, when the Swiss death metal band announced they’d be playing at a venue an hour train ride from Bremen, I bought tickets immediately, before even booking my flight there.
I went out on a limb with these tickets, but I am so glad I was able to go to the show. Gruenspan is an old music venue in St. Pauli, Hamburg, which is adjacent to the city’s (apparently) famous Reeperbahn. It appears small on the outside, but inside is much bigger, with balconies in addition to the regular standing room. I get antsy when I haven’t been to a concert in a while, and at that point I was going on 2 months without going to a show. What a tragedy! So when I stepped into the venue, I felt right at home.
This show was a part of Paleface’s Cursed European tour, celebrating the release of their newest album by the same name. The supporting acts were Desolated, a hardcore/deathcore band from England, and The Acacia Strain, a deathcore band from Albany, New York. Both bands were great live, with some nasty breakdowns and an exciting stage presence. But honestly, you could tell that everyone was here for Paleface.
I’ve been in lots of crowds before. Pushing, moshing, and crowd killing are to be expected. But boy did I think my last moments were going to be in that pit. The energy in that crowd as Paleface’s intro began was literally tangible. They started with my favorite song off their new album, Hatred. Once that ended, I retreated from the chaos to stand in the back with the guys who cross their arms and look really unimpressed at every show they go to.
Paleface put on a wonderful show. Great sound, great stage presence, great energy. I was happy to stand in the back with my sparkling water. I headbanged a bunch, did some two-stepping, and that made me feel complete.
Paleface is taking this tour to the US! They’ll be playing at Baltimore Soundstage (one of my favorite venues that I’ve written about here) on March 27th, 2025. If you have the time, I highly recommend checking them out. After all, it’s not easy getting a visa to tour in the states.
Nina Grafton is a Dickinson student whose favorite pastime is going to concerts. When she’s not abroad, you can listen to her show, Everyday Headbangers, on Wednesdays from 6-7 PM.
