Live report ZSK, RANTANPLAN & TYNA, Markthalle, Hamburg – February 25th, 2023

Cold and gray outside, hot and colorful inside – that’s how this evening could be described. In Hamburg’s Markthalle three bands will be guesting today which are dedicated to punk rock. For the German punk rock legends ZSK the show means the end of their anniversary tour and they furthermore invited local support with Rantanplan and Tyna.

But before one can enjoy excellent punk rock, one has to wait in the long queue in front of the entrance, as the event is sold out. However, cold weather and a Nordic wind don’t keep anyone from good mood and pleasant anticipation.

Arrived in the hall Tyna have already entered the stage. After a move to Hamburg Tyna started a musical endeavour and founded the band. At first, Tyna found a keyboarder with Freddy before new band members gradually joined with Mia, Jonathan and David.

Tonight Tyna go full speed right from the beginning. Their mixture of punk, rock and a bit of 80’s keyboards is very well received by the audience and gets the atmosphere going right from the start. Despite all the jollity, Tyna also have an attitude, which they don’t hide. Deplorable circumstances, discrimination and intolerance are denounced and thus Tyna fit very well into this package, not only musically. After tonight’s performance, it remains to be said that one will certainly hear from the band in the future, which is confirmed by the “encore” shouts.

After a very short changeover break, Rantanplan, a Hamburg institution, come on stage. With their ska punk, the guys and girls raise the vibe once again. In addition, it is a little tighter on the stage with seven musicians, but this does not detract from the urge of everyone to move. Dancing is the order of the day in the Markthalle, on stage and in front of it.

Singer and guitarist Torben Meissner is the only remaining founding member and also the center of the show. However, the band stands as a unit on stage and it is the mixture of old and young that provides a special kick.

Rantanplan start their set with ‘Zombie Che’ and immediately it becomes clear that the following hour will be very entertaining. In addition, fan proximity is capitalized, with one or the other musician taking a bath in the crowd.
Of course, the well-known songs like ‘Unbekanntes Pferd’ (Unknown Horse) are presented, whereby some in the audience follow the request to carry a person next to them on their shoulders. This is common at some concerts, but today some unusual combinations arise that make you smile and push the mood in the hall to its boiling point.

In addition, today’s concert comes just in time, as Rantanplan have recently released a new album, ‘Ahoi’. Unfortunately the vinyl version can’t be sold at the merch booth yet, because the delivery is still pending at customs. However, the pain is manageable as the band plays with ‘Ozeanische Liebe’, ‘Sturmvögel’ and ‘Ahoy’ a few of the new tracks.

In about 60 minutes Rantanplan give all they have and use the home base effect. When the band leaves with loud applause everyone is in a party mood and in anticipation of a powerful ZSK show.

During the changeover, the stage is covered with a curtain and as the lights in the hall go out, the excitement rises. With snippets from news broadcasts of the past year ZSK start their set; at least that was the plan, because problems with the guitar lead to a restart. After a short delay, the already known intro plays again, the confetti cannons fire the colorful load into the hall and it works out with the guitar too. The curtain falls and the quartet starts with ‘Darwin’ and ‘Punkverrat’ into their set.

ZSK have a long setlist this evening, because it’s the ’25th anniversary’ tour and at the same time the band has just released a new album with ‘Hass / Liebe’, from which the mentioned ‘Darwin’ is taken.
As it should be for such an anniversary show, the setlist consists of a total of 26 songs that represent all phases of the band. With ‘Radio Riot’ and ‘Küsst die Faschisten’ the band goes back to their early days, while with ‘Hassliebe’ and ‘Himmel’ also more recent songs are performed.

That ZSK also have a message and have a mindset is obvious and so also tonight the ‘FCK AFD’ poster is raised and with ‘Kein Mensch ist illegal’ there is another statement before ‘Ende der Welt’.

However, the fun does not fall short. Mathilda, who is responsible for the light tonight, celebrates her birthday. A ‘Happy Birthday’ serenade is obligatory, but also a beer is handed out. This happens with the help of a fan, who transports a beer cup on an inflatable floating island towards the music mixing booth. And the beer arrived! In addition, Joshi stands more than once right in the pit by the fans, takes a leap into the audience and stands in its midst for a short acoustic intermezzo.

ZSK also honor their heroes with a cover version. Tonight it’s ‘Bro Hymn’ by Pennywise, which gets the room on fire.
With ‘Antifascista’ the last song of the evening is played after nearly 100 minutes of ZSK punk rock., accompanied by “Alerta! Alerta! Antifascista” shouts.

Tonight has made the fascination of punk rock very obvious. Serious statements, having an attitude and not missing out on the fun part of life, that’s the credo and the spice of this Saturday night – so you see happy but partly also exhausted fans coming out of the Markthalle to continue partying somewhere else or just to travel home.