Live report LEMMYVERSARY Vol. VIII: MOTÖRIZER & OZZYFIED, Markthalle, Hamburg – December 28th, 2024

As reported in previous years, Lemmyversary is a beloved tradition in Hamburg. It’s between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when the German Motörhead enthusiasts Motörizer, hailing from Kiel, welcome their fans to a Motörhead tribute show on December 28th, the day of Lemmy Kilminster’s death. As in previous years, the show takes place at the Markthalle in Hamburg and we are facing a sold out event tonight.

Supporting Motörizer is another cover band – Ozzyfied. The seed was planted last year when Henning Wanner joined Motörizer for a great cover version of “Hellraiser”. 12 months later, Wanner is back on board and tonight it’s Ozzyfied who will be the opener. As the name implies, we’re looking forward to some songs from Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.

The band, formed in 2018, opens with “I Don’t Know” and delivers an energetic show. It doesn’t take long for Ozzyfied to raise the temperature in the Markthalle. Besides the well-executed music, it’s the performance of Wanner, whose voice comes pretty close to the one of Ozzy Osbourne. This is also valid for his stage performance, which includes some Osbourne-like moves, the mascara-eyes and stage cloths representing the different Ozzy eras. It’s a strong contribution to a visual statement that never feels like clownery or carnival.

Having fun combined with some classics in metal is the premise of Ozzyfied and both works extremely well tonight. The fans enjoy these 50 minutes of metal featuring classics like “Shot in the Dark”, “Paranoid” and “Bark at the Moon”. This show was metal, fun and entertainment with a crowd that is ready to welcome the headliner of the day.

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It’s not the first time that Lemmyversary is a sold out event, but it’s the first time that it’s sold out days before the show which demonstrates the impact of this annual gathering of rock and metal fans from the greater Hamburg area.

Motörizer stands for great music and a down-to-earth attitude, which you can already feel when entering the venue. Martin, Peter and Plug are standing in front of the merch booth, shaking hands and greeting their fans. This very much shows the familiar character of the Lemmyversary, a night where bands and fans celebrate the music of one of the biggest bands in rock.

After a short stage change Motörizer start their set with “We are Motörhead”, a show which includes some all-time favorites like “Killed By Death” and “Bomber” as well as some songs we haven’t heard last year. “The Hammer” and “You Better Run” are songs the band added to their current setlist and classics like “Orgasmatron” were needed to make room for songs like “Shoot in the Back”. These variations are crucial to make every Lemmyversary slightly different from the previous one and still there are the iconic songs that turn the Markthalle into a madhouse.

We are heading for the peak when Henning Wanner joins the guys from Motörizer for a thrilling version of “Hellraiser”, followed by the blues-soaked acoustic interpretation of “Whorehouse Blues”. After a short introduction of the band members, the regular set ends with “Heroes”, and as the atmosphere in the hall is at its peak, there is a strong demand for more – something Motörizer are happy to fulfill.

Starting with “Bomber” into the encore means that we can look forward to the absolute highlights of Motörhead’s strong musical catalog. “Ace of Spades” is performed next and nobody stands still in the hall, just like during the thundering version of “Overkill”, which heralds the end of the show.

Lemmyversary is a metal party. It is an event where fans and bands enjoy good music, have a good time and celebrate the great music of Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead. An event like Lemmyversary is a great way to pay tribute to the work and life of Lemmy, who most likely supports shows like this up from the clouds. What remains is the music and the spirit, both immortal pillars of Rock’n’Roll. “Keep the Spirit Alive”.