Live report LORDI, NULL POSITIV & BLOOD WHITE, Gruenspan, Hamburg – September 24th, 2025

It’s time for a horror show tonight! Although Halloween is still a few weeks away, some monsters are arriving in Hamburg tonight. Finnish hard rockers Lordi are starting the second leg of their “2nd Deadication” tour at Grünspan in Hamburg. Joining them on the road and on stage are two German bands: Null Positiv and Blood White.

I haven’t heard much from Blood White yet, but when I arrive at the venue, they had already started with “Don’t Blame Me.” I certainly don’t blame them for my lateness as it was due to some train issues that almost made me miss the opener. The band is dressed entirely in white with some masquerade elements, including a gas mask. Even the girl at the merch booth in her nurse dress fits to the concept. The band don’t actually need these gimmicks. Their music is good enough, and tonight, Blood White is doing their best to get the fans in the right mood. The result is impressive, as there are already quite a few metalheads in the room enjoying the unleashed energy. It’s a blend of modern metal with a slight industrial touch, and a stomping beat that brings people in the room into the right spirit. All in all, it was a good set from the opener, and we will keep Blood White on our radar.

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While the music of Blood White differs from that of the main act, at least the masquerade is a feature they both have in common. Null Positiv doesn’t have this extra, and their music differs significantly from hard rock. It’s a wild mix of modern metal, growls, and fragile, clean vocals, which Elli Berlin and her band offer. It’s not exactly what some fans expected. One guy standing next to me said, “That was really awful,” while waiting for Lordi to start their show. On the other hand, it looks like some people came for Null Positiv, as there is quite a lot of energy in front of the stage. Null Positiv plays for 40 minutes and also struggles with less-than-ideal sound quality. Elli Berlin and her band however are doing their best tonight and she is very connected to her fans. This applies to some of her speeches and the sing-along moments. There is also a “sit down, get up, and jump” moment, and in the end, we can conclude that we saw an interesting show that had some highlights but didn’t captivate the entire crowd.

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Then it was time for the Monsterman and his bandmates. Lordi is a phenomenon. They started in 1992, released their debut album ten years later, and found ESC success in 2006. Many thought that would be the pinnacle of their career which is certainly correct. But Lordi is still around, releasing albums, and the wordplay they use for album titles and songs is still effective. Their latest release is called “Limited Dedication,” and we start the headliner’s show with a song from this record. After the Kiss classic “God of Thunder”, Lordi enter the stage and starts their set with “Legends Are Made of Clichés.” With “Girls Go Chopping,” we go back to 2008, and with “Devil Is a Loser,” we go back even further, to the band’s early days.

Lordi play a solid set, and even though this is the first show of the tour, it’s clear that they’re a well-oiled machine. And they have a new member on stage. Mr. Lordi proudly announced having for the first time a teleprompter on stage. So, lyrically everything is safe and secured. Along with the songs, there are some theatrical moments and intermezzos, which often include a solo by one of the band members. These parts fit well with the dramatic set and give tonights setlist a certain structure. Fortunately, these interludes don’t ruin the vibe in the room, as Lordi fans appreciate what they’re offered.

There aren’t too many surprises, with Mr. Lordi spreading his bat wings during “Devil Is a Loser” before the band kicks off their first smash hit. “Would You Love a Monsterman” jump-started the band’s career and is performed towards the end of the show. The finale is reserved for “Hard Rock Hallelujah,” their big breakthrough song which is enjoyed by really everybody in the hall.

Lordi delivered tonight, performing a show that lived up entirely to expectations. No one anticipated much innovation, and with a few minor changes, Lordi maintained their successful formula — also tonight. It was a professionally performed, solid show, and the party vibe during the §Hard Rock Hallelujah” shows a rather satisfied fan base.