Live report W.A.S.P., Docks, Hamburg – October 1st, 2025

In 1984, a band from L.A. created a significant buzz. Their eponymous debut album launched the band’s impressive career, which is still ongoing. We’re talking about W.A.S.P..

41 years after launching their first musical rocket, Blackie Lawless and his band are on the next leg of their global “Album One Alive” tour. The band is playing a sold-out show at Docks in Hamburg tonight, which indicates a larger fanbase in the greater Hamburg area.

The doors opened at 7 pm, but it took a while for the lights go down. W.A.S.P. fans, some of whom are even wearing Blackie Lawless wigs, had to wait until almost 9 pm for the intro to start. This is a long time to wait, especially since there is no supporting act tonight. However, the moment the first notes of “I Wanna Be Somebody” filled the room, fans forgot all about the wait.

Listening to the songs from “W.A.S.P.” feels like enjoying a trip back to one’s own youth. These are the songs that many fans listened to as teenagers, including the author of these lines.

Although there wasn’t a support band tonight, the vibe is great straight away. Lawless is in great voice and puts on a fantastic stage performance. He also tells a few stories, such as when he negotiated the tour with some promoters. He also talks about what to do with “On Your Knees”, which is actually a traditional opener but now comes in the middle of the set. Regardless of its position on the setlist, fans enjoy every moment.

After finishing the “W.A.S.P.” session, the band leaves the stage, but returns quickly as the fans want more. Two medleys open the encore with a focus on “Inside the Electric Circus” and “The Headless Children”. The party vibe reaches its peak with “Wild Child”. Blackie Lawless kicks off the song by himself, supported only by a fan choir. The song ignites the ultimate party vibe, while “Blind in Texas” brings the evening to a close. Before starting the roaring classic, Lawless thanks everybody coming out tonight and when he mentioned that this might be the last time fans could see the band on stage, there is a moment of a melancholic mood. This changes immediately again with “Blind in Texas”, which is accompanied by a huge sing-along.

W.A.S.P. are one of the veteran bands of the ’80s. Despite us all getting older over the last four decades, it is the music that remains, providing a time warp back to the days when the unbridled spirit of youth ran wild. This evening was a walk down memory lane, with a great rock ‘n’ roll performance enjoyed by everyone in the hall, from the front row to the back.

(click on pics to enlarge)

Setlist

Intro
I Wanna Be Somebody
L.O.V.E. Machine
The Flame
B.A.D.
School Daze
Hellion
Sleeping (In the Fire)
On Your Knees
Tormentor
The Torture Never Stops
The Big Welcome (encore)
Inside the Electric Circus / I Don’t Need No Doctor / Scream Until You Like It (encore)
The Real Me / Forever Free / The Headless Children (encore)
Wild Child (encore)
Blind in Texas (encore)