Live report DIMMU BORGIR, BEHEMOTH & DARK FUNERAL, Georg Elser Halle, Hamburg – October 22nd, 2026

The Vikings have moved on after last night, and today a distinctly satanic vibe is slowly settling over the Bunker at Feldstraße. The In League With Satan – Evropa 2026 Tour is underway, and tonight’s stop in Hamburg brings together a package that should appeal to anyone with a black metal heart.

One surprise beforehand was the venue change, with the show moving from the Inselpark Arena to the Georg Elser Halle. The new venue is packed, though, and there is one thing that becomes obvious at both locations: tonight’s show will be without flames. For Behemoth in particular, that takes away one of their familiar visual tools.

Dark Funeral

Dark Funeral are first onstage. A band with legendary status, they get just 30 minutes and very little room to work with. That’s the reality of being an opening act, but Dark Funeral could easily have used and deserved more time and space.

The show begins with the band’s familiar procession before “Unchain My Soul” hits with full force. Heljarmadr is the focal point, commanding the stage while Lord Ahriman and Chaq Mol throw riff after riff into the room. Despite the band’s commitment, the restricted stage and somewhat uneven sound keep Dark Funeral from fully unleashing the atmosphere they usually create live.

Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we see them back in Hamburg on a headliner or co-headliner tour. Time will tell.

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Behemoth

The stage suddenly feels deeper when Behemoth arrive. As mentioned, there will be no flames tonight. Instead, the band makes generous use of fog and smoke, coming from the stage and from behind it, constantly adding another layer to the visual backdrop.

There is also a sense that the lack of pyro has annoyed Nergal and his bandmates — in a good way. The result is an even more intense performance.

Pyro is always a nice addition, but as the show progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that Behemoth don’t actually need it. The songs are strong enough, and the atmosphere inside the Georg Elser Halle is intense enough, that the missing visual effects barely matter.

Behemoth deliver 13 songs with relentless force. The band’s dark energy is matched by Nergal’s stage presence. He remains in motion throughout the set and repeatedly gets close to the crowd. Orion goes one step further with a brief trip into the pit, bringing the band even closer to the fans.

The set reaches across the band’s history, from the early “Chant of Eschaton 2000” to the newer “I, Scvlptor.” Songs such as “The Satanist” naturally receive a strong response, while “O Father O Satan O Sun!” brings this intense set to its glorious conclusion.

Behemoth make a strong case for the smaller venue tonight. Without the pyro, the focus shifts even more toward the band and the audience, and the reduced distance between the two works in their favor. There are few better ways to experience Behemoth than this close to the stage.

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Dimmu Borgir

If I remember correctly, it has been about eight years since Dimmu Borgir last played in Hamburg. At least that’s how long it has been since I personally saw them live in Tilburg (NL), when they toured with Kreator.

Back then, the focus was on the Eonian era. This time, Grand Serpent Rising takes center stage. The fact that plenty of fans have clearly came to see all three bands is obvious from the still-packed hall — and it says something about the strength of this lineup.

“Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel” with its intro like start sits at the top of the 12-song setlist, representing the newer material. Dimmu Borgir also bring a more elaborate stage setup, with the scenery playing a larger role than it did during Behemoth’s performance. Still, the songs remain the main attraction, and the crowd responds accordingly.

“Mourning Palace” and “Reptile” take us back to the band’s earlier years, both receiving a warm response and “Puritania,” with its subtle symphonic touches, still has plenty of impact in a live setting.

Then comes one of the tour’s more unusual and special moments.

Toward the end of the show, Nergal joins Dimmu Borgir for a performance of Venom’s “In League With Satan.” The crowd needs no encouragement to join in on the chorus. Seeing Nergal and Dimmu Borgir perform the song together is memorable enough on its own, but with the recent passing of Venom’s Cronos, the moment carries an added emotional weight.

The dramatic “Progenies of the Great Apocalypse” closes the night, bringing a fitting end to an evening that maintained its black metal atmosphere from the opening procession to the final note. The blackened metal heart still beats strong.