Legendary UK punk icons prove that age, time and absence have done nothing to diminish their energy, charisma or love of pure entertainment!
Eight years had passed since The Adicts last toured Europe. As one of my all-time favourite live bands, it’s hard to describe just how long that wait felt. Over the years, I must have annoyed guitarist Highko Strom countless times with messages asking if there were any updates regarding a European tour.
When the tour was finally announced, there was only one problem. Of the five German dates, only the Monday show in Cologne really fit my schedule. To compensate, I also planned to attend the Wiesbaden show on June 10th. It would have meant a three-hour drive there after work and another three-hour journey back home afterwards. I knew I’d be surviving on around three hours of sleep before work the next morning, but these are The Adicts we’re talking about. And who knows? It could be their last tour…
Unfortunately, those plans fell apart when my return train from Wiesbaden to Düsseldorf was cancelled at short notice. The connection simply disappeared from the timetable, making it impossible to get home in time.
So, one show it was. Just Cologne.
I already knew it would be good. Anyone who has ever seen The Adicts live knows exactly what they bring to the stage. The energy, the enthusiasm and the sheer joy of performing are second to none. Then there’s frontman Monkey, whose unique stage presence remains one of the most entertaining sights in punk rock.
And the confetti. Did I mention the confetti?
I genuinely don’t know another band that launches more confetti, glitter and streamers into a crowd than The Adicts. Whenever I spot a random piece of confetti on the floor of a venue, I immediately think: “Wow, I bet The Adicts played here at some point.”
The concert took place at Live Music Hall in Cologne, a venue with a capacity of around 1,500 people. I’d estimate it was roughly two-thirds full, which actually made for a very comfortable atmosphere. Less comfortable, however, was the venue’s cash-only bar policy. After two drinks, my wallet and I had reached the end of our evening’s beverage budget.
Among the audience were plenty of familiar faces from Düsseldorf’s punk scene, including Campino and Vom Ritchie from Die Toten Hosen. Given the long-standing friendship between the two bands, their presence wasn’t entirely surprising.
That friendship goes back decades. In 1984, Die Toten Hosen supported The Adicts at Düsseldorf’s Haus der Jugend. I wasn’t even born at the time, but judging by the stories that still circulate today, it must have been one of the most legendary punk shows the city has ever seen.
What’s remarkable is how little the show itself has changed over the past eight years. In fact, the setlist has remained almost equally untouched. Yet neither I nor the rest of the crowd seemed to mind in the slightest.
Quite the opposite. – it was exactly what everyone had come to see!
A band that has been performing for more than fifty years and still hasn’t lost an ounce of its sparkle. Songs that continue to feel relevant and exciting decades after they were written. Classics such as ‘Viva La Revolution’, ‘Chinese Takeaway‘ and ‘Bad Boy‘ were sung back word for word by the audience, creating the kind of communal moments that remind you why live music matters.
From the first song to the final encore, the atmosphere was electric. People danced, sang, pogoed and celebrated every moment. Meanwhile, Monkey commanded the stage exactly as he always has, effortlessly turning the entire venue into one giant party.
As the final streamers drifted slowly towards the floor and the last pieces of confetti settled around the venue, one thought remained.
Many bands eventually lose something. The energy fades, the performances become routine or they end up feeling like a tribute act to their former selves.
The Adicts are not one of those bands.
More than fifty years into their career, they still possess a rare ability to make people forget about everyday life for ninety minutes and leave a venue wearing a huge smile.
Eight years was far too long to wait. Let’s just hope the next visit doesn’t take quite so long!
Main Photo Credit /All Photos: FLORIAN REITH
Live Videos: OTTO PREETZ and FLORIAN REITH
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I’m Florian “Flo” Reith, based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since 2009, I’ve been living for live music – over 1000 shows, 200+ cities, 30+ countries. The camera was there from the very beginning: I tried to capture every gig I went to. Over time, things became more professional and more structured and somewhere along the way, I discovered writing too. I love supporting new and unknown bands. Whether it’s behind the merch stand, working as a roadie, helping organize shows, or sometimes co-promoting them myself – I’m always down to jump in where I’m needed. But let’s be honest: my favourite place will always be the pit – front row, dust, sweat, and pure mosh pit chaos!
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
