Rammstein's 10 Biggest Controversies
7. When Pyro Goes Wrong, Intentionally
Despite the mainstream controversies, Rammstein’s fans have a very clear understanding that the group’s stunts and provocations are done in good humour and this extends to the live environment also. In the last twenty years, Rammstein have experimented with pushing the boundaries of their pyro-based stage show. When the fire is no longer the surprising spectacle it used to be and becomes the expected… What's next?
One of Rammstein’s earliest effects that persisted throughout the band’s career was vocalist Till Lindemann seemingly standing on stage whilst on fire. The fire-proof jacket that he wore, and training in pyrotechnics, made this a largely safe practice that fans came to expect throughout the band’s setlist. Despite being a striking image to those who have never seen it before, it had diminishing returns for the fans every time Till stretched out his flaming arms. Thus, the band experimented with shaking up that expectation.
In a 2006 interview with Playboy, Lindemann tells a story of a handful of shows where the aim was to confuse fans by making them think he was really on fire. His leg would be set alight - although heavily protected - and keyboardist Christian “Flake” Lorenz would dose him in flammable powder rather than an extinguisher by “mistake”. Even the house lights would come up, to make the crowd think that what they were seeing was not part of the show. Well apparently it worked, with Till remarking “fans complained on the internet. They were really shocked!”