The live event at Death Disco club in Athens opened with local synthpop band The Synth-A taking the stage first. While they dwell in a somewhat different sonic palette than the more forceful assaults of the Berlin headliners, the Greek duo proved to be an excellent opener, setting the mood and creating a wonderful, intriguing contrast to what was to follow. It’s common knowledge in the Greek underground or, as the venue teased and the band echoed onstage, among “the perceptive few Athenians”, that The Synth-A remain one of local dark synthpop’s best-kept secrets. Their series of single releases so far could easily make up a stellar full length, but since it’s all available for consumption already, the format hardly matters. What one can expect from The Synth-A (Stavros Van der Wilt and Venetia Ioakim) is beautifully executed analog modular synthesis, experimental electronics, new wave and post punk sensibilities; all danceable, all wrapped in dark moods and noir aesthetics. Though far from accessible pop, their sound still carries an appeal broad enough to grip wider audiences.
Their live presence is perfectly suited to a small venue like this. It's direct, immersive, and sultry, with a magnetic pull strong enough to win over an audience almost instantly. All their familiar songs were represented, with highlights like the recent I Love Synth-Pop, WTF? and the EBM apocalypse of Χάος bringing their set to a climactic close.
Notably, The Synth-A also delivered an charged rendition of Joy Division’s Transmission, during which Patrick Wagner was spotted side-stage, dancing in full Ian Curtis fashion; a moment well worth catching.
Then came Gewalt, and kudos must go to guitarist Helen Henfling, who took the stage with her leg in a cast and still powered through an electrifying show. Wagner himself was in excellent form, visibly excited and fully consumed by the performance, emerging by the end of it completely roughed up by the intensity. The lineup is rounded out by bassist Sol Astolfi, whose playing felt like the solid groundwork holding the whole operation together.
Gewalt’s sound hits like an immediate punch, merging industrial grit with post punk bitterness, noise rock weight, and a streak of no wave aberrance. Undeniably original, it evokes flashes of Einstürzende Neubauten meets A Place to Bury Strangers, and it’s no coincidence right there that Oliver Ackermann has praised them in the past.
Tracks like Deutsch, Felicita, Jahrhundertfick, and dynamite favorites Egal wohin der Wind dich weht and Schwarz Schwarz sent the audience into near ecstasy, showcasing both of the band’s albums in a set that felt brief but carried the dynamism of a thunderous blow. Between songs, Wagner joked, philosophized, and engaged in organic back-and-forth with the audience, ultimately delivering a fantastic show that encapsulated the band’s severity, vision, and undeniable presence in the underground.
Loud and immediate, it was all gone before you could catch your breath, and absolutely alive.
Event Date: October 17th, 2025
Live photos by Destroy//Exist
ZR
Gewalt’s sound hits like an immediate punch, merging industrial grit with post punk bitterness, noise rock weight, and a streak of no wave aberrance. Undeniably original, it evokes flashes of Einstürzende Neubauten meets A Place to Bury Strangers, and it’s no coincidence right there that Oliver Ackermann has praised them in the past.
Tracks like Deutsch, Felicita, Jahrhundertfick, and dynamite favorites Egal wohin der Wind dich weht and Schwarz Schwarz sent the audience into near ecstasy, showcasing both of the band’s albums in a set that felt brief but carried the dynamism of a thunderous blow. Between songs, Wagner joked, philosophized, and engaged in organic back-and-forth with the audience, ultimately delivering a fantastic show that encapsulated the band’s severity, vision, and undeniable presence in the underground.
Loud and immediate, it was all gone before you could catch your breath, and absolutely alive.
Event Date: October 17th, 2025
Live photos by Destroy//Exist
ZR