Tocotronic by Various, De (2023/2023), Wiener Konzerthaus, Viena, Austria

»Hi freaks« The name of the Hamburg band Tocotronic, founded in 1993, is derived from the Japanese game console tricOtronic - a predecessor of the Game Boy. Since the late 1990s, each of the 13 Tocotronic albums has made it into the top 10 of the German charts. Hits like "Hi Freaks", "Let There Be Rock" or "Capitulation" have shaped generations. And with their mixture of rock, indie and discursive pop as well as sophisticated lyrics that illuminate the here and now, the band around Dirk von Lowtzow continues to inspire audiences and the specialist press. The latest album »Nie wieder Krieg« is also disarmingly personal: the songs are about loneliness and fear, but also about dreams and love and want to give hope in these challenging times.