On this rainy Tuesday evening in Tilburg, we find ourselves among a crowd of mostly teenagers, young adults and parents, lined up in front of venue 013, awaiting an exciting blast from the past. The German band, Tokio Hotel, went to Tilburg to take their fans on a trip through their broad and diverse musical history.
Rising indie-pop artist Malou Lovis opened her show with songs ‘Want It Back’ and ‘Twenty-Five’. The crowd responded warmly, nodding and swaying along to her melodies, fully immersed in the performance. Malou effortlessly blended dreamy bedroom pop vibes with raw, personal storytelling, evident in the song ‘Step By Step’, which has the crowd lighting up the venue with their flashlights. They even sing along to her song ‘Piece Of Me’ upon her request.
Between songs, Malou introduced her talented crew, giving special thanks to bassist Herbert Platten, keyboardist and guitarist Pia Niepmann, and sound engineer Alex Lys. She also shared exciting news: her new album, things I wrote down last night, will be released on Friday, March 28th.
Born and raised in the German countryside, Malou grew up in a music-filled home, nurtured by her “very cool” parents. Despite studying social work in Cologne, she always knew that music was her true calling. Her big breakthrough came in December 2023 when she won The Voice of Germany, coached by the Kaulitz brothers. In a touching live moment, the Kaulitz twins invited her to support Tokio Hotel on their 2025 tour, marking an exciting new chapter in her career.
Before closing her set with ‘You Made Me’, Malou announced that she will be heading on tour later this year and warmly invited fans to meet her at the merchandise table — A perfect beginning to a night of heartfelt music and connection.
Tokio Hotel’s 15th tour show promises to be nothing short of spectacular, blending nostalgia with fresh energy and thrilling surprises. The German band, formed in 2001 by Bill and Tom Kaulitz, Georg Listing, and Gustav Schäfer, has continuously evolved from their early pop-rock days into a refined mix of electropop and synth-rock.
The night kicked off with ‘Miss It (At All)’ and ‘Darkside of the Sun’, instantly setting the crowd into a frenzy, as frontman Bill Kaulitz appeared on a platform sporting big black and red wings on his back. The energy remained high through tracks like ‘The Heart Get No Sleep’ and ‘Girl Got a Gun’ as Bill, Ever the showman, continued the next songs in a striking pink fluffy suit, complete with a matching oversized hat and guitar. At one point, Bill acknowledged fans on the balcony, taking in the crowd’s enthusiasm before styling his hair on stage after shedding his extravagant hat.
During their performance of ‘Hands Up’, their latest single released on March 21st, Tom and Georg shared a fun, guitar-dueling moment with fans cheering. Bill engaged the crowd effortlessly, waving at fans and even pointing out a sign in the audience. He playfully asked everyone to crouch before a massive synchronised jump, adding to the electric atmosphere.
Taking a brief pause, he checked in on the crowd’s well-being before stating that he wanted to say something in Dutch, but he didn’t know what, only to cheekily drop the Dutch phrase, “Wil je met me neuken in de keuken op de koelkasten?” to laughter and cheers. (Translation: Do you want to fuck in the kitchen on the refrigerators?)
During ‘Home’, Bill dramatically dropped to his knees to sing the song’s bridge and ‘Easy’ had the crowd waving their arms while Tom took center stage, further hyping the audience with Georg. Bill briefly exited for a costume change, leaving the rest of the band to serenade the crowd with an instrumental before re-emerging in a dazzling black suit, veil, and crown.
The Kaulitz brothers had Malou Lovis join them for an acoustic version of ‘Just a Moment’ before sitting down on a turning platform as thick smoke arose behind them, giving a dreamlike aesthetic to ‘In Your Shadow (I Can Shine)’.
The show’s second half exploded with energy as the band transitioned into their German songs, including ‘Rette mich’ and a powerful cover of Kraftklub’s ‘Fahr mit mir (4×4)’. A humorous moment followed as Bill, feeling left out, joked about giving away his thong since he’s never asked for gifts like his twin brother. He also granted a fan’s request to draw a silly tattoo, sketching a tiny bird. As the show neared its peak, ‘Spring nicht’ took an emotional turn, with Bill’s platform rising higher as he delivered the song’s deeply moving lyrics.
As the concert neared its end, the band performed a cover of ‘Careless Whisper’, with Bill sporting a bedazzled white suit while playing a keytar. ‘What If’ brought more fun, as Bill laughed at Georg’s attempts to teach the crowd a dance they had made up earlier in the tour. The night continued with ‘Colors of the Wind’, featuring a dramatic smoke-filled stage, and the crowd clapping along. ‘White Lies’ closed the main set with red lighting and strobe effects, launching golden confetti into the air.
Of course, no concert is complete without an encore. When the first notes of ‘Durch den Monsun’ rang out, the crowd erupted, screaming every lyric in unison. The grand finale, ‘Great Day’, ended the night on a high note, with the band expressing heartfelt gratitude to their fans.
With stunning visuals, electrifying energy, and emotional highs, Tokio Hotel once again proved why they remain one of the most enduring bands of their generation. Their ability to mix humor, spectacle, and raw emotion guarantees their upcoming 2026 arena tour will be a must-see event.
