Tocotronic - Golden Years Open Airs 2026

SUPPORT: Ms. Lehmann
In the past, young people used to start playing the guitar by learning the riff from “Smoke on the Water” and the chords for the traditional song “House of the Rising Sun.” Today, when they start playing instruments, they like to get inspired by songs by Tocotronic.

This rebellious and joyfully creative band exerts a widely felt influence in this country. Musically and fashion-wise, it gives boys and men the self-confidence that Madonna continues to instill in girls and women to this day. Guitarist Rick McPhail effortlessly finds notes that tell a story. He places them like periods and commas within and between verses and choruses. That’s how he transforms a rough draft into a song.

Bassist Jan Müller has a romantic relationship with music that stands apart from its time. He’s the band’s most open-minded rock fan. His bass sounds like the eye of the storm in Tocotronic’s songs.

Drummer Arne Zank sometimes travels to the other side of the globe to discover sounds like rare butterflies. He then returns as a musical antipode to present interesting, peculiar soundscapes in cozy bars in Berlin-Kreuzberg.

Singer Dirk von Lowtzow wakes up in the morning and has a song ready. He eats breakfast and has a second song ready. Then he walks around the block and maybe makes a quick phone call. By the time he gets home at noon, the demo version of a third song is as good as recorded.