Die Darmstädter Hübsch

On 14 November, the wildly energetic band ‘Die Darmstädter Hübsch’ will be performing at De Zwaan in de Rijp for a show that takes the audience on a madcap journey through seven decades of German hit history. Their motto leaves nothing to the imagination: “From Rosamunde to Rammstein!”

Die Darmstädter Hübsch is no run-of-the-mill cover band, but a visual and musical spectacle that is taking Dutch stages by storm with a healthy dose of theatrical madness. The band pays a roaring tribute to every German-language song that has ever stormed the Dutch charts. And that covers a wide range: from the innocent 1950s charm of Conny Froboess and the deep baritone of Heino, to the modern stadium glamour of Helene Fischer and the ultimate ‘sing-along with an edge’ of Matthias Reim.

The strength of Die Darmstädter Hübsch lies in the unexpected. Under the inspiring leadership of singer Eddy Califano and singer Mutti Holzmann, the venue transforms in the blink of an eye from a swaying crowd into a swirling mosh pit. One moment, people are shoulder to shoulder doing the conga to a classic schlager; the next, the guitars go wild for a dose of unadulterated pogo during the raw energy of the Neue Deutsche Welle with Nena and Falco, or the industrial hammer blows of
Rammstein.

In the world of ‘Hübsch’, humour, nostalgia and hard-hitting rock go hand in hand effortlessly. The show is a carefully orchestrated chaos in which Eddy and Mutti, as musical ringmasters, whip the audience into a frenzy. The result is an evening full of ‘aha moments’ where the audience, to their own surprise, discovers that they actually know every single German word – from the 50s to the present day – by heart.

Whether you’re coming for the nostalgia, the theatrical madness or the sheer power of Germany’s biggest pop and rock hits: Die Darmstädter Hübsch proves that German music is always a sure-fire hit in the Netherlands. As long as it’s loud, recognisable and, above all, ‘Wunderbar’.

Admission €17.50.