Tokio Hotel in Zurich

Another night, another concert, this time it was Tokio Hotel in Zurich, playing at Hallenstadion. The pop-rock band from Magdeburg, Germany, is made up of twin brothers Bill and Tom Kaulitz, together with Georg Listing and Gustav Schäfer. They’ve been around for more than two decades now. Back in the mid-2000s, songs like Durch den Monsun turned them into one of the biggest teen sensations in Europe. Now they’re back with their Arena Tour 2026, which the band promised would be their biggest live experience yet.

To be honest, the whole Tokio Hotel hype back in the day completely passed me by. While half of Europe seemed to have Bill or Tom on their bedroom walls, it just never hit me. But I was really curious to see what a Tokio Hotel show looks like today, so I went in with an open mind. And spoiler alert: I was not disappointed.

Nia Ashleigh Opens the Night

First up was Nia Ashleigh. The singer-songwriter from New Jersey, has spent a big part of her life on stage. You could hear that live. She has a wonderful voice, warm and powerful, and it filled the big arena without any trouble. On top of that, she was just so sweet, and you could tell how much she enjoyed being on that stage. A lovely way to start the evening.

Concert Photos: Nia Ashleigh

Moms, Daughters and Lifelong Fans

Then it was time for Tokio Hotel, and the fans were super excited. You could feel the anticipation building as showtime got closer.

The crowd was a fun mix. There were definitely more girlies than guys, but the age range was all over the place, which I loved. I saw lots of women my age or slightly younger, many of them with their kids. Some of these fans have clearly been around since the very beginning, and now they’re passing the love on to the next generation.

Bill Kaulitz Knows How to Make an Entrance

The show started with a bang, literally. Tom, Georg and Gustav were already in place on stage when Bill came flying down from above on a platform. Talk about an entrance! The whole arena went wild.

Now, I have to be honest here: I knew exactly one song. Durch den Monsun. That’s it, that’s the list. But it really didn’t matter, because the show was so entertaining that I never felt lost.

Pyro, Costume Changes and Those Shoes

Bill’s costumes deserve their own paragraph. Each outfit was a statement, and they all looked great. I honestly don’t know how he pulls them off, especially the shoes. I could barely stand in some of those, let alone perform a whole arena show in them. Respect.

And then there was the production. There was lots of pyro, and the stage kept surprising me. Just when I thought I’d seen it all, the setup changed just a little bit, but enough that it looked like we were suddenly in a whole new setting. It kept the show fresh from start to finish, even for someone like me who didn’t know the songs.

The fans were ecstatic the whole way through. Singing, screaming, dancing, they didn’t take a break once.

A Fandom That Keeps Showing Up

While I still don’t particularly like the music, and I don’t think that’s going to change, I can absolutely appreciate a great show. And I can appreciate a fandom, even when it’s not mine. These fans grew up with Tokio Hotel, and years later they’re still showing up, some of them now with their own kids. That says a lot about a band.

All in all, it was a fun and entertaining night! Thanks so much for having me.