Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Laibach are known for doing different shows all the time, much like their highly diverse albums. Their previous appearance was at Tavastia, but this year they came to the Savoy Theatre. This meant it was a seated concert—for the most part—and resulted in the rather surreal sight of a guy in the front row, dressed in a suit, moshing furiously throughout the show. Almost as surreal as having a 45-year-old industrial band performing in a theatre. The show took place on May 26, 2026.
For those unfamiliar, Helsinki has suffered from the closure of several medium-sized clubs over the last few years, which has pushed extreme music performances into the most unlikely venues (although a Mayhem gig at the House of Culture sounds like a metalhead’s dream come true).
The show is in support of the latest album, Musick. The setlist included a great deal of material from the new record, along with several older songs.
The stage layout featured the musicians positioned in the corner and at the far end of the stage, with the ever-present Milan Fras occupying the center. Sporting his iconic look, he does not really put on a “show” in the traditional sense. Instead, a large screen at the back delivers dynamic imagery and visualizes the artists who collaborated on the tracks (as many as seven out of ten songs on the album feature guest performers).
The real entertainment—and visual focal point—comes from the two dancers, Patricija Crnkovič and Daša Resnik, who deliver exceptional performances while changing from one industrial-goth outfit to another. I should really praise the varied, contextual choreography and costumes: they are not there simply “because”, but provide genuine support and visual interpretation for the songs.
It is somewhat surprising that Laibach did not opt to get the audience on their feet. Only once did they ask spectators to stand up, inviting some of them onto the stage for a song.
Laibach are difficult to characterize by any single genre. Even within industrial music, they remain highly distinctive, avoiding many of the clichés associated with the style. Their new show is deeply engaging, balancing pop spectacle (hence the dancers) with hard-hitting industrial anthems, many performed in German. For that evening, and long afterwards, I remained captivated by the experience. Highly recommended.
