Messed!Up
Let’s get it straight from the start. I’ve been a massive The Wombats fan since they released their debut album Girls, Boys and Marsupials in 2006 (yes, it’s the first album, not A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation) but for some reason I can’t understand at all I’ve never ever been to a The Wombats show. And that is weird in so many ways, especially as I’m at 180 to 200 gigs a year. In fact, it’s so strange that I really believe the universe kept us apart to play a prank. So, here I was at my first The Wombats gig ever, excited like it was one of my first shows ever, and that’s a feeling I haven’t had in a long, long time. And I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The Wombats wasted no time turning the club into an indie-rock playground. Emerging on stage to the tongue-in-cheek swagger of “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come,” the Liverpool trio instantly pulled their fans into the indie mania before catapulting into the irresistible one-two punch of “Moving to New York” and “Techno Fan”. It was an opening sequence they honed throughout their 2026 summer club and festival run, blending the excitement of their latest material with the songs that first made them festival favorites. Rather than easing into the evening, Matthew “Murph” Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, and Dan Haggis hit full speed from the first note, transforming the venue into a bouncing sea of raised hands, shouted lyrics, and wild dancing (me and the photographer included). By the time “Kill the Director” arrived a few songs later, any remaining restraint had disappeared. The audience was already singing louder than the PA, setting the tone for a night where nostalgia combined with their latest work co-existed in perfect harmony.
One of their greatest strengths live is that they seem to never let the momentum stall between songs. Frontman Matthew Murphy’s dry, self-deprecating humor threaded its way through the set – backed up by Tord Øverland Knudsen who ‘filled in the blanks’ – delivering just enough banter to keep the audience laughing without disrupting the flow.
From the snarling riff of “If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You”, The Wombats shifted the show into an even higher gear. The song’s explosive chorus sent the packed Hamburg crowd into a frenzy before the band eased the pace ever so slightly with the epic indie anthem “Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves),” proving they could be just as captivating when leaning into melody as they were at full throttle. Between songs, Murph’s continued his dry banter while Knudsen rarely stood still, bouncing from one side of the stage to the other and feeding off the crowd’s enthusiasm. “Lemon to a Knife Fight” arrived (one of my Top 3 The Wombats songs) with a welcome emotional lift, its soaring hooks prompting another venue-wide singalong before the unmistakable opening notes of “Turn” unleashed one of the night’s biggest reactions, especially from our photographer. By then, every lyric echoed back from the audience, and the band’s unhinged energy had transformed the club into a sea of dancing bodies, leaving no doubt that The Wombats remain one of indie rock’s most entertaining live acts.
That was it for tonight. No, it wasn’t! Murph already announced the encore before they started playing “Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)” to make sure people stayed. And we wanted THE big hit to make this the perfect night.
After a very short break, the band returned for the encore, and the night finally boiled over. Opening with the euphoric “Greek Tragedy,” they reminded everyone that some of their slower songs have a place alongside the classics before saving the inevitable finale for “Let’s Dance to Joy Division.” As the first notes rang out, the entire venue erupted into one last collective celebration. It was a fitting conclusion to a performance that never relied on flashy production or theatrical tricks, instead thriving on some great musicianship, anthemic indie songs, and a genuine connection with the audience.
More than twenty years into their career, The Wombats continue to prove that they have mastered the art of the live show, delivering a set that felt simultaneously nostalgic and refreshingly current – a reminder that some bands simply know how to make a show feel perfect. This will most likely be the gig of the year when I summarize my Top10 concert list at the end of the year.
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Photographer: Julia Schwendner
