Rammstein Pyrotech Reveals How Much Fuel Band Uses Per Show

Rammstein aren't just known for their explicit songs, they also have a reputation for having one of the most spectacular live shows in the metal world. Nikolai Sabottka works the pyrotechnics for the band, and he's disclosed just how much fuel the band uses per show.

During an interview with Ultimate Guitar, Sabottka explained that he began working with Rammstein in 1996 as their tour and production manager. However, he became increasingly involved with the pyrotechnics over time because frontman Till Lindemann was originally handling them.

"Well the band started off without professional pyrotechs other than Till being one himself, and had some fairly unorthodox ways of performing live with explosives. While it increased their popularity pretty quickly, it also had left some venues and fire authorities not so happy. A good part of my work for several years was to reverse this while the show had to look even more spectacular and we were and are continuously pushing the envelope," he said.

One of the main components of Sabottka's job is assessing the size of the venue in order to determine the design for the flame effects. He also has to work with authorities, such as firemen, to make sure the spectacle will be safe for everyone.

"You might have no problems at all in one city but need to go the extra mile and provide tons of additional paperwork and tests, on site, on another one — it can all be in one country and only a couple hours away from your last gig," he elaborated.

And just how much fuel does it take to put on one of these extravagant metal shows?

"The current stadium setup uses roughly 1000 liters [about 265 Gallons]," Sabottka revealed.

The German metalheads will be lighting up stadiums again in Europe starting in May of 2022, then they'll make their way across the pond to hit North America in August. See the full tour route here.