Recommendations of the Editorial team
After two days of relentless sun, the weather was kind to the hurricane on Sunday: “Only” 27 degrees, and every now and then there was even a cloud in front of the sun. Not really cool either, but at least less strenuous than on the previous days. But who’s going to complain – the twin Southside festival was ultimately unlucky with severe storms.
“Can we get our guitarist back?”
When Unpeople opened the River Stage at 12.30 p.m., the area in front of the stage was manageably full. However, the British band doesn’t need a huge crowd to create one of those small festival moments that will later be remembered. At the end of the energetic set with “The Garden,” a large circle pit opens up for guitarist Luke to be carried around in circles. The whirlpool only spits him out after a friendly request: “Can we get him back?”
It’s already much fuller in front of the Forest Stage when the Welsh band Skindred unleash their reggae-heavy-metal hybrid sound. Singer Benji Webbe repeatedly reaches into his little costume corner, from which he sometimes pulls out a chain or a red fur hat. In general, Skindred doesn’t communicate discreetly. Webbe shouts, curses and whips up the crowd almost non-stop.
In between, the legendary shitshow sample from the “Jet2 Holiday” commercial sounds, Metallica and Papa Roach are also briefly played. Then Webbe asks the crucial question: You can see that Scheeßel likes reggae – but does anyone here also love “heavy fucking metal”? The answer is expected. Despite all the strong language, the message behind it remains peaceful: Skindred, as Webbe emphasizes, stands for love, unity and cohesion.
“Off Campus” fan love
After that, The Beaches gets more melodic. The band from Toronto, which was founded in 2009, was given another strong boost by the viral success of “Edge of the Earth”. The River Stage shows why: The songs are snappy enough for a rock festival and catchy enough to slow down people who were actually just on the way to the next concession stand.
Clueso continues the laid-back Sunday vibe in the late afternoon. In any case, his songs are ideal for the state between exuberant dancing and the first thought about the upcoming journey home. For his standards, however, the Erfurt native turns it up surprisingly during “Love the People”: the cult riff from Rage Against The Machine briefly brings additional harshness to the otherwise pleasantly relaxed show.
Hawaiian shirts take over the oak ring
After three days of shit, it’s also time for our annual festival trend watch. What was the cute, green frog hat in 2025 is this year the personalized Hawaiian shirt. Everywhere on the grounds you will come across groups who have had the heads of their own group of friends, partners or a particularly well-behaved pet printed on them for their dashing infield appearance. But will the hype make it into next year? Questionable! The Hawaiian shirt will probably not replace the long-running “banana costume”.
ZDF television garden in space
With their costume-filled but tame appearance, Empire Of The Sun is somewhat reminiscent of the ZDF television garden – topic: world tour on LSD. Singer Luke Steele and his samurai and geisha dancers diligently change their sweeping robes and metallic headpieces as giant hands and heads loom on stage.
At Province the great longing returns later in the evening. The band sings about country life, love, friendship and life – pretty much exactly the things that you might think about more than usual on the last day of the festival. At the front there is excitement, crying and jumping, while further back you can still comfortably sway into the sunset with a cool beer.
Billy Talent: Still happy with the Hurricane after 22 years
Billy Talent takes on the last big performance: The Canadians played at Hurricane for the first time in 2004, and now 22 years later they are back at the Eichenring for the finale on the festival’s 30th birthday. Anyone who watches the broadcast at home in front of the television will probably notice more clearly that not every note and melody is right today. But we on the premises don’t really care.
Last but not least, hits like “Try Honesty”, “Fallen Leaves” and “Red Flag” still have the power to make even the most tired pair of legs jump again. Singer Benjamin Kowalewicz says it quite well with regard to this currently very “fucked up world”: Life is too short to let others ruin it for you. That’s why we continue to celebrate – and hopefully for the next 30 years at the Hurricane Festival.
