When the sun refuses to set and Sweden basks in its brightest season, most venues would opt for feel-good summer anthems. Liseberg had other plans.
On a balmy summer evening, the amusement park’s smaller stage became an unlikely sanctuary for gothic synth spirals and darkwave melancholy as Kat Von D brought her shadowy soundscapes to Gothenburg. It was a bold programming choice that proved both intriguing and, ultimately, somewhat frustrating.
Concert Review: Kat Von D at Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden – 28 June 2025
Katherine von Drachenberg, known globally as Kat Von D, has spent decades as a cultural polymath. From her history-making tattoo artistry and beauty empire to her current incarnation as one of darkwave’s most compelling voices, she has continually reinvented herself.
Whilst her intricate ink work on LA Ink first brought her international fame, it is her evolution as a musician that has proved perhaps most revelatory. With collaborations spanning Dave Grohl, Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Danny Lohner of Nine Inch Nails, and synthwave pioneers Gunship, Von D has carved out a distinctive niche in the gothic and synthwave landscape, channelling her lifelong passion for 80s darkwave into haunting melodies and introspective lyrics.
Disco Goth Innovator
Her debut album Love Made Me Do It (2021) established her sound with upbeat, synthwave-inflected tracks deeply indebted to artists like Depeche Mode and The Cure. The follow-up, My Side of the Mountain (2024), marked a darker turn. Von D herself has festively coined the new direction as Disco Goth, delving deeper into post-punk territories with features from Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy fame (2014–2025), as well as collaborations with renowned songwriters Shep Solomon and Fernando Garibay.
Accompanying Von D on stage is Sammi Doll, her synth player who joined forces during the pandemic when they produced Love Made Me Do It together over quarantine. Doll, known for her work with IAMX and her own dark pop solo project, has become Von D’s constant stage companion and close creative collaborator.
Amusement Park Gig in June: An Unusual Setting for Gothic Romance
Liseberg’s booking of Kat Von D proved to be one of the summer’s most intriguing programming choices. It was a bold, perhaps audacious decision that placed a darkwave artist on the smaller stage during Sweden’s brightest season.
The irony wasn’t lost on anyone: cold, dark synth spirals typically thrive in neon-drenched club environments on autumn evenings, not on a midsummer night in late June when the sun barely considers setting. Yet there was something almost playfully defiant about the placement, reminiscent of the previous year when Liseberg nonchalantly positioned global star Kiefer Sutherland on the same intimate stage. It was a subtle flex that suggested confidence in curating beyond the obvious.
For those unfamiliar with Von D’s music career, the performance offered a chance to witness an internationally recognised artist in an unexpectedly intimate setting. And for fans who’d followed her since the 2021 debut, it was an opportunity long anticipated.
Travel-Friendly Production
The stage setup reflected Von D’s minimalist approach: two video screens, two synthesisers, and little else cluttering the space. This wasn’t an oversight but a deliberate aesthetic choice that let the music and performance breathe without unnecessary embellishment.
“All by Myself” from My Side of the Mountain served as intro music whilst Sammi Doll took her position behind her synthesiser. The concert proper began with “With You,” Von D entering to join her sole bandmate on stage. No additional musicians, no backing tracks beyond what the duo created live – just Von D and Doll commanding the space together.
Whilst Von D moved freely across the stage for much of the evening, only tethered to her synth during instrumental passages like “Interlude II,” Doll proved remarkably versatile, switching fluidly between synthesiser, keytar, and electric guitar whilst providing backing vocals throughout.
Von D’s physicality brought unexpected energy to the performance. She bounded across the stage with gymnastic agility – hardly surprising to anyone who’d seen the aerobics-inspired music video for “Dead,” which suggested her fitness regimen serves her stage presence well.
Kat Von Beckinsale: Channelling Underworld's Vampire Aesthetic
The evening’s visual impact was undeniable. Von D wore a glossy, form-fitting black spandex catsuit – a sleek outfit that concealed the renowned tattoo artist’s own extensive body art.
Combined with her shoulder-length black hair, the aesthetic evoked Kate Beckinsale’s vampire character Selene from the Underworld films. Whether intentional homage or serendipitous convergence, the parallel was reinforced when Von D performed “Vampire Love” as her second song, and later when she stood silhouetted against a projected moon on the video screens – an image strikingly reminiscent of the first Underworld film’s iconic poster. The connection felt too deliberate to dismiss as mere coincidence, though Von D offered no explicit acknowledgement.
A Setlist Weighted Toward Darkness
Herein lay the evening’s central tension: for attendees who preferred the debut album’s more accessible, upbeat synthwave – the glossy production matching Von D’s shimmering outfit – the setlist proved somewhat frustrating. My Side of the Mountain is unquestionably darker, more gothic, and less immediately inviting than its predecessor. The inclusion of Alissa White-Gluz’s death metal growls on “I Am a Machine” (performed with pre-recorded vocals in White-Gluz’s absence) exemplifies this heavier direction.
The whip-cracking single “Exorcism” off the first album didn't arrive until midway through the performance. The track literally slaps and provided a welcome spark of energy whilst representing the only song from Love Made Me Do It included in the setlist. Notably absent were gems like “Enough,” “Lost at Sea,” and “Pretending” – tracks that, alongside “Exorcism,” represent the debut’s most compelling moments. Instead, Von D chose to perform My Side of the Mountain in its entirety, including less engaging instrumental passages, and, let’s be honest, album fillers.
The decision created pacing issues. Following “Exorcism” with “Truth in Reverse” – one of the newer album’s stronger compositions – provided a brief peak, arguably the evening’s highlight. But the subsequent pairing of “Interlude II” and “Running Away” noticeably deflated the momentum.
Full Setlist – Kat Von D at Liseberg, 2025
- (Intro music: All by Myself)
- With You
- Vampire Love
- H.A.T.E.
- Set Myself on Fire
- Illusion
- Por Ti
- Exorcism
- Truth in Reverse
- Interlude II
- Running Away
- I Am a Machine
Encore:
- Dead
- Black Leather (Prayers cover, performed with Prayers)
Letting the Music Do the Talking
Von D wasted no time on between-song banter, maintaining a constant tempo throughout. Yet her audience connection remained strong; she descended into the pit multiple times, greeting and touching hands with fans at the front, creating genuine moments of intimacy despite the lack of verbal interaction.
The main set concluded after just 40 minutes. Following a brief interval, Von D and Doll returned for an encore beginning with “Dead” – again, from the latest album. For the final number, Von D’s husband Rafael Reyes – who performs as Prayers and had opened the evening alongside two stoic, machete-wielding companions – joined for “Black Leather,” a Prayers track featuring Von D on the studio version. The knife-bearers returned as well, though repositioned further upstage and mercifully disarmed for this appearance.
A Performance Cut Short
The entire concert, including encore, clocked in at approximately 45-50 minutes – barely longer than Prayers’ opening set and remarkably brief for a headliner. Whilst Von D’s commitment to her current material is understandable, the show felt truncated, ending before reaching a proper crescendo. For an artist with two albums’ worth of material, devoting the setlist almost entirely to promoting the newest release whilst virtually ignoring the debut created an imbalanced experience.
The evening suggested exciting potential that remained frustratingly unrealised, like watching a compelling narrative interrupted mid-climax. Swedish audiences can only hope for a return engagement once the new album cycle concludes, when Von D might feel freed to draw more generously from her full catalogue and let the older material shine alongside the new.
Conclusion: A Unique Night, With Room to Grow
Kat Von D’s Liseberg set was an illuminating glimpse into an artist confidently bridging multiple creative worlds. While the concentration of newer material made for a deeply atmospheric experience, a wider range of her groundbreaking early synth-pop gems would have enriched the arc of the show for long-time listeners. Still, her stage presence, visual flair and genuine connection with her audience ensured that the 28 June performance stood out in Liseberg’s 2025 concert roster.
Here’s hoping that on future tours she brings a lengthier show and an even more balanced representation of her evolving discography.
Also check out our coverage of support act Prayers’ performance, and be sure to follow our social media channels to stay updated on future reviews and concert photography.
This show was shot with
Camera Bodies
- Sony a7 IIIClose-up shots
- Sony a7R IIWider shots
Camera Lenses
- Tamron 70-180mm f2.8Close-up shots
- Tamron 28-75mm f2.8Wider shots
Concert Photo Gallery
