D-A-D live review: Long live the longhorn
For more than four decades, D-A-D have been one of Scandinavia’s longest-running rock bands. Formed in Copenhagen in 1982 as Disneyland After Dark, the quartet later shortened their name to D-A-D and built a dedicated international following with their unmistakable blend of hard rock, classic rock, glam metal and cowpunk. Best known for albums such as No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims and enduring favourites including “Sleeping My Day Away”, the band has combined memorable songs with larger-than-life stage productions throughout its career.
Their latest studio album, Speed of Darkness (2024), shows there’s still plenty of fuel left in the tank.
The giant longhorn skull rises at Liseberg
Having seen D-A-D numerous times since the late 2000s, I’ve come to expect elaborate stage productions alongside the music. They’re one of those rare bands that reward repeat visits because every tour introduces a new visual centrepiece or theatrical twist. Around 7,000 fans gathered in front of Liseberg’s Stora Scenen in Gothenburg, eager to see what the Danes had brought this time.
The answer was impossible to miss.
Dominating the stage was a gigantic metallic replica of the band’s iconic longhorn skull logo. More than a backdrop, it functioned as an enormous mechanical construction that could tilt into an almost vertical position. At its centre sat Laust Sonne behind his drum kit, enveloped by integrated lighting and pyrotechnics. Whenever the massive skull slowly rose during selected songs, the drummer was effectively taken on a mechanical flight high above the rest of the band.
Closer to the crowd
The production also included an extended catwalk and stairways leading directly into the photo pit, making it remarkably easy for the musicians to interact with the audience. Both Binzer brothers took full advantage. Jacob Binzer was first to step down into the pit for a stroll alongside the front row.
Shortly afterwards, Jesper Binzer chose a far more ambitious route. During “Something Good”, he climbed directly over the security barrier and wandered deep into the crowd, eventually reaching roughly halfway through the audience before casually making his way back to the stage. Since the song only required vocals, he could safely leave his Gibson Flying V behind and simply enjoy the walk. It was one of those wonderfully relaxed moments that perfectly captured his personality as a frontman.
Less antics, same charm
Surprisingly, however, the concert contained rather little of the comic chaos that has often characterised D-A-D performances. Instead, the band delivered ninety minutes of almost uninterrupted music. That certainly wasn’t a complaint, but compared with previous tours there were fewer comic sketches and unexpected diversions between songs.
The stage banter was limited but charming. Jesper Binzer once again performed his familiar routine of slowly and carefully speaking Swedish in his unmistakable Danish accent, before asking, “Förstår ni vad jag säger?” (“Do you understand what I’m saying?”). He then followed it with the punchline, “Lyssna med hjärtat, så förstår ni!” (“Listen with your heart, then you’ll understand!”). It’s a joke I’ve heard many times before, but it never seems to lose its charm. Rather than switching to English, the band makes an effort to communicate with the audience in Swedish, creating a warmer and more familiar atmosphere where the humour comes through more naturally.
Stig Pedersen, affectionately known as “Stigge Nasty”, still supplied plenty of visual entertainment. Throughout the evening he appeared with several of his trademark custom bass guitars and matching themed outfits, remaining the undeniable visual wildcard of the band. Stig’s trademark pyro helmet made no appearance during the grand finale, although the regular bursts of stage flames arguably compensated for its absence.
Four personalities, one distinctive sound
One of D-A-D’s enduring strengths is how completely different the four members appear on stage while somehow forming a perfectly coherent whole.
Jesper Binzer remains the charismatic and mischievous rock frontman, using his expressive facial expressions and playful attitude as much as his vocals, dressed simply in denim and wielding his Flying V.
His brother, guitarist Jacob Binzer, provides a striking contrast in his trademark top hat, now complemented by gold-tinted sunglasses, a gold waistcoat and even a gold microphone, all while maintaining his famously focused and almost stern stage presence.
Laust Sonne attacks his drums like a windmill in motion, initially wearing a smart suit jacket before sensibly discarding it once the summer evening and the stage lights become too much.
Meanwhile, bassist Stig Pedersen once again embraces his role as the flamboyant showman, wearing another of his often revealing themed costumes that inevitably attract attention.
A set built around classics, with a nod to the present
Musically, the evening opened at full throttle with “Jihad”. Jesper immediately stepped onto the front platform, having tucked his wireless microphone into the chest pocket of his denim jacket to free both hands. It looked deliberately ridiculous, which was almost certainly the point.
The opener was followed by “1st, 2nd & 3rd” from the band’s latest studio album Speed of Darkness. Along with the title track later in the set, those were the only representatives from the newest record. Otherwise, the evening focused heavily on the classics from the late 1980s and early 1990s. It’s a noticeable shift compared with earlier tours. When I first saw D-A-D during the Monster Philosophy tour in 2008, the newest album naturally dominated the setlist. Today’s streaming era seems to have changed that logic. Album promotion is no longer quite the driving force it once was, particularly when Speed of Darkness has already been available for almost two years.
One pleasant surprise came from Helpyourselfish, arguably the band’s heaviest album and a personal favourite of mine. Usually, “Reconstrucdead” is the obligatory representative from that record. Instead, the band unexpectedly chose “Written in Water”. It was probably the first D-A-D show I’ve attended where “Reconstrucdead” didn’t appear, but it was refreshing to hear another song from that outstanding album receive some attention.
“Laugh ‘n’ a Half” once again proved itself to be one of the evening’s biggest audience favourites, with thousands happily singing every word. Personally, I’ve never entirely understood why that particular song inspires such devotion, but every band needs its own “Wonderwall”, that one campfire anthem that everyone knows the words to, and D-A-D certainly have theirs.
Even seasoned professionals occasionally stumble. At the beginning of “Girl Nation”, the band lost their place and had to start again from the top. Standing in the photo pit, I barely noticed anything had gone wrong until they restarted.
The encore leaned heavily into the late 1980s, closing with the almost obligatory “Sleeping My Day Away” before finishing with “It’s After Dark”. It was exactly the kind of ending longtime fans had come to expect.
No fuel running low
No matter how many times I see D-A-D, they’re always worth revisiting. They’re one of the bands I’ve seen most often over the years, most recently at the Gothenburg Culture Festival in 2023, and while this performance may not have featured quite as much theatrical madness as some previous tours, the sheer consistency of the band remains deeply impressive.
The band also deserve considerable praise for allowing photographers to remain in the pit throughout the entire concert. In an era where the “first three songs only” rule has become almost universal, it was a welcome and increasingly rare gesture that was greatly appreciated by everyone covering the show. For me personally, it made the evening even more memorable, as this was my first opportunity to photograph D-A-D from the pit.
Setlist
- Jihad
- 1st, 2nd & 3rd
- Written in Water
- Nineteenhundredandyesterday
- Speed of Darkness
- Grow or Pay
- Laugh ‘n’ a ½
- Riding With Sue
- Girl Nation
- Something Good
- Point of View
- Monster Philosophy
- Everything Glows
- Bad Craziness
Encore:
- I Won’t Cut My Hair
- Sleeping My Day Away
- It’s After Dark
This show was shot with
Camera bodies
- Sony a7 IIIGeneral and close-up shots
- Sony a7R IIUltra-wide shots
Camera lenses
- Samyang 35-150mm f2–2.8General and close-up shots
- Tamron 16-30mm f2.8Ultra-wide shots
Concert photo gallery
