Behind the Barricades: Experiencing the Heroes Festival Freiburg Like a Fan, Not Like a Journalist.

I was a little late for a review pass for the Heroes Festival this year, but anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with this small German indie band called 01099. So, when I heard that the Heroes Festival was returning to Freiburg for the third time in as many years, with 01099 as one of the headliners, I knew exactly where I'd be. The Heroes Festival spans two days in September; this year, it took place on the 6th and 7th. Unfortunately, I arrived a little later than planned, which only gave me time to catch one act before 01099. But somehow, I managed to score a spot right behind the barricade, just off to the right corner of the main stage.

Florentina was the first act I caught, and she was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t heard of her before, but she took the stage at 5:10 p.m. and left 50 minutes later, leaving the crowd in awe. She kicked things off with a song I knew, "Du liebst mich doch auch Pt. II," featuring ARY, which perfectly set the vibe. "Delulu" and "Red Flags" were the standout tracks for me because they really got the energy flowing. Before we knew it, Florentina's set was over, feeling almost too brief. But that only built the anticipation further. Her performance wrapped up, and now there were just 40 minutes left until 01099 would take the stage. Even though it wasn’t my first time seeing the boys live, the excitement kept building.

Finally, 6:40 p.m. hit, and the curtain dropped. "Tempo" blasted from the speakers, and the crowd went wild. Small mosh pits formed in the first and second waves of the crowd as the energy reached its peak. We were treated to a solid hour with 01099, who delivered the full experience. They played their most popular tracks like "Küssen," "Frisch," and "Durstlöscher," but also threw in some not-so-mainstream songs like "Altbau" and their newer release "Flasche kreist" featuring Ski Aggu. Zachi even went dinghy surfing, which became his signature move after they introduced it during their February tour and summer open-air shows. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. As a frequent concertgoer, I can confidently say nothing compares to 01099 live. Zachi, Paul, and Gustav know exactly how to fire up a crowd. At 7:40 p.m., their set came to an end, but the energy lingered.

At 8:10 p.m., Trettmann took over the stage, delivering hit after hit like "Standard" and "Bye Bye aka Delicious," along with tracks featuring other artists, like "Gekreuzte Finger" with Paula Hartmann. Trettmann’s songs practically beg for mosh pits, and sure enough, they opened up again in the crowd, with everyone fully embracing the chaos. My personal highlight was when the 01099 boys came back out to join him for their collaborative song "In der Nacht." The atmosphere was immaculate, and the set wrapped up at 9:10 p.m.

Although I had a weekend pass, I could only make it to the festival on Friday. I’m sad about missing out on Saturday’s lineup, which included great acts like Raf Camora, Monet192, Reezy, and more, but I’m still grateful I got to experience Friday’s atmosphere. If you're a fan of German rap, I highly recommend the Heroes Festival. This was my second time attending in Freiburg, and it once again lived up to the hype.