The Gap Year Tour: ian Live in Berlin
On an otherwise quiet Monday night in Berlin, ian filled the Astra Kulturhaus with energy, noise, and pure emotion. The evening began with local and nationally known artist Ski Aggu. He performed some of his most successful tracks, including “Broker” and “Friesenjung.” Although it was clear throughout his set who the crowd was really waiting for - ian.
When ian finally stepped on stage, the atmosphere shifted from restless to explosive. He opened with "AirBnb“ immediately commanding the stage with raw confidence. Between songs, he was disarmingly open, part performer, part friend, talking to a room full of fans. Introducing "You told Me“, he laughingly recounts that it was the first song that put him on the map. At one point, he even took a fan’s phone mid-performance to snap a photo, collapsing the boundary between performer and audience.
The crowd gave it their all, and the mosh pits were quite rough yet respectful. But after the fourth song of the night, one guy limped out of the crowd, holding his ankle, saying he thought it might be broken. The medics quickly came to take care of him. ian told the crowd to be careful and kept going, leaning on adrenaline and connection with the fans.
Then came a shift in tone. "The next song’s kinda controversial, but I think we just need to go for it,“ he announced, launching his song "Oh Ok - xxl freestyle“. From there, the night unfolded in waves: aggressive, emotional, and unpredictable. Tracks like "Hate Me“, "Shut It Down“, and "I Ain’t Coming Back“ hit with relentless energy. But midway through, ian pivoted. "Let’s get a little sentimental,“ he said, ushering pianist Lukas to the stage. The lights dimmed, and he delivered a stripped-back performance of "Soul Provider“.
Moments later, the tempo snapped back. "Here’s the biggest song of mine," ian grinned before breaking into "Magic Johnson.“ As the set drew to a close, his DJ teased, "should we play one more song?“ The answer was obvious. The encore, "3.5“, saw a fan joining him on stage, closing the night on a note of unfiltered joy and shared chaos.
On a Monday night in Berlin, ian proved that authenticity and energy still beat polish every time, when it comes to rap performances.
SEE ALL PHOTOS OF THE NIGHT HERE:
WRITTEN BY
Frederike
Pop culture is my passion, and concerts are my second home. At Unseen Magazine, I dive deep into underground scenes, uncover unheard voices and bring new artists into the spotlight. I aim to showcase Berlin's vibrant music scene and what the mainstream bubble hasn’t discovered (yet).
PHOTOS BY
Lilly Marie
I am a music photographer with a passion for capturing raw emotions and storytelling through live performances and artist portraits. My work focuses on creating authentic and visually compelling moments that connect artists with their audience.
