Interview with Otto Rot

Berlin's gloriously dysfunctional sibling rock duo Otto & Astrid have spent more than two decades delighting audiences across the globe with their unique blend of razor-sharp musical comedy, rock anthems and spectacular sibling rivalry. Ahead of bringing their award-winning show The Stages Tour to the Edinburgh Fringe, I caught up with Otto to chat about touring together, accidental TikTok fame, Taylor Swift, backstage chaos, their fiercely loyal fanbase, and why being related is both the best and worst thing that ever happened to their band.

How would you describe Otto & Astrid to someone who has somehow never experienced one of your shows?

You know when you go and see something and afterwards you say, this is my new favourite thing? That is exactly what happens at our show. It is a high energy rock show. Astrid smashes on the drums. I play guitar, and sometimes keytar. We tell you about our lives. The music is inspired by art rock and Europop and sometimes we are dancing. It is the best rock and roll show you are ever going to see in your life.

The Stages Tour sees you disagreeing over the direction of the concert. Who's actually right?

I came up with a whole plan for the show inspired by Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, because she did such an amazing job of connecting the different periods of her career through themes and staging. Taylor has eras, but we go through stages, which is why it is called The Stages Tour. I thought it was a very good idea. I told Astrid all of this and she said no. So we are just playing the songs. I still think I am right.

Otto, why does the show need more Taylor Swift?

What Taylor Swift understands, and what I have been trying to explain to Astrid for some time, is that a concert can be more than a concert. The Eras Tour ran for three and a half hours and had ten separate acts, each one capturing the mood and aesthetic of a different album. The staging changed

completely between sections. The lighting told a story. It showed her artistic evolution over two decades. That is exactly what I want for our show. I have presented this vision to Astrid on multiple occasions. She has said no on multiple occasions. But I think if you come to The Stages Tour you will feel the Taylor Swift influence in there somewhere, even if Astrid will not admit it.

After twenty years of touring together, what still annoys you most about each other?

Astrid has a rule that I am not allowed to play my songs unless she has authorised them. I find this annoying because I think my songs are good and she thinks they are not good and we have been having this argument for twenty years. She also talks louder than me, which means she wins most of our arguments, which I also find annoying. What annoys Astrid about me, I think, is that I have feelings and I express them. I do not think that should be annoying but apparently it is. I still love her very much though. And the best thing I get to do in my life is go out on stage with her and play our music. Even if she won't let me play all of it.

A clip of The Situation recently exploded on TikTok. Did either of you expect a song that's been around for years to suddenly find millions of new fans?

I am glad that people are discovering us through TikTok and Instagram but I will say that of all of our songs, The Situation is a strange one to become our most well known. I am not entirely sure what it is

about. I do not think it is necessarily a good example for young people. We have so many great songs, songs with real emotional depth and beautiful melodies, and the one that millions of people know us

for is that one. I am grateful. I just find it a little surprising.

Your live shows blur the line between concert, theatre and comedy. How difficult is it to make apparent chaos look so effortless?

It is strange because I can hear people laughing at our shows and I am not always entirely sure why. We just go out there and play our songs with passion. Not everything always goes to plan. But the most important thing for me is that people are enjoying themselves, and they always seem to be, so I think we must be doing something right.

After all these years, what keeps Otto & Astrid exciting for both of you?

All I ever dreamed of was playing in a rock and roll band with my big sister. That never gets old. It is the most exciting thing in the world to me and I will never get sick of it. For Astrid I think it is the after party.

Your fans are incredibly loyal. What do you think keeps audiences coming back year after year?

There is always something unexpected happening at our shows, but everyone has such a great time. And I think the people who come to our shows feel like family. That is what is so nice about coming back to Edinburgh. We get to see our Edinburgh family again. And they get to see us. And then we get to chat to everyone at the merch booth afterwards.

If you each had complete creative control over your next show, what would audiences get?

If Astrid had complete creative control you would get 5 short songs, no talking, and then everyone goes to the after party. If I had complete creative control, I would use technology to help the audience understand our feelings in real time. You could send us messages during the show. We could answer questions. We could stop in the middle of a song and explain what it means and what was happening when we wrote it. It would be U2 at the Sphere in Las Vegas meets Question Time.

What's one thing audiences will absolutely not expect when they come to see The Stages Tour?

I want to share more of myself than I ever have before. More of my stories, my memories, my feelings. I want to leave everything on the floor. I want people to walk away feeling like they have really

understood what these songs mean to me and where they came from. That is my intention going into every show. As much as Astrid will allow.

Finally, if you each had to describe the other in just three words, what would they be... and why?

I think Astrid would describe me as passionate, sensitive, and musical. That is what I believe she sees in me.

For Astrid I would say: fearless, loud, and home.

A huge thank you to Otto for taking the time to talk to me a little more about the show. Otto & Astrid: The Stages Tour plays at Assembly Roxy from 5th to 30th August (excluding 12th, 19th and 26th August) at 9:15pm, following London preview performances at Soho Theatre on 24th and 25th July. You can book your tickets now and find more information via: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/otto-astrid-the-stages-tour