From Berlin to Glastonbury: Otto & Astrid Talk Sibling Rivalry and Rock Stardom ahead of London Clown Festival

Otto & Astrid’s The Stages Tour, coming to Jacksons Lane this July as part of the London Clown Festival, is anything but your average gig. Billed as Berlin’s most dysfunctional sibling rock duo, Otto & Astrid combine high-octane punk anthems, theatrical chaos, and a spectacular lack of personal boundaries. With a cult following, multiple awards, and more band feuds than albums, their comedy cabaret show parodies a music gig – and is entirely unpredictable. Here, they talk secret influences, tour tantrums, and sibling chaos. 

For readers who haven’t experienced your show yet, how would you describe The Stages Tour?

OTTO: My sister Astrid and I will play the greatest rock ‘n’ roll concert anyone has ever seen. We’re playing songs from all our albums—all killer, no filler! Unless Astrid puts in a deep cut. She writes the setlist.

Excitingly, you are set to perform at Glastonbury—how are you feeling about it?

OTTO: We played Glasto last year and it was such a dream come true. I mean, it’s a total bucket list festival! People have already been writing to us—very excited that we’re coming back. The only thing I’m sad about is that we’re on at the same time as Wet Leg, so we won’t get to see them. We asked if they could change Wet Leg’s slot, but we haven’t heard back yet.

Your sibling dynamic is famously chaotic—how much of that is real, and how much is performance?

OTTO: Astrid’s chaos is very real.

How did you come up with the concept of Otto & Astrid?

OTTO: Astrid started drumming when she was a kid—wooden spoons on pots and pans. I asked if I could play guitar and start a band with her. She said no. But then nobody else would play with her, so she said I was in.

You’ve performed globally and have a long list of accolades—is there one moment in your career that stands out?

OTTO: Playing to audiences in Winnipeg, Canada where everyone dresses up as us—or as things from our songs. Robots, lions, dinosaurs, bananas. You know, that kind of thing.

What can London audiences expect from this one night only show?

OTTO: Just imagine if we were playing a whole week of shows—all that rock ‘n’ roll energy. We’re gonna squeeze it into one night!

Otto & Astrid are bringing The Stages Tour to Jackson’s Lane Theatre on the 2nd July at 7:30pm as part of London Clown Festival. Tickets are available HERE