They started as a school band in my home town and gained global reputation: AnnenMayKantereit released their fourth album Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir (“It is evening and we are sitting at my place”) on 3rd March 2023. Even though I am not their biggest fan, I just had to have a listen.
AnnenMayKantereit – About The Artists
AnnenMayKantereit is a pop-rock band from Cologne. The weird-sounding band name becomes rather clear when you look at the founding members’ names: Christopher Annen (guitar), Henning May (vocals, piano, ukulele and others) and Severin Kantereit (drums / cajon) were all students at the Schiller-Gymnasium (similar to High School) in Cologne. They are all active members. In the meantime, they are working with the third bassist. The position is taken by Sophie Chassee. They already had quite some sucess with their debut EP Wird schon irgendwie gehen. The single Oft gefragt has been a triple golden record in Germany and a golden record in Austria.
The 2016 debut album Alles nix Konkretes finally gave them a massive boost. The album lead the German and Austrian charts. It was double platinum in their home country and platinum in Austria. Even though the following two albums did not make it that well, they were both very successful. Remarkably, AnnenMayKantereit also have a golden record in the USA. In 2019, they released a cover of Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner, together with the German art-pop band Giant Rooks, which lead to that international success.
AnnenMayKantereit – Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir – Track by Track
The fifteen track album lasts 50 minutes
1. Lass es kreisen
The opener is driven by the cool bass grooves created by Sophie Chassee. Not only that she is delivering the first tunes of the song, she groove is a cool element. The song has a hip hop character, but the bass also makes it feel a bit like a blues-pop song. Cool track, which works with a wide range of different elements.
2. 3 Tage am Meer
The title of this song translates to “Three days at the sea” and reflects how you take the time at the water to relax, cool down and find yourself again. While the song starts with acoustic guitar sounds, there is some bass groove and synth-alike pop elements later as well. Good one.
3. Es ist Abend
The title track describes nothing but an evening with friends… and some alcohol. The song has a slightly dark and melancholic touch, even though the rhythmic work keeps a pop music feeling.
4. Lottoscheine
These three and a half minutes are dedicated to “Lottery Tickets”. However, the song is about a potential break-up, unhappy love. The dark voice by Henning May is so intense in here. Great song.
Meine Blicke so wie Lottoscheine
Ich glaube weiter an mein Glück
Deine Worte wie Pfeile
Wenn sie treffen, gibt es kein zurück
(“My glimpse like lottery tickets
I still believe in my luck
Your words are like arrows
If they hit, there is no way back”)
5. Katharina
Katharina is one of the core tracks of the album to me. Especially in contrast to Lottoscheine, the song is more rocking. I simply enjoy listening to this track.
6. Verliebt sein
The short Verliebt sein (“Being in love”, 2:15 minutes) does not need too many more sounds than May’s voice and the acoustic-alike strumming of a guitar. The song has a nice folk music touch.
7. Ausgehen
Almost 65 million streams on Spotify, 20 million views on YouTube – this track is already an AnnenMayKantereit classic. A track, which stays in your mind – and had sufficient time to do so… The Cologne band already released it in 2020.
8. Erdbeerkuchen
Und der Erdbeerkuchen, den musst Du mal versuchen – “And the strawberry cake, you just have to try it”. The eighth song has a summer vibe and feels like a happy blues rocker. The song praises all the things you enjoy doing in summer and early fall.
9. Heute Abend wird es regnen
The ninth song has a touch time to carry over the summer vibes of the predecessor. Already in the first verse, May states Ich glaube heute abend wird es regnen – “I believe today evening there will be rain”. Again, the unique sound of May’s voice turns the nice ditty into a catching listen.
10. Weisshaussstraße
Weisshausstraße, Ecke Uni-Center is the location in which the tenth song is located. Not the nicest spot in Cologne – but a place where the friends made some experiences. Or “adventures, as you can only have them when you are young” as the press kit is stating. Very intense songwriting.
11. Kein Stern
Kein Stern (“No star”) is a rather slow and rocking song . The song is praising playing soccer and what the sports means to May (he is stating “there is no star which shines like the floodlight over the cinder pitch”).
12. Als ich ein Kind war
Another looking back in time. The rhythm of this song feels Latin American, the song is praising the youth experience, also compared to the current generation. Als ich ein Kind war, gab es kein Insta – “When I was a child, there was no Insta(gram)”. The brass sounds lead to additional melancholy.
13. Du tust mir nie mehr weh
The title of the last single release (so far) on the album translates to “You don’t hurt me any more”. Rather dark guitar sounds with a nice groove. Overall, the song does not catch me as much as other tracks of the album.
14. Orangenlied
Why not having an “Oranges Song”? That’s at least the translation of the title of this track. The song is about looking back in time and missing beloved ones. Like thinking about old times while peeling oranges – “just as my father does”, how the band is stating.
15. Tommi
AnnenMayKantereit typically sing in standard German. The more, the closing track is special, as the band is using Cologne-style German in here. A nice reference to their home town – even though the song with the nice piano lines is not having the most solid musical foundation.
AnnenMayKantereit – Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir – Spotify
Here is the album on Spotify:
AnnenMayKantereit – Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir – My View
The 2023 AnnenMayKantereit album illustrates the excellence of the band. The key driver is great songwriting and a beautiful touch in telling stories. The song are just perfectly tailored towards the voice of Henning May. This is also the part which makes me struggle a bit about Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir. Even though the songs as such have quite a wide range, May is too constant in this game. He sounds too similar. But that’s just a sidenote in a good album
Postings about Cologne
Here are all postings about my home town Cologne:

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 11th April 2025)

Motorworld Cologne – Rheinland & Michael Schumacher Private Collection

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28th March 2025)

Drake Milligan (25th February 2025, Cologne)

Carly Pearce (17th February 2025, Cologne)

Let’s Praise Modern German Country Music – My Artist Overview

Run & Fly Meeting Dortmund 2025 – Track Events

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Luna Morgenstern (February 2025)

Warren Zeiders (3rd February 2025, Cologne)

Luna Morgenstern – Heartbreak Hotel EP

Eurowings Airbus A320neo Middle Distance – Flying BizClass from Cologne (CGN) to Dubai (DWC)

Marie Reim – Stenzeichen Liebe

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 3rd January 2025)

Flyctory.com Best Ones 2024

BAP (13th December 2024, Cologne)

Kameron Marlowe (10th December 2024, Cologne)

4,000 Postings on Flyctory.com – Time to have a look back

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 15th November 2024)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 8th November 2024)

Koe Wetzel (7th November 2024, Cologne)

Stephen Wilson Jr. (4th November 2024, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 11th October 2024)

Blackberry Smoke (29th September 2024, Cologne)

Rock of Ages – 2025 International Dates of the Musical

Steigenberger Hotel Cologne (Köln)

Sound of Nashville Open Air 2024 (25th August 2024, Day 2, Cologne)

Sound of Nashville Open Air 2024 (23rd August 2024, Day 1, Cologne)

Giovanni Zarrella (6th August 2024, Cologne)

49 Winchester (21st May 2024, Cologne)

Kacey Musgraves (5th May 2024, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 26th April 2024)

Darius Rucker (19th April 2024, Cologne)

On Tour With Rock of Ages 2024 (Episode 2 – Cologne, 22nd to 27th March 2024)

My 15 Favorite Hotels I Have Stayed in… So Far

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 15th March 2024)

Alexandra Kay, Hannah Ellis, Lakeview (5th March 2024, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 1st March 2024)

Aerotask Boeing B747 Simulator in Cologne

ASV Cologne – Floor Fighters Chemnitz 3-13 (0-3, 1-5. 2-5)

Sparkassen Indoor Meeting Dortmund 2024 (Indoor Athletics) – Track Events

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12th January 2024)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 22nd December 2023)

Lidia Streifling – Kölsche Klassiker Vol. 1 – För zo dräume

Eric Paslay (13th December 2023, Cologne)

Gregor McEwan (6th December 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 10th November 2023)

Sonia Liebing – Liebe ist für alle da

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 27th October 2023)

Loi (19th October 2023, Cologne)

Moxy Cologne Muelheim

Wellnest Cologne

Ron Pope (23rd September 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 15 September 2023)

Randall King (15th September 2023, Cologne)

Rock of Ages – 2024 International Dates of the Musical

The Blackwhitecolorful – Brace for Impact

Mo-Torres – Heute war alles Besser

Pullman Cologne

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 04 August 2023)

Mercure Hotel Severinshof Cologne City

Mercure Cologne City Friesenstrasse

German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 2 Track (9th July 2023)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 23 June 2023)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 16 June 2023)

The Deslondes (6th June 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 02 June 2023)

Everette & Austin Jenckes (23rd May 2023, Cologne)

Kip Moore (14th May 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12 May 2023)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 April 2023)

The Longest Johns (21st April 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 31 March 2023)

Wolfgang Petry – Stark wie wir

Five Years of Flyctory.com – My 20 Most Popular Travel Posts (so far…)

Julian Taylor (15th February 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 27 January 2023)

IUMA – Genug EP

Kane Brown (27th January 2023, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 13 January 2023)

Groenalund – #lovestorm

Wasserturm Hotel Cologne (Curio Collection by Hilton)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 30 December 2022)

ICE 3neo High-Speed Rail First Class (Pictured Story)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 09 December 2022)

Neufundland – Grind

Brett Young (19th November 2022, Cologne)

Milky Chance (18th November 2022, Cologne)

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Nik Wallner (November 2022)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 04 November 2022)

Superläuche – Superläuche

Alexander Ludwig (2nd November 2022, Cologne)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 October 2022)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 October 2022)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 October 2022)

Rock of Ages – International Dates of the Musical in 2023

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 16 September 2022)

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Lindsay Ell (before her Cologne Show in Aug 2022)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 02 September 2022)

Lindsay Ell (with Kyle Daniel & Shy Carter, 23rd August 2022, Cologne)

Gipsy Kings & More Than Words (11th August 2022, Cologne)

Marie Reim – Bist Du dafür bereit?

Pete Wolf Band – Crosswalk To Nowhere EP

KölnTriangle Cologne View – a great View of Cologne

Kasalla – Rudeldiere

Johnossi (12th June 2022, Cologne)

Dan O’ Clock – Seelenhippie EP

The Lounge Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 27 May 2022)

Mrs. Greenbird – Love You To The Bone

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 25 March 2022)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 11 March 2022)

Following The Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2022 (Day 1, 10th March 2022)

Premier Inn Cologne City South

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 18 Feb 2022)

KEC “Die Haie” Cologne – ESC Planegg-Würmtal 1-6 (1-2, 0-1, 0-3)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 Jan 2022)

Flyctory.com Best Ones 2021

Some Non-Country Christmas Songs 2021

My Top 15 Airports Flown – With Some Brief Thoughts

Cat Ballou – Alles Bunt

Wolfgang Petry – Auf das Leben

Hyatt Regency Cologne

The Twelve Best Flights Of My Life (… so far)

Moxy Cologne Bonn Airport

MyWellness Cologne – Renting a Private Spa Experience

Luna Morgenstern – Taking The Blow EP

Paul Weber – Alles im Arsch EP

Durch & Durch – Nice Aber Nutzlos

Songs Of My Life: Nino De Angelo – Jenseits von Eden

Klee – Trotzalledem

Country Music Picks – The German Songs (28th April 2021)

Sarah Lombardi – Im Augenblick

A Walk Through Cologne / Bonn Airport Terminal at Covid-19 Times (Pictured Story)

Songs Of My Life: John Miles – Music

PeterLicht – Beton Und Ibuprofen

Nino de Angelo – Gesegnet und Verflucht

Rhine Cable Car (Kölner Seilbahn) Cologne

Cologne – My Ten Favorite Songs About My Home Town

taku Dining Box in Cologne – Gourmet Food at Home

Chocolate Museum Cologne (Schokoladenmuseum)

Bläck Fööss – 5Ö

Maritim Hotel Cologne

bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Krawietz / Mies (GER) – A. Zverev / M. Zverev (GER) 6-4 7-5

bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Gilles Simon (FRA) – Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 6-1 4-6 6-2

bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Sharan (IND) / Sandgren (USA) – Marach (AUT) / Pavic (CRO) 4-6 2-6

bett1HULKS Championship: Egor Gerasimov (BLR) – Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-1 6-0

bett1HULKS Championship: Jordan Thompson (AUS) – Gilles Simon (FRA) 3-6 5-7

bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Sumit Nagal (IND) – Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-3 (4)6-7 1-6

bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-4 6-3

bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Davidovich Fokina / Verdasco (ESP) – Masur / Molleker (GER) 3-6 6-1 10-8

bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Gonzales (MEX) / K. Skupski (GBR) – Nielsen (DEN) / Puetz (GER) 4-6 6-1 10-5

bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Sharan (IND) / Withrow (USA) – Herbert / Mahut (FRA) 3-6 3-6

Watching Cologne from Europa Rad Ferris Wheel

Four Countries, Four Trains – A Trip on Tracks (Day 4, 10th August 2020)

Marie Reim – 14 Phasen

Women Soccer Bundesliga is back – But some Girls score in a different Way

Björn Heuser (28th May 2020, Drive-In Show, Bonn)

“Climbing” the Monte Troodelöh, Cologne’s Highest Point

Mrs. Greenbird: Strong Crowdfunding Start for New Album

Car Watch – A new Pop-up Drive-in Cinema in Cologne

Cologne/Bonn Airport during Covid-19 Times (Pictured Story)

Cologne DRIVE IN Movies – More than the Covid-19 Alternative

Brett Eldredge / Lauren Jenkins (24th January 2020, Cologne)

Historic Mustard Mill Cologne

Noah Guthrie (9th December 2019, Cologne)

Cologne Old Town Christmas Market

Cologne Stadtgarten Christmas Market

Cologne Cathedral / Roncalli Square Christmas Market

Björn Heuser – Kopp voll Dräum (Nashville Recordings)

Cologne Harbor Christmas Market at Chocolate Museum

Mrs. Greenbird (Frankfurt, 7th November 2019)

Ben Zucker & Van De Forst (6th November 2019, Cologne)

Willie Jones & Tyler Rich (29th October 2019, Cologne)

Logan Mize (26th October 2019, Cologne)

Scotty McCreery (24th October 2019, Cologne)

Jillian Jacqueline & Lauren Jenkins (9th September 2019, Cologne)

Wade Bowen (6th August 2019, Cologne)

SV Menden – 1. FC Köln 3:5 (0:3) (31st July 2019)

The Scherz-Tour – A Different RheinEnergieSTADION Cologne Tour

Mrs. Greenbird – Dark Waters (Review)

Very Important Postings – July to December 2018

The Eau de Cologne Giants – 4711 vs. Farina

Flying with VLM from Cologne to Antwerp

SV Menden – 1. FC Köln 0:1 (0:1) (2018 pre-season)

History of Gaming in Cologne’s City Museum

Six Intercontinental Flight Weekend – Day 1 (Trip Report)

Six Intercontental Flights in 72 Hours (Overview)
Flyctory Obscura
Flyctory Obscura-tagged reviews represent weird, unique, entertaining places of all kind:

Spyscape New York

Mini Golf at KISS World Las Vegas

Museum of Sex (New York)

Walking with Silver Edition Alpakas

Globe Museum and Esperanto Museum (Vienna)

Roosevelt Island Tramway

Kusttram – The World Longest Tram / Light Rail

The Ride NYC

Museum Speelklok (Musical Box Museum) Utrecht

Rhyolite Ghost Town (Nevada) and Goldwell Open Air Museum

GA KYO UWS Aquarium Tokyo

KISS World Las Vegas

Germany’s Westernmost Point near Selfkant-Isenbruch (Pictured Story)

Eben-Ezer Tower

Eysturoyartunnilin – The First Sub-Sea Roundabout in the World

Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum (Wheeling, WV)

Cup Noodles Museum Yokohama

A Walk Around the Grounds of Wacken

Presidents Hall of Fame

Dining at Pokemon Cafe Tokyo

The (Vending) Machines of Tokyo (Pictured Story)

Owl Cafe “Akiba Fukurou” Tokyo

Unko Museum Tokyo – A Place Dedicated to Pooh

The Privilege of the Loo – On Bathroom Distribution in Airplanes

Riding the Heathrow Pod

Justine Blazer – Joy!

Pinball Perfection (Pittsburgh)

Hamburg Coffee Museum Burg

There is a single Büchting Street in Germany – and I take you there

Dubrovnik Love Stories Museum

Trafford Palazzo – Posh Shopping in Manchester (Pictured Story)

Drielandenpunt Vaalserberg – Where Netherlands meet Belgium and Germany

Husavik Eurovision Exhibition

Songs Of My Life: Guildo Horn – Guildo Hat Euch Lieb!

Walking the City Walls of Dubrovnik

Zoo Zajac (Duisburg) – The World Largest Pet Store

GardeRobe Manneken Pis (Brussels)

Big Mac Museum (North Huntingdon PA, Pictured Story)

Cyprus Railways Museum

Alter Elbtunnel / Historic Elbe Tunnel Hamburg

Museum of Miniature (Ordino, Andorra)

Wizard Afternoon Tea at Wizards Exploratorium (London)

St. Pauli “Kult Kieztour” with Barbie Stupid and Lee Jackson

Takis Pattichis Museum of Industrial Pharmacy (Limassol)

The Raeren Carrot Museum – Belgium’s Smallest Museum

Canaries Museum (Las Palmas, Gran Canaria)

Ystafell Auto Museum (Iceland)

Tawern Roman Temple District

The Super Museum – A Place Dedicated to Superman

Popeye Village Malta

Pig Museum (SchweineMusuem) Stuttgart

Last Exit Al Khawaneej (Dubai)

Automobile & Toy Museum North Sea (Norden, Germany)

Cooter’s Place Nashville

Tennessee Judiciary Museum Nashville

Al Madam Ghost Town (Pictures Story)

Cereal Killer Cafe Dubai

Icelandic Punk Museum (Reykjavik)

Eyjafjördur Jolahusid – The Christmas House

The Bridge Between Europe and North America (Pictured Story)

The Masone Labyrinth – the (Formerly) World-Largest Maze

Icelandic Phallological Museum (Reykjavik)

BlueBrixx Megastore (Loop5 Weiterstadt) – The World Largest Brick Bar

Disgusting Food Museum Berlin

Bud Spencer Museum Berlin

Robo Cafe Dubai

Transrapid Test Track Emsland – The Legendary Maglev

German Food Additives Museum Hamburg

Siku & Audi-Museum Höing (Stadtlohn, Germany)

The train to Hogwarts? King’s Cross, Platform 9 3/4 (Pictured Story)

Dat Otto Huus (Otto Waalkes Museum) Emden

On the Rooftop of Milan Cathedral

Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg

HomeComputerMuseum Helmond (Netherlands)

Pinball Hall of Fame (Las Vegas)

2 Brüder – The most German supermarket in the Netherlands

Nelson, Nevada – A Ghost Town

“Climbing” the Monte Troodelöh, Cologne’s Highest Point

The Bourbon Room / Rock of Ages Hollywood

Tombo x Sanrio – Hello Kitty-branded meals in London

ThEATre by Rhodes – U.A.E.-style Luxury Cinema

Stars Of The Galaxy – A Star Wars Shrine in Mönchengladbach

Mascot Hall of Fame (Whiting, IN)

International Towing & Recovery Museum (Chattanooga TN)

Gateway To The Blues (Tunica, MS)

Last Exit and Mad X – Alternative Refueling

Album is and concert was amazing♥️