- DJ Topic persevered in his performance to prevent any sensation of turmoil.
Mate Topić, you were jamming tunes when your session got disrupted suddenly by an assault. How did you process those moments? I kept playing to avoid a mass panic. One of the organizers approached me on stage and filled me in about an incident. At first, I thought it was just a teenage brawl escalating, but it turned out to be a full-blown attack where innocent civilians were stabbed in the neck.
What was it like to keep grooving for several minutes despite the chaos? It was bizarre, to say the least, to maintain a cheerful vibe and act like nothing was amiss with so many people watching. A stampede would have been far worse.
What was the atmosphere like in the crowd while you were still playing? Amazingly, the crowd was still hyped. The energy was one of the best I've ever felt at a German gig, with folks from all ages going wild. It's just heartbreaking that things had to take such a dark turn.
Did you catch any hints of the assault from the stage? Thankfully, no. The assault occurred on another stage, about 300 to 400 meters away.
They eventually cut the music. What happened then? One of the organizers came on stage, calming explaining the situation. Fortunately, the situation didn't spiral into chaos.
You bolted from the fest and hid with others in a store. How long did we spend in there, and what was the ambiance like? The mood started to sour as we learned it was an attack and the perpetrator was still on the loose. The first reports indicated the assailant specifically targeted civilians' necks. There were also kids in our group. Luckily, we managed to organize transportation that brought us back home.
Even at home, there was no respite, with helicopters hovering overhead. It felt surreal, like I was in a dream. I've experienced something similar in the US before, but it was definitely out of the ordinary in Solingen.
How are your loved ones and pals who were also at the fest? They're all in shock, but thankfully, nobody was hurt. My thoughts are with all the victims and everyone who had to witness it.
You're a globally recognized artist who tours the world. How did you end up performing at your hometown's 650th anniversary? I've played with the Bergisches Orchestra twice before and it always went smoothly. Blending electronic music with orchestral music produces a unique sound that I loved, so I was thrilled to collaborate again for the 650th anniversary.
What's Solingen like as a city? Violence isn't exactly unheard of in Solingen, especially among rival clans or gangs. Knife fights have been commonplace over the years.
Despite the disrupting incident, what was your reaction towards continuing to perform 'Music'? Despite the grave situation, I felt a strange sense of responsibility to keep playing, believing that music could help calm the situation.
How did the atmosphere shift after the music was paused? Once the music stopped, there was a moment of shock and silence, followed by a collective realization of the gravity of the situation.
