Tramhaus: Тhis war is not to be ignored

In a few weeks Dutch post-hardcore band Tramhaus will perform in Ukraine. We asked them what to expect from this performance and why these particular musicians were not afraid to visit our country while others hesitate.

This July Tramhaus will visit Ukraine for the first time. Dutch post-hardcore sensation will bring their explosive live energy, noisy guitars and emotionally charged performances along with a deep compassion and support for the Ukrainian people.

Tramhaus is a five-piece band from Rotterdam, formed in 2020. In just a few years, the band has become one of the most exciting new names on the European guitar scene. They quickly gained attention for their intense live shows and electrifying sound that seamlessly blends post-hardcore, punk, shoegaze and noise rock.

Tramhaus is: Lukas Jansen – vocals, Nadya van Osnabrugge – guitar / backing vocals, Micha Zaat - guitar / backing vocals, Julia Vroegh – bass / backing vocals, Jim Luijten – drums / backing vocals

Their debut album ‘The First Exit’ came out in September 2024. It was hailed as ‘album of the week’ by Dutch music platform 3voor12, got airplay from BBC 6 Music, KEXP Seattle and Iggy Pop, and was internationally featured by dozens of bigger and smaller music magazines and websites.

The album was promoted during several international tours, finding new audiences and destinations. In 2024, Tramhaus played 125 shows, of which 94 happened in 22 countries. Many of these concerts and tours took place in cooperation with an organic, grassroots international network of independent agencies and promoters, also bringing the band to audiences outside of the regular touring circuit, for instance in Moldova and Kosovo.

The second Tramhaus album ‘Blister’ will be released on 9 October 2026. It was recorded and mixed by Floyd Atema in GAM Studio and mastered by Tammo Kersbergen. ‘Blister’ is released by a coalition of independent European labels from the Netherlands, France, Austria, Italy, Portugal and Poland.

“Tramhaus are a band who have an ability to soak up what life brings and find a way collectively - and bodily - to deal with it. Their gang mentality, and core belief that a network of “glocal” friendships patiently built up over the last five years will see them right, has meant they have been able to navigate a near-constant touring schedule and create a record that exceeds the promise of their debut, ‘The First Exit’ (2024).

A sense of communal, embodied, patience: through experiences of queues, denials of entry, soundchecks, lonely hotel rooms and international dealings - good and bad - seeps through the new record,” says Richard Foster, a Netherlands-based music journalist, writer, and artist, in his review of ‘Blister’.

The first single from ‘Blister’ — ‘Plovdiv’, written partly during an off day in this Bulgarian city, is already out.

On July 1, Tramhaus will perform in Lviv, at Nyzhnyj Zal location. We had an opportunity to ask Micha Zaat, the band's guitarist, to answer a few of our questions before the band's visit to Ukraine.

Micha is the one behind, in the center

— Many foreign artists hesitate about visiting Ukraine due to the constant threat of shelling. What was the decisive trigger or internal argument that made you say, "We are definitely going"?

— Of course, we ourselves also had to talk about doing it yes or no. However, it was more a question of how our partners and loved ones would react to going to an active warzone. But amongst the five of us there was almost immediate consensus on doing it.

We really felt honoured to be asked to play and hopefully create some therapeutic distraction for the local community by playing our music live. Our music conveys a message of escaping oppression and seeking freedom, what better place to play this than in Ukraine?

Besides, recently I've seen the documentary ‘2000 meters to Andriivka’ in a local cinema in Rotterdam. A doc I think everyone needs to see.. Seeing that made me realize I really had to help in whatever way possible.

Telling family and loved ones was probably the 'hardest' part. Some of them were worried, but when we explained how well the trip is planned — doing the most we can to stay safe, and the reason why we do it, they fully supported us. They are even proud, I'd say. In The Netherlands most people (disregarding some idiotic fascists) support Ukraine, so we can expect people to support our decision to go.

— About that! The Netherlands supports Ukraine at the state level. But what does this support look like from the "ground up" — within the European independent music scene, punk scene? Is there any sense of "war fatigue" out there?

— I feel there is a strong solidarity with Ukraine within the broader European punk scene. You see bands and venues all around visibly or non-visibly supporting Ukraine. However, I would be lying to say war fatigue is not a thing. I think it's important to know that a war is not over if it's not in your Instagram feed anymore every day... But the world moves so quickly that the danger lures that Ukraine is being forgotten. By doing this show I hope we can show the scene that this war is not to be ignored and that Ukraine needs ongoing support.

— Have you ever been to Ukraine before? What are your first associations with Lviv or our country in general, and is there anything you want to see or do here outside of the venue?

— None of us have ever been to Ukraine, nor do I know a lot of music from Ukraine. But I do want to know more!

I remember Lviv as one of the hosting cities of the Football Euro Cup of 2012! Besides, I think it has quite a rich history as a merchant city? Usually when we go to a new city one of us googles it and tells us interesting facts or sites we should visit. So when the time comes, we will definitely delve into that and do a bit of sightseeing, hopefully being guided by a local.

More in general I want to meet the people at our show, and ask them about life in Lviv and Ukraine. I'm watching the news regularly, but you only get to see the people in charge, I am much more interested in the lives of the people on the 'ground'. What does normal life look like in Lviv? Those kinds of things I want to see!

— The Ukrainian audience is going through an incredibly traumatic experience right now, and concerts here often serve as a form of therapy, a release of pain, and a catharsis. Are you preparing a special setlist or mental approach for this show? Do you plan to play tracks from your upcoming album? Overall, what are your expectations for this gig?

— It will definitely not be a normal, regular show. It will take some mental preparation from all of us. We are well aware of the traumatic circumstances the crowd endures. And also of our own positions being from a safe country; being able to leave Ukraine after the show and return to our safe surroundings. Things the Ukrainian crowd is not able to. We take this all into account, so we will prepare some things in advance to fully convey our support for the Ukrainian people.

Luckily, our music is full of catharsis and is made to forget your daily struggles, to dance the pain away. So I'm sure we can make it into a therapeutic night for all. We will definitely play some new tracks from the upcoming album!

— Some artists still believe that "music is out of politics." However, it's hard to remain a detached observer nowadays. In your opinion, what is the main role of a musician at a time when the world order as we know it is collapsing, or rapidly changing at best?

— I believe everything we do is politics. There is no way around; being human is being part of something bigger. Be it your local community, or the entire world. There are always ways in which you can have an effect on how things go. That is politics. From small gestures, to big actions. So yes, also a musician, you have influence. I'm not going to be the one to tell people how to live their lives, but I do know that every life influences the world in its own ways.

The concert will take place on July 1, starting at 7:00 p.m. The evening will be opened by the Ukrainian band Levko, and during the concert there will also be a charity auction in support of the Musicians Defend Ukraine foundation with special lots from Tramhaus.

You can purchase tickets for the event here.

Learn more about Tramhouse:

https://www.instagram.com/tramhaus.rtm

Photos by Marc Elisabeth, provided by the band