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Hurts: 15 Years of Happiness Tour in Bochum – 2025
- Agne
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
Just two days after I got back from Beyoncé’s concert in London, on June 21st I was already on the road again—this time heading to Bochum (yes, Bochum). The only reason I’d ever travel there? A concert. Hurts 15 Years of Happiness Tour in Bochum was the one date I could squeeze into my already packed concert schedule. Originally, I had planned to see them only in Berlin, but the show was so incredible that the very next morning at 9 AM, I found myself checking flights and buying a ticket to Bochum. I just had to see Hurts one more time.
My Solo Trip to See Hurts in Bochum
Like I said, this was a relatively spontaneous trip—booked just three weeks in advance (considering that these days, you usually have to plan your concert calendar a year ahead). The morning after the Berlin show, I started searching for one more date I could actually make work. I found a direct flight on Saturday to Dortmund, which is near Bochum, and a return flight to Vilnius on Sunday. It felt like a final sign that I had to go.
Of course, traveling on the same day meant giving up on any dreams of getting front row, but since I had an early entry ticket, I was still hoping to get close to the stage.
This wasn’t my first time traveling to a concert alone, so I wasn’t worried. And the fact that I used to live in Dortmund helped me feel even more confident—especially when heading to a city most people haven’t even heard of.
Going to a concert alone can feel intimidating at first, but I always recommend trying it. Is it really worth missing a concert you really want to see just because no one can join you? My first solo concert was James Blunt in 2022 (shoutout to my ex for not coming after the breakup, lol), and I had such a good time that it completely changed how I feel about solo shows. So here I was again—excited for another solo concert adventure.
Tickets for Hurts’ 15 Years of Happiness Tour – Bochum
There were still a few tickets left, so I went for the VIP one: early entrance, a VIP badge, and a tour poster for €122.40. At first, I thought there’d be a separate VIP area near the stage (it looked like that on the venue map), but later I saw that there wasn’t a designated VIP zone after all.
The Day of the Concert
Everything was going according to plan—until I landed in Germany and had to rely on Deutsche Bahn being punctual, which is the kind of trust you just can’t have. I landed earlier than expected, but of course, my train was delayed by 20 minutes. And when your schedule is planned down to the minute, 20 minutes feels like an eternity.
Eventually, I made it to Bochum around 4:15 PM, grabbed some takeout on the way to my hotel, got ready, and left for the venue around 6 PM. I arrived at about 6:20—still within the early entrance window—and ended up in the 4th or 5th row. Not bad at all! Hurts came on around 8 PM, so the wait wasn’t too long.
Concert Timeline
6:00 PM – Early/VIP entrance
6:15 PM – I arrived at the venue
6:30 PM – General admission entrance
8:00 PM – Hurts
9:25 PM – Show ended
The Venue – RuhrCongress Bochum
The concert was held at RuhrCongress Bochum—a fairly casual venue with a large standing area and a few seats in the balcony sections. It holds around 5,000 people and is well-connected by public transport. My hotel was near the city center, and it only took me about 10 minutes by bus to get there.
One downside: it was really hot inside. The outside temperature was hovering around 30°C, and I’m not sure the venue’s ventilation system could handle it. It was already warm while we were waiting, but once the show started and everyone was dancing and jumping, the heat was intense—I was soaked. I had a similar experience at Berlin’s Tempodrom, so I guess small venues and poor AC don’t mix well in summer.
Hurts 15 Years of Happiness Tour – The Performance
I already wrote a detailed review of their Berlin show here, where I shared all my admiration for Theo as a performer and the band as a whole.
In Bochum, Theo once again gave a performance that completely pulled you in—you just don’t want to return to reality afterward. They played the entire Happiness album, plus a few extras. Compared to Berlin, though, we were missing three amazing songs: “Rolling Stone,” “Somebody to Die For,” and “Wings,” so that was a bit disappointing. I know they played the full set again in Frankfurt the next day, so I’m not sure why Bochum got a shorter version. (If you’re curious, here’s the full setlist).
Still, nothing changes the fact that Hurts is an incredible band, and Theo is a mesmerizing frontman. The sound quality was so good—those deep vocals gave me goosebumps.
After the show, I tried to get the setlist, but with no luck again. Instead, I caught the last white rose Theo left on stage.
Meeting Theo After the Show
Okay, so here’s a little story. After the Berlin concert, I saw some fans waiting by the back doors for Theo. We joined them and waited for over an hour, but there was still no sign of him. At that point, I had no idea if he’d actually come out, and both my mom and I were just too tired—so we decided to leave... just to find out that apparently, we missed Theo by literally a few minutes!
Theo really does make an effort to come out and greet fans—he did it in London, in Berlin (right after we left), so I thought: okay, I’m trying again in Bochum! We also received huge posters with our VIP tickets, and I figured it’d be amazing to get mine signed… though honestly, I didn’t even let myself hope for it too much—I didn’t want to jinx it.
After the show, I headed straight to the back entrance, found where a few fans had already gathered, and told myself I was ready to wait for hours this time—because I was not missing him again. And then—just 15 minutes later—Theo came out! I think I blacked out a little seeing my celebrity crush up close. He chatted with fans, said the show was great, and started signing posters. I was the first one to get mine signed!
Things got chaotic quickly as more people showed up, and I tried to take photos and videos, but it was tough—he didn’t have much time since he was heading straight to Frankfurt. Still, I got to meet him, and it was amazing. I even spotted myself later in some fan videos, looking like a happy kiddo on Christmas morning. No shame in my fangirl game, hahah.
The End of Happiness
After the show, with my signed poster, the rose, and a head full of emotions, I found a bar with a terrace nearby and decided to have a drink to process everything. I ended up meeting another fan, and we spent the evening fangirling over Hurts, sharing our favorite songs and memories. It was the perfect way to end a perfect day.
The next day, the long trip home awaited—and I’m not gonna lie, it was exhausting. The heat didn’t help, especially in Germany where AC is still not a standard. But by 9 PM, I was finally home, poster and rose intact, carrying memories for a lifetime.
If I could, I’d go to another Hurts concert immediately. I even wondered why I didn’t go to Frankfurt the next day—especially after hearing they played the full set. But hey, I’m flying to see Dua Lipa today (writing this on June 24th), and as much as I’d love to go to every concert, sometimes it’s just not possible.
Final Thoughts
I can confidently say that Hurts is one of my favorite bands—and a band I’ve followed since the beginning of their career. That’s why the Hurts 15 Years of Happiness Tour in Bochum felt so special to me. They’ve had hiatuses, canceled tours, and moments when we didn’t even know if they’d come back (and yes, it’s still a bit sad that Adam didn’t join the tour). I just really hope they continue as a band, release more music, and go on tour again soon—because I’ll definitely try to join as many dates as I can, hahah.
If you’ve never listened to Hurts, I strongly recommend giving them a chance. You might just find a few new favorites for your playlist.
For the full story and more concert adventures, check out my Instagram @concerts_enthusiast!
