Kraftwerk have been around since 1970. In the process of innovating and exploring audio and visual extremes, they virtually invented much of what modern music is today.
Four suits. Four consoles. One video-wall. One stage. Throw in some atmospheric neon lighting, and you have yourself a Kraftwerk gig. Not exactly. Crucial ingredient: four men who know how the machines work; four men who can power the sound system simply by what seems to be spiritual will, messianic voodoo, or even just their bare hands. Welcome to the on-stage Kraftwerk experience.
Audio visual inttricacies = maximum effectiveness. Every song announces a change in direction, building and dropping like a filter-sweep across the years - backwards and forwards through time - perfect in all individuality yet part of something greater. Complete compositions - layers in an electronic-orhestra that add together to form an entire movement of sound and vision.
The Man Machine (Mensch-Maschine), Autobahn, The Model, Computerworld, Tour de France, Trans-Europe Express, Robotronik, Radio-activity... Songs in their own right which represent so much of what modern music has aspired to become. Elements of house and dance especially, with techno, rave, electro and synthesised music of all descriptions - all rooted in Kraftwerk - the institution behind the early programming, modelling and building of the machines that first made such 'fururistic' sounds a foundation of modern music.
Two hours and three encores later, and the Kraftwerk show has exposed itself in all its glorious colours: 3D video graphics and cutting-edge image manipulation; a sound clarity and precision (and volume) I've never come close to before. Such a striking on-stage image of formality, technicality and musicianship seemingly oblivious to the utopia being created by their audio-visual sorcery. Truly awe-inspiring. The robots even came out to play, and the famous green cyber-modelling suits were sported for what was a night of master-class artistry in the most cutting-edge of fields.Andrew Heslop