Comments on: More Hate For Kraftwerk In Minneapolis

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:32:18 +0000

I know this was written forever ago – anyways, I was at this show too. Of course Kraftwerk was stiff and wooden during the whole thing. The fact that the actual group was there (well, Hutter and 3 other guys) didn’t really matter to me. It was a chance to hear Kraftwerk’s music played on an insanely awesome sounding system in a crowd of a thousand other fans. Best night of my life.

By: Senator Eugene Mc Carthy

Senator Eugene Mc Carthy — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:19:06 +0000

Is irony in your dictionary?

By: c l i c k c l i c k

c l i c k c l i c k — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:36:27 +0000

Apparently none of the reviewers went to the show with any context for what they should expect. Damn kids. Kraftwerk, while being dance-able were never an arena rock sort of act. It’s too bad that the reviewers regard Kraftwerk’s work based on the rather one dimensional viewpoint that a musical act should “move around”. Kraftwerk has a long and rich history that includes musical innovation, development of a unique stage presence as well as creation of genre defying, modern sound scapes. It’s my opinion that music reviewers SHOULD have a DEEP understanding of music history and hence more able to critique with a broader sense of knowledge to draw from… much like an art historian does. Anyone with a lesser set of tools should stay home playing air guitar to NIN. (whom I hate)

By: tobamai

tobamai — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:07:29 +0000

Kraftwerk doesn’t tour to gain audience or reputation with a great live show (they don’t need to). Kraftwerk tours at the demand of their loving fans who want to see them perform live with any amount of improvisation. Their improvisation may seem negligible when compared to acoustic groups, but fans who’ve been listening to recordings since the 70’s will appreciate every nuance of a live performance.

By: St.B from Dead Panda

St.B from Dead Panda — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:44:22 +0000

So Kraftwerk just stands there doing the performance? Wow, what a
revelation (to those who’ve never heard anything about Kraftwerk)
Guess what- That Is The Point. A cold, sterile show. They should be glad
they get to see/hear Kraftwerk at any rate.

By: synthhead

synthhead — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:01:00 +0000

Jel MG – who said anything about expecting musicians to give “crazy, wild, passionate, or emotional performances”, except you?

If there’s no visual correlation between what a musician does on stage and what the audience hears, the audience has no idea what the musician is doing.

Some might argue that’s part of the point of Kraftwerk’s performance, though.

By: Jel MG

Jel MG — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:02:39 +0000

I think it’s silly and unfair to expect musicians to give crazy, wild, passionate, or emotional performances. (it sounds rather embarrassingly American too in its lack of subtlety). And this bit about being “disappointed by the lack of visual connection between what the musicians are doing and what you hear” You mean watching someone’s fingers move? Some musicians don’t need to act out the notes they’re playing with their whole bodies. I feel bad for artists with unreceptive audiences, but so many of the great and unique ones have encountered that sort of thing that it seems normal.

By: Deetrom

Deetrom — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:11:57 +0000

I have read this review of the Kraftwerk gig in minneapolis. I must state at the outset that i was not present at the gig. However, I have viewed some of the many youtube videos of it. Further, I have seen Kraftwerk live a number of times throughout the years. The most recent being their show in Dublin in Sept 08.
Firstly, in order to review any bands performance live, one must have a knowledge of the music itself and the context in which the music is presented. A general knowledge of the history of the band would also help.
With Kraftwerk, they have certain aesthetic, a rather austere almost ascetic one, both one-stage and in the presentation of their messages and melodies. This is the Kraftwerk way; it is their aesthetic. Therefore when one goes to see a Kraftwerk concert one is going to see Kraftwerk not Nickelback, Rage Against the Machine or Underground Resistance et al. This is why they are much-loved by many people; and it is also the attitude one should adopt in order to review a concert by them.
My opinion is, I have seen all the great, classic bands, The Stones, The Who. Rage Against the Mchine, Pink Flloyd etc and they all have their live performance and each is unique and wonderful.
But the most astonishing, thrilling, spectacular and awe-inspiring event was the most recent Kraftwerk concert in Dublin. This was even without one of their founding members Florian Schneider-Esleben. The music speaks for itself as does the Kraftwerk aesthetic (with rolling, gushing, beautiful visuals to accompany each song). The personnel of the band don’t matter. Its the music and the presence. This ideal is the one which lives on, not the personnel. This is the Kraftwerk way.

By: Kerry Kimble

Kerry Kimble — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:26:49 +0000

Wow Really?? I seen them in Toronto, and the crowd danced from start to finish. A great time was had by all. Im hoping they come back…

By: David

David — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:02:56 +0000

Why did Kraftwerk even bother taking time to play in Minneapolis? That’s what I don’t get?

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:58:10 +0000

I was at the show in Denver.

Kraftwerk’s music has always explored the boundaries between human and machine — the performance does the same.

Through their music, Kraftwerk asks the questions of what IS it to be human and create art? Where are the boundaries between player and instrument? Are we not just machines ourselves? Are we not programmed? And if the art is perfected is it more human or machine? Which is flawed, which flawless? And how is it so different going to a concert seeing live musicians play?

The laptop IS the point. It’s just another evolution of the concept of instrument.

By: Oliver Chesler

Oliver Chesler — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:59:09 +0000

Wow… they don’t get it!

By: djORFEO.com

djORFEO.com — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:28:55 +0000

i KRAFTWERK sono i KRAFTWERK e basta! possibile che si debba SEMPRE fare paragoni e SEMPRE trovare qualcosa che non va… perchè chi assiste ad un concerto non si limita a dire “bello” o “brutto” senza fare paragoni e poi gli artisti sono GRANDI quando fanno quello che sanno fare. Se la musica piace anche se in concerto non sono come ci si aspetta… pazienza… gli artisti sono artisti e i KRAFTWERK sono!!!

By: recompas

recompas — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:24:22 +0000

This may be re-hashing what’s been said before, but I’m kind of confused as to why people would expect anything different from a Kraftwerk show. If you look up youtube vids of them from ages ago, they’re doing the same thing, except maybe with a drum pad, mic, and stylophone instead of laptops… I agree about stage presence, but I think their point of view is to let the music speak for itself. I say this as a performer in a band that concentrates really hard on having a ridiculous and interesting stage show, though I can see the side of the coin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZt64_XOflk
granted, they’re moving a bit more in this one.

By: synthhead

synthhead — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:50:28 +0000

Bill

Thanks for the comment. It seems like people either are fans and love the current show, or are viewing the show as just another concert, and are disappointed by the lack of visual connection between what the musicians are doing and what you hear.

A great example of a DJ that communicates what he’s doing in a musically visual way is BT. He does some insane stuff, his body communicates what he’s doing & nobody thinks he’s checking his email!

By: bill holland- gearwire

bill holland- gearwire — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:12:17 +0000

I was at the show in Milwaukee, and I viewed it as somewhat of a religious experience. It surprises me that all of the reviewers of the show seem to not get Kraftwerk’s whole schtick that they’ve been doing forever. This isn’t a new thing that they stand up their like- surprise- robots and play minimal pop beats against graphically bold visuals. They’re from the future, for the love of God.

This, of course, is coming from me, a DJ who has often scoffed at laptop DJ performances as being boring. Although, recently, I took the plunge myself. I should note, however, that Kraftwerk were all playing live keyboards at the show. You could actually hear the moments when the keyboards would go a little off sync in that way that human playing does. The one downside to the show was the absence of Florian Schneider, one of the original two members of Kraftwerk along with Ralf Hutter.

In reply to Empire, I’m a big fan of Juan Atkins, but you’d be amazed by how many techno and house heads dismiss early Detroit Techno as being cheesy. Yeah, it’s dated, but so is Kraftwerk. At the same time, both achieved a vision of things to come that has had a lasting impact on electronic music.

By: synthhead

synthhead — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:04:42 +0000

Empire – thanks for your comments – but you might want to check out the original post for some context.

By: Empire

Empire — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:48:09 +0000

Are you guys serious? Kraftwerk is one of the most influential electronic music acts in the world. You know their drummer invented the drum pad, just so he could sit still and drum and thereby not interfere with their “schtick,” as you call it.

I’m looking forward to future posts in which you claim that Frankie Knuckles ruined disco, Juan Atkins makes “that weird spacey music,” and Future Sound of London is “just a bunch of guys who never leave their house.”