KVR Audio

ross g · Post by **ross g** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 4:13 am

Anybody going? I most likely won't and now i feel silly for not planning it strait on. Anybody seen 'em on this tour? What's it like? It's sold out, but you can usually get tickets if you just show up early enough, i did that for the final Ramones tour on a whim. I've seen Kraftwerk once, one of the best shows, especially the sound, i've attended...

thanks,
rg

(EDIT) if anyone has an extra ticket, pm me, this would increase the chance of me going, as i would need to find a sitter and find/scalp a ticket, etc... thanks

ross g · Post by **ross g** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:07 am

i might try to see the show if i get some feedback (like "ya gotta see it!!!"), hard to believe nobody on this site has seen Kraftwerk on this tour...

rg

LBN · Post by **LBN** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:12 am

I saw Kraftwerk in Seattle last year. For me it was a very moving experience. I never thought I would get to see them live. My date was less than impressed. ("Are they just going to stand there the whole time?") Anyway, if you're a Kraftwerk fan by any stretch of the definition you should make it to the show, especially if it's in your town (I had to fly across the country). The sound was amazing. Any doubts I may have had about virtual instruments disappeared completely that night.

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:17 am

Ppl love the show. From what I've seen, it looks like they just stand there. Are you paying for the sound system? They sound just fine in my headphones.

Perhaps if they had huge analogue racks and walked around tweaking them......

deggy · Post by **deggy** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:22 am

I caught them in Toronto a year ago. It was a decent show but the sound was amazing. The old tracks sounded so much better than before- especially pocket calculator, computer world, home computer and the man machine stuff.

The multimedia stuff was decent. I have no clue what anyone was "playing" because it really did all sound sequenced, but it didn't matter because I had a great time. The only part of the show that seemed to drag a bit was all of the "new" stuff from Tour de France. Other than that, it was pretty cool.

deggy · Post by **deggy** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:24 am

androidlove wrote: Perhaps if they had huge analogue racks and walked around tweaking them......

like john tesh?

hehe

jegha · Post by **jegha** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:24 am

i want to hear them live one time in my life, but they never come to germany, altough they are born and living in it! kraftwerk live has to be good, because the new alvbum (minimux-maximum) is recorded from the live shows, nearly perfect!!

ross g · Post by **ross g** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:30 am

when i saw them they had a bunch of doepfer stuff that i could see, those sequencers and such, i understand they were using analog live triggerd from their controlers, the thing you have to understand about kraftwerk is that they use the most current technology available in a pretty big way, it ain't just the sound system, the visuals, sound, the tech, all combined, a great experience, agian, one of the best shows i've seen, on the level of the best jazz musicians....

rg

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:33 am

deggy wrote: I have no clue what anyone was "playing" because it really did all sound sequenced

How is this "live"?

How about a DVD with new surround versions and a light show? At least I could skip the parts that "drag".

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:38 am

At least Philip Glass had some "live" instruments. However, 1000 Airplanes on the Roof was a better value.

quantize · Post by **quantize** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:41 am

Go if you're a fan (as i am) but the fact is it's pretty darn dull watchin three guys check their email and playback their songs from cubase (systemlinked)..the video show was also a bit lacklustre..i dig Atari-retro gfx but in this day and age it just doesnt cut if for a whole show..it is meant to be 'entertainment' after all..no matter how legendary you are (or think you are)...sonically its a great show tho..cant be faulted there..

ross g · Post by **ross g** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:42 am

androidlove wrote:
deggy wrote: I have no clue what anyone was "playing" because it really did all sound sequenced
How is this "live"?

How about a DVD with new surround versions and a light show? At least I could skip the parts that "drag".

then don't fuckin' go...i seen em' and i was impressed how much pretty much all of it was done "live"....all the keyboard chordy stuff, the beats, sequency and effecty stuff, all triggerd/played by people... it's one thing to ask questions, it's another to assume someting without knowing what you are talking about, like you are trying to set some kind of polemic deal....
(edit)

you have to understand, i've seen them once before, and although they do kind of stand there, all the music is played, not merely "played back" as it may seem from some replys or your pre-consceptions; again, one of the best shows i've seen; as for the visuals, i liked it, even though some of the content would be considered old hat, a lot of it is part of the shit they came up with before, like a nod and a wink, the whole wire model stuff, it's like ironic and nostalgia in a way, i won't defend kraftwerk, they don't need it, but i don't have a problem explaining a bit... if you don't dig, just don't go to the show or waste our time...

rg

rg

quantize · Post by **quantize** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:42 am

sorry...*four guys* of course..

ps, i saw Phillip glass (and ensemble) perform 1000 Airplanes back in 88 and it was visually and sonically stunning

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:44 am

quantize wrote:ps, i saw Phillip glass (and ensemble) perform 1000 Airplanes back in 88 and it was visually and sonically stunning

OMG that 3D projected globe. The story was good too.

LBN · Post by **LBN** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:52 am

There are some bootleg videos shot from balconies of their most recent shows where you can see what's being played live. It would be accurate to describe as only a rough "skeleton" of the track is being played from the computer - drums, some sequences. A general overview of who plays what (from left to right): Ralf - chords, pads-type stuff, Henning - lead melodies, basslines, Fritz - percussive noises, master sequencer, live mixing (? - he has more sliders than anyone else and works them), Florian - vocoder effects, sound effects, additional melodies and chords. Before they switched to an all-laptop setup Fritz also had a drumpad at his station where he would play drums live on some songs. You can hear what each plays during "Music Non Stop" at the end of the concert. They play half the song together then each one does a short solo (beginning around 3:06) of their part before exiting the stage. Listen to the live CD and you can hear it (the exits are accompanied with applause). There is also tons of live tweaking and mixing going on. Henning was filter tweaking like a madman on "Tour de France 2003".

Anyway, if you're a fan you owe it to yourself to go.

It would be extremely cheesy if they strapped on remote keyboards and ran around the stage while accompanied by lasers and explosions. It would also be somewhat disingenuous if they tried to make the show more "live" by adding more people (and nobody expects guitar or acoustic drums at a Kraftwerk show). The show is pretty much as Ralf has described in the past: "We bring the studio with us. We just leave the walls at home." In the studio it's just the four guys working. It's the same thing on stage.

Kraftwerk in Chicago