Pioneering German electronic collective Kraftwerk will perform eight of its studio albums in their entirety at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art over eight consecutive nights this spring, a ground-breaking multimedia presentation dubbed “Kraftwerk – Retrospective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8” that will include new 3-D visual accompaniment.
The performances are set for April 10 through 17 at MoMA’s Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium. According to museum officials, each night will feature the full performance of one of the group’s albums, in chronological order, “followed by a selection of original compositions from their catalogue adapted specifically for this exhibition’s format, to showcase both Kraftwerk’s historical contributions and contemporary influences on sound and image culture.”
The staging for each performance will mix sound and 3-D images “to present more than 40 years of musical and technological innovation, with new improvisations and 3-D projections.”
In a news release, chief curator at large Klaus Biesenbach says:
“Kraftwerk is an influential force not only in music, but also in visual culture. Through their experimentation with how images and sound are shaped by the latest recording and visualization tools, they have continuously anticipated the impact of technology on everyday life, and have captured the human condition in an era of rapidly changing mobility and telecommunication. Today, they remain vital to contemporary practice through their intersection of popular culture, mass media, and artistic production. In Kraftwerk’s practice, all of the components—melodic music and ambient sound, elaborate stage sets, live performance and performance by robots, their trademark videos and logo-like still imagery, all conceived and realized by the artists themselves—coalesce as one work of art.”
Seating is extremely limited for the performances, and tickets, $25, go on sale at noon Feb. 22 via MoMAKraftwerkTickets.showclix.
Kraftwerk – Retrospective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 at MoMA
April 10: Autobahn (1974)
April 11: Radio-Activity (1975)
April 12: Trans Europe Express (1977)
April 13: The Man-Machine (1978)
April 14: Computer World (1981)
April 15: Techno Pop (1986)
April 16: The Mix (1991)
April 17: Tour De France (2003)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Kraftwerk joins New Order on first day of Miami’s Ultra Music Festival in March
- Kraftwerk reissuing 8 classic albums, plus ‘12345678 The Catalogue’ box set
Oh man…this is going to be incredible! I wish I could be there, especially for “Man Machine” and “T.E.E!”
A friend in Washington state send this link to me and proposed we go. I am in Atlanta. Seems worth it to me. Even for one night!
My God, what I wouldn’t give to be able to attend this. I was fortunate/blessed to see the guys on their 1975 AUTOBAHN tour (with lead-on act Pavlov’s Dog) in Lincoln, Nebraska…a night I will never forget, having just recently been turned on to their music. I pray that this event will be recorded for posterity and released on both DVD and CD.
My only regret concerning this event is that they have apparently chosen not to perform their 1973 RALF & FLORIAN album. To hear “Ananas Symfonie” live in concert would be nothing short of transcendant.
All I will say is… WOW. That beats most other artists’ attempts at the old ‘we’ll play two/three albums in a row on the one night’ by a mile! Agree with Doug – let’s hope this is recorded for a live DVD/CD release (presumably with 3-D specs!)…