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Kraftwerk prepare for Tate retrospective Kraftwerk kick off Tate Modern retrospective
(about 9 hours later)
German electro pioneers Kraftwerk will commence an eagerly-anticipated series of eight shows at the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall on Wednesday evening. German electro pioneers, Kraftwerk have played the first of their eagerly-anticipated series of eight shows at the Tate Modern.
Kraftwerk: The Catalogue is described as a "chronological exploration" of the reclusive group's "sonic experiments" with "spectacular 3D effects". The quartet played their 1974 number one album, Autobahn, to 1,250 fans in the gallery's Turbine Hall.
The retrospective, dubbed The Catalogue, is described as a "chronological exploration" of the reclusive group's "sonic experiments".
It was first performed at New York's Museum of Modern Art last year.It was first performed at New York's Museum of Modern Art last year.
With just 10,000 spaces available, the Tate website crashed as fans rushed to buy tickets last December.With just 10,000 spaces available, the Tate website crashed as fans rushed to buy tickets last December.
The gallery apologised "unreservedly" to fans, saying its system had been "overwhelmed" by demand for the eight-night residency, which marks the band's first London shows since 2004.The gallery apologised "unreservedly" to fans, saying its system had been "overwhelmed" by demand for the eight-night residency, which marks the band's first London shows since 2004.
Beginning with their fourth album, 1974's Autobahn, the four-piece will also play Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991) and Tour de France (2003), along with additional compositions from their back catalogue. Kraftwerk came on stage at 21:00 GMT on Wednesday and played for two hours, including 15 minutes of the track Autobahn.
Fans described the performance of music and 3D visuals as "mesmerising", "stunning" and "living up to the hype".
"It was incredible and really emotional," said Jane Wilson, who attended with her sister Louise
"To hear a piece that's been reworked from the 1970s was just brilliant. It was epic."
Over the next seven nights the four-piece will play a series of albums from their back catalogue, including Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991) and Tour de France (2003), along with additional compositions from their back catalogue.
Founded in 1970 by Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider, Kraftwerk are best known for their 1981 number one hit The Model and the 22-minute track Autobahn which, in edited form, reached number 11 in 1975.Founded in 1970 by Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider, Kraftwerk are best known for their 1981 number one hit The Model and the 22-minute track Autobahn which, in edited form, reached number 11 in 1975.
Their pioneering music reflected upon the relationship between humans and technology, and their experiments with tapes and synthesizers later became predominant elements of pop music.Their pioneering music reflected upon the relationship between humans and technology, and their experiments with tapes and synthesizers later became predominant elements of pop music.
They are credited as influences on everything from hip-hop to chill-out via drum and bass and house.They are credited as influences on everything from hip-hop to chill-out via drum and bass and house.
Among the musicians inspired by the German band was Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, who will attend Wednesday's opening night, 28 years after he first saw them play live at the Liverpool Empire. Among the musicians inspired by the German band was Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, who attended Wednesday's opening night, 28 years after he first saw them play live at the Liverpool Empire.
"It was the first day of the rest of my life," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "It was the first day of the rest of my life," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday morning.
"Music had settled into a comfortable legacy of Anglo-American blues, and these four guys came over and broke the mould. They looked different, sounded different. It certainly was my eureka moment.""Music had settled into a comfortable legacy of Anglo-American blues, and these four guys came over and broke the mould. They looked different, sounded different. It certainly was my eureka moment."
By the time McCluskey saw the band in 1975, they had settled into their "classic" line-up, with Hutter and Schneider joined by Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flur.By the time McCluskey saw the band in 1975, they had settled into their "classic" line-up, with Hutter and Schneider joined by Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flur.
Notoriously secretive, they operated out of a Dusseldorf studio which was said to have had no telephone, fax or reception.Notoriously secretive, they operated out of a Dusseldorf studio which was said to have had no telephone, fax or reception.
Bartos and Flur left in 1982 and, following Schneider's departure in 2008, Hutter is now the group's last remaining founding member.Bartos and Flur left in 1982 and, following Schneider's departure in 2008, Hutter is now the group's last remaining founding member.
Writing in the Telegraph, music critic Ben Thompson questioned whether Kraftwerk can still be a "functioning" pop group with the absence of the three members who contributed to band's most successful albums, which form a majority of the retrospective at the Tate.
"In the same way that the Turbine Hall isn't a functioning power station any more - it's the hollowed-out shell of an industrial past - you could argue that the 21st-century version of Kraftwerk isn't a functioning pop group," he said.
Following Kraftwerk's series of concerts in New York, the group promised they would release a new album soon, which would be the first in nearly a decade.