|
Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse - Tue Jan 13
A near capacity audience assembles at Visy Theatre for the first of the Brisbane components of the inaugural All Tomorrow’s Parties festival. Opening the festival are German Krautrock giants Harmonia, the trio of Michael Rother (once of Neu! and Kraftwerk), Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius (both of Cluster) who have recently emerged from musical hibernation after a thirty-year hiatus.
Over an hour-plus performance, Harmonia perform a contemporary update of their classic Krautrock via Kosmiche pop sound capsules as originally heard on 1974’s Musik Von Harmonia, 1976’s Deluxe and the oft-overlooked Tracks And Traces. Rother, Moebius and Roedelius reference selections from their back catalogue such as Veteranissimo and Immer Wieder whilst improvising a series of new works, with equal emphasis on the iconic propulsive motorik beat and ethereal minimalist space drone.
Like contemporaries Kraftwerk (although the visual intrigue of working behind a wall of synthesisers has been usurped by technological advances) Harmonia’s reconstruction of past works respectfully bridges the barrier between past and present. Whilst this coming together of the history of post-institutionalised electronic music occasionally sounds slightly dated rather than anything classic (despite being more portable than the Moogs, ARPs and Korgs of yore, the substituted Nord Modulars hardly suffice). Still, the configuration featuring Rother on guitar, laptop and effects and both Moebius and Roedelius tinkering with synthesisers, samplers and effects is largely fascinating to watch.
Harmonia’s sound additionally includes swathes of modern electronic ‘digitalia’, with a variety of sounds and processes hinting at a contemporary influence of German minimal techno and glitch artists such as Mouse On Mars and Oval, and much of the ~scape and Mille Plateaux labels.
An unintentional cough provides a slightly incongruous yet light-hearted ending to the performance, with all three members receiving a deservedly rapturous reception.
ANDREW TUTTLE
|
| Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged. |
|
Be first to comment on this article
