And it has taken over 50 years in the journey of Kraftwerk to make it and perform their very first show on Teesside.
The Godfathers of Electro’s 3D Multimedia tour has performed in such illustrious venues as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and Sydney Opera House.
So it is something of a coup for the show to be performed at our very own Globe Theatre – and what a show it is!
Remaining founder member Ralf Hütter is joined by his three bandmates who all stand stock still behind synth stands on a podium on stage, with all lit by LED lights.
But the real star of the show is the state of the art graphics on a huge screen that enhance the monumental beats and melodies into a truly transcendental experience.
They are at their best illustrating Kraftwerk’s songs about transit, the shiny VWs and Mercedes cars in Autobahn, the trains in Trans Europe Express and the cyclists in Tour De France.
There is a nice touch during Spacelab as we watch the approaching earth from a spacecraft window growing closer until we see a panoramic view of Stockton-on-Tees and the Globe Theatre itself, which brings a cheer from the capacity audience.
The stage goes dark though at one point when Hütter addresses the audience for the only time in the evening to pay tribute to their friend and collaborator, the late Ryuichi Sakamoto before performing a poignant version of the composer’s Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.
The two hour show is amazing, but this reviewer feels that the ‘Werk’s legendary throbbing basslines and beats could have perhaps been louder – but maybe that’s the half deaf raver in me!
The show ends with the classic The Robots with the band members’ eerie robotic mannequins projected on the screen behind them – a striking way to bring the impeccably presented experience to a close.
