Eins, zwei, drei, vier! At precisely 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, pioneering German electronic band Kraftwerk took to the stage at Detroit’s Masonic Temple for the return of its 3D concert experience, where the iconic group’s songs were paired with lights and graphics enhanced by those tastefully gauche white paper ’50s-era 3D glasses. The band last brought its 3D tour to Detroit in 2015, and returned to headline Movement Music Festival in 2016.
For more than five decades, Kraftwerk has pushed the boundaries of music with electronic songs about the “Autobahn” (a highway system in Germany), the “Tour de France,” and “The Model.” The 3D experience was amplified by the incredible crowd of fans spanning generations who came to see the influential group, who laid down the blueprints for electropop and heavily inspired what would become Detroit techno.
The set came alive with the sounds of the vocoders and synths, creating a whirlpool of synthetic sound. The band also wore black bodysuits covered in receptors that changed color along with the stage and backgrounds. With black, white, and red shapes and grids bouncing through the glasses, it felt like stepping into the Mensch-Machine’s record sleeve. Every moment was pure articulated precision. Kraftwerk proved they’re still in the game, with no room for error.
Some of the best visuals included a Google Earth image of Michigan with the red pin on Detroit and an Atomic Age UFO flying through Detroit, passing the skyline, and landing in front of the Masonic. This sweet nod to Detroit thrilled the crowd and brought even more spirit to the Masonic.
The crowd was excited and receptive to every track, but “Autobahn” seemed to be the tipping point for the masses, with cheers reverberating off the walls when the blue and white symbol from the record cover popped up on the screen. However, the art for this track’s 3D graphics looked like they were designed using SolidWorks with images of a driverless VW Beetle starting and driving down the Autobahn, along with a blue Mercedes Benz, a few tanker trucks, and flatbed trailers. While the song was entertaining and the art was charming, the group of young adults behind us screaming the moment “Autobahn” started to play might have been the best part.
The show wouldn’t have been complete without “The Model,” but unlike the other tracks, instead of using computers to create the art, they played the official music video for the track. Posted on YouTube in 2014, the black-and-white video set to footage of glamorous fashion models has gained over 5 million views and was incredible to see on the big screen.
At one point, the band members were replaced with mannequins standing in their place, prompting questions about man vs. machine. The encore featured “Pocket Calculator” and “Musique Non Stop,” rounding out the setlist. Altogether, the show was more than just a concert, but an all-around experience that perfectly intertwined man and machine — a testament to the legacy of founding members Ralph Hütter and the late Florian Schneider, who forever changed the landscape of pop music, one song at a time.
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