Kraftwerk performs at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on June 2, 2022.
There was certainly a retro feel to Kraftwerk’s June 2 show at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago – driven by the group’s iconic analog synth sounds and sparse drum machine rhythms – but their unique visuals and robotic presence gave the evening a futuristic feel unlike that of any other live music experience. Special glasses – handed out at the door – and retro 3D imagery allowed the band to further their reach from the stage sending flying saucers, music notes and much more out to soar above the crowd.
There was no opening act and the performance began promptly at 8 p.m. at which point Ralf Hütter, Henning Schmitz, Fritz Hilpert, and Falk Grieffenhagen stepped on stage and got straight to the task at hand – laying the groundwork for a truly transcendent experience beat by beat. “Numbers / Computer World / Computer World 2” got the Krautrock party started with a swarm of three-dimensional numbers zipping towards the audience.
At times the 3D visuals were more subdued. During “Neon Lights,” colorful lines reminiscent to the visual artwork of Jeremy Blake washed over the screens drawing fans into an imaginative space while the music unfolded sweetly on stage providing a soundtrack for dreaming. “Tour de France / Étape 1 / Chrono / Prologue / Étape 2” brought the crowd straight into the action of the world famous bicycle race while the band – as motionless as ever – dropped breathy beats provoking movement and claps from fans across the venue.
Kraftwerk performs at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on June 2, 2022.
Huge cheers rose up at the sight of an unidentified flying object that soared over the Chicago skyline before landing at the Aragon during “Spacelab” and an almost 10-minute rendition of “Autobahn” unfolded as a road trip in a vintage Volkswagen. “The Man-Machine” – complete with vocoder harmonies – an expansive “Geiger Counter / Radioactivity” and “The Robots / Robotronik” were further highlights of the night.
By sharing sights and sounds of the past to create a futuristic concert-going experience, Kraftwerk delivered an opportunity to get lost in the present moment. Mindfulness never sounded so cool.
Check out photos from Kraftwerk’s June 2 performance below and click here to pick-up tickets to see them on future tour dates. More information about upcoming shows at the Aragon Ballroom can be found at Livenation.com.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
