Kraftklub in Berlin: “Kargo” tour – that was the concert in the Max-Schmeling-Halle
This December 1, 2022 in Berlin was gray. And cold. Very cold even. If you needed a symbolic image for relentless winter blues, the capital would have made a very worthy motif. That means fast. Those who were lucky enough to stand in the Max-Schmeling-Halle in the evening might remember the day differently. They found themselves in an enclave fueled by indie riffs and political chants, where temperatures were closer to boiling than freezing. No trace of sadness. The prevailing state of mind was euphoria – thanks to Kraftklub.
In Berlin, the K in the Kraftklub was thrown off the stage with particular force
Anyone who watched the spectacle could almost forget that Kraftklub paused a full five years. Sure, frontman Felix Brummer prevented during this time the stage name from and with civil surname as “Kummer” a very successful solo interlude – number 1 album with “Kiox” included. After several corona-related interruptions, he ended the associated tour in September with the “Last Concert” in a sold-out double gig in Berlin’s Wuhlheide. And guitarist Steffen Israel didn’t completely disappear from the scene either. On the EP “Pet Peeves”, which was released in 2020, the Dortmund surf punk “Dens” appeared as a producer.
Kraftklub has remained true to itself as a German indie “flagship”.
Even so, this instantaneous familiarity is amazing. The reason for this is certainly that Kraftklub have remained true to themselves even after their rise to Germany’s indie “flagship”. In the spirit of their hits “I don’t want to go to Berlin” from their debut album “Mit K”, they still live in Chemnitz. What’s more, they basically planned the local scene single-handedly, paving the way for local bands like Blond and Power Plush. For all those who are now wondering: Yes, the Berlin-shaming song was also played on Thursday evening – and was sung along so frenetically that parts of the capital’s audience must assume acute geographical self-denial.
But back to the band’s familiarity with K. They stayed true to themselves musically on their fourth studio album. The fact that Kraftklub still sounds like, well, Kraftklub, was reminded to the band as redundancy in one or the other feuilletonistic reflex. In Berlin, however, she was celebrated for it. In fact, you have to see the group live to get a full explanation, and more importantly, an understanding of the familiar mix of electric guitar staccato, political lyrics and rap flows. After all, these five East German guys have managed to distill the essence of a damn fantastic live show during their rise from clubs like Chemnitz Atomino to the arenas of the country. Why should one touch such a mixture?
The wheel of fortune was also used again in the Max-Schmeling-Halle
typical for Kraftklub is a clear political positioning against the right. The band doesn’t just package social criticism in catchy lyrics. After the protest anthem “Schüsse in the Luft” (“shots in the air”), singer Felix Brummer took the floor and explained his understanding of the actions of the “last generation” and their involvement in putting climate protection in the foreground of political action. “You have to be disruptive,” says Brummer. “And it would be better to talk about why this protest is necessary.” In Berlin, he met with this opinion with collective approval, feedback from repeated “Scheiss CDU” calls.
Also on stage in Berlin: Mia Morgan and Blond
At the end of the concert, neither the band nor the fans should have left anything to be desired. The latter also celebrated the Kassel indie popper Mia Morgan not only for her feature on “Kein Gott, kein Staat, nur du”, but also as a support act for the Berlin show with due euphoria. This also applied to the formation Blond, which also had a brief appearance with Kraftklub on the joint song “So schön”.
It was a long road for Kraftklub from their first Berlin concert at the Knaack-Klub, which hasn’t existed since 2010, to December 1st in the Max-Schmeling-Halle. Felix Brummer knows that too. “But after all this time, we’re still what we always thought we were: a live band.” An assessment shared by many who returned to the icy Berlin night after three hours.