Kraftwerk still charging their batteries

The Live at the Marquee series has brought many acts to Cork over the years, but none as important as Kraftwerk.

The German electric pioneers could well be the most influential act of all time – yes, and that does include the Beatles.

For more than 40 years the music of Germany’s own Fab Four has informed and inspired nearly every aspect of popular music – directly influencing electro, synthpop, hip-hop, techno and all modern recording techniques.

From the utilitarian synth ambience of their 1974 album Autobahn, to the space age singular vision of 1978’s The Man Machine and the year-zero electro manifesto Computer World in 1980, Kraftwerk’s work will still feel timeless in decades to come.

The iconic red shirt/black tie combo of Ralf, Florian, Karl and Wolfgang has long been decommissioned, leaving Ralf Hutter in charge of preserving and fine-tuning the finest back catalogue in electro-pop – and the Robot mannequins still make an appearance on stage.

Kraftwerk were a live enigma for some 20 years, with concert dates sporadic at best. But since the Minimum-Maximum showcase beginning in 2003 — including a majestic show at Dublin’s Olympia — they’ve almost been constantly on tour, with their stunning retrofuturist graphic visuals and sound design tweaks.

This 3D shows comes with classic 80s cardboard glasses, so expect Robot arms, Showroom Dummies, Trans Europe Express train tracks and wireframe vector graphics to come within your reach, in one of the most spectacular music and art presentations of the modern era.