Kraftwerk @ Ovens Auditorium

So what do you do on a St Patrick's Day Monday?  Go and see the German pioneers of EDM, of course!

I don't know much about Kraftwerk, but if a band is doing a 50th anniversary tour, they've go to be doing something right.  Right?  I'm still not sure.

I bought a last minute ticket and headed over to Ovens because it had been over a month since I'd seen a show.  And I need live music - I can feel it.  I'm panicked because I have nothing for certain coming up until May.  Anyway at 8pm (on the dot), 4 guys walked on stage, stood behind what looked like 4 desks and proceeded to "play" for the next 2 hours.  I say "play" because, for all I know they pressed a button, and then everything was done for the night.  As for the music, it's not my thing, but I can see where this was revolutionary at the time.  I'm glad I was there, like when I saw Daft Punk, but I'm not sure I'll ever hear another Kraftwerk song again.  Visually, it was stunning.  A video choreographed to every song and Kraftwerk's suits blending in with said videos.

At first it felt like I was in a German Contemporary Art Museum watching a video.  Everyone around me seemed interested art students, and as if they knew what was happening.  I had no idea what was going on.  But I did grow into it.  The Man Machine was familiar to me.  I really liked Neon Lights.  Geiger Counter and Radioactivity were a good follow up and Robots near the end was a good song.

Again I had a good night, but maybe not a great night.  Not what I'd usually see, but glad I went to my one and only Kraftwerk show.

Kraftwerk, Ovens Auditorium

Kraftwerk, Ovens Auditorium

Kraftwerk, Ovens Auditorium

Kraftwerk Setlist

The Crap Facts
This is my 516th concert.
This is my 5th concert at Ovens Auditorium.
This is my 114th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 137th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 316th concert in the USA.
Kraftwerk are the 600th band I've seen.

Grand Cayman Island

Charlotte FC v Atlanta United @ Bank Of America Stadium

 

Charlotte FC 2 (P. Biel 49', W. Zaha 54') defeated Atlanta United 0
Paid Attendance: 51,002

The Get Up Kids @ The Underground

I saw the Get Up Kids back at Riot Fest in 2014.  Never heard of them, but checked them out.  The show was fun, so to see them in a small club, and they were going to play the same album - Something To Write Home About - was a no brainer.

Anyway, Monday night came around, my concert mate bailed, and I didn't particularly want to go.  I forced myself as I hadn't been to a show yet this year.

The Underground was 3/4 full and the band kicked off just as I got into a great spot overlooking the stage (in front of the raised bar).  I never followed up with their music after Riot Fest so I was unfamiliar with the set yet again.  It was a good show, but just didn't catch my attention this time.  You could see the crowd of 30-40 somethings reliving their youth and having a blast, but their sound. a poppier-punk, was not really my thing.  After they finished playing their album, a 8 song encore was cut short by me after Stay Golden, Ponyboy.

Listen, not my favorite show, but far from the least favorite, and I'm glad I went.  Push myself back into live music after a 2 month break, hopefully inspires me to go to more shows, and stuff that I wouldn't normally see (Gary Clark Jr & Kraftwerk are 2 shows coming up that spring to mind).  Get Up Kids had a good crowd on a Monday night in Charlotte, and played a show that the crowd wanted to see.  WHo know, maybe I'll go back for the promised 50 year anniversary.

Get Up Kids Setlist

The Crap Facts

This is my 515th concert.
This is my 11th concert at The Underground.
This is my 113th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 136th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 315th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Get Up Kids concert.