There was an audio/visual performance billed as Cabaret Voltaire at the Berlin Atonal Festival this past weekend, and the bar was set very low concering most expectations. Granted, the show actually was not terrible for what it was; a Richard H. Kirk solo performance. However, would you see Peter Hook billing himself as Joy Division (instead of Peter Hook and the Light), but not performing a single Joy Division track, and instead trojan horsing all new material? This is exactly the scenario that transpired last Saturday night, as Stephen Mallinder was not involved (Mallinder did, however, recently record a new version of Obsession with Dub Mentor, in a style more befitting the Cabaret Voltaire name.)
Tagging the gig as “No nostalgia”, yet instead of billing himself solo, ironically, Kirk used that very nostalgia to significantly enhance his draw, which is a shame, because his solo work is actually quite good. (Check out Richard H. Kirk’s early solo work reissued via Minimal Wave.)
As for the recent performance, you can watch part 1 above and the rest below (via YouTube user FarrahAnwar)
