KMFDM was part of the industrial revolution, not the technological one, but were pioneers in the aggressive techno working. They attached heavy metal guitars, to take an already loud and blusterous sound to the next level. The origins of the band's name goes back to 1984 when the band was a mere art school project. Many people wear convinced the band name had something to do with bad blood between them and Depeche More. In fact, the band’s name Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, literally translates as "no majority for the pity", but the loose translation of "no pity for the majority" is most commonly used.
The band arrived in Seattle in July to start the Salvation Tour rehearsals in what has been hinted as their last US tour as the cost just isn’t economical with all the taxes. With nineteen albums to their credit, the bands catalogue is vast to say the least and narrowing down a twenty song set would take some craft. Last year’s release Our Time Will Come would of course have them most tracks played from it, three, but didn’t end up overwhelming the set. The remainder of the set was split among twelve more albums. All in all, the set was/is a fare retrospective of the band’s career.
The set [http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kmfdm/2015/civic-theatre-new-orleans-la-5bf67f9c.html] that the band rehearsed in Seattle would end up being played every night. Some may argue with so many albums, why not change it up a bit? The simple and most obvious answer is programming. The band has a massive light show, which stays the same from venue to venue for the most part. The show at The Civic was a well-crafted work of art combining that amazing light show with the progressive industrial beats that KMFDM have been known for.
I saw the band back in 2009 at the House of Blues. It was a great show and at that time, I couldn’t even think of them being any better. Flash-forward to the Civic show and boy was I mistaken. It’s amazing how a band can evolve in six years; then again they have been evolving even since their inception in 1984. Austin, Texas band Chant had the daunting duty of opening up for KMFDM. The three piece tribal-industrial drum project relied heavily on procession, as the lead singer Bradley Bills sat, stood, and sang center stage. He was positioned behind an elaborate steal structured drum kit that lit with the tribal beats at hand. The band was dark and moody and clearly influenced by the likes of My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult and KMFDM. The forty five minute set was explosive and moody, the perfect appetizer for the main course.
KMFDM put on a clinic of musical mayhem and controlled aggression. Both Lucia Cifarelli and Sascha Konietzko commanded the stage in their own ways. Guitarist and bassist Jules Hodgson as well as guitarist Steve White enjoyed the free range that the open stage offered while drummer Andy Selway felt at home behind his set, pushing the tracks forward. The audience, was aggressive, in the true spirit of an industrial music show, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less. You can see more photos of the Civic show here: http://jalbum.net/a/1648118
