Paul Kalkbrenner to Perform in Georgia
Georgia is exploring electronic music, and the capital’s nightlife is becoming ever brighter, with more people finding themselves wanting to join the rave culture. Indeed, Georgia’s touristic attractions are no longer limited to the country’s cuisine, lasting traditions, and thousands of years of history, as Tbilisi’s night scene increases in popularity. And now Paul Kalkbrenner is coming here is to help the cause.
Event series Monument on March 6 will present Paul Kalkbrenner, the Germany-based artist famous for his live acts and who has received a lot of prestigious awards. The German artist, performing in the Georgian capital for the first time, is unique in his artistic approach, for which he is extremely appreciated in the electronic music industry.
“Kalkbrenner’s demanding productions are full of energy; they exist to take listeners away from the everyday, from the weekly grind, into rapture: into art, ecstasy, absurdity friendship, hope and love,” the organizers of the event say.
Kalkbrenner who was just 12 years old when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, found his self-expression, like many others, in Techno music. As he himself would later say, techno music to him sounded something like the soundtrack of Germany’s reunification.
In the autumn of 1992, together with his friend Sascha Funke, he started DJing at local youth clubs. Very quickly, Paul and Sascha were either DJing or passionately collecting records, as electronic dance music’s first tidal wave spilled over dance floors in Berlin’s soon-to-be legendary clubs Tresor, Planet, Walfisch and e-werk. Kakbrenner’s ambitions soon grew, and the desire to play his own music live emerged. His first tracks were released on Ellen Allien’s newly founded Bpitch Control label in 1999. In contrast to the darker, monotone sounds that characterized techno at the time, Kalkbrenner’s music was more melodic and enriched the listeners with a warm feeling, attracting more and more to his rave scenes.
In 2004, his career took an upturn when Berlin-based film director and self-confessed Kalkbrenner fan, Hannes Stoehr, got in touch with him. Stoehr was planning to make a movie about an electronic musician in Berlin’s techno scene and wanted the German emerging artist to produce the soundtrack. As the script for the film developed, Hannes suggested Paul might be perfect starring in the film. ‘Berlin Calling’ became a surprise hit, and a German cult movie in its own right. It drew audiences all around Europe and stayed on the big screen at Berlin’s Central Kino for several years. The soundtrack went platinum and the single ‘Sky and Sand’ spent over 121 consecutive weeks in the German singles charts, a German record. Unsurprisingly, Kalkbrenner’s contribution to contemporary music grew thanks to the commercial success of the movie. The musician has already produced eight studio albums and is a constant feature on musical charts worldwide. He has headlined numerous festivals, among them Tomorrowland (BE), Lollapalooza (FRA, DE), Coachella (USA), Ultra Miami (USA), and Glastonbury (Exit Festival).
The Tbilisi show will have an age control of 18+. Tickets are already on sale, with prices starting from 50 GEL on tkt.ge.
By Nini Dakhundaridze
Image source: Monument on Facebook