I first discovered Kraftwerk in my senior year of college, around the same time I got into Yellow Magic Orchestra. Both groups emerged in the ’70s, and while I was listening to a lot of Dash Berlin and Avicii back then, exploring Kraftwerk felt like tracing electronic music back to its origins. If you’re unfamiliar with them, Kraftwerk are German electronic pioneers from Düsseldorf, active since the 1970s. Their music is distinctly robotic and meticulously engineered—heavily driven by synthesizers and mechanical precision. I’m no expert in music theory, but their influence is undeniable.
I was also surprised to come across their work in Programmed: Rules, Codes, and Choreographies in Art, 1965–2018, an exhibition at the Whitney Museum in 2019. One of the highlights was Nam June Paik’s video works, where Kraftwerk’s influence was unmistakable. The show featured animations from Musique Non Stop (1986), one of Kraftwerk’s early ventures into computer-generated visuals, created by artist Rebecca Allen. As art critic Roberta Smith noted, the video’s mechanized sound and distorted voices, along with its animation, perfectly align with Kraftwerk’s robotic aesthetic. Seeing their presence in an art context, beyond just music, reaffirmed how ahead of their time they really were.
It’s fascinating how they envisioned themes like robots, computer dating, and AI friendships long before any of it became reality. My personal favorites are “Computer Love” and “The Man-Machine,” which have also been sampled by Coldplay’s “Talk” (2005) and Jay-Z’s “Sunshine” (1997). Apart from their music, I’m really drawn to their album cover art. I’d always wanted to catch them live, so when I heard they were coming to Philadelphia for the first night of their Multimedia Tour 2025, I knew I had to go.
I was also surprised to come across their work in Programmed: Rules, Codes, and Choreographies in Art, 1965–2018, an exhibition at the Whitney Museum in 2019. One of the highlights was Nam June Paik’s video works, where Kraftwerk’s influence was unmistakable. The show featured animations from Musique Non Stop (1986), one of Kraftwerk’s early ventures into computer-generated visuals, created by artist Rebecca Allen. As art critic Roberta Smith noted, the video’s mechanized sound and distorted voices, along with its animation, perfectly align with Kraftwerk’s robotic aesthetic. Seeing their presence in an art context, beyond just music, reaffirmed how ahead of their time they really were.
It’s fascinating how they envisioned themes like robots, computer dating, and AI friendships long before any of it became reality. My personal favorites are “Computer Love” and “The Man-Machine,” which have also been sampled by Coldplay’s “Talk” (2005) and Jay-Z’s “Sunshine” (1997). Apart from their music, I’m really drawn to their album cover art. I’d always wanted to catch them live, so when I heard they were coming to Philadelphia for the first night of their Multimedia Tour 2025, I knew I had to go.
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From left: Some of my favorite covers are Emil Schult’s work on
Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), and Trans-Europe Express (1977).
The Man-Machine (1978) features an iconic red-and-black design inspired by Russian Avant-Garde art.
Kraftwerk seems to have been touring globally without pause, yet I never managed to see them until now. This show was the first of their Multimedia Tour 2025, and I paid $133.72 (including tax and service fees) for two tickets. They’ll be in New York City in two weeks for two nights—one in the Upper West Side and another in Brooklyn. I’m curious about how those venues will compare to Franklin Music Hall here in Philadelphia. Despite travel costs, the ticket price in Philly was significantly lower, and it gave me a perfect excuse to explore the city since I’d never really toured it before.
(2) Exploring Philadelphia 🥨
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Before diving into the concert details, here’s how I spent my time in Philadelphia. I wandered around Reading Terminal Market and Fishtown, where I had a phenomenal Philly cheesesteak. My immediate impression of people in Philly was that they were incredibly hospitable.
It got me thinking—are people just friendlier outside New York City?
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Reading Terminal Market quickly became my favorite part of this short trip. Our Uber driver advised us to take a stroll first and scope out the options because there would be a lot to choose from. He was spot on. The moment I stepped inside, I was practically bombarded by vivid displays of food and tantalizing aromas coming from every direction. I couldn’t decide what to eat; I love markets like this because it’s such a feast for the senses.
On my way to the concert, I noticed a Macy’s store in the process of closing down. Literally everything inside was on sale. There were only a handful of employees left, and some people were rummaging for final deals. It felt like the end of an era—seeing a massive department store shutter like that reminded me of when Barneys New York and Lord & Taylor on Fifth Avenue closed their doors.
(3) The Concert: Franklin Music Hall 🎧
The audience spanned multiple generations; some people even brought their parents, which was heartwarming. I also noticed very few phones in the air—usually, when I take pictures at a concert, I see a sea of screens. It was refreshing to see everyone simply being in the moment.
I didn’t have any concrete expectations for the performance, aside from hearing that at one past show, they had the audience wear colored 3D glasses. They didn’t do that here, but the visuals were still pretty cool—reminding me of early 3D computer animation mixed with a bit of The Matrix.
One of the members, Ralf Hütter (far left in the image below), was actually singing the entire time, but I didn’t even realize it until halfway through the show. The robotic, synthesized vocal is almost like another instrument.
Their songs explore dehumanization, man-machine dynamics, and robotic themes, so the effect was fitting. The neon-striped suits synchronized with the stage lighting, making them look like an extension of the set itself—almost as if they were part of the machine
One of the members, Ralf Hütter (far left in the image below), was actually singing the entire time, but I didn’t even realize it until halfway through the show. The robotic, synthesized vocal is almost like another instrument.
Their songs explore dehumanization, man-machine dynamics, and robotic themes, so the effect was fitting. The neon-striped suits synchronized with the stage lighting, making them look like an extension of the set itself—almost as if they were part of the machine
Other than that, the stage featured four identical setups—one for each member—and a simple backdrop. While it worked well enough, I feel a more immersive or high-tech stage design could have enhanced their futuristic vibe. Given how captivating Kraftwerk’s music and graphics are, a laser show would have been brilliant.
Set List
Numbers / Computer World / Computer World 2
Home Computer / It’s More Fun to Compute
Spacelab
Airwaves
Tango
The Man-Machine
Electric Café
Autobahn
Computer Love
The Model
Neon Lights
Geiger Counter
Radioactivity
For the encore, they played “The Robots,” “Boing Boom Tschak,” and one other track I didn’t recognize. I only expected a single encore, so we ended up taking a later bus back to NYC. The sound throughout the show was consistently crisp and loud. Concert souvenir T-shirts seem to get more expensive every year, but I still treated myself to one. 🤡
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There wasn’t any dramatic stage antic—just a genuinely good vibe and courteous audience. In a way, it was like a trip to the deli. One thing I really appreciated was that they started exactly on time. The ticket said 8 PM, and at 8 PM sharp, the show began. This is rare—most concerts I’ve been to tend to start 30 to 60 minutes late, sometimes dragging on with an opening act that plays way too long before the main artist even comes on. Standing around, waiting in a packed venue, gets exhausting fast. So, the punctuality was definitely appreciated. (Sorry if this sounds boring, but it really matters!) Is it because they’re German?
All in all, this Multimedia Tour 2025 performance proved that Kraftwerk’s music remains ageless. Between the futuristic visuals, classic tracks, and multi-generational fans, they still stand tall as pioneers of electronic music.
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