Fritz Kalkbrenner Coming To Dublin
The name Kalkbrenner seems to hold some sort of mystical properties for Irish people. Even those who couldn’t tell their Fatboy Slims from their Norman Cooks seem to have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the two German brothers Paul and Fritz. Older brother and techno wizard Paul stomped Longitude earlier this summer (as well as smashing a sellout Olympia back at the start of summer 2012) however the younger Kalk, Fritz, has rarely been seen on these shores. Hence it was no surprise that news of a Fritz Kalkbrenner show at the Button Factory on September 13th was greeted with mass approval and plenty of informed comments “he’s the brother of Paul and he’s also deadly”.
So what is the younger Kalkbrenner really about? He’s certainly partial to an addictive vocal hook, that’s for sure. The more remarkable part is that it’s often himself who sings the hook. Yes he’s also got some prowess behind the mike. In fact that’s where he derives the majority of his fame. He provided the vocals for the incredible anthem that was Sky & Sand alongside his brother Paul. The track took Germany by storm (and later most of Europe) made national heroes of the Kalkbrenner brothers and provided the movie Berlin Calling (in which older brother Paul starred) with one of the most impressive soundtracks this side of Leipzig.
Despite initially rising to prominence off the back of his brothers fame Fritz has now established himself as a formidable artist and garnered a reputation as somewhat of a soul boy. Not surprising considering the nature of his vocal talents. Soul music is the foundation of all his musical endeavors. It’s clear when listening to his music that he has been influenced by everything from hip-hop to techno but it is most definitely the soul which ties it all together.
In a world where anybody can pick up a laptop and strum out a dance track in just a few hours, the music of Kalkbrenner stands out. It’s clear he has devoted time to his craft, molding his own sound different from anything else out there. That’s the draw of this show. It hasn’t been grouped into a particular genre; it’s a dance show, an occasion.
You can probably count on one hand the number of truly innovative producers and performers in the dance scene that make the trip to Ireland every year and so, on September 13th you can be sure there will be a full house lying in wait for this man. A considerable coup for promoters JACK who have just recently began their weekly escapades in the Button Factory. It will be interesting to see what they have in store for the coming weeks and months if this is the caliber of act they will be offering.
Listen to: Sky and Sand, Little By Little, Monte Rosa, Get A Life