LIVE 2002

I agree with the review from Andreas Korths: you cannot compare their concert from 2002 with "Live at home" from 1976. But this line-up still manages to evoke a bit magic from the past. And I have very good news for you: the label SPV just released a stunning 2-dvd set (running time 217 minutes) entitled "Krautrock Meeting", a Rockpalast initiative featuring six legendary Krautrock bands (Amon Duul II, Jane, Epitaph, Guru Guru, Karthago and Birth Control). Especially Jane delivers an outstanding peformance: half an hour they please their fans (99% male and 35+) with warm and driven renditions from "Daytime" (emotional climate and moving organplay), "Medley Windows/Spain (the band succeeds to create a Spanish atmosphere)" and "Out in the rain" (beautiful keyboards and sensitive electric guitarsolo), loaded with compelling keyboards (organ, wonderful Mellotron-samples and strings), fiery and powerful electric guitar (in the typical Krautrock vein) and good vocals (I like the voice from drummer Peter Panka). These veterans deserve this DVD exhibition, THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR THE FANS FROM THE GERMAN PROGROCK THAT FAMOUS UK DJ JOHN PEEL NAMED KRAUTROCK!!

Seeing as how Klaus Hess is not involved, and that Jane have acquired the 'Peter Panka' prefix I can only assume that there is either two versions of the band on the road, or that Klaus and Peter have had a dispute as to who owns the name. Certainly when they were building the reputation of the band in the Seventies as one of the most important German rock bands they were the leaders with many hired hands, but now Peter is there with three others and Klaus not in sight. In fact they have just been touring with Birth Control who is another mainstay from that genre.

Recorded in Germany, there is no doubting the love that the crowd have for what the band are doing. But as a live album it contains one of my pet dislikes, namely the way that it fades in and out. I know that it is rarely totally live but I like to imagine that it is. As for the music itself, I have to say that for the most part it is pretty ordinary and there is little here to get excited about. That it is well played and produced is never in doubt, and the crowd just lapped it up, but I doubt that they would have got the same reaction in the UK.

This tour was to promote 'Genuine' which was also released on SPV earlier in the year but having heard this that is not an album that I am going to rush out to discover. If you are a fan then this will be indispensable but that is certainly not the case if you are not.

Originally appeared in Feedback #71, Dec 02