The temperatures were starting to peek into the 70’s as the heat wave was starting to roll out into the streets of New York just as Nitzer Ebb made their second appearance at Elsewhere in Brooklyn.
Outside of the venue was an assortment of characters draped in mainly black clothing waiting to see the legends perform. Those not familiar with the name might be able to recognize the often times both electronic genre they helped pioneer — Electronic Body Music. It can be described as a unique twist between electronic and gothic cultures. Kraftwerk pioneered the term and bands such as Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 helped it grow in the 1980s.
Low-intensity lights flickered in the Elsewhere Hall and the flags from Nitzer Ebb’s freshman album, That Total Age, hung along the back of the stage. Percussionist Bon Harris came onto the stage first and lead vocalist, Douglas McCarthy, led the duo into a steady beat that would carry the rest of the night. The band was not joined in full-power as David Gooday and Simon Granger we’re not able to renew their visas for the North American leg of the tour. The good news is that they will be back in full-strength May 30th in Barcelona.
Even with the missing members, no one could discredit David McCarthy and Bon Harris’ stage presence. The majority of the time Harris was in the background timing synth’s and using the drum pad to fuel energy to McCarthy’s vocals. The duo thundered off songs that left an eerie presence in the air. It wasn’t until halfway through the set that Bon Harris fully joined McCarthy at front stage. They performed “Getting Closer” off of the 1990 album Showtime. Like someone ready to let their energy free, Harris screamed and alternated the lyrics with McCarthy.
Sweaty and peering through the black framed glasses, Douglas pushed on to finish the monstrous set with “Let Your Body Learn” and later using “Godhead” to stick a stake into the end of their Brooklyn show.
NITZER EBB ONLINE :
Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter
NITZER EBB TOUR DATES
May 24: The Ground at Space, Miami, FL
May 25: Numbers, Houston, TX
May 26: Trees, Dallas, TX
EUROPE
May 30: Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain
May 31: Nuits Sonores 2019, Lyon, France
June 7: Wave Gotik Treffen 2019, Leipzig, Germany
June 30: Val de Rock, Chessy, France
July 20: Amphi Festival, Cologne, Germany
Aug. 3: Bergfest, Thale, Germany
Aug. 4: Dekmantel Festival, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Aug. 18: W-Fest, Amougies, Belgium
Aug. 25: Infest 2019, Bradford, UK
NORTH AMERICA
Sept. 19: The Mohawk, Austin, TX
Sept. 20: Cold Waves, Metro, Chicago, IL
Sept. 21: St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit, MI
Sept. 23: Venue, Vancouver, BC
Sept. 25: Neumos, Seattle, WA
Sept. 26: Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Sept. 27: Slim’s, San Francisco, CA
Oct. 5: The Regent Theater, Los Angeles, CA
EUROPE
Oct. 25: Soundedit Fesitval, Lodz, Poland
Nov. 8: Reithalle Strasse E, Dresden, Germany
Nov. 9: Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
Nov. 10: Factory, Magdeburg, Germany
Nov. 12: Backstage, Munich, Germany
Nov. 15: Kulttempel, Oberhausen, Germany
Nov. 16: Stadthalle, Langen, Germany
Nov. 17: La Machine, Paris, France
Nov. 18: La Laitrie, Strasbourg, France
