Twenty-five years, almost as many albums and an ever-changing band of misfits follow Sascha Konietzko, frontman and the only original member of KMFDM, around this year on the band’s world tour. The Philly crowd at the TLA was a mixture of ’80s metal heads who have been around since the beginning, Hot Topic goth kids and mosh-pit junkies. Not many were standing yet as opening group AngelSpit started its set, but the crowd quickly filled just before KMFDM hit the stage. Lucia Cifarelli and Konietzko (half the time with a cigarette in his mouth) were front and center pushing buttons and turning knobs, generating KMFDM’s signature “ultra heavy beats,” joined by guitarists Jules Hodgson and Steve White and drummer Andy Selway. No time was wasted on talking, and they started right into the music, which was a good combination of old and new songs plucked from their vast play list. Though they left out some favorites like “Juke Joint Jezebel,” they did play “WWIII” and “Never Say Never.” Konietzko still has it in him to put on an amazing performance, and with Cifarelli at his side, the show all comes together. Twenty-five years and still running strong with no signs of slowing down is what makes KMFDM one of the greatest heavy-hitting bands of all time.
—text and photo by Miranda Watson
One reply on “Live Review: KMFDM, Philadelphia, PA, Sept. 24, 2009”
[…] Twenty-five years, almost as many albums and an ever-changing band of misfits follow Sascha Konietzko, frontman and the only original member of KMFDM, around this year on the band’s world tour. The Philly crowd at the TLA was a mixture of 80’s metal heads who have been around since the beginning, Hot Topic goth kids and mosh-pit junkies. Not many were standing yet as opening group Angelspit started its set, but the crowd quickly filled just before KMFDM hit the stage. Lucia Cifarelli and Konietzko (half the time with a cigarette in his mouth) were front and center pushing buttons and turning knobs, generating KMFDM’s signature ‘ultra heavy beats,’ joined by guitarists Jules Hodgson and Steve White and drummer Andy Selway. No time was wasted on talking, and they started right into the music, which was a good combination of old and new songs plucked from their vast play list….Twenty-five years and still running strong with no signs of slowing down is what makes KMFDM one of the greatest heavy-hitting bands of all time.- [Magnet] […]