Q: Are We Not Men?
A: We Are LAIBACH

Laibach @ KulturFabrik in Krefeld, 7.10.2003

by Zlato Krec

Kultur Fabrik in Krefeld is a nice venue which can pack some 1100 souls. Laibach didn't pack it that much last night, but it was filled enough for a very comfortable atmosphere. At the entrance I met Dejan and he told me in amazement that Paris was fantastic last night. But, they don't know what to expect in Krefeld. The countdown of the show started with ticking away of the time backed with some fine Johann Strauss waltzes and Blue Danube among them. The venue went into darkness in the meantime, and only some (holly?) smokes would come from the stage now and then.

After some twenty minutes the show started with B Mashina. At the very beginning, a somewhat wobbly sound and Milan's voice (distorted and lost in space between Mars and Krefeld) were soon corrected and balanced. B Mashina sounded different again as we know it from album, and Milan was almost singing it in a very uplifting hymnal way. Mysterious and glorious! In the Army Now, Dogs of War, Alle gegen Alle, Mars on River Drina, God is God were the songs which followed and been accepted very well by the audience. Only at Tanz mit Laibach the ladies - Heidi & Hellga joined the rest of the band. The venue now really started to dance with Laibach. Obviously everybody knew the song as it was #1 on the German Alternative Chart recently. Du bist unser was a bit different again tonight. Mostly because Heidi's very inventive back vocal ornamentation, while the bass was pumped ad maximum. All in all, the whole sound wall was pretty much more pumped up as I knew it from the previous gigs this tour round. Tons of big bass and drones, drum beats pounding heavier and faster, guitar is getting wild all the time, all these chorus vocals... After hearing all this so bombastic, listening to WAT CD in my car on the way back home sounded like listening to WAT - Unplugged. I am quite puzzled by this. Usually, I would stand in the front row under the stage while this time I decided to take place in the venue close to the mixing console. Another advantage of watching the show from a distance is to see a film projection which is running constantly during the whole concert. Now You Will Pay and Hell: Symmetry followed. I keep being surprised how these songs sound different every time I hear them live. The highlight of the concert for me was The Great Divide. This song, as we know it on WAT, gives a slight lyrical hint of Krvava gruda - plodna zemlja, but not music wise. But, to my astonishment, half way of its length it started to evolve into merciless Krvava gruda - plodna zemlja. Magnificent indeed! Delight for the long time fans. The gig was not concluded by the Ende, but with WAT. Milan and Dejan bowed to audience at the end and left the stage.

Laibach bowing to its audience!? Are they men and not machines!? The audience was satisfied very much and shouting: Zu-ga-be, Zu-ga-be... That's always a good sign. Laibach came back to blast Anti-Semitism, and Sympathy for the Devil. Before they managed to leave the stage the remix Wir tanzen Ado Hinkel started to play and they all encouraged audience to clap hands. Soon after, they left the stage with bows to audience again. The audience was cool (except one asshole in the front row), arty, punky, gothic, alternative, and not that young at all. There was no siegheiling in Krefeld. I notice a sudden change in Laibach's behavior. It's human. After all they are not machines. They are people. Or they are telling us to beware of friendly fascism?

Set list:
1. B Mashina
2. In the Army Now
3. Dogs of War
4. Alle gegen Alle
5. Mars on River Drina
6. God is God
7. Tanz mit Laibach
8. Du bist unser
9. Now You Will Pay
10. Hell : Symmetry
11. The Great Divide
12. Achtung!
13. Das Spiel ist Aus
14. Ende
15. WAT
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16. Anti-Semitism
17. Sympathy for the Devil