Kraftklub


Kraftklub is a five-person band from Chemnitz, Germany. Their music combines rock / indie and Sprechgesang with German lyrics and is generally considered to be a mixture of rap and indie.

History

Founding and early years (2009–2011)

The band members first met at school and founded the band at the end of 2009. At the Splash Festival 2009, rapper Bernd Bass performed together with the rock band Neon Blocks for the first time. At the end of 2009, they founded the band Kraftklub and started recording their first studio album. On 13 February 2010, they released their first EP, titled Adonis Maximus at a record release party in the Chemnitz club Atomino.
In September 2010, the band won the New Music Award, a music prize awarded by various ARD radio stations. As a result, several major labels became aware of them. As of January 2011, they are signed to Universal Domestic Rock/Vertigo Berlin.
Kraftklub have performed as the support act for bands including Beatsteaks, Fettes Brot, Casper, Die Toten Hosen, and Rammstein. On 5 August 2011, they released their first single, Zu Jung.

Breakthrough with ''Mit K'' (2011–2013)

On 29 September 2011, the band represented Saxony in the Bundesvision Song Contest with their song Ich will nicht nach Berlin, coming fifth with a total of 89 points. The single was released the next day where it reached number 45 on the German Media Control Charts. Their debut album Mit K was released on 20 January 2012 and shot straight to number one in Germany. In April 2012, Songs für Liam, the next single from their album, was released. It debuted at number 40 and peaked at number 14 in the German Media Control Charts.
On 6 April 2012, K.I.Z. and Kraftklub gave an unannounced concert on the roof of the Chemnitz commercial complex Terminal 3 as part of the documentary film series Durch die Nacht mit... commissioned by ARTE. The performance was announced only a few hours before via social networks, despite the ban on dancing on Good Friday, and as a result of the crowds of spectators the police closed off the Chemnitzer Brückenstraße.
Kraftklub refer to their hometown of Chemnitz as "Karl-Marx-Stadt" - one of their songs on Mit K is entitled Karl-Marx-Stadt - and they are known for their trademark poloshirts, varsity jackets and suspenders.
For Record Store Day 2012, Kraftklub released the song Songs for Liam in a version with Casper as vinyl single, which is limited to 700 pieces.
Its first concert outside of Germany was at 19 September 2012, in "La Puerta Grande" Bar in Bogotá, thanks to the "Kolumbien mit K" tour promoted by the Goethe Institut - Colombia, which took them by Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, each one with two concerts respectively, and one in Cartagena.
In 2013, Kraftklub was nominated together with the group Frei.Wild for the music award Echo in the category Rock/Alternative National. On 6 Mrach 2013, Kraftklub announced that they want to be removed from the list of nominees, as Kraftklub does not want to be named in the same line as FreiWild. After Mia. and Die Ärzte also withdrew their participation, Frei.Wild was removed from the list of nominees and Kraftklub received the "Kritikerpreis National".
The song Eure Mädchen can be heard on the soundtrack of the PC and console game FIFA 13. It is the only German title in the game. Kraftklub has a guest appearance in the song Ganz schön okay on the album Hinterland by German rapper Casper.

In Schwarz (2014–2016)

On 20 May 2014, the music video Hand in Hand of an allegedly new band called In Schwarz appeared on YouTube. The video was uploaded by the music label Audiolith Records. On 2 June 2014, In Schwarz appeared on the German television show Circus HalliGalli and revealed themselves as Kraftklub.
On 20 November 2015, the first live album Randale was released. Part of the DVD is a recording of the concert in the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin from 6. March 2015. In January 2016 followed the Randale-tour, in which the band gave concerts in several German cities.

Keine Nacht für Niemand (2017–present)

On 16 March 2017, the band they released the first single Dein Lied from the subsequently announced album Keine Nacht für Niemand during a 10-hour Facebook livestream, which was released on 2 June 2017. The title of the album is an allusion to the album Keine Macht für Niemand by the band Ton Steine Scherben.

Discography

Albums

Till and Felix are brothers and the sons of AG. Geige member Jan Kummer. Since there is no artistic connection to Kraftklub, the brothers use the surname Brummer instead.

Song appearances