Paperhaus - U Street Music Hall - Dec 14 2014

by Kyle Schmitt

Paperhaus - Eight months after the masters themselves played a few blocks over at 9:30, Paperhaus took on the audacious task of playing Kraftwerk’s classic Trans-Europe Express in its entirety. The band told the audience that they used to cover “Neon Lights” by Kraftwerk, claiming that the band is “a huge part” of how they understand music. They proved they understood Kraftwerk in turn, bringing out the pop in “Europe Endless” and the ominous sensibilities of “Hall of Mirrors”. Credit goes to Danny Bentley and Matt Dowling for keeping on the beat even while playing a multitude of repetitive rhythms. The drumming on “Trans-Europe Express” was especially impressive, as the band had three percussionists playing simultaneously to reproduce the correct sound. This undisputed highlight got the crowd moving and helped Paperhaus put their own imprint on a personal tribute.

Esoterica: Steven Faith played several songs sampling Kraftwerk’s music before and after the live band set… A mysterious hooded figure gyrated onstage to “Hall of Mirrors”, creeping it up during the verses before darting back towards the DJ booth… Andy, who’s seen Kraftwerk five times beginning in the 1990s, thought the Paperhaus set was “terrific” and captured the more-attractive elements of the German originals.