Their first show in Berlin in 2007 has been a feast, now they are coming again: Konono No.1 is a collective of Congolese musicians standing for an indigenous urban sound of amplified likembés (thumb pianos).
[audio:Konono_No1-Nakobaka_Lisusu_Te.mp3]Taken together, the patterns of all of Konono No 1’s likembé-players sum up to a mind-bending symphony of metallic sound, backed up by group percussion and vocals. Konono No- 1 usually comes along with their own dancers and street corner sound system. The ultimate experience of urban sub-sahara africa!
The likembé is a thumb piano (similar to the mbira), a pocket version of famous african xylophones, which is why it is played a in the same patterns, with two or more players interlocking. Though seperated to different tracks on their new album “Assume Crash Position”, the typical sound Konono No 1 usually is blended into one long song, one trance-like session.
Konono N°1 | Congotronics
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=2cU19URUe6o
Promoted in Europe and the US by Björk at first, with their own albums and the “congotronics”-series Konono No. 1 have long become a famous act on their own. World music, electronica and avant-rock aficionados have all been equally amazed by this otherworldly music, which has driven the international press to come up with some surprising comparisons (from Can and Krautrock to Jimi Hendrix, Lee Perry and proto-techno!…).
Konono N°1 @ Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin | 30.11.07
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=Its2GtfxhrY
Other german gigs of the Europe Tour are Weikersheim, Heidelberg, Schorndorf and Hamburg. D/B highly recommends this show, which is praised and celebrated worldwide!
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Konono N°1 & Kompaktorama LIVE
DJ’s Bernd Friedmann, Shackleton and Mark Ernestus
Friday, 25.02.2011 | 20:00 CET
Berghain | Am Wriezener Bahnhof | 10243 Berlin/Friedrichshain
Website incl. Live Dates | Berghain | Myspace
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