Kraftwerk - Royal Palace Open Air (Brussels) - August 14, 2025

Last Thursday, the long-awaited moment finally arrived: a concert I had been eagerly anticipating for months—Kraftwerk, the German pioneers of electronic music. It wasn’t, however, my first time seeing them live; I had already caught them at venues like De Vooruit in Ghent, the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, and at Pukkelpop Festival in Hasselt. But seeing them right in the heart of Brussels, just steps away from the Royal Palace, was an experience I simply could and would not miss. The long wait was finally rewarded—and oh, how it was! When it comes to concerts of your favorite bands, patience has never been my strongest suit. What promised to be a show unlike any other turned out to be exactly that—more than 100%! Arriving by train at Brussels Central Station around 6 p.m., it was less than a ten-minute walk to the Paleizenplein. You could hardly go wrong—the only thing you had to do was follow the trail of Kraftwerk T-shirts worn by fellow fans. Once on the square, we first grabbed some drinks, then headed to the merchandise stand, where my husband and I each picked up a T-shirt emblazoned with The Man-Machine. After that, it was a matter of finding the perfect spot as close to the stage as possible, counting down the last two hours of anticipation, my excitement swelling like a balloon about to burst. And at 9 p.m., it happened right on time—the iconic robotic voice blasting through the speakers: “Meine Damen und Herren, ladies and gentlemen, heute Abend, aus Deutschland, die Mensch-Maschine, Kraftwerk!”.

Numbers immediately filled the air, while eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht flashed across the stage screen in perfect sequence. One by one, Ralf Hütter, Henning Schmitz, Fritz Hilpert, and Falk Grieffenhagen stepped into view, taking their places behind their cybernetic equipment, each movement perfectly in rhythm with the electronic pulse already captivating the crowd. When you see these pioneers appear on stage, something truly otherworldly happens. The world around you melts away, leaving only the captivating rhythm of their music—and the presence of The Man-Machine, standing there as if conjured from another dimension. Trying to recount the setlist in detail song by song would be nearly impossible (you can find it at the end of this review)—so completely did I get swept away by the experience. One moment I was mesmerized by the digital precision of Numbers, the next carried along by the flowing currents of Computer World and Home Computer. Time seemed to dissolve as Spacelab, Airwaves and Tango transported us into a universe where machines and music fused seamlessly. From the iconic pulse of The Man-Machine and Electric Café to the hypnotic journeys of Autobahn, Computer Love, and The Model—which briefly suffered some video issues, leaving the screen blank, yet in no way detracting from the experience; if anything, it made the live performance feel even more immediate—every note, every rhythm, felt alive. Neon lights flickered, the Geiger counter ticked, Radioactivity hummed, and Tour de France transported us on a mechanical odyssey across space and time. What stood out even more was catching sight of our very own Belgian cycling legend, Eddy Merckx, projected on the screen during Tour de France. And during Spacelab, a spacecraft floated over the Paleizenplein, adding a surreal, cosmic layer to the show. And just when the enchantment seemed at its peak, the final, unforgettable encore arrived: The Robots, a perfect culmination of rhythm, energy, and the unmistakable presence of The Man-Machine. Ultimately, it was an unforgettable concert—another remarkable chapter in a long line of live experiences. The two-hour set flew by in what felt like an instant. This night, with Kraftwerk in the heart of Brussels, will be etched in my memory like few others. From Belgium to Düsseldorf City, with love—a lifelong fan 🖤

Full Setlist: Numbers / Computer World / Computer World 2 Home Computer / It's More Fun to Compute Spacelab Airwaves Tango The Man-Machine Electric Café Autobahn Computer Love The Model Neon Lights Geiger Counter Radioactivity Tour de France / Tour de France Étape 3 / Chrono / Tour de France Étape 2 La Forme Trans-Europe Express / Metal on Metal / Abzug Mini Calculateur Planet of Visions Boing Boom Tschak / Musique Non Stop Encore: The Robots

This review was also published on Peek-A-Boo Magazine.

#kraftwerk #concert #royalpalace #openair #brussels #review