Watch Faust: Live at Klangbad Festival

Faust is a German experimental rock group that emerged in the early 1970s amidst a climate of cultural and social change. They were part of the so-called Krautrock movement, a genre of music that blended experimental electronic sounds with elements of psychedelic rock, jazz, and classical music. Faust has been active for over four decades, and their music has been a source of inspiration for many artists from different genres.

The Faust: Live at Klangbad Festival 2010 is a concert film that documents the band's performance at the Klangbad Festival, held in Scheer, Germany, on June 19, 2010. The festival is named after Klangbad Studio, the recording studio run by Hans Joachim Irmler, the keyboardist of Faust. The festival is an annual gathering of musicians, artists, and enthusiasts of experimental music and sound art.

The concert film captures the energy and intensity of Faust's live performance, as well as the surreal atmosphere of the Klangbad Festival. The film opens with a shot of the festival grounds, a sprawling meadow surrounded by trees and hills. The camera then cuts to the stage, where Faust is setting up their equipment. The band consists of Jean-Hervé Peron on bass and vocals, Werner 'Zappi' Diermaier on drums and percussion, Amaury Cambuzat on guitar, and Geraldine Swayne on keyboards and visuals.

The concert begins with the track "Intro", a short piece that sets the mood for what is to come. The band then launches into "Tell the Bitch to Go Home", a raucous and frenetic song that showcases Faust's trademark sound: a blend of distorted guitars, pounding drums, and unconventional rhythms. Peron's vocals are aggressive and confrontational, as he sings about the frustrations of modern life.

The next few songs follow a similar pattern, with the band alternating between fast, intense tracks and more atmospheric, experimental pieces. "Cendre" is a haunting instrumental that features Swayne's eerie keyboards and Cambuzat's atmospheric guitar work. "So Far" is a slower, more contemplative track, with Peron singing about the passage of time and the inevitability of death.

One of the highlights of the concert is the performance of "Krautrock", a classic Faust track from their debut album. The song is a tribute to the Krautrock movement and its many pioneers, including Faust themselves. The band plays with incredible energy and enthusiasm, and the crowd responds with wild applause and cheers.

Another standout moment is the performance of "I Know This Face", a haunting and introspective song that features Peron's spoken-word vocals and Swayne's atmospheric keyboards. The song builds to a climactic ending, with Diermaier's propulsive drumming and Cambuzat's soaring guitar work.

Throughout the concert, the band members switch instruments and experiment with different sounds and textures. Diermaier even dons a cape and plays an unusual percussion instrument made of metal pipes.

The concert film is shot in a straightforward style, with minimal use of special effects or editing tricks. The focus is on the music itself, and the energy and intensity of Faust's live performance. The camera angles are mostly close-up shots of the band members, with occasional wide shots of the stage and the crowd.

In conclusion, Faust: Live at Klangbad Festival 2010 is a must-see for fans of experimental rock music and anyone interested in the history of the Krautrock movement. The concert captures the spirit of Faust's music, with its eclectic blend of sounds, genres, and styles. It also highlights the band's incredible energy and creativity, as well as their enduring influence on contemporary music.

Faust: Live at Klangbad Festival is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 9 minutes.