Cabaret Voltaire (or the Cab for short) were continuously at the forefront of electronic music, pioneering genres such as industrial, synth-pop, acid house and techno. They performed at the Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts, which is a great venue that hosts a lot of experimental acts.
The Cab was originally composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk, and Chris Watson. Unfortunately, Kirk passed away in 2021 before a full reunion could happen. Luckily for us, though, Mallinder and Watson have reunited to play their expansive discography.
The set starts with their songs from the early eighties and slowly drifts through time towards the nineties. The trio started experimenting with sound in Sheffield during the seventies. In the eighties, their songs became more danceable with drum machines pounding the beat and synths creating hooks, while they included interspersed samples as well as Mallinder chanting lyrics. The lyrics often contemplate the drudgery of life with tracks such as ‘Why Kill Time (When You Can Kill Yourself)’ and ‘24/24’ sharing similar preoccupations to the post-punk bands they often shared stages with.
There is also a sense of Cold War paranoia with ‘Spies in the Wires’ being the obvious example. Unlike the recorded version, the Cab samples a number station. Number stations are shortwave radio stations that often play a melodic pattern before a robotic voice announces a series of numbers. They are all but confirmed to be used for sending messages to spies working in foreign countries. Although you can still hear some now, their use peaked during the Cold War.
The Cab’s frequent use of sampling can be seen echoed in acid house and techno, which emerged during the late eighties. This becomes most apparent towards the end of their set, with ‘Yashar’ sampling dialogue from the 1963 TV series The Outer Limits. ‘Easy Life’ was also played and is off their 1990 album Groovy, Laidback and Nasty, which was recorded in Chicago with house producer Marshall Jefferson.
Unlike other bands, the Cab did not just rehash their old songs but build on them. They also added new transitions, for instance, between ‘Landslide’ and ‘Crackdown’, an extract from Allen Ginsberg’s poem ‘Howl’ was heard. This was especially apt as, if a strange man I once talked to in a bookshop can be believed, Ginsberg often frequented Brighton.
Cabaret Voltaire will be embarking on their final tour next year, and it will be your last chance to see this influential band before it’s too late.
Another article you may enjoy: https://thebadgeronline.com/2025/12/pulp-different-class-30-years-later/
