Cabaret Voltaire in Washington

Cabaret Voltaire is a British experimental electronic group formed in Sheffield in 1973 by Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson. Its early industrial and post-punk recordings used tape manipulation, synthesizers and rhythm machines; key works include “Nag Nag Nag,” the albums Red Mecca and The Crackdown, and the track “Sensoria.” A 1979 London concert, later issued as Live at the Y.M.C.A. 27.10.79, documents the original trio’s combination of electronics, processed voices and film. After a long absence from performance, Cabaret Voltaire returned in 2014 for a set performed by Richard H. Kirk alone at Berlin Atonal.