Max Raabe & Palast Orchester in Mannheim

Max Raabe & Palast Orchester is a German ensemble formed in Berlin in 1986 by singer Max Raabe and fellow music students. Its repertoire draws on the dance orchestras, swing and cabaret songs of the 1920s and 1930s, supplemented by original material and period-style versions of pop songs. The group is particularly associated with “Kein Schwein ruft mich an,” “Küssen kann man nicht alleine” and the album Super Hits. In 2005, Max Raabe & Palast Orchester performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. A 2006 concert at Berlin’s Waldbühne was filmed for Heute Nacht oder nie, and the ensemble later brought its orchestral cabaret program to the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert format places Max Raabe’s baritone at the center of a dance orchestra featuring piano, strings, brass, woodwinds and rhythm section. Period arrangements, formal evening dress and concise spoken introductions are established parts of a performance led by Max Raabe.