Fifty years in and Cabaret Voltaire are still making the walls shake. Stephen ‘Mal’ Mallinder and Chris Watson have announced ‘But What Time Is It Really?,’ a live album due April 24th via Memetune — and the title isn’t just a philosophical provocation, it’s a deadline. Because this one comes bundled with news of a final North American tour.
The album was captured during last year’s sold-out UK run, which marked half a century since the band’s live debut at Sheffield Students Union Refectory on May 13th, 1975. Joined by Eric Random and Oliver Harrap, Mallinder and Watson delivered new arrangements of classic cuts — Sensoria, Crackdown, Do Right, Spies in the Wires — alongside Tinsley Viaduct, a piece of contemporary musique concrète from Watson himself. Engineered and mixed by Benge, the record is a visceral document of a band whose prescience has never felt more relevant.
“This record captures the powerful essence of contemporary live performance and establishes a visceral connection to the history of the band.” — Chris Watson
“It was an opportunity to capture the shows as a unique moment in time but also give people the opportunity to have a memento.” — Stephen Mallinder
The final North American leg kicks off May 4th in Seattle, sweeping down the West Coast before returning East in September. Support across those dates comes from I Speak Machine — and ISM’s Tara Busch will also step in for Chris Watson on synths and samples. The full live band: Mallinder on vocals, bass, keyboards and samples; Benge on keyboards and electronic drums; Eric Random on keyboards and guitar; and Busch on keyboards and samples.
Busch, clearly not taking the gig lightly, says: “Cabaret Voltaire have always been a huge influence on ISM — the grit, the raw electricity, not to mention their visuals and art direction — and it’s truly thrilling to be supporting them in the US.”
The performances will draw across the full arc of the Cabs’ formidable catalogue — from early experiments and the first Rough Trade and Factory releases, through their Doublevision video label and into collaborations with Adrian Sherwood and Marshall Jefferson.
’But What Time Is It Really?’ is out on CD April 24th and vinyl May 22nd via the Cabaret Voltaire store, and available at all tour dates.
🎧 Listen to Nag Nag Nag live below.
North American Tour Dates (w/ I Speak Machine)
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 4 | Seattle, WA | Moore Theatre |
| May 6 | Vancouver, BC | Commodore |
| May 8 | Portland, OR | Roseland Theater |
| May 10 | Denver, CO | Summit |
| May 12 | Los Angeles, CA | The Bellwether |
| May 15 | San Francisco, CA | The Warfield |
| Sep 11 | Dallas, TX | Granada Theater |
| Sep 15 | Chicago, IL | Metro |
| Sep 16 | Chicago, IL | Metro |
| Sep 18 | Toronto, ON | Phoenix Concert Theatre |
| Sep 19 | Montreal, QC | SAT |
| Sep 21 | Boston, MA | The Wilbur |
| Sep 25 | New York, NY | Knockdown Center |
| Sep 26 | Philadelphia, PA | Underground Arts |
Full European and UK dates (including a closing night at London’s Roundhouse with Gazelle Twin) can be found at Cabaret Voltaire’s official channels — Instagram / Facebook.
C'mon why don't you leave a comment here