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Music

Kraftwerk’s Buenos Aires Show Canceled Due to Electronic Music Event Ban

Though not technically a “festival,” officials cited the band’s primary use of synthesizers.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

This month, German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk are scheduled to perform at Luna Park Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but the show has been tentatively canceled due to the city's ongoing ban on electronic music festivals, reports local publication Clarín.

Read More: Why Is Buenos Aires Waging a War on Electronic Music?

The ban was implemented earlier this year by city mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta after the deaths of five people at Time Warp's Buenos Aires festival in April. As we reported then, four people were arrested in connection with the victims' supposed ingestion of the designer drug "Superman," a mix of ecstasy and methamphetamine. Attendees also complained of overheating and overcrowding.

The promoters for the show, Move Concerts, had applied for the permit in July, and had reportedly sold 70 percent of the tickets when they were notified the event would no longer be happening due to the ban. Despite the show technically not being a "festival" in the same sense that Time Warp was, a government representative further clarified that that it fell under the ban because Kraftwerk "uses synthesizers or samplers as their primary instrument."

Meanwhile, Sonar festival's Buenos Aires edition, which is scheduled to take place on December 3 at power plant-turned-arts space Usina del Arte, has already been approved, Clarín adds. The Ministry of Culture of Buenos Aires allowed it "because they are concerts: no dancing or DJ situations," despite the one-day event featuring electronic music artists Moderat, Jacques Greene, and Koreless.

Move Concerts told Clarín that they are appealing the cancellation and are currently awaiting a reply.