MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS

During his lifetime, H.P. Lovecraft (born August 20th, 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island) did not make a name for himself as an author, yet today he enjoys the posthumous fame of being regarded as one of the most outstanding and important writers of gothic literature.

Alexander Hacke, bass player for the German band Einstürzende Neubauten, and London-based band The Tiger Lillies, broadly admired for their choices of unusual material and their eclectic musical repertoire, joined forces for the first time to pay a very special tribute to H.P. Lovecraft’s genius and mastery. As a result of several months of work.

Alexander Hacke and The Tiger Lillies co-present the world premiere of their musical performance which is based on some of Lovecraft’s eerie stories such as “The Rats In The Walls”, “At The Mountains Of Madness,” and ” Cthulhu Mythos.” Martyn Jacques’ penetrating falsetto, the musical saw, the piano and the stand-up bass are being surrounded and accompanied by Alexander Hacke’s electronic soundscapes: This will be a unique first-time-ever event, up until now, The Tiger Lillies have never been accompanied by electronic instruments in any collaborative effort. In “At The Mountains Of Madness”, stories of ancient gods, inexplicable terror and lost souls are being lastingly brought to life in a sometimes humorous, yet gloomy and melancholic manner. The eccentric confrontation of The Tiger Lillies’ rather traditional array of instruments with Alexander Hacke’s sound compositions give this performance its ghostly threedimensional depth in which an open-minded audience can immerge in with a glee of enjoyment.

The production’s very special stage design is the work of artist Danielle de Picciotto. With their partly intentionally old-fashioned, partly modern elements, de Picciotto’s “Nature Morte”- still lives – emphasize Lovecraft’s scurrilous stories in an expressive way. Lutz John, known for his impressive work for bands such as the Einstürzenden Neubauten and Wir sind Helden, will, once more, magically transform the stage with the mere beauty of his lights.