On a breezy late-summer’s evening in the East Bay, a snazzy consortium of Generation Xers and older millennials congregated on Telegraph Ave., a line dressed to the nines and snaking around the street corner. The mob was deep and devoted, a queue welcoming Vienna’s lauded DJ/producer duo Kruder & Dorfmeister back to a once vital scene, a region where they remain certified royalty after three decades of unflappable chemistry and impeccable swagger.

For the first time ever, the producers had assembled a live band, in celebration of their landmark 1999 double LP The K&D Sessions. Finally, after numerous shows at renowned rooms around the world, the dynamic duo had brought the boys to the Bay Area.

Trust I’m far from alone in my unabashed reverence for Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister’s pioneering late ’90s electronic offerings. Countless message boards, social media posts and comments, and the internet at large are all littered with an abundance of personal testimonials—enthusiastic evangelists expressing in a plethora of international tongues how these two fine gentlemen have soundtracked the blessed days and disco nights of their beautiful lives. The proof is in their passion; songs and sounds of K&D have become embedded in identities and DNA.

Photo: Jen Peng – Fox Theater, Oakland, CA, 9/13/25

Self-published G-Stoned EP announced the new dawn with a strong 1993 debut, then DJ-Kicks (1996) continued the mission with a groovy, jazzy, dubby, downtempo/Drum n’ Bass document. Seminal The K&D Sessions followed, a genre-elevating double platter that made them household names. Imbuing each cut with irreverent cool, Kruder & Dorfmeister transformed the original compositions; subtle waves of steez swimming in spiritualized energy, this record provided a grown ‘n’ sexy score to the hazy days, late-night hangs, and a chance romance—the atmospheric ooze of K&D chill-out vibes now ubiquitous around the world.

The groundbreaking influence of this shapeshifting release resonates to this day. In an era when most remixes were an afterthought, or intended solely for DJs and movie soundtracks, The K&D Sessions was the first album focused almost exclusively on remixes—interpretations that truly outshined the original material—though the tastemakers did include a pair of their own tunes. With source material Peter and Richard mined from literally all over the map, these 19 bold reimagninings changed the game and made their bones forever.

“We never used anything from the original tracks outside the vocals,” Peter Kruder reflected last year during our conversation for The Upful LIFE podcast. “That’s also why we feel this record is more our record than a remix album. The K&D Sessions was pretty monumental. It was a period when remixers were more revered than the original artists whose work they were messing with.”

Kruder & Dorfmeister – “Heroes (Kruder’s Long Loose Bossa)” (Roni Size) – 9/13/25

[Video: Oaktown Live Music]

After several years spent prioritizing other projects, Kruder & Dorfmeister jumped back into the global electronic music zeitgeist just before the pandemic. Then they released a long-lost, full-length album in 2020, an authentic return to the golden days of random DAT tapes titled 1995. In September 2023, the pair celebrated their 30th anniversary with a short, successful jaunt across the U.S. that unleashed an expansive audio/visual stage production, plus their well-overdue, much-ballyhooed virgin adventure to Black Rock City during the infamous Burning Man Mudpocalypse.

For this current onstage iteration, Peter and Richard went back to the drawing board once again to conceive and execute something die-hard fans had been clamoring for ever since they reunited: a legit live band. The magnificent ensemble was created to celebrate a canonical document that has touched the lives of so many across the continents. To cement the legacy and commemorate the 25th anniversary of its release, the fellas chose to revisit The K&D Sessions with four additional musicians, then took the sensational sextet on a world tour.


Photo: Jen Peng – Kruder & Dorfmeister: K&D Sessions Live at Fox Theater, Oakland, CA, 9/13/25

Which brings us back to the scene we started: Saturday, September 13th in Oakland, the penultimate stop on the eight-show U.S. leg of The K&D Sessions Live world tour. For the past few area engagements, Kruder & Dorfmeister played The Midway in SF, a popular spot for big-room electronic. However, in a stroke of class and genius, this time K&D booked the majestic Fox Theater instead. Across the Bay Bridge with awesome ambiance and far superior acoustics, it’s ideal for this brand of pomp and circumstance that deserves—if not requires—such a palatial container.

Showing up to the Fox uncharacteristically early, we got ourselves comfortably situated on the floor near the rail and stopped to soak in the breathtaking, historic hometown venue.

The Fox Theater, a cathedral of Gilded Age splendor erected in the heart of Oakland a century ago, is no stranger to sonic rituals. Her absolutely stunning architectural style boasts an opulent blend of India’s Brahman temples with Moorish and Medieval accoutrements, coalescing into one ambitious artistic vision. In definitive juxtaposition to the antique decor is the state-of-the-art sound system that powered this show. In July, the Fox installed a brand new Meyer Sound PANTHER setup, a sonic upgrade of sensory overload that paid pronounced dividends early and often.


Photo: Jen Peng – Kruder & Dorfmeister: K&D Sessions Live at Fox Theater, Oakland, CA, 9/13/25

On stage, Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister provided the central nervous system of the entire performance—chemists and conductors mixing the intoxicating potion of live instrumentation with the embryonic electronic elements that define their ethos.

A dub maestro of moody manipulations, Kruder was a primary sonic architect, supervising the seamless synthesis come to life before our eyes and ears. Operating a combination of modern hardware and software atop a raised workstation alongside his trusty, taller co-conspirator, the sorcerer summoned stoney textures native to these timeless tracks with samples, tape delays, spring reverbs, and filter sweeps.

A virtuosic multi-instrumentalist and all-world producer, Dorfmeister proved a man of both utility and taste, a rhythmic and melodic conduit who wields a Midas touch. In addition to triggering samples and loops, Dorfmeister directly interacted with the band, bridging the gap between universes organic and electronic. Clearly jazzed on a new Epiphone hollowbody axe he copped a week earlier in Boston, he repeatedly drizzled spicy guitar comps while adding spine-tingling flute flourishes that melted the hearts of hundreds.

Kruder & Dorfmeister – “Sofa Rockers” (Sofa Surfers) – 9/13/25

[Video: Oaktown Live Music]

A collective hum of nostalgia and curiosity permeated the space. How do you translate a double-disc masterpiece—a languid, mycelial melange built upon rare samples and hypnotic beats—into a cohesive live performance? The answer, as it turned out, was with a methodical sense of musicality and a killer band. This wasn’t a static reproduction; it was a living, breathing, mutating evolution.

Performing the dense, sample-based, multi-layered music of The K&D Sessions in a live band format dictates a disciplined, meticulous process. For this mission, Peter and Richard drafted a phenomenal ensemble comprised of some of the finer musicians in the Vienna scene: bassist Peter Schönbauer, keyboardist Albin Janoska, percussionist Max Kanzler, and drummer Andreas Lettner, who also served as musical director for the four auxiliary contributors. Individually and collectively, these cats understood the assignment and delivered the goods accordingly.

Kruder & Dorfmeister – “Bug Powder Dust” – 9/13/25

[Video: upful LIFE]

With humble low lighting and the performers dressed in all black, the understated set design was devoid of hyperactive distractions, optics complimented by the in-house pageantry inherent to the Fox Theater interiors. From the first notes through the final bell, highlights and haymakers were constant and contagious, far too copious to unpack in full detail for this report.

Performed as an acoustic duet centerstage, Kruder & Dorfmeister began the show with “Boogie Woogie”. Soon the supporting band members assumed their positions and proper liftoff arrived with the drippy, meditative “Heroes” (originally recorded by U.K. drum ‘n’ bass pioneer Roni Size). They chased that enchantment with “Where Should I Turn?” (Sin), masterfully incorporating the slick “Shine Eyed Gal” (Black Uhuru) sample that rang out into the night.

The K&D Sessions Live situation was not a one-to-one reproduction but rather an adaptation of the album in earnest. The arrangements left room for the musicians to add new elements. Throughout, the band liberated several songs for purposes of extended instrumental intros, subtle improvisational detours, and footloose variations in feel, tempo, and effects, making each reading somewhat unique to this particular evening.

Kruder & Dorfmeister – “Donaueschingen” (Trüby Trio) – 9/13/25

[Video: Oaktown Live Music]

Certain choice passages were so potent they remain fresh in the frontal lobe several days later: The tantric, tribal rumblings of Alex Reece’s “Jazz Master”; the gravity-bong bake sesh “Rollin’ on Chrome (Wild Motherfucker Dub)” via Aphrodelics; the aural eroticism of “Sofa Rockers” (Sofa Surfers); the Mitsubishi ecstasy of Lamb’s “Trans Fatty Acid”; a frenzied romp through “Bug Powder Dust” (Bomb the Bass) that exploded into euphoria; an elongated Rhodes/flute intro that gave way to Peter Kruder’s tantalizing take on Truby Trio’s “Donaueschingen” – an oscillating bossa nova-drenched banger.

Rather than lazily reproducing samples or just playing over recorded tracks, the onstage arrangements were reverse engineered and reconfigured from the ground up. This modus operandi—rooted in authenticity and integrity—effectively dialed in the record’s signature smoked-out atmospherics, while leveling up the Kruder & Dorfmeister live experience exponentially.

After a spectacular set that stretched towards two hours, Peter Kruder introduced the members of the band (and Richard Dorfmeister saluted Peter) before the group took a brief breather. Soon the six gents returned to the stage, greeted by a deafening roar. Kruder and Dorfmeister saved this writer’s two favorite tracks for the enthralling encore.

Kruder & Dorfmeister – “Speechless” – 9/13/25

[Video: upful LIFE]

They began with “Useless”, a jugular shot of mystic vulnerability sourced from Depeche Mode’s monster 1997 LP Ultra. The plangent, opiate tones of David Gahan’s melancholic, Gothic baritone vocal filled the theater, buoyed by minimalist electric piano and washes of wah-wah guitar. It was an emotional, empyrean incantation of the highest order, tugging at the heartstrings and tear ducts with unwavering feels.

To bring it all the way home, Peter and Richard uncorked the thaumaturgic thrill that is “Speechless” (Count Basic), a torrid, orgasmic, downright nuclear jungle thumper, on this night perfectly punctuated by Max Kanzler’s provocative percussion. “Speechless” is nothing short of libidinous, a sonic afrodesiac on steroids, a Herculean whirlwind of raw sensuality embossed by the soaring vocals of Incognito’s divine songstress Kelli Sae. “Speechless” provided a steamy last ecstatic dance, a furiously frenetic exclamation point to a profoundly stimulating experience that sent us swirling into the East Bay night cheesing harder than a Velveeta factory.

After the full band took a final bow, receiving a bouquet of sunflowers from the front row, Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister each addressed the thoroughly-satiated throngs of revelers with a few words of thanks. They delivered a heartfelt benediction of reverence and gratitude, calling the Bay Area one of their beloved second homes. As proof of said love affair, both men proceeded to spend another hour signing hundreds of records, shirts, posters, and merch items in the Fox hallway.

 

 

We bore witness to a sacred séance, a dalliance with the ghost in the machine that defined a generation of grown ‘n’ sexy. For the 25th anniversary, Vienna’s finest Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister brought The K&D Sessions off the turntable and onto the stage live and direct, reimagined into full-throttle immersion enhanced by their tremendous, tight live band. Kruder & Dorfmeister unspooled a passionate pilgrimage back to the smoke-filled, soulful haze of the late ’90s, and we the congregation showed up ready and willing to levitate.

words: B.Getz

Kruder & Dorfmeister | House Of Blues | Boston, MA | 9/4/25

Setlist:  Kruder & Dorfmeister | Fox Theater | Oakland, CA | 9/13/25
Set: Boogie Woogie [1], Where Shall I Turn (Sin), Trans Fatty Acid (Lamb), Sofa Rockers (Sofa Surfers), Rollin’ on Chrome (Wild Motherfucker Dub) (Aphrodelics), Going Under (Rockers Hi‐Fi), Million Town (Strange Cargo), Going Under (Main Version) (Rockers Hi‐Fi), Jazz Master (Alex Reece), Bug Powder Dust  (Bomb the Bass), Donaueschingen (Peter Kruder’s Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänskajütenremix)
Encore: Useless (Depeche Mode), Speechless (Count Basic)
[1] Acoustic duo