Jeff Mills is taking his Metropolis score to Germany. On Sunday, November 8, 2026, the Detroit techno pioneer will perform "Metropolis Metropolis" live to Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film at the Nikolaisaal Potsdam, as part of the NikoGrooves Reloaded festival.
At a glance
- Who: Jeff Mills, performing live
- What: a live score to Fritz Lang's "Metropolis"
- When: Sunday, November 8, 2026, with listings showing a 6pm start
- Where: Nikolaisaal Potsdam, Germany
- Series: NikoGrooves Reloaded
What we know
Mills has a long relationship with the film. His fascination with science fiction has shaped much of his work, and "Metropolis" has been a recurring subject. Event listings describe the Potsdam date as a concert-hall performance pairing Lang's film with Mills's live score.
"Metropolis Metropolis" is the title of the album Mills released in 2023, which was his third recorded take on the soundtrack. He had previously produced versions in 2000 and 2010. He has also presented the live version at Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam during Dekmantel Festival 2025.
Some listings give the film's release year as 1926 rather than 1927, so the exact date varies by source. The film itself is widely regarded as one of the most influential science fiction pictures ever made, and its vision of a divided future city has been a natural fit for Mills's futurist outlook.
Why it matters
Mills is one of the founders of Detroit techno, the scene celebrated each year at Movement Detroit, and a co-founder of Underground Resistance, but his later career has often moved beyond the club. Live film scores, orchestral collaborations and conceptual albums have placed his music in concert halls as much as warehouses.
A seated performance in Potsdam, a short trip from Berlin, gives fans in Germany a chance to hear that side of his work in a setting built for it. For anyone who knows Mills mainly through his 909 drum machine sets, this is a very different kind of evening.
Ticket details were not included in the source. Check the Nikolaisaal Potsdam's own channels for availability before travelling.
Source: We Rave You. Photo: Erik Mclean on Pexels.