In February 2024, Long Distance Calling reached a career-defining milestone: a sold-out show at the legendary Lichtburg cinema in Essen, Germany, in front of more than 1,200 dedicated fans. Now, the Münster-based quartet — David Jordan (guitars), Florian Füntmann (guitars), Jan Hoffmann (bass), and Janosch Rathmer (drums) — is set to
release “Live At Lichtburg,” a stunning live album and film that immortalize this unforgettable evening.
Since their debut in 2007, Long Distance Calling have established themselves as one of the most innovative forces in modern Progressive and Cinematic instrumental Rock. “Live At Lichtburg” not only showcases the largest headline concert of their career but also reimagines their catalogue with the addition of strings and brass, expanding their sonic palette into bold new dimensions. Progressive Rock Journal had the pleasure to speak with the band about the making of this monumental release, the creative journey behind it, and their vision for the future.
Let’s begin with the obvious: how did it feel to walk onto the stage at the historic Lichtburg cinema and see the venue completely sold out?
First of all, thanks for having us! It felt just incredible, we were looking forward to this for a long time. We wanted to make this a night to remember for our fans ourselves and capture this magic moment.
“Live At Lichtburg” represents the biggest headline show of your career so far. At what point did you realize that this concert was going to be something truly special?
I guess it was the moment when we went to the venue to check it out many months before the show actually happened. The atmosphere of this room is amazing, the plush seats, the balcony and just the architechture itself. On top of that, after we announced the show, the presale quickly went really well, so we knew our fans were looking forward to this show as much as we did.
The Lichtburg has a unique atmosphere as a cinema and cultural landmark. How did the venue itself shape the performance and the overall experience for both the band and the audience?
It just feels different from a show in a “regular” venue. Due to the balcony, people are watching and listening not only from infront of the band but also from above, which makes it special. And due to the fact that this is a seated venue, the atmosphere itself is very special.
You chose to enrich your sound with strings and brass for this show. How did the idea come about, and what was the creative process like in integrating these elements into your music?
We wanted to enhance the sonic experience with those instruments which fit really well in a venue like that. We have some songs that contain strings and brass elements anyways and for this show we wanted to bring them to life on stage instead of just backing tracks.
What were the biggest challenges in reimagining pieces from your catalogue for this expanded line-up?
It´s just a different approach for a rock band like us and classical musicians. Classical musicians are used to play by reading music from sheets which we never do. So we had to prepare the sheets for them and just practice together.
The setlist spans your entire discography, but albums like “Eraser” and “Avoid The Light” received particular focus. How did you curate the repertoire for such an important night?
We just wanted to focus on both albums as we had the 15 years anniversary for “Avoid The Light” in 2024 and “Eraser” was the most recent album so it just made sense to us to combine them as the foundation of the setlist and added some of our and the fan´s favourites.
One of the highlights is the live rendition of “Kamilah,” which has also been chosen as the lead single. Why did this track feel like the right introduction to the album and film?
It´s a great song to open a set after the intro and it also contains all the dynamics which are the essence of Long Distance Calling. There is a very heavy riff and also very tmospheric and melodic parts. It´s a great live song and it´s fun to play, so this was a logical choice and top of that it´s a song off “Eraser” so it felt just right.
Your music often balances delicate, atmospheric passages with massive walls of sound. How do you achieve that dynamic contrast in a live setting, especially with such a layered line-up?
We try to make the “perfect” setlist, so everything is balanced as well as possible. We try to find a way that every single song has it´s perfect place within the setlist and to keep the set as dynamic as possible. We try to find the best song to start with and to finish, to see which song is the perfect encore etc.
Instrumental music leaves much room for interpretation. Did the cinematic setting of Lichtburg bring out new meanings or emotions in your songs?
Thats very difficult to answer. I guess it might be the case more for the fans than for us. We are just very focused on the music, especially when you know it´s going to be recorded, haha. But I agree, the room provides a lot of space for interpretation, like a huge canvas for imagination.
Capturing a live performance on record and film is always a challenge. How did you work with the production team to ensure the intensity and intimacy of the evening came across authentically?
We met with the film team way before the show happended and talked things through, what is important to us, etc. And you also have to check what´s possible in this rooms and what´s not. Where you can perfectly place the cameras and how lights and cameras can work together. When it comes to the sound we knew it will sound really well as the recording of the sound was taken care of by our sound guy Flow and we knew the mix would be handled by Kristian Kohlmannslehner who both are really experienced and familiar with our sound.
Looking back at your journey since 2007, do you feel that “Live At Lichtburg” represents a culmination of everything you’ve built so far, or is it more of a stepping stone toward the next chapter?
Maybe it´s both at the same time. Let´s call it a milestone, as we of course hope to go further buti it wa salso, like you said, a culmination of what happened so far.
How do you personally experience the connection with the audience during such shows, given that your music communicates entirely without lyrics?
It felt just great! Like I said before, you focus a lot on the music itself when you know it´s being recorded but at the same time you also soak the atmosphere in the room and the fan´s reactions. It just grew more and more from the beginning to the end of the show, when we reached the climax and everyone in the room was just really, really happy.
Many fans describe your work as cinematic. If you could imagine “Live At Lichtburg” as a film genre, which one would it be and why?
Good question. Well, it´s not a romantic comedy and also not am action movie haha. Maybe a mix of science fiction, mystery and some weird arthouse movie. What about a mix of Twin Peaks and Star Wars?
The release comes in multiple formats, including heavyweight vinyl and Blu-ray. How important was it for you to provide a collector’s experience for your fans?
It´s always very important to us to provide a collector´s experience for our fans. In times of streaming and digital music in general, it´s very important to us to offer high quality items for those who still cherish them and make it something really special. And for this night we wanted to capture the magic for those who were there, being part of it, and for those who couldn´t make it. And for ourselves of course, haha.
What has been the most memorable feedback you’ve received so far about the concert or the upcoming release?
There were a lot of people asking if we had recorded the show or not and if so, when it will be released. The feedback after the show itself was awesome, very postive. There were also people who flew in for this show from other countries.
Progressive Rock and instrumental music often thrive on constant reinvention. Do you already see new creative directions opening up after this project?
We always try to push the envelope and we already have something cooking, watch out.
Finally, what message would you like to share with the fans who will experience “Live At Lichtburg” for the first time?
Take your time, find a cozy place and dive into a very special show in a very special location. Get lost in the music and the whole atmosphere and enjoy yourself.
We thank Long Distance Calling for taking the time to share their insights and reflections with us. “Live At Lichtburg” is not just a live recording, but a powerful document of a band at the height of their creativity — a testament to the emotional depth, musical vision, and enduring bond between musicians and their audience.
Pre-Order “Live at Lichtburg” here: https://ldc.lnk.to/Lichtburg