Kyau & Albert look back ahead of their 25th anniversary party on iBoatNYC
New York, New York - Not many acts make it to their Silver Jubilee. But 25 years since they decided to band together and make some music, German DJ duo Kyau & Albert will mark the occasion in a special way on Friday night: with a performance on the iBoatNYC party cruise!
It's been well over two decades since Ralph Kyau and Steven Moebius Albert met in a small town in the east of Germany. This kind of staying power wasn't necessarily on their minds at the time.
"We met when we were still in school, and as a teenager you can't think in decades. But it was my dream to become a professional producer since I was 15 years old, I never wanted to become a DJ," Ralph told TAG24 NEWS.
He had already tried his hand at DJing, producing, and recording when he came across the Ying to his Yang. Whatever their aspirations for the future were at the time, there's one enduring common interest that was there from the start, as Steven points out: "Over the years, we shared the same musical taste. That's possibly why we still play music together."
Kyau vs. Albert – as they were known until 2006 – started off with live shows exclusively, but it didn't take long for them to score their first hit single, Let me in. Things moved fast from there, aided by their decision to found their own music label, Euphonic Records.
With it came international recognition – and an abiding love affair with New York.
Kyau & Albert celebrate their return to NYC
Over the years, Kyau & Albert made a habit out of bringing their tunes to the Big Apple.
"We played so many different clubs and festivals here," Ralph said, before highlighting a particularly memorable trip: "One of the first bigger NYC shows was at Webster Hall and it was sold out."
"So many more in NYC followed," Steven added, "From Pacha and other clubs, to Electric Zoo." For him, the iBoatNYC event in 2019 really stands out, for one simple reason: "We love boat parties!"
And who doesn't, especially when they're on the Hudson river and making a big comeback after a couple of pandemic-restricted years. The latest edition of iBoatNYC sets sail Friday at 10:30 PM from Pier 15 and Kyau & Albert can't wait to get reacquainted with the city that gave them so many good memories.
"I think there will be many fans and also friends from the NYC area there," Ralph said.
Steven also gave a glimpse into how much this moment means to the duo: "It's finally great to be back on tour and celebrate our big milestone now with our fans. I even heard fans from Germany fly over to celebrate 25 years with us!"
Tickets are still available for fans who want to board the party boat and help Kyau & Albert celebrate their 25th anniversary with a night of dancing on the Hudson river.
Cover photo: Kyau & Albert