On August 28, one of the pioneers of synthpop and the brightest representatives of this style - OMD or Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark - will perform for the first time in Latvia in the Kimmel quarter (Riga, Bruņinieku Street 2).

Such well-known hits as Electricity, Messages, Enola Gay, Locomotion, Souvenir, Sailing On The Seven Seas, Pandora's Box, (Forever) Live And Die, Maid of Orleans (The Waltz of Joan of Arc), If You Leave, So in Love, Walking on the Milky Way made OMD not only one of the most significant music groups of the 80s, but also a source of inspiration for a number of pop stars up to for today. From Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys and Human League to Moby, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Future Islands and more.

Pre-sale of tickets in the entire Ticket Service network:

on December 17, from 10.00 only for www.ltips.lv subscribers

on December 19, from The public sale will start at 10.00

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD) was born on October 12, 1978, when soloist and bassist Andy McCluskey and keyboardist and vocalist Paul Humphreys performed for the first time under this name at Eric's club in Liverpool. Before that, they have already worked in several musical projects, the most famous of which was The Id. Both young people were united by their passion for krautrock, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno and David Bowie's work.

The primitive Korg M-500 Micro Preset synthesizer bought by E. McCluskey's mother on installment played a very important role in the creation of the boys' musical style. It defined the laconic rhythm, which is vividly complemented by felt melancholic vocals and catchy melodies with interludes.

OMD's first single, Electricity (McClaskey later described it as a faster and punchier version of Kraftwerk's Radioactivity) in 1980 allowed the duo to record their debut album, which included another hit, Messages. The duo gained wider recognition in Europe and the first in the US with Enola Gay from the second album "Organization" (1980), a controversial composition in which the pulsating rhythm of the dance hall and passionate melody contrast with the poignant lyrics about the American plane from which the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

With the release of the 'Organisation' album, OMD became a 4-man band for a while, with drummer Malcolm Holmes and saxophonist and keyboardist Martin Cooper joining the core duo. This is considered the golden composition of the group. "Architecture & Morality" - the third album - clearly shows the creative and professional growth of the musicians, introducing us to the now classic Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc and Souvenir.

Since the experimental 4th album "Dazzle Ships" was a failure, the musicians decide to focus their style more in the direction of pop and unpretentiousness. Commercially, it turns out to be a successful decision - along with the albums "Junk Culture" (1984) and "Crush" (1985), Locomotion, Tesla Girls, Talking Loud and Clear, So In Love and Secret reach the listeners. If You Leave Me - a ballad written for the movie "Beauty in a Pink Dress" manages to reach the highest position in the US charts.

In 1989, Andy McCluskey remains the only member of OMD, because the other band members decide to form their own association, The Listening Pool. McCluskey's first OMD solo album Sugar Tax (1991) proved to be quite successful, containing hits such as Sailing On The Seven Seas and Pandora's Box. Also, despite the cool attitude of British radio stations, listeners eventually appreciated Walking on the Milky Way from Universal (1996).

Between 1996 and 2006, the OMD project was suspended, with the duet members mainly working separately. McCluskey teamed up with ex-Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos to form the all-girl pop group Atomic Kitten, while Humphries teamed up with Claudia Bricken, former frontman of German synthpop group Propaganda, to create Onetwo.

Since 2006, OMD is back together in its golden lineup: McCluskey, Humphries, Holmes and Cooper. Drummer Malcom Holmes, who fell ill only in 2015, is now replaced by Stuart Kershaw. During the merger, OMD released 4 studio albums, the latest of which "Bauhaus Staircase" was released in 2023. This clearly proves that the band's musicians are still capable of composing music that inspires and is appreciated by both critics and ordinary listeners.

In 2024, OMD went on their most ambitious UK tour, which culminated with a concert at London's O2 Arena. During their almost 50 years of existence, the group has sold more than 40 million albums, proving their status as pioneers of synthpop and generally highly recognized masters of composition.