From: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org (idealcopy-digest) To: idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Subject: idealcopy-digest V10 #157 Reply-To: idealcopy@smoe.org Sender: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk idealcopy-digest Sunday, August 5 2007 Volume 10 : Number 157 Today's Subjects: ----------------- RE: [idealcopy] OT: Prince ["Keith Knight" ] Re: [idealcopy] OT - Ingmar Bergman RIP [CHRISWIRE@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 15:53:35 +0100 From: "Keith Knight" Subject: RE: [idealcopy] OT: Prince I have survived to report back - but it is difficult to report this gig without concentrating on the venue. The O2 arena a newly built venue contained within the Millennium Dome in London's docklands. It's huge - a 20K capacity, as high as Nelson's Column and wide enough to fit the Eiffel Tower in, claims the website. The website also claims it has stunning sound and has been 'fully acoustically treated'. To which my reaction is 'Bollocks'. We were right at the top, in the very back row, despite booking reasonably early - there's no way to pick your seats on the website and tickets for these gigs are all the same price. Right at the top means 50m up - I was with two people who suffer from mild vertigo and they were somewhat put out by this - it's a very steep rake towards the top. The stage was of course a long way away and although there were screens above it they weren't really big enough (or well enough placed from where we were) to make much out when there wasn't a close-up. I don't mind the occasional gig like this - it's a different experience to Jeffrey Lewis at the Brixton Windmill for sure but there's an interesting feel to be in an audience as big as this. But I do expect to hear something for my money. The sound was just sludge - bass distorted beyond sense and words almost completely inaudible. I reckon I picked up about 20 words of what the Purple One said and that was mainly thank you and the names of songs. As a result, one just kind of lost interest after a while and started to think about how 20K people were going to get down the underground after the show. Which is a shame as way down there I suspect old Prince was rather good. He looks remarkably similar to last time I saw him in 89ish and still has more energy than seems possible. The stage was in the centre of the arena and huge, in the shape of his 'symbol' so there were lots of opportunity for him and the two dancers he had with him to wander around. He had a four piece horn section who were very proficient but were indulged with versions of Down by the Riverside, Wonderful in the World and Play that Funky Music. Musical highlight of the show - and frankly there weren't that many classics - Kiss, Let's Go Crazy, I Feel for You, U Got the Look - was Purple Rain, a song I find dull on record but which is perfectly suited to this environment, the illumination of mobile phone cameras lighting up all around the arena as Prince guitar-axed his way around the stage. But the best thing of the night was the lighting which was astonishingly good, illuminating the stage in a vast range of unrepeated colours and effects. One advantage of being up high I guess. So there we have it - probably the best lighting since Barney Bubbles was behind the Liquid Light Show. But not in itself enough for a good night out. I'd happily never go back to the O2 again but already have White Stripes tickets for later in the year ho hum. Another the Keith - -----Original Message----- From: owner-idealcopy@smoe.org [mailto:owner-idealcopy@smoe.org] On Behalf Of Paul Pietromonaco Sent: 02 August 2007 23:26 To: idealcopy@smoe.org Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Emailing: home > I'm off to see Prince tomorrow night - may report back. > If you don't report back, are we to assume that you failed your mission, and you're now a prisoner of "The Purple One"? Should we arrange a seach party in Minneapolis? (^_-) Cheers, Paul ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 17:04:37 EDT From: CHRISWIRE@aol.com Subject: Re: [idealcopy] OT - Ingmar Bergman RIP In a message dated 03/08/2007 23:31:24 GMT Daylight Time, keith.indoorminer@virgin.net writes: Wasn't too keen on the Heatley book myself, Chris. Read too much like a shopping list of bands, I thought. I don't half miss old Peelie, though. That's what I was alluding to really Keith. Well put. A shopping list & yes Peel is missed. I am glad I saw him in Glasgow 6 months before he died at the Triptych Festival where Wire played. I wish I had mustered enough courage to speak to him but I just smiled from a short distance. Chris NP Orbital - Glastonbury 1994/2004 ------------------------------ End of idealcopy-digest V10 #157 ********************************