Hello from the Pearl Jam concert at the O2

[kabbes]

Glad you enjoyed it kabbes. I was vicariously enjoying the start of the thread What's O2 like as a venue?

Surprisingly good. I thought it was going to be awful, but it had some of the best sound quality of any large venue I've been to. I heard a suggestion that it the arena itself had been carefully designed to maximise acoustic quality -- it sounded like this actually was the case.

In practical terms too, it was well practised. I was astonished at the time how quickly we got a tube away from the venue at the end. In retrospect, actually, it wasn't quick from seat to tube. But they had a system that really amounted to an enormous queue that wound around the venue, so you always were moving forward and it always felt you were making progress, so that you got into the station and onto a train without significant stoppage. Well organised, I'd say.

I'd definitely put it up there as a venue. And I didn't expect to say that.

Being right at the very top was scary at times though. It's really, really steep! And standing up with lots of other standing-up people, bobbing around did give me a few moments of vertigo.

 

[dodgepot]

Kabbes. You're arguing with people who think Girls Aloud are the pinnacle of musical achievement. i wouldn't bother.

exactly. when you listen to stuff as good as GA, not much can come class. good point, gabi

 

[stupid dogbot]

Hey, if you can't take the response to the criticism, don't dole out the criticism. Don't post something that amounts to little more than "This thing is shit" and then be surprised when you get a robust response.

Oh, fuck off.

 

[kabbes]

Which - and this is a sincere point - must be a horrible situation for him to be in after Roskilde. The band must really live in fear of any crowd situations getting out of hand again.

Yeah, I know. His words were along the lines of "Listen, you have to trust me. There's no reason for anybody to suffer here. On the count of three, I want everybody to take three steps back. One... two... three." And the masses moved. And lo, everybody did cheer, as the prophet Eddy saved the five thousand.

 

[El Jefe]

Oh, fuck off.

well, that's another robust response, and one I did consider.

 

[El Jefe]

Yeah, I know. His words were along the lines of "Listen, you have to trust me. There's no reason for anybody to suffer here. On the count of three, I want everybody to take three steps back. One... two... three." And the masses moved. And lo, everybody did cheer, as the prophet Eddy saved the five thousand.

the hairy midget bellowing fuckwit prophet Eddy. Just to be clear.

 

[kabbes]

They also told us before Light Years that their good friend had died the day before (and hence the song was dedicated to him). Frankly, I'm impressed that they were able to put that aside and play.

 

[El Jefe]

Surely if EVERYONE took 3 steps back, the crowd would be exactly as crushed as it was before but with no crash barriers to lean on and there'd be a massive collapse forward resulting in the deaths of hundreds. Totally irresponsible if you ask me.

 

[kabbes]

the hairy midget bellowing fuckwit prophet Eddy. Just to be clear.

Actually, at this point he looks *exactly* like Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski. The beard is identical, as is the way he moves.

 

[stupid dogbot]

well, that's another robust response, and one I did consider.

I like to be lowest common thingummy...

 

[gabi]

exactly. when you listen to stuff as good as GA, not much can come class. good point, gabi

Each to their own..

PJ fans have a rep for being pretty defensive as for whatever reason the band has never been considered 'cool'. Shame really as Eddie is a fucking great songwriter and a top man to boot. McCready is also the best lead guitarist of his generation imo.

 

[kabbes]

Surely if EVERYONE took 3 steps back, the crowd would be exactly as crushed as it was before but with no crash barriers to lean on and there'd be a massive collapse forward resulting in the deaths of hundreds. Totally irresponsible if you ask me.

Well no -- that would imply that the O2 had sold too many tickets. There was lots of space at the back, because everybody had pushed forward too much.

 

[cesare]

Surprisingly good. I thought it was going to be awful, but it had some of the best sound quality of any large venue I've been to. I heard a suggestion that it the arena itself had been carefully designed to maximise acoustic quality -- it sounded like this actually was the case.

In practical terms too, it was well practised. I was astonished at the time how quickly we got a tube away from the venue at the end. In retrospect, actually, it wasn't quick from seat to tube. But they had a system that really amounted to an enormous queue that wound around the venue, so you always were moving forward and it always felt you were making progress, so that you got into the station and onto a train without significant stoppage. Well organised, I'd say.

I'd definitely put it up there as a venue. And I didn't expect to say that.

Being right at the very top was scary at times though. It's really, really steep! And standing up with lots of other standing-up people, bobbing around did give me a few moments of vertigo.

Did you visit when it was the Millenium Dome? If so, is the basic structure inside similar?

Good to hear about the organisation for the tube, that aspect has always put me off previously.

 

[dodgepot]

They also told us before Light Years.

why were they covering a kylie song (an album track, at that?)

 

[Sweet FA]

the hairy midget bellowing fuckwit prophet Eddy. Just to be clear.

Cheers; coffee on the monitor. You couldn't resist it

 

[kabbes]

McCready is also the best lead guitarist of his generation imo.

QFT. He really is astonishing. His solos have to be heard to be believed. And the one he did behind his head -- it was unreal.

 

[El Jefe]

Actually, at this point he looks *exactly* like Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski. The beard is identical, as is the way he moves.

 

[El Jefe]

Well no -- that would imply that the O2 had sold too many tickets. There was lots of space at the back, because everybody had pushed forward too much.

oh i give up

 

[Kanda]

On the count of three I would have shouted: TERMINATOR X

 

[El Jefe]

Cheers; coffee on the monitor. You couldn't resist it

I'm here all week.

 

[London_Calling]

For my money, it's a tight call but maybe Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.

YW.

 

[stupid dogbot]

McCready is also the best lead guitarist of his generation imo.

 

[kabbes]

Did you visit when it was the Millenium Dome? If so, is the basic structure inside similar?

Good to hear about the organisation for the tube, that aspect has always put me off previously.

No, I never visited the Millenium Dome. Nobody ever gave me a reason why I should

I don't get the impression that it is similar though. There are a lot of internal walls there now, which I don't think there were at the time.

why were they covering a kylie song (an album track, at that?)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Years_(Pearl_Jam_song)

In Allmusic's review of the "Light Years" single, it was stated that "with [Pearl Jam's] more enduring and darker tones set in place, fans of Pearl Jam receive a raw and sincere taste of the band's new musical and melodic direction, perhaps ignited with the additional presence of newcomer Matt Cameron on drums."[6] NME called the song "painfully beautiful"[7] in its review of Binaural, while Keith Cameron of NME said in his review of the song, "The specifics of what "Light Years" is about—the death of a friend, apparently—get subsumed into the song's plangent distillation of regret, thereby rendering it perversely uplifting, a trick only the most accomplished and sincere bands can execute with anything approaching conviction."[8] Christopher John Farley of Time described the song as "muted but passionate."[9]

 

[dodgepot]

ah, right. so pearl jam have a song of their own that's called "light years" as well? that explains it all. i wouldn't have thought of that, thanks

 

[gabi]

? Who's better in the last 15 years?

 

[kabbes]

ah, right. so pearl jam have a song of their own that's called "light years" as well? that explains it all. i wouldn't have thought of that, thanks

It was a placeholder so I could go back and put the quote in from Wiki that I now have. HTH. Note the critical acclaim.

 

[dodgepot]

Note the critical acclaim.

i have. i'm going to download it when i get home after reading that.

 

[cesare]

No, I never visited the Millenium Dome. Nobody ever gave me a reason why I should

I don't get the impression that it is similar though. There are a lot of internal walls there now, which I don't think there were at the time.

I only went once. Took an ex's aspie son there for a day out, he had a great time. I wasn't tempted to go again.

I was just wondering whether the arena part had been built in the same place the Dome's arena had been, and a similar size ... someone will come along in a minute and enlighten me I expect

 

[Santino]

I'm here all week.

Say it ain't so.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

And it's my reasonably well-informed opinion that it's overwrought faux-earnest wank performed by a bunch of hairy midgets.

this