Interview with Jean-Michel Jarre

[qube_TA]

IIRC I'm on row F (look for a v-tall chap in need of a haircut).

Review here of the Scots gig:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/displ...

[PJLarge]

I'm going as well, Stalls, Row R. Should be good, I've dusted off Oxygene and Equinoxe recently. Great albums!

[MitchT]

Not long to go now!

I'm off to London in the morning and plan to spend Saturday afternoon/evening introducing my Brother to the big smoke - he's never been before! Sunday we're going to have a nosey around the Royal Victoria Dock where JMJ did his concerts in 1988, and Sunday night... well, we all know what's happening on Sunday night! Monday we're meeting my OH who's spending the weekend in Teddington where her Sister lives - I think we're going to hook-up at St Pancras and try out the new Champagne bar before heading over to Kings Cross for the journey home.

[PJLarge]

You are in for a treat, I've just got back. Oxygene live is the definative Oxygene. It was quite simply stunning. The sound quality was way better than I thought it was going to be, Manchester Opera House is a small and intimate venue which gave the whole show an added dimension. If I had the chance to see it again I would definately do it. The only let downs were the other attendees to be honest, we had talkers, texters, the can't manage an hour without the bog brigade and all the late shows - people were still arriving 3/4 of the way through the concert FFS.

[Parrot of Doom]

Aye bloody brilliant. I must admit I had to get up to go to the bog, but only once.

He puts on a good show. The lighting was excellent to, and only one noticeable mistake which is remarkable.

[qube_TA]

Really enjoyed this, amused me that every time he went to use a different synth there was a subtle look of worry as to whether it would work.

Sounded great too, easily the best Jarre gig I've been to. I think he could have spent a little more time tuning them boxes at the beginning though, some of them sounded very flat.

Only gripe was the venue, it was very naff, the seats were tiny had to crowbar my 6'6" frame into them and there must have been a bout of bladder weakness on row F as there was a constant stream of people going to and from the loo, I mean FFS how much do people drink beforehand, find it weird. After the 5th time I had to get up my chair collapsed, back still feels sore.

The poor venue wasn't enough to spoil the show, lets hope he comes back with Equinoxe!

[minimoog]

qube_TA said:

I think he could have spent a little more time tuning them boxes at the beginning though, some of them sounded very flat.

Analogue synths often drift out of tune as temperature fluctuates. You've just got to try and keep on top of it.

[qube_TA]

minimoog said:

qube_TA said:

I think he could have spent a little more time tuning them boxes at the beginning though, some of them sounded very flat.

Analogue synths often drift out of tune as temperature fluctuates. You've just got to try and keep on top of it.

I know, I've had several, but given that they'd have been switched on for a few hours before the show and the room temp would have been fairly constant they're usually fairly solid, they didn't go out of tune they were a little flat from the off.

[a boardman]

qube_TA said:

Only gripe was the venue, it was very naff, the seats were tiny had to crowbar my 6'6" frame into them and there must have been a bout of bladder weakness on row F as there was a constant stream of people going to and from the loo, I mean FFS how much do people drink beforehand, find it weird. After the 5th time I had to get up my chair collapsed, back still feels sore.

I really enjoyed the show as well, what seat was you in as i was in F28.

[qube_TA]

30 something, was 3 seats from the end.

[SeanyD]

Was in row W, thought it was great.

I think JMJ has responded to recent 'fraud' claims and tackled them head on. Seemed like he was on a mission to prove his abilities, hence mirrored screen etc to help show what he was up to.

I actually thought one of the hilights was the 'tuning' at the start of the show. Neve before have I heard all the ingredients of a Jarre performance displayed one by one. Fantastic given the age of the kit and its primitive abilites compared to todays kit.

Great stuff, I feel privilidged to have been there, sure it wasn't perfect, tuning and timing slightly out at times, but so what, to get that equipment sounding so good, and so raw, 10 out of 10 from me.

Whichever machine is used for the bass is stunning - made the hairs on my neck stand up, so raw and direct, superb.

Must get back to my Korg Radias and explore what its really capable of .....

[anonymous-user]

Just got back.

Very good concert. Bit worrying the chain that dropped from the ceiling onto the stage just as Jean Michel was doing his introduction!!

[tank slapper]

Thought it was really good. I love some of the sounds that the analogue synths make.

I agree with SeanyD - there were some really nice bass sounds.

[onomatopoeia]

Wish I could have gone, I love the analogue synths used by Jarre, TD etc in the 70s and have never seen them played live, TD were all digital by the first time I saw them in concert.

[qube_TA]

Still plenty of retro electronica about.

For example I'll be going to see the many awesome Free System Projekt on May 17th in Leicester.

http://www.freesystemprojekt.nl/

http://www.synthmusicdirect.com/ organise many concerts like this.

Matthew

[anonymous-user]

A couple of pics from the Royal Albert Hall

[Meeja]

tank slapper said:

I agree with SeanyD - there were some really nice bass sounds.

I remember one of those bass sounds causing that mirror to vibrate!

The chain falling at the beginning was a little worrying, but as has been said, the fact they tuned the instruments at the start made it all the more impressive for me.

I'd never been to the Albert Hall before - the place seemed much smaller than I expected - we were in the stalls, block J, sat next to a chap who gave his wife a complete running commentary of everything for the first five minutes until he was told in no uncertain terms to keep quiet!

[minimoog]

qube_TA said:

minimoog said:

qube_TA said:

I think he could have spent a little more time tuning them boxes at the beginning though, some of them sounded very flat.

Analogue synths often drift out of tune as temperature fluctuates. You've just got to try and keep on top of it.

I know, I've had several, but given that they'd have been switched on for a few hours before the show and the room temp would have been fairly constant they're usually fairly solid,they didn't go out of tune they were a little flat from the off.

Not much excuse for starting out of tune, but I was thinking than once a few thousand people swarmed into the hall the temp might have varied a bit. The whole tuning and reliability thing was a good bit of the reason why the DX7 shifted by the truckload after it was introduced (that and it sounding 'new' and different of course).

[tank slapper]

Meeja said:

I'd never been to the Albert Hall before - the place seemed much smaller than I expected

Believe me it feels much bigger when you are sat on the stage.

[SeanyD]

As I mentioned earlier, sadly I enjoyed the tuning. Its not often you get the chance to hear many of the trademark Jarre sounds, played in isolation. Almost like hearing the raw 'ingredients' of the performance .

Will be a good source for sampling if/when the CD/DVD comes out.