Albert Hall setlist and review 16/09/08

by **guitarplayer on here too** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:38 am

An alternative review....

Amazing venue first off. First set was the usual greatest hits for anyone who has been to a Bunnymen gig over the last xxx amount of years. Good to see All My Colours back in the set, but it was the usual Gregorian chants, dry ice, Rescue, Villiers Terrace, Bring On The Dancing Horses + Think I Need It Too (still sounds awful live) + All That Jazz, Stormy Weather, Never Stop, Nothing Lasts Forever, Back of Love, Lips Like Sugar, The Cutter. Not that great, but I didn't expect much else really.

Then came the highlight of the night. Ocean Rain. Mac switched from a suit jacket to an overcoat (woo!). Sadly, no capes in sight. Big screens on either side of the stage flashed up pictures of the band from yesteryear. 16-piece orchestra with three celloists, mostly ladies in black dresses.

Silver kicked in and the string section was drowned out by the band's instruments. Next into Nocturnal Me. Sounded fine and was one I thought they might not pull off, but you still couldn't hear the orchestra properly. The Yo-Yo Man was one of the highlights. Thorn of Crowns sounded excellent live instrumentally. Will on top performance for that. You couldn't really judge Mac's singing voice anywhere in the whole set because performance was loud, other than it did sound quite powerful at higher ranges. However, when he sang Ocean Rain, it sounded pretty much like it always does these days. Thorn of Crowns itself was slightly chopped from the original version and Mac did appear to whisper bits of the song. In future Bunnymen gigs, they should add The Yo-Yo Man and Thorn of Crowns to the set list permamently. My Kingdom was also a polished performance, by which time, the sound levels of the orchestra appeared to be louder. The song Ocean Rain was okay, but pretty much the way it has been performed in recent years obviously with the orchestra arrangement.

I didn't see it as fantastic as Pork is Mine, largely because much of it has been seen before (namely the first set). The band shouldn't have stuck to just using electric guitars, keyboards, normal drumming (rather than brushes) for most of the Ocean Rain set because it drowned out the orchestra. Keyboards were particularly the main culprit. They certainly need to sort out the sound levels prior to the Radio City gig because it's a shame that the orchestra couldn't be heard properly. Maybe the overall set was also a little too short as well.

Having said that, it was well worth the ticket price just to see the whole of the Ocean Rain album being peformed as someone who has grown a little tired of the same old setlist for every Bunnymen gig that I have been to since 1998. Certainly didn't cry, instead I was kept amused by some of the daddy dancing by people in the boxes. Also glad to attend a gig with so many people and seeing a standing ovation. Seeing dwindling numbers at recent Bunnymen gigs had certain benefits (more personalised performance), but it was good to see that the Bunnymen can still get numbers packed in even if their recent releases haven't attracted that much interest. Very few youngsters though, compared to the gigs that I have been to in the past.

I'll post a few pics up when I have time.

by **fat cherry** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:13 am

ah, the miserable fucker review. Why did you bother if you weren't expecting much. sorry, answered my own queston there I think. Where were you? I was in the arena halfway to the front, right in front of the mixing desk and the sound was pretty much spot on. Yes there were times when wills guitar was louder than the orchestra but then its an effing electric guitar and the bits where you were supposed to hear the strings they were there. Top night. Macs voice, a bit raw, as it is these days, but i dont think there were any missed notes, played it perfect. Odd little bit when they first put up a picture of pete and a bit of a cheer went up.

I'd say, as a reformed naysayer, yes my name is chezznee and I am a miserable git on occasion, if you didn't go and you can get tix for any other shows then go.

C.

by **Dave Smith** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:34 am

The OR set was as GOOD as it gets watching the Bunnymen.To listen to that album played with an orchestra in an amazing venue was magical.The sound is always going to be hard to mix when you marry an electric band with strings and play to 5000.From where I stood it was spot on and electrifying at times i.e Thorn of Crowns.Cant wait for Liverpool now.At least the parking wont be £16 for an evening!

by **Scouser** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:07 am

What time did they serve the chicken in the basket?

by **guitarplayer on here too** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:18 am

fat cherry wrote:ah, the miserable fucker review. Why did you bother if you weren't expecting much. sorry, answered my own queston there I think. Where were you? I was in the arena halfway to the front, right in front of the mixing desk and the sound was pretty much spot on. Yes there were times when wills guitar was louder than the orchestra but then its an effing electric guitar and the bits where you were supposed to hear the strings they were there. Top night. Macs voice, a bit raw, as it is these days, but i dont think there were any missed notes, played it perfect. Odd little bit when they first put up a picture of pete and a bit of a cheer went up.

I'd say, as a reformed naysayer, yes my name is chezznee and I am a miserable git on occasion, if you didn't go and you can get tix for any other shows then go.

C.

ah, the "miserable fucker review"? Pah. Why did I bother going? -- I went to see Ocean Rain being performed with an orchestra, which I thought was was well worth paying the ticket price, as I said. I never mentioned Mac missing any notes or Will's guitar being too loud either. There were more than two people on stage. It was mostly the keyboards from where I was sitting. I could have said it was a complete load of bollocks, that they should call it day, chicken in the basket (to quote Scouser), etc, etc if I really wanted to be this "miserable fucker" that you suggest that I am, but it wasn't. What is being a "miserable fucker" as to how you saw and heard it? I got what I expected with a bit more thrown in (ie. polished performance of My Kingdom, Mac sounding powerful vocally at higher ranges, hearing an excellent rendition of The Yo-Yo Man live). The first set I didn't care much for as it's been the standard set of any Bunnymen gig for ages and I certainly didn't go for that.

As for the sound. It appears that the sound levels of the orchestra depended on where you are sitting. I was in H3 row and the band's instruments overwhelmed the orchestra at the beginning from where I and a friend were sitting, who also commented on it. That was not the fault of RAH's acoustics. Probably more where the mixing/sound desk was situated. Hence probably why people elsewhere (particularly on the arena floor or in seating directly opposite to the stage) could hear everything more clearly. Radio City Music Hall or the Echo Arena might not get that problem as the seating layout is different and is more directly central to the stage.

by **Dr Cheese** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:45 am

It sounds great, I wish I'd gone now.

Nah, not really.

by **Dave Smith** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:03 am

Well if people dont want to see The Bunnymen play OR with an orchestra then you cant really be a fan of the bands music .

by **Ballyhoo Boy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:23 am

From where I was sitting the balance between the band and the orchestra was perfect, either some people were unlucky or their glass is always half empty. :wink:

I spoke to a lotof people who felt the same as me that it was absolutely superb.
It's live music :eek:

, if you want perfection dig out a perfectly "clean" CD and play it a bit faster and add some crowd noise :rolleyes:

by **King Of Kings** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:38 am

Soz

Lots of Hype should have been teriffic, but was only mediocre IMO

Soild performance, Mac on Good Behaviour But the show lacked enery and the presence of the bunny god in his majestic glory and the mythical atmosphere was absent.

That what I've always liked about the Bunnys the amostphere off thr gigs -This was a sterial performace but very proesional one. A contridiction in terms but those who know what I mean will understand.

The band and Orchestra was confussing at times but in other places it was total genius.

Not Many People Dancing - Ok I suppose for the OR set But I expect more from the Ist Set. No From the Bunnys but the Audience. The band did not have a lot to feed from.

Well thats My Opinion

Good to meet you Brain BTW

[/left]

by **Scouser** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:14 am

Did you get a mug?

by **guitarplayer on here too** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:24 am

Ballyhoo Boy wrote:From where I was sitting the balance between the band and the orchestra was perfect, either some people were unlucky or their glass is always half empty. I spoke to a lotof people who felt the same as me that it was absolutely superb.
It's live music , if you want perfection dig out a perfectly "clean" CD and play it a bit faster and add some crowd noise

It's not a just case of being live music and certainly not a case of having their glass always half full, and grumbling for the sake of grumbling. It is obvious that you, others and the people you spoke to obviously got the lucky side of the draw and probably took a wiser choice of seats. I believe the gig was filmed, so I guess that I will be able to get my "perfection" when that is released, albeit to actually know the orchestra were not just there, but were actually playing as well.

by **Frank The Bunny** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:07 am

How dare you submit an even-handed review, reflective of your own opinion!!

When you review a gig, you're supposed to be only positive - and you're supposed to declare it the best gig ever.

Mr. Brian - revoke his membership, please....

Oh, wait... this is other site, where you're able to speak your mind without fear of deletion or censorship.

For Christ's sake, everyone... allow the man his fucking opinion!

by **guitarplayer on here too** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:03 am

As well as some poo-pooing any notion that there were some sound problems in parts of the RAH, some even claim that no-one was dancing. Perhaps when I gazed upwards towards the boxes particularly, it was all in my imagination, including one box where there were a couple of young children looking slightly bored and mildly embarassed, while their accompanying parents danced like someone was periodically ramming a cattle branding hot iron against their arses.

God forsake those that "review" Radio City or Echo Arena even with a slight piece of doubt or when the Bunnymen's next album comes out, pointing out that the ballad that follows "Forgotten Fields" and before the "Idolness of Gods" is mediocre and doesn't sit nicely with the rest of what might have been a superb album, while showing continued resentment and bitterness that the supposedly catchy first single "Think I Need It Too" flopped in the hit parade, while Sir Cliff Richard's latest offering "Thank You For A Lifetime" got a top three position. Perhaps there will be a knock on the door from those that dare criticise our beloved leader(s) from the Bunnypolice and a marching off to Siberia for one hundred days hard labour for "re-education" where they will be subjected to 24 hours a day playing of the "Flowers" album back to back. Would make detention at Guantanamo and water boarding look like a walk in the park.

by **Red** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:04 pm

guitarplayer on here too wrote:some even claim that no-one was dancing.

yeah, why is that?? there was the usual amount of people dancing, believe me. at ALL the gigs i've been to in the last several years, there is never usually anyone dancing except the mosh-pit bunch, and a few other stragglers scattered around. it was no different last night. during the 1st set, the usual most pit gang was doing the usual. there were also a bunch of clowns here and there doing that god awful daddy dancing BLOCKING OUR VIEW! :evil:

so where are people coming from saying there was no dancing??? oh wait - are they talking about the 2nd set? well DUH! Ocean Rain isn't really one of those mosh pit albums, is it?? people did their usual bobbing and jumping in catchy tunes like Seven Seas, but for the most part i think people were just enjoying the atmosphere and taking it all in. some of it was stunning, and i think the crowd was just awe-struck and didn't feel like dancing, but rather enjoyed the moment. i know i felt that way at times.

no, this isn't one of those blind reviews, 'oh it was so perfect so fuck off anyone that says any different' type things. there were definitely things i saw that weren't perfect, like a few volume issues, and a few words Mac got wrong here and there, and the whole first set wasn't what i really wanted to hear (too short and no surprises). but c'mon...you can't tell me that the band wasn't buzzing off the atmosphere! and the overall reaction from the crowd was such a positive one. it was so cool and i am so glad i didn't let anything stop me from being there. despite the teenie (and i stress teenie) flaws, it was a moment in bunnymen history not to be missed! and i can't WAIT for Radio City Music Hall now!!

by **Frank The Bunny** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:14 pm

Any reports of idiots leaving after the "greatest hits" set, and not sticking around for Ocean Rain?

Albert Hall setlist and review 16/09/08

Who is online