Rufus Wainwright, Audiences, Ageing...
Posted by: kj burrell on 10 November 2004
Went to see Rufus Wainwrght on Monday. One of those great concerts where the sound is pretty perfect, the performance is blissful and all you want to do for the next week is play the records on rotation - which is what I've done. For me, great live music should actually enhance the enjoyment of the recordings: before the concert I didn't realise that "Dinner at Eight" was one of the best songs I have in my collection: now I know. Glorious stuff. A song to his father - who I saw years back - that starts " No matter how strong /I'm going to take you down with one little stone/ I'm going to break you down and see what you're worth" Awesome.
But
Something that's started to really annoy me at some recent concerts is the fact that large sections of the audience are not, apparently, there to hear music! The same thing happened at Yo La Tengo last year: I had to tell a group of wittering twits to shut up so I could hear the music without their inane chatter running over the top of it. At Nick Cave I was constantly getting up so people could come/go with drinks. At Rufus Wainwright a group stood with their backs to the music talking at the top of their voices. About 6 different people told them to quieten down but to no avail. Nearby a group of lads who looked like they expected Oasis were telling jokes, laughing about and generally having a good time - but they'd paid £30 each for tickets and we could hear them over the music for most of the concert.
Mind you, there is an upside. when Wainwright sang "Vibrate" on of the noisy buggers took a vibrator out of his pocket and rubbed it against his partner's cheek! Destroyed the song but I'm still laughing about it.
Part of the problem - not with the sex toy - is that concerts don't seem as loud as they used to be. My ears don't buzz the next day and you can,if you choose, converse over the top.
Same problem in cinemas, people chatting, taking phone calls. I blame the decline in church attendance: people just don't know how to sit quietly any more.
Bah!!
Kevin
But
Something that's started to really annoy me at some recent concerts is the fact that large sections of the audience are not, apparently, there to hear music! The same thing happened at Yo La Tengo last year: I had to tell a group of wittering twits to shut up so I could hear the music without their inane chatter running over the top of it. At Nick Cave I was constantly getting up so people could come/go with drinks. At Rufus Wainwright a group stood with their backs to the music talking at the top of their voices. About 6 different people told them to quieten down but to no avail. Nearby a group of lads who looked like they expected Oasis were telling jokes, laughing about and generally having a good time - but they'd paid £30 each for tickets and we could hear them over the music for most of the concert.
Mind you, there is an upside. when Wainwright sang "Vibrate" on of the noisy buggers took a vibrator out of his pocket and rubbed it against his partner's cheek! Destroyed the song but I'm still laughing about it.
Part of the problem - not with the sex toy - is that concerts don't seem as loud as they used to be. My ears don't buzz the next day and you can,if you choose, converse over the top.
Same problem in cinemas, people chatting, taking phone calls. I blame the decline in church attendance: people just don't know how to sit quietly any more.
Bah!!
Kevin
quote:
is that concerts don't seem as loud as they used to be.
I suspect you are seeing different types of acts than U used to.
Queens of the Stange Age were plenty loud enough when I saw them in Nottingham
.As for Rufus. I think he's only done 3 albums all of which have had excellent review. I only have his latest (Want One), and whilst I think it is good, much of it is spoilt by over lush arrangements with full orchestral passages and many-throated harmonies.
quote:
much of it is spoilt by over lush arrangements with full orchestral passages and many-throated harmonies.
I'm not a great fan of the first CD, but "Poses" and "Want One" are both played a lot. Poses is a little sharper and more consistent but "Want One" has great lush arrangements with full orchestral passages and many-throated harmonies! "Want One" is, as far as I know, the only CD I own with "directors commentary" style content if you play it on your laptop - basically Rufus Wainwright talking over each song telling the lstener about it. Not a great idea, methinks, much as I like him!
quote:
I suspect you are seeing different types of acts than U used to.
Queens of the Stange Age were plenty loud enough when I saw them in Nottingham
Even Sonic Youth were quiet a few months back
Kevin