Welcome to the new BlahBlahCafe!

Having trouble registering? You can contact us at the "Contact us" link at the bottom of the page.

Does JMJ feel awkward about the mega-concert legacy?


Post Posted Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:59 pm
Richard-Eastham


User avatar
Posts: 414
Location: Bournemouth, UK, Europe
Likes given: 160
Likes received  : 44

In interviews since Electronica onwards, JMJ has played down the significance of the mega concerts in his career, often saying he was somewhat distracted by these to the detriment of the music. But for me, these concerts are the defining thing and what makes his life and works special. So it was good to see Concorde, Houston, Lyon, Dockland and La Défense being given such prominence in Melancholic Rodeo.

His music is great, but it is linked inextricably to the outdoor concert genre and always will be. Of course, Revolutions = Docklands, Rendezvous = Houston/Lyon and Calypso = La Défense but even music composed by JMJ without any connection to any city (Equinoxe Infinity, Electronic 1 and 2, Oxygene 3 etc) conjures up images of the cityscape in concert.

I would really love him to talk more about the concepts, the planning, the preparations beforehand and the sensations and reception afterwards. Not the world record bit – we all know that! – or how many tonnes of equipment, how many kilometres of cable, but the political, social, and celebratory side of these events. And what inspired him to pursue this format in the face of such obstacles.

As an urban designer and urban planner in my professional life, I remain inspired by how JMJ’s concerts have transformed urban environments in a way that no other artists have achieved. Not just musically, or through performance but unlike any other artists working in other media other art forms. They are unique.
--
01.09.93 Manchester / 07.06.97 Manchester / 30.03.08 London / 22.05.09 London / 10.10.10 London / 01.07.11 Monaco / 04.05.16 London / 23.07.16 Macclesfield / 06.10.16 Brighton / 07.10.16 London.
Post Posted Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:10 pm
Dr_Jones


User avatar
Posts: 3725
Location: Leiden, Netherlands
Likes given: 193
Likes received  : 402

This is why we need a proper release of these concerts on DVD or Bluray. There is a 50 minute documentary about Docklands in which you can see all the preparations and troubles that those concerts had which would be great to have as an extra with the Docklands concert. The documentary is hard to find nowadays. I know that these releases will be expensive to make, on the Pet Shop Boys forum we are all waiting for re-releases of the old VHS concert videos too.
The Jarre in Beijing 2004 DVD shows some nice insights of the process of doing a larger scale concert like that and I really suggest watching the hour long Making Of 12 Dreams of the Sun.
Then there's the 1992 shows in Zermatt and Lost City which have some nice making of videos which can be found on youtube, I think.
Post Posted Sat Nov 21, 2020 8:47 am
Finaero


User avatar
Posts: 2977
Location: Finland
Likes given: 186
Likes received  : 54

Dr_Jones wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:10 pmI know that these releases will be expensive to make, on the Pet Shop Boys forum we are all waiting for re-releases of the old VHS concert videos too.
At least PSB has made one of those releases to begin with - the Performance DVD set is quite brilliant and has nice extra bits like having both versions of "Where The Streets Have No Name (Can't Take My Eyes Off You)" on the same disc
Post Posted Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:07 am
plate of chips


Posts: 288
Likes received  : 21

Richard-Eastham wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:59 pm for me, these concerts are the defining thing and what makes his life and works special.

I would really love him to talk more about social, and celebratory side of these events. And what inspired him to pursue this format in the face of such obstacles.

As an urban designer and urban planner in my professional life, I remain inspired by how JMJ’s concerts have transformed urban environments in a way that no other artists have achieved. Not just musically, or through performance but unlike any other artists working in other media other art forms. They are unique.

The press, various persons writing online, JmJ need to understand

JmJ Free mega concerts
Homeless peoples , Poor families,
those suffering depression,
those coping with hardships in their lives
were able for a few hours be transported from their problems
become energised uplifted.

Kids, teens, creatives (including urban designers as your self), those with vivid imagination were inspired perhaps rest of their lives.

As a celebration of life humanity these free concerts helped people appreciate being alive :
Kurt Vonnegut said this about the Beatles.

As a specific concert Houston helped heal NASA helped heal the city after challenger tragedy.







  • 2020 Zoolook.nl
    Powered by phpBB forum software