Post by jules on May 15, 2006 15:22:44 GMT -5
This a a copy of the one I posted on the other site so if you went their first you can just skip to the end .......
Well I’ve just about got my head back together today so here’s a bit about the Manchester show.
The sound check featured a light-hearted celebration of Liverpool winning the FA Cup which apparently isn’t going to be played anymore and Liverpool get to keep the cup. Hmmm. Not so sure about that one Owen. Also got part of the Win and Regine mega-mix (i.e. leave the loop machine on and let Philipp hit them drums). I say part as for Nottingham it was more like a session. But I’m telling you things you don’t need to know.
Manchester, Cultural capital for Mancunians, host city to the 4th UK date of the current Final Fantasy tour and what a pleasure it turns out to be. Actually I’ve have a great few days travelling round and about, each show has been unique in it’s own way despite being woven round a core selection of songs. Owen has this knack of always being spontaneous in conversation with the audience and in the way he plays the songs. Manchester was no exception. Packed into a tight corner with only carpet as a stage, he entranced the audience which blow me down sat throughout the entire show, Now the reason why I mention this is that a) I had wanted to film from the back but decided against as the stage was only the thickness of a carpet (bugger if only I had known and b) it made no difference to the show.
The audience was as enthusiastic as London and Nottingham. They sat almost mesmerised by the performance as Owen played the ones we love including That's When The Audience Died, This Lamb Sells Condos, Hey Dad (a favourite of mine but not yet recorded) and The CN Tower Belongs To The Dead. Philipp was his normal crashing and dashing self providing the beat for the “pop” songs like This Is The Dream of Win and Regine and with Steph on the overhead the audience are whisked on an epic journey of rising enjoyment.
..and then just as you think it’s getting near the end of the show, Owen suddenly decided that he really wants to do Dazzle Ships again. But he can’t find the lyric sheets he used before. Oh well let’s do it anyway. But this time it’s the entire 1st side of the LP so along with Radio Prague, Genetic Engineering, ABC Auto-industryand Telegraph we get This is Helena and International. He even gets some improvisation form the audience who join in (Sheila who plays for Corey Dargel proving the offbeat – naughty naughty).
I’m getting nervous near the end as he’s almost got to the end of the tape and he’s not finished. The tape is flashing to say hurry up and change me and it gives up the ghost, but second after he finishes. A hurried tape change whilst Owen jokes with the crowd that not many audiences would allow someone to play the entire side of another artists record. He also jokes that was playing with his eyes close and expected to open them and find the room empty.
One last song (What Do You Think Will Happen Next? ) with Philipp back and then it really is over.
After the show I had a chat with Owen about fame, fortune, success and TV commercial, before I said my goodbye to everyone and head back home. I had my copy of Dazzle ship with me as I’d played it on the way up so it was on again full blast in Deansgate. It really is a truly great album and I confess I hadn’t played it for years until Owen mentioned it a few months back on the FF forum.
Best moments of the last few days…. The whole bloody lot.
I’m even now trying to re-schedule June so that I can make the Homefire Festival in London on 4th June. Not looking promising, but you can have you final fantasies…
Good new is that he will be back later this year and you can get the Many Lives single direct from tomlab right now. Even if you want the 7", get the cd as well as it has a stunning new track Jars Of Lars which is fast becoming my new favourite after I'm afraid of Japan, so Owen your not allowed to play that one live either )
Patrick asked me the other day did I prefer Has Good Home to Poos Clouds. I said at the time that it was hard to tell as HGH was ingrained in my head and was hard to shift. Well Patrick now I have the mastered version of HPC I can say that its not better, it just as good.
Thanks to everyone who made this a special time for me, not just Owen, but to all the Final Fantasy cohorts who made me so welcome in their company. I hope the results of your efforts aren't lessoned by my amateur hands.
If nobody else post some pictures I get together some screen gabs and post them soon.
Well I’ve just about got my head back together today so here’s a bit about the Manchester show.
The sound check featured a light-hearted celebration of Liverpool winning the FA Cup which apparently isn’t going to be played anymore and Liverpool get to keep the cup. Hmmm. Not so sure about that one Owen. Also got part of the Win and Regine mega-mix (i.e. leave the loop machine on and let Philipp hit them drums). I say part as for Nottingham it was more like a session. But I’m telling you things you don’t need to know.
Manchester, Cultural capital for Mancunians, host city to the 4th UK date of the current Final Fantasy tour and what a pleasure it turns out to be. Actually I’ve have a great few days travelling round and about, each show has been unique in it’s own way despite being woven round a core selection of songs. Owen has this knack of always being spontaneous in conversation with the audience and in the way he plays the songs. Manchester was no exception. Packed into a tight corner with only carpet as a stage, he entranced the audience which blow me down sat throughout the entire show, Now the reason why I mention this is that a) I had wanted to film from the back but decided against as the stage was only the thickness of a carpet (bugger if only I had known and b) it made no difference to the show.
The audience was as enthusiastic as London and Nottingham. They sat almost mesmerised by the performance as Owen played the ones we love including That's When The Audience Died, This Lamb Sells Condos, Hey Dad (a favourite of mine but not yet recorded) and The CN Tower Belongs To The Dead. Philipp was his normal crashing and dashing self providing the beat for the “pop” songs like This Is The Dream of Win and Regine and with Steph on the overhead the audience are whisked on an epic journey of rising enjoyment.
..and then just as you think it’s getting near the end of the show, Owen suddenly decided that he really wants to do Dazzle Ships again. But he can’t find the lyric sheets he used before. Oh well let’s do it anyway. But this time it’s the entire 1st side of the LP so along with Radio Prague, Genetic Engineering, ABC Auto-industryand Telegraph we get This is Helena and International. He even gets some improvisation form the audience who join in (Sheila who plays for Corey Dargel proving the offbeat – naughty naughty).
I’m getting nervous near the end as he’s almost got to the end of the tape and he’s not finished. The tape is flashing to say hurry up and change me and it gives up the ghost, but second after he finishes. A hurried tape change whilst Owen jokes with the crowd that not many audiences would allow someone to play the entire side of another artists record. He also jokes that was playing with his eyes close and expected to open them and find the room empty.
One last song (What Do You Think Will Happen Next? ) with Philipp back and then it really is over.
After the show I had a chat with Owen about fame, fortune, success and TV commercial, before I said my goodbye to everyone and head back home. I had my copy of Dazzle ship with me as I’d played it on the way up so it was on again full blast in Deansgate. It really is a truly great album and I confess I hadn’t played it for years until Owen mentioned it a few months back on the FF forum.
Best moments of the last few days…. The whole bloody lot.
I’m even now trying to re-schedule June so that I can make the Homefire Festival in London on 4th June. Not looking promising, but you can have you final fantasies…
Good new is that he will be back later this year and you can get the Many Lives single direct from tomlab right now. Even if you want the 7", get the cd as well as it has a stunning new track Jars Of Lars which is fast becoming my new favourite after I'm afraid of Japan, so Owen your not allowed to play that one live either )
Patrick asked me the other day did I prefer Has Good Home to Poos Clouds. I said at the time that it was hard to tell as HGH was ingrained in my head and was hard to shift. Well Patrick now I have the mastered version of HPC I can say that its not better, it just as good.
Thanks to everyone who made this a special time for me, not just Owen, but to all the Final Fantasy cohorts who made me so welcome in their company. I hope the results of your efforts aren't lessoned by my amateur hands.
If nobody else post some pictures I get together some screen gabs and post them soon.
And that takes time to sort out afterwards. Have some patience! Someone_else will come up with the goods soon enough.