Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: Dinner and a Show (Everybody’s Bar & Bistro/New Order)

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  • linger,

    eek out a living

    there's them rock-stadium yelps again.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Let’s just put it out there to start with. New Order weren’t very good.

    That’s going to sound like heresy to some, and I’m sure others will emphatically state that they thought they were bloody fantastic and they had the best night ever. Of course it’s possible to have a great night and enjoy seeing the band you love simply because you love them, not because they’re doing a particularly good job.

    But I expected them to be rough as guts -- I've seen them several times before.

    They rocked along, I really enjoyed myself and so did the people with me. And I actually thought Barney was quite funny.

    "Start the drum machine Stephen!"

    "World In Motion? No chance."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    "But I expected them to be rough as guts"

    Rough I can handle. Disinterested, not-so-much. And to me the second makes the first less forgivable.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Aren't all wrinkly bands like that? They were good and innovative 20 years ago, but now it's all about topping up the bank account.

    (Peter Hook was awesome when he DJed at Ink a few years ago, but that was doing something different, and for very little money).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart,

    Re the service - I've often found that new places take a while before the service really kicks into gear. It seems to take a few months of 'getting familiar' between staff, kitchen sections, front/back of house, etc before it all meshes and things get all seamless and fluid. (It might give them time to tighten up the menu, from what you say about the oysters & the sashimi.)

    As for the wrinkly bands, I generally go for what they mean for me, personally, and how they provide some of the theme tunes of my life - but if they're not interested and just going "Auckland - by contractual obligation" it would be a real let-down.

    Hope you enjoyed the night overall, though, Damian, now you have a young 'un taking up most of your evenings.

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    Thanks Stewart - and yeah I did enjoy it, despite how it might have sounded. The pork was amazing, and hearing good songs played badly was still better than sitting at home. I know what you mean about service etc, although a good waiter will always note that you have no knife and fork when the food gets plonked down, or that you have empty plates sitting on your table when they take your drink order. That requires no communication between anyone and anyone else, just eyes.

    I'm hoping they might have just been a couple of staff members down that night.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Tamara,

    I went to Everybody's a couple of weekends ago and I agree the decor is superb. We had excellent service so I'm not sure that it being early days completely explains what happened with your meal. (I had lunch at Depot last week, which has been open for ages, and the kitchen was all over the place, even the waiters were puzzled). I also had the confit duck, which I found too salty. Since I usually adore confit duck I was a bit bummed about that.

    Can't comment on New Order as I didn't go, but I did see the Pixies at Vector and thought they were awesome. When I wasn't worrying about how my partner was getting on with the tiny new baby...

    New Zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 115 posts Report Reply

  • andrew r,

    Not the best I've seen them maybe, but actually I quite liked them. That a band can write Ceremony and then several years later write True Faith and pull them both off live ..even at the outer reaches of middle age, is kind of cool.

    auckland • Since May 2007 • 100 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    The harsh reality is that New Order are now in Rolling Stones territory: people go to see them because they were once great, as opposed to still being great.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Stewart,

    It certainly seemed like they were just going through the motions some of the time. Loved the visuals, and 586 made up for the rest of the show for me.

    The biggest complaint was people talking all the way through. IS it me or is this rudeness on the rise?

    Pt Chev • Since Feb 2012 • 73 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Richard Stewart,

    No, it's that at a proper level of volume, you can't hear anyone talk unless you're the person being spoken to. People shushing is another reason not to go to granny rock gigs.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    That and the grannies shoving you out of the way so they can get their Zimmers into the mosh pit

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Conrad Heine,

    Of course, when I saw Radiohead, in 1997 (at a very exclusive secret performance in a gymnasium on the outskirts of Reading) they were top of their game, at their peak, and far, far better than they are ever likely to be again, since, or ever. Did I mention how much better the restaurants are in London? That British food-as-punishment/surly-service thing just a myth.

    London/New Zealand • Since Mar 2008 • 18 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    Sorry to interrupt the broadcast, but like Russell, I really enjoyed it, and given I had the flu at the time, I had every right not too.

    For anyone who cares, here's Temptation, which was my highlight on the night.

    As for Radiohead, this guy at the New York Times didn't get your memo.

    Sure Vector won't be the best place in the world to see them, but as it is the only place I'm likely to in the foreseeable future, I'm stoked.

    Carry on.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • mattgeeknz,

    With Radiohead's Auckland tickets going on sale tomorrow, it feels appropriate to link to their cover of Ceremony.

    Radiohead - Ceremony (YouTube)

    Wellington • Since Mar 2010 • 22 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    No, it’s that at a proper level of volume, you can’t hear anyone talk unless you’re the person being spoken to. People shushing is another reason not to go to granny rock gigs.

    I felt it was loud enough for me to put in my earplugs (which greatly improved my subjective listening experience), but Vector's a weird venue for sound, especially at the back of the room.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    The harsh reality is that New Order are now in Rolling Stones territory: people go to see them because they were once great, as opposed to still being great.

    Nah. I was totally going for Barney’s droll Manc humor. Wish it’d been me who called out for ‘World In Motion’, but.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Ne Worder...

    ... trying to eek out a living on past glories

    At a scratch one might eek a mouse
    but one would always eke a living...
    ;- )

    Though Linger makes a good point for skewed context...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    I will say that the Sharapova moments in LWTUA where less than perfect.

    I did admire his backhand though.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    But I expected them to be rough as guts – I’ve seen them several times before.

    And while I know this isn’t exactly Mr. Christie’s complaint, I don’t know why anyone would go to a live gig and complain that the toons don’t sound just like they do on the platters. If that’s really what you want, bands might as well push a button then bugger off for a drink or twelve.

    As far as New Order are concerned, it seems like a minor miracle Morris and Hook didn't kill each other years back in some horrendous murder-suicide.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Damian Christie,

    I'm hoping they might have just been a couple of staff members down that night.

    Sad excuse. Many hospo staff in this country are casuals. If staff are down, good management should be all over that. and chipping in everywhere if they haven't sorted out replacements. And as a new oft talked about place at the moment, it should all be about the service to bring you back before you decide only one thing was good on the menu. If a patron orders the meal, they can take responsibility for wrong choices. Service is all about the restaurant. Even if it was the bistro. What, because Roxy was closed service was wanting? Don't tell me it's snotty?
    I'm glad they are moving into what has been empty spaces for years and I'm glad we are recycling rather than tearing down however a quiet word to management actually helps the restaurant so I most definitely would have said something after my meal. And a quiet word immediately could have got them a fantastic review right here.:)
    Now who was it that said you need to be quiet at a concert? Pileeze, I mean, yes Vector really disappointed me for quality of sound but to sit or stand in a room of thousands with a band playing loud (I presume) .... that's as old as clapping everytime a guitar gets a strum.
    P.S Nice to see you back roun' these here parts Damian :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I don’t know why anyone would go to a live gig and complain that the toons don’t sound just like they do on the platters.

    Yeah Craig, and as you note, that's not my point, and for the record (or rather, for anything other than the record), nothing bores me more than a band doing pitch-perfect renditions of songs with nothing in between. Interpol were the worst example I've seen for that, playing the songs precisely, with no talking or interaction or generally giving a fuck in between. Crowded House on the other hand - and they're far from my favourites musically - were absolutely amazing both times I've seen then in the past 20 years, for chopping, changing, chatting...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Fark, we'll never get the Standard believing our working class credentials if you keep this up, Damian. Couldn't you have gone to the pie cart instead?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    While we're complaining about service ... Vector's bar set-up is absurd.

    Not only do the poor staff have to hand-pour every beer in plastic cups as they are purchased by increasingly antsy punters, they have to wander away to fetch food from the kitchen if anyone wants to buy that.

    Seriously: get a decent tap beer, pre-fill the cups and separate the food and drink.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Eediot,

    "Seriously: get a decent tap beer, pre-fill the cups and separate the food and drink."
    And leave the frigging caps on the water-bottles so most of it doesnt end up being kicked over on the floor. I now take a couple of bottle screwcap to gigs to get around this ridiculous nannying

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 51 posts Report Reply

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