Cracker by Damian Christie

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

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  • Sacha, in reply to Richard Stewart,

    the problem with allocated seating is not being able to do just that (a great tactic in more free-form venues)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to James Butler,

    Here’s the thing: I’m still planning on forking out $130 tomorrow for a show there, and I’m sure it will be pretty much sold out, so why would they bother?

    Well, yeah. You could see that as one of the perils of the kind of public-private-partnership through which Vector was built.

    Everyone was freaking out about cost and delays in 2006. The Australian-owned operator QPAM presumably delivered on the terms of its contract. And now it has a 20-year hold on running the business (even though $68m of the $80m cost came from ratepayers' pockets), with no incentive to spend any more on the venue.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    However venues that size do not form a genuine market responsive to bookings. Need other ways to make sure the significant money invested in them is best spent in the interests of citizens and other interested parties.

    And as I note above, PPPs don't tend to provide those ways.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    kick 'em in the private sector....

    And as I note above, PPPs don’t tend to provide those ways.

    That makes me feel so much more unreassured about the proposed PPP Charter Schools, Prisons and probably Hospitals and ACC coming down the pike...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to Mark Cubey,

    Meanwhile in Wellington, folks who know about such things say the sound in the Town Hall for the Bon Iver shows was the best they’d ever heard. And that’s with a nine-piece band and all.

    Wellington Town Hall has one of the best general-purpose acoustics in New Zealand, apart from a few (small) dead spots under the gallery. It's a joy to perform in as well. One of the design briefs for the Michael Fowler Centre was to eliminate the dead spots, which they did, but at the expense of the overall experience (and the ability to use the venue for anything other than sit-down shows). Thank god they never knocked down the WTH as was planned.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    PPPs don't tend to provide those ways

    unless you narrow the beneficiaries to other interested parties than punters and ratepayers #ideology

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    That makes me feel so much more unreassured about the proposed PPP Charter Schools, Prisons and probably Hospitals and ACC coming down the pike…

    Uh-huh. And it's not like there aren't plenty of case studies that demonstrate the risks of such an approach.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Isn't Mt Eden Prison already a PPP?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to merc,

    the Remand prison nearby.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    They are next to each other. I wonder if this has caused remand rates to increase by 200% in the last two years?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to merc,

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Mark Cubey,

    The Welly Town Hall is built for sound, whatever the genre - I don't think there's a dud seat in the place. Not as impressed with the Michael Fowler, though I saw a rocking Dr John gig there a few years ago, and Ry Cooder last year (I think) was excellent too. Less said about the abortion on the wharf the better.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to James Butler,

    I must never have sat in one of those dead spots them.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to nzlemming,

    Excellent.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Russell Brown,

    A complicating factor there is that “pourage” rights are a non-trivial source of income for many events. The big guys can bid large for the right to serve drinks and then serve any old swill they like.

    Well, I figure it like this, if they only want me for my money they can fuck off.
    Going out is supposed to be fun, if it ain't I just don't go.
    Whatever happened to things that were done for people to enjoy as opposed to a way to make a fast buck?
    Oh that's right, National Government.
    I could go on but what's the point.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to nzlemming,

    I must never have sat in one of those dead spots them.

    TBF, I think they're mostly a problem for unamplified music. Strategic speaker placement can do wonders.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    Pixies have never had any banter. I think not putting on a show is their way of putting on a show. I found it stark, cold and thoroughly entertaining. The Powerstation show was amazing. I must have watched 10 or so Pixies live concerts (on you know TVs and shit) and they are always awesome. So maybe in a way you are right, they just kind of go through the motions and rely on their fantastic songs and tight, faultless musicianship to get them through a gig without having to dig deep emotionally.

    New Order however.....haven't they always been notoriously shonky live?

    Bon Iver last night however was totally pro. Good banter, session musician flashiness. Emotionally engaged acoustic numbers. Big triply jams that sounded like 'Inarticulate Speech of The Heart' era Van Morrison.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan Ganley,

    When they performed pretty much my favourite tune ever, ‘Ceremony’, early on, I found a wave of excitement. Which was tampered by Barney forgetting the words to the second verse and instead just repeating the final verse twice. I mean, it’s only their debut single. They’ve only been performing it since 1981

    My favourite tune too, but I forgave him the vocal slip up when the guitars dropped out towards the end, and the bassline was spookily so close to the live Joy Division version on Still. That was great. I always wanted to hear them play it that way.

    And then during the final song of the night, Love Will Tear Us Apart, added rather stupid stadium-rock-esque yelps into the chorus.

    Having seen and heard this unedifying spectacle at BDO in 2002, I braced myself for the cringe. Unfortunately you had no prior warning.

    Since Dec 2006 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    oddly enough, they’ve now switched to Heineken and Monteith’s Pilsener, at a mere nine dollars a bottle.

    Looks like it is not just POAL that has to make a 12% return to the SuperCity.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Rageaholic,

    I keep telling myself I will never go to Vector again, because of the sound, bar, and general unpleasantness; but what's one to do when it's the only way to see New Order, Radiohead, etc?

    I loved the New Order show, but was horrified when I went to get a beer and the cup wasn't big enough so I had to stand at the bar and chug the 1/3 of the bottle that didn't fit in the cup. Was that happening all night, or did I go at an unfortunate time between cup supplies?

    Eden • Since Nov 2010 • 20 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    I'm sure it's been debated here before, but the whole 'you can't be responsible for a plastic beer bottle, let alone glass, while in our concert arena' seems moronic.

    I've been to daycare centres with more relaxed catering policies.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Rageaholic,

    Was that happening all night, or did I go at an unfortunate time between cup supplies?

    It happened from the time the bigger cups ran out, which seemed to be about 1/4 way through the show, until the end, as far as I could tell. Ordering three beers, and being told to chug the remnants of each (which would’ve added up to most of a beer), I didn’t think it was rocket science when I suggested that a fourth cup might hold all the remains… tuh-duhhhh. It certainly wasn't very responsible hosting to suggest otherwise...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Rageaholic,

    I loved the New Order show, but was horrified when I went to get a beer and the cup wasn’t big enough so I had to stand at the bar and chug the 1/3 of the bottle that didn’t fit in the cup.

    Yay! Big score for effete losers who might want to savor their over-priced weasel urine.

    So maybe in a way you are right, they just kind of go through the motions and rely on their fantastic songs and tight, faultless musicianship to get them through a gig without having to dig deep emotionally.

    After seeing that Pixies doco LoudQUIETloud a few years back, it’s hard not to come to the conclusion Black and the rest of the band put all their emotional energy into their deep, abiding and mutual loathing. I’m intrigued by the kind of dynamic where you have to force yourself to re-build some kind of creative relationship with a person (or a whole band) you can otherwise barely be in a room with.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Damian Christie,

    the bigger cups ran out

    how hard is that to manage. #sheesh

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Samuel Scott,

    Pixies have never had any banter. ..

    ...New Order however…..haven’t they always been notoriously shonky live?

    You're probably right Samuel, and I'm probably guilty of not being better researched for what I should expect. My New Order hopes were raised by various people's accounts of great gigs/that BDO gig etc, but perhaps the people that really enjoyed that were the sort of people who still really loved Monday's gig, or were mashed, or both. Not saying they're wrong, just that I look for different things. Banter maybe, musicianship perhaps, but enthusiasm, always...

    Sounds like I would've loved the Bon Iver gig. I'll do me research next time :)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

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