Hello everybody! This is the first chance I’ve had to post on the forum since the concert, but I have been reading all the comments and what everybody has been saying. The consensus is that it was a massive success and I totally agree!
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I was at the concert, and it was incredible. I got back to the UK late last night. For those that met me out in Bratislava, you will remember I was with Natasha, my 14 year old daughter and I promised her that Saturday and Sunday was all about Jean-Michel Jarre, the build-up, and the concert itself and that Monday and Tuesday she would be in charge and no more talk of JMJ from me!
We had a great time in Bratislava on Monday, we hired bicycles, spent time in the city and even took a bus and train ride to Austria and Hungary – three countries in one day. Monday evening we went to the top of the UFO Tower for drinks in the cool cocktail bar and moments after we arrived, Brian May walked in with his team!
I was too shy and nervous to go and say hello, but he was sitting right next to us. I overheard his team saying how great everything had gone and at one point a member of the team took a group photo and they all did a “cheers!” with their drinks and Brian said well done to each of them. So he was definitely happy with everything.
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MY TOP 5 HIGHLIGHTS
1. Meeting Dr Jones, Jote, and Wojtek. It was lovely to chat with Dr Jones before and after the concert. And I loved hearing Jote’s and Wojtek’s opinions and experiences while the concert build-up was happening when everything was so exciting. And it was great when we all met on the river boat after the show. I am just annoyed I didn’t take a photo of us all
2. In the build-up, with the background track playing and getting louder all the time, there was a moment when I looked over and saw the mirrored glass on the Aupark Tower sparkling in the last drops of the sunset, the crowds were getting really big by this point along the grassy embankment by the road, and a police car with its blue lights flashing sped along the road. It was a small but epic moment and captured just how significant this show was going to be. It was the sort of scene that could feature in an official video release.
3. Loved the fireworks! Used sparingly and never overwhelming, they only ever added to the experience. The precision of the fireworks during Rendezvous 2 was astonishing, with explosions perfectly timed to the second, emphasising the music. This really was incredible. Fireworks are old technology and complemented the digital tech perfectly.
4. The laser projections on the Aupark Tower. Looking over my right shoulder to see the Equinoxe figure rotating, the Herbalizer dancers, and the JMJ character playing Oxygene 2 was truly amazing, like the days of La Défense. I never thought I would get to see projections on that scale. And the strobe lighting effect on the UFO Tower during The Opening – wow!
5. Adiescar Chase was a brilliant addition to the band. She has great stage presence and I loved watching her dance. Her electric violin on Epica Oxygene was audible and an amazing live touch. And a didgeridoo on Azimuth – who knew that could work so well?!
MY TOP 5 WHAT IF….?
1. I loved the reworked Equinoxe 7, but it deserved some cool graphics. Equinoxe 4 and Herbalizer stole all the robots so maybe some futuristic space, and stars instead of the anonymous geometric shapes?
2. I loved the short speech from JMJ before Rendezvous 4 about aeroplanes, space flight and working with NASA in Houston. Maybe a similar short speech before Industrial Revolution, about technological progress, artificial intelligence and for us all to be optimistic and not afraid? The graphics used during Industrial Revolution were emotionally powerful and beautiful.
3. I still cannot understand why JMJ wore headphones (or were they ear defenders?) for the laser harp. He’s been playing the laser harp in one form or another for over 40 years and NEVER worn headphones before. It looked a bit odd, but even more unusual is he kept them on for the final thank you and goodnight – can anybody explain?
4. No final band line up and take a bow. It would have been great to see JMJ, Adiescar, Claude and Brian May all line up, link arms and take a bow. What a team and they all deserve the applause. I recall a great final line up and take a bow photo from Docklands, with the whole JMJ tribe in a line. The band this time around deserved the same.
5. No keytar. I was hoping there would be a JMJ x Brian May duet, like with Hank Marvin but rehearsals suggested not. That said, I think JMJ was wise to stay behind his keyboards, as a keytar x guitar duet may not have been a good look, and the laser harp x guitar duet was loads better.
