Post by Programme on Dec 7, 2012 23:57:49 GMT -5
Got to thinking about how many more times Ian would be out on the road, and thought -- WTF -- booked a flight to Paris, Ebay ticket purchase in the blind (Thanks, Bruno), and found myself sitting in the Olympia theater on the first day watching my favorite flute player and his band. Concert start time was 7pm, but very late arriving crowd pushed it to 7:30 or so. Tripadvisor can tell you about the theater (the "loo" experience being a definite high point). The theater is beautiful, and I was lucky to be in the first balcony a few seats away from the sound board looking down on the stage. I'm not sure what I expected Paris Tull fans would be like, but they were both appreciative and big buyers of T-Shirts. The sound from Mikey Downs was unbelievably rich in dynamics and volume -- probably the best I've heard. I don't believe that Ian was feeling as well as he could -- so the set was very prescriptive. Duncan on drums was impressive. As I walked through the streets of Paris back to my hotel after the concert I was aware of some sadness about the night. I've always admired Ian's music for the complexity and variety, and the often sheer difficulty of playing the content during extended tours. It was clear tonight that he was tired, and being out there as Ian Anderson, he has to carry the entirety of the work. Tonight it was Michael Downs who helped Ian get through the night, and for that Mr. Downs deserved a big thanks. If you attended the Paris show and were disappointed a bit, it wasn't the best of nights. But sometimes just getting to the end of the set is an accomplishment of major proportions. And this night was.
Attachments:
