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Aggregate report on things more or less important
There's a few things I feel I owe you guys feedback on, so here's our agenda for today:
- A few introductory words
- TeeJay and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hai_di see Livingston live in Oberhausen
- Howhai_di infected TeeJay with the White Collar bug
- Harry Potter 7.1
- Any Other Business
- Summary
Okay, introductory words. What can I say? Winter is fast approaching. Already had to scrape ice off my windshield a few times in the mornings. Real life is busier than ever, which is why I have not posted here as much as I wanted to. Late nights in the office are still on the menu, though hopefully not as many as in the past three or so weeks. It's taking a serious toll on my social activities, and it needs to stop!
On to the Livingston concert. It's already been almost three weeks! The whole experience that day--for me--didn't really start well. I already figured that traffic on the A3 northbound would be bad, which is why I calculated one hour for the drive instead of the 35 minutes it was supposed to take. I had to shave 10 minutes off due to not getting to wrap things up in the office as early as I hoped, so I already had a bit of a late start.
In the car, I switched on my TomTom, and I almost suffered from a heart attack when it a) told me there would be a 68 minute delay due to traffic jam on the A3 and b) that my estimated arrival time would be 8:15 PM. Seriously?? The concert was supposed to start at 8, and it was barely 5:30! But then it dawned on me. The change to wintertime the weekend before. I hadn't reset my GPS, so once I did, estimated arrival time was 7:15 PM. Still way too long, considering thathai_di, Jenny and I were supposed to meet at 6:15. I checked the radio traffic announcements in addition, and sure enough, there was an accident on the A3 in a roadworks area with only one lane in use with more than 10 km of queuing traffic. Awesome.
So I made a judgment call and told my TomTom to find an alternative route. I'm sure it was the right decision because I believe it would have taken me even longer if I'd taken the A3, but I still only got to Oberhausen shortly before 7 PM. I called it the Drive from Hell. Roads were congested everywhere. Luckily, bothhai_di and Jenny had arrived way earlier than me, and they'd found each other as well (seeing how they didn't know each other before that evening). When I got there, there was already a considerable queue in front of the entrance, but we were pretty close to the beginning. They opened the doors ten minutes later, and we secured a very good space in third row in the center, less than two meters away from the stage. I probably could have touched Beukes' knee if I'd wanted to. No burly security guys or barriers. Gotta love those small gigs.
I was also wearing my Livingston t-shirt that I had fabric-painted a few weeks before. It had the first line of the lyrics to "One Good Reason" across the chest (Cry beneath your armor) and the round Livingston logo in the bottom left hand "corner". I thought it was inconspicuous enough not to peg me as die-hard groupie but made enough of a statement to people who know who Livingston are. And is it wrong that I thought the aforementioned die-hard groupies in first row were pretty embarrassing, wearing t-shirts with "I am a proud Livingston supporter" blazoned across the chest? Especially if I mention that they were at least ten years older than me. I mean... if I was a band member, I'd think that'd be way too dorky to be even remotely cool. But of course I can only speak for myself.
They had a supporting act: Andreas Bourani. Pop music style with lyrics in German. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea either. Also, for a band like Livingston, I felt it didn't rock enough. Suffice to say, most of the audience must have felt similarly because the room didn't exactly go wild. I felt a little sorry for the guy and his band (who we later found out included two band members of Die Happy). And at 9 PM sharp, Jakob, Beukes, Paolo, Phil and Chris entered the stage and finally rocked da house!
They played a good mixture of known and new songs, and by now I knew the lyrics of the not-new songs so well that I could sing along to almost all of them. Beukes had a cold, which obviously isn't ideal if you're the lead singer. I thought he did all right, but it showed that a lot of the time he wasn't happy with what he could do (or not do) with his voice that evening. You could tell from the grimaces he made when he didn't hit a note or from the muttered shits and dammits. ;o)
Here's another oddity: In the row in front of us, there was a group of two or three girls who didn't look older than 20 where we wondered why they were even there. The first twenty minutes of the concert, they did nothing other than take pictures of the band, and the rest of the concert they stood motionless as if in catatonic rigor. I mean, hello?! Rock concert? Loud music, thrumming drums, great songs? Jenny, hai_di and I were clapping and cheering and singing and swaying to the beat the whole time. These girls just seemed like someone had forced them to attend. And if that was the case, why stand in second row? Oh well, I guess some people just don't know how to express their enjoyment.
What was a little disappointing was that they played only one encore. I mean, seriously, guys? One encore? I felt cheated! On the other hand, it was probably Beukes who wanted to preserve his voice as best as he could for the upcoming concerts in the next two days. After the show, we lingered because we wanted to see if the guys would show up for a quick chat. And sure enough, after maybe twenty minutes, we spotted Paolo near the merchandise booth.
Very groupie and embarrassing-like, I took my Sign Language cover and embarked on the mission to get it signed by as many band members as possible. We did get to chat a little with Paolo, Jakob and Phil. I also got Chris's signature, but he was so besieged by fans that I didn't want to take any more of his time. Beukes never showed, which was understandable if he wasn't feeling well.
The funniest part was probably my chat with Phil. The poor guy, I had the distinct impression that he was really happy to be able to hold a conversation with someone that went beyond, "Can I take a picktsha?" He ended up explaining to me whose shadows it was on the front cover, where the other pictures in the cover were taken, and what his handwriting in the cover was. I also asked him where in the UK he was from. It took three attempts for him to come up with a town I actually recognized (=> Reading). He also mentioned he could detect a trace of an English accent in my English (oh, really?), and that it was his experience that most Germans rather have an American accent. And that it was probably from watching so many American movies and TV shows. And I was like, "Uhm, Phil? In Germany they dub everything..." He scratched his beard and went, "Hm, true. So where does it come from, then? Music on the radio?" I also asked him if he was learning to speak German, and he said he can pick up certain things (since their tour crew is German) but can't speak, mostly because in Berlin everyone speaks English anyway.
hai_di also got to speak with Paolo and Jakob, so I think everyone was happy. I certainly went home with a big smile on my face that lasted all the way back home. Definitely the best concert I've been to in years, and as expected way better than Linkin Park the week before.
Next? White Collar. It's been seriously messing with my head, but (hopefully) only in the best of ways. Finally another TV show that took my heart by storm. It's been a while since that's happened. The other shows I watch at the moment provide a good level of entertainment and distraction, but none of them in a way that I want to get engulfed in the fandom. It's hard to put into words what exactly fascinates me so, but I think it's the mixture. The characters are loveable but believable. The stories are interesting and extraordinary, and the dynamic between the main characters really drives the show. The writing is witty and appealing. And most of all, the cast is adorable. Of course it helps that Matt Bomer is a sight for sore eyes.
So, uh, here I am,doing science. writing fanfics, signing up for LJ icon challenges and joining WC mailing lists. And enjoying the hell out of it. I just wish they'd release the first season on Blu-ray in Europe already. So far they only offer the UK DVDs. And with my shiny new 42" TV and matching Blu-ray player, I just don't wanna settle for anything less than full HD resolution anymore. (Yes, I checked, the US Blu-rays aren't codefree. Bastards!) And like I mentioned in an earlier entry, hai_di is the one to blame for this latest infatuation. She gave me the first 12 episodes on DVD the other week, and I'm infinitely grateful that she did.
On to the latest Harry Potter big screen adventure: The Deathly Hallows - Part 1. What can I say? I liked it a lot. Not the best film ever conceived (and I'm sure glad they didn't get to finish the 3D conversion), but I thoroughly enjoyed it--in a McPunisher kind of way. I've always been one for the angsty stuff, and this movie was definitely filled with angst. Lots of it, in all its glory. I also loved the landscape, very pretty shots that made me want to go back to Scotland.
I was actually surprised how closely they stuck to the book. I don't remember all the minute details of the book, but the only thing I remember being fundamentally different was the escape from the Ministry of Magic. Wasn't there a blind dragon involved? Or am I mixing that up with some of the other fantasy books I've read recently? Storytelling-wise, I was very happy with the movie. But, uhm, what happened to Rupert Grint? Is it just me, or are there others who also couldn't decide whether he was trying to look buff or trying to hide the fact that he'd put on some weight? But, ahem, I'm the last person who shoulsd point fingers. So now we have to wait, how long? Summer 2011? Guess that's bearable.
I guess any other business can cover the movie trailers. Again, it irks me to no end that everything has to be in 3D now. They showed three or four trailers before the movie, and every single one of them said: Coming to your screen in Digital 3D. Helloooo?! Do not want! Especially not if the movie was shot in 2D. What also irks me is that I wanted to watch Unstoppable, but they're not showing it without dubbing. Screw you, Cinestar, you obviously don't want my 6.50 EUR... And I don't wanna see it badly enough to drive to the dinky, old theater in Cologne.
In summary? Livingston concert - awesome. White Collar - just as awesome. Harry Potter 7.1 - not quite as awesome, but still good. 3D post-production conversion - totally not awesome.
Meeting is adjourned. Minutes will be circulated to all participants when final.
- A few introductory words
- TeeJay and
hai_di see Livingston live in Oberhausen - How
hai_di infected TeeJay with the White Collar bug - Harry Potter 7.1
- Any Other Business
- Summary
Okay, introductory words. What can I say? Winter is fast approaching. Already had to scrape ice off my windshield a few times in the mornings. Real life is busier than ever, which is why I have not posted here as much as I wanted to. Late nights in the office are still on the menu, though hopefully not as many as in the past three or so weeks. It's taking a serious toll on my social activities, and it needs to stop!
On to the Livingston concert. It's already been almost three weeks! The whole experience that day--for me--didn't really start well. I already figured that traffic on the A3 northbound would be bad, which is why I calculated one hour for the drive instead of the 35 minutes it was supposed to take. I had to shave 10 minutes off due to not getting to wrap things up in the office as early as I hoped, so I already had a bit of a late start.
In the car, I switched on my TomTom, and I almost suffered from a heart attack when it a) told me there would be a 68 minute delay due to traffic jam on the A3 and b) that my estimated arrival time would be 8:15 PM. Seriously?? The concert was supposed to start at 8, and it was barely 5:30! But then it dawned on me. The change to wintertime the weekend before. I hadn't reset my GPS, so once I did, estimated arrival time was 7:15 PM. Still way too long, considering that
hai_di, Jenny and I were supposed to meet at 6:15. I checked the radio traffic announcements in addition, and sure enough, there was an accident on the A3 in a roadworks area with only one lane in use with more than 10 km of queuing traffic. Awesome. So I made a judgment call and told my TomTom to find an alternative route. I'm sure it was the right decision because I believe it would have taken me even longer if I'd taken the A3, but I still only got to Oberhausen shortly before 7 PM. I called it the Drive from Hell. Roads were congested everywhere. Luckily, both
hai_di and Jenny had arrived way earlier than me, and they'd found each other as well (seeing how they didn't know each other before that evening). When I got there, there was already a considerable queue in front of the entrance, but we were pretty close to the beginning. They opened the doors ten minutes later, and we secured a very good space in third row in the center, less than two meters away from the stage. I probably could have touched Beukes' knee if I'd wanted to. No burly security guys or barriers. Gotta love those small gigs. I was also wearing my Livingston t-shirt that I had fabric-painted a few weeks before. It had the first line of the lyrics to "One Good Reason" across the chest (Cry beneath your armor) and the round Livingston logo in the bottom left hand "corner". I thought it was inconspicuous enough not to peg me as die-hard groupie but made enough of a statement to people who know who Livingston are. And is it wrong that I thought the aforementioned die-hard groupies in first row were pretty embarrassing, wearing t-shirts with "I am a proud Livingston supporter" blazoned across the chest? Especially if I mention that they were at least ten years older than me. I mean... if I was a band member, I'd think that'd be way too dorky to be even remotely cool. But of course I can only speak for myself.
They had a supporting act: Andreas Bourani. Pop music style with lyrics in German. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea either. Also, for a band like Livingston, I felt it didn't rock enough. Suffice to say, most of the audience must have felt similarly because the room didn't exactly go wild. I felt a little sorry for the guy and his band (who we later found out included two band members of Die Happy). And at 9 PM sharp, Jakob, Beukes, Paolo, Phil and Chris entered the stage and finally rocked da house!
They played a good mixture of known and new songs, and by now I knew the lyrics of the not-new songs so well that I could sing along to almost all of them. Beukes had a cold, which obviously isn't ideal if you're the lead singer. I thought he did all right, but it showed that a lot of the time he wasn't happy with what he could do (or not do) with his voice that evening. You could tell from the grimaces he made when he didn't hit a note or from the muttered shits and dammits. ;o)
Here's another oddity: In the row in front of us, there was a group of two or three girls who didn't look older than 20 where we wondered why they were even there. The first twenty minutes of the concert, they did nothing other than take pictures of the band, and the rest of the concert they stood motionless as if in catatonic rigor. I mean, hello?! Rock concert? Loud music, thrumming drums, great songs? Jenny, hai_di and I were clapping and cheering and singing and swaying to the beat the whole time. These girls just seemed like someone had forced them to attend. And if that was the case, why stand in second row? Oh well, I guess some people just don't know how to express their enjoyment.
What was a little disappointing was that they played only one encore. I mean, seriously, guys? One encore? I felt cheated! On the other hand, it was probably Beukes who wanted to preserve his voice as best as he could for the upcoming concerts in the next two days. After the show, we lingered because we wanted to see if the guys would show up for a quick chat. And sure enough, after maybe twenty minutes, we spotted Paolo near the merchandise booth.
Very groupie and embarrassing-like, I took my Sign Language cover and embarked on the mission to get it signed by as many band members as possible. We did get to chat a little with Paolo, Jakob and Phil. I also got Chris's signature, but he was so besieged by fans that I didn't want to take any more of his time. Beukes never showed, which was understandable if he wasn't feeling well.
The funniest part was probably my chat with Phil. The poor guy, I had the distinct impression that he was really happy to be able to hold a conversation with someone that went beyond, "Can I take a picktsha?" He ended up explaining to me whose shadows it was on the front cover, where the other pictures in the cover were taken, and what his handwriting in the cover was. I also asked him where in the UK he was from. It took three attempts for him to come up with a town I actually recognized (=> Reading). He also mentioned he could detect a trace of an English accent in my English (oh, really?), and that it was his experience that most Germans rather have an American accent. And that it was probably from watching so many American movies and TV shows. And I was like, "Uhm, Phil? In Germany they dub everything..." He scratched his beard and went, "Hm, true. So where does it come from, then? Music on the radio?" I also asked him if he was learning to speak German, and he said he can pick up certain things (since their tour crew is German) but can't speak, mostly because in Berlin everyone speaks English anyway.
hai_di also got to speak with Paolo and Jakob, so I think everyone was happy. I certainly went home with a big smile on my face that lasted all the way back home. Definitely the best concert I've been to in years, and as expected way better than Linkin Park the week before. Next? White Collar. It's been seriously messing with my head, but (hopefully) only in the best of ways. Finally another TV show that took my heart by storm. It's been a while since that's happened. The other shows I watch at the moment provide a good level of entertainment and distraction, but none of them in a way that I want to get engulfed in the fandom. It's hard to put into words what exactly fascinates me so, but I think it's the mixture. The characters are loveable but believable. The stories are interesting and extraordinary, and the dynamic between the main characters really drives the show. The writing is witty and appealing. And most of all, the cast is adorable. Of course it helps that Matt Bomer is a sight for sore eyes.
So, uh, here I am,
hai_di is the one to blame for this latest infatuation. She gave me the first 12 episodes on DVD the other week, and I'm infinitely grateful that she did. On to the latest Harry Potter big screen adventure: The Deathly Hallows - Part 1. What can I say? I liked it a lot. Not the best film ever conceived (and I'm sure glad they didn't get to finish the 3D conversion), but I thoroughly enjoyed it--in a McPunisher kind of way. I've always been one for the angsty stuff, and this movie was definitely filled with angst. Lots of it, in all its glory. I also loved the landscape, very pretty shots that made me want to go back to Scotland.
I was actually surprised how closely they stuck to the book. I don't remember all the minute details of the book, but the only thing I remember being fundamentally different was the escape from the Ministry of Magic. Wasn't there a blind dragon involved? Or am I mixing that up with some of the other fantasy books I've read recently? Storytelling-wise, I was very happy with the movie. But, uhm, what happened to Rupert Grint? Is it just me, or are there others who also couldn't decide whether he was trying to look buff or trying to hide the fact that he'd put on some weight? But, ahem, I'm the last person who shoulsd point fingers. So now we have to wait, how long? Summer 2011? Guess that's bearable.
I guess any other business can cover the movie trailers. Again, it irks me to no end that everything has to be in 3D now. They showed three or four trailers before the movie, and every single one of them said: Coming to your screen in Digital 3D. Helloooo?! Do not want! Especially not if the movie was shot in 2D. What also irks me is that I wanted to watch Unstoppable, but they're not showing it without dubbing. Screw you, Cinestar, you obviously don't want my 6.50 EUR... And I don't wanna see it badly enough to drive to the dinky, old theater in Cologne.
In summary? Livingston concert - awesome. White Collar - just as awesome. Harry Potter 7.1 - not quite as awesome, but still good. 3D post-production conversion - totally not awesome.
Meeting is adjourned. Minutes will be circulated to all participants when final.