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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
 Posted - 09/10/2005 : 07:25:43
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http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/content/camden/hamhigh/whatson/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondon24&category=whatsonmisc&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=whatson&itemid=WeED09%20Sep%202005%2013%3A07%3A16%3A537
Ally Pally sounds like a good idea…
editorial@islingtonexpress.co.uk
09 September 2005
PIXIES
Alexandra Palace
HHHII
It is time for the bosses at Alexandra Palace to accept defeat. The massive former home of BBC TV just does not cut it as a concert venue, any more than it would make a comfy home for a family of four.
Given some of the bands that have made their way to the "people's palace" over the past two years, you would expect any problems with sound or management now to be distant memories.
Sadly, they aren't. Last week the Pixies, one of the best and most practised bands currently touring, made Ally Pally their temporary home for two nights.
Tickets for the gigs cost £27.50 plus booking fee.
The Pixies began in Boston in 1986 and split in 1991. Since reforming in 2004, they have had the chance to set up their instruments and sound check in hundreds of venues and, frankly, if anyone could cut it in this cavernous place, they could.
Brilliant as ever they reeled off such a dizzying list of hits they were able to keep the audience of mostly 30-somethings engaged, despite a less than satisfying volume and excessive echo.
All the old favourites were there -and each time the audience stumbled upon a classic there were resounding cheers.
Debaser and Where Is My Mind? are just as exhilarating as ever, but some of their less well-known numbers seemed a bit forced. But there was no hint of any sourness between Black Francis, aka Charles Michael Kitridge Thompson IV and Kim Deal, whose famous split led to the dissolution of the band.
She fondly addressed the lead singer throughout by his Christian name Charles, before wishing him and the audience good night.
At one point, Deal, the Pixies bass player, quipped that it was a pretty venue. Well, yes, pretty certainly, but engaging, atmospheric and comfortable? No.
Wandering around you can't help thinking you are in a conference centre.
Trying to get a drink is tough and often queues for toilets or, in the past, even to get into the venue, are too long.
It couldn't be more of a shame. You could dry dock the QE2 in the Great Hall. If the place actually lent itself to big concerts then it would be one of the greatest venues anywhere, not just in the UK.
It makes Brixton Academy, for example, look like a grotty little pub venue. But while Brixton, an old cinema within spitting distance of the tube, has atmosphere and acoustics, Ally Pally has neither.
It is also plonked on the top of a hill. Great for early radio and TV transmissions, but a bugger for public transport late at night.
You suspect that the Pixies, who sold out Brixton Academy last year, felt a bigger venue was needed this time. They were right, but the problem is that if any of the 7,000 odd crowd were not die-hard fans they might not come back to see them when they next return to these shores.
Admittedly, bands playing venues this big have limited options and few rely on their live performances to keep or attract audiences.
But still, it isn't fair on the band or fans that Alexandra Palace pretends it is a rock venue. It just isn't. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 08:33:14
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http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/content/islington/gazette/whatson/story.aspx?brand=ISLGOnline&category=whatsontheatre&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=whatsonislg&itemid=WeED14%20Sep%202005%2014%3A27%3A48%3A093
The Critics
nlnews@archant.co.uk
14 September 2005
THE PIXIES
Alexandra Palace, N10
ALEXANDRA Palace swelled with pride as it welcomed The Pixies to the Great Hall, the best loved alt-rock band from Boston whose reputation almost certainly remains indestructible.
There is not much you can say to a die-hard fan about The Pixies. It's The Pixies, then full stop.
No one sounded like The Pixies before and no one has really emulated them since. They scorched the earth for practically every guitar band under the sun since the late 1980s and despite their overwhelming draw, have strangely managed to stay bobbing the right side of the underground ever since.
They are possibly the biggest stadium band that never was.
Following an 11-year absence, which has only managed to reinforce their power like a dead film star, The Pixies are on a comeback kick. But just how hard are they kicking these days?
There was little evidence of fresh material on show at Ally Pally and the show essentially served the function of a greatest hits parade, from Is She Weird to Caribou, Chained and Debaser.
But the crowd lapped up every slice of noise, each tune perfectly honed and almost even homogenised. Their trademark hushed vocals and breakthrough punk noise was orchestrated to perfection.
They sounded as fresh and relevant as they always did, and provided a useful antidote to the high fashion infection suffered by so much of today's music scene.
The Pixies may have not been wearing any frills at the Palace but sometimes things don't require much dressing up. Some things are best left as they are. -
ALISON CAMPSIE
Notice they call Hey 'Chained'!
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 09/18/2005 : 18:44:50
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http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/hamhigh/postbag/story.aspx?brand=northlondon24&category=postbaghamhigh&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=postbaghamhigh&itemid=WeED15%20Sep%202005%2016%3A20%3A34%3A740
Long may the Ally Pally gigs continue
editorial@hamhigh.co.uk
16 September 2005
As an enthusiastic unpaid supporter of Alexandra Palace, I can offer an unbiased opinion on the report of the recent Pixies concert in the Great Hall (Ally Pally sounds like a good idea, H&H Rock and Pop, September 9).
I was not in attendance, but I am disappointed that your reviewer, Andrew Brightwell, found the acoustics of the hall not to his liking.
The original Great Hall was built as a concert hall mainly for the organ concerts, and I have never heard any criticism of the acoustics when I organised organ concerts, even with the rebuilt hall after the 1980 fire.
I applaud the Palace trustees for having the initiative to promote pop concerts to bring in much needed income, and attract young people to the wonderful building.
The Royal Albert Hall has also had acoustic problems, and I am sure that with professional advice, the problem at Alexander Palace can be solved.
What is not acceptable is that the toilets and bar services are inadequate, and paid management must sort this out immediately.
Once again the old red herring about lack of transport rears its ugly head.
Bus services run to the Palace, it has its own railway station and is not that far from Wood Green and Highgate tube stations.
It has a free car park, and cab services are available. Often free coaches are provided from Wood Green so where is the problem ?
The Great Hall is, in the main, an exhibition centre, and I do not believe that the Palace has ever suggested that it is a rock venue.
Long may the concerts continue.
Colin Richell
Grenoble Gardens
Palmers Green, N13 |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2005 : 01:37:23
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http://www.broadcastbuyer.tv/publish/article_6171.shtml
“This is Direct Television from Alexandra Palace” - Ally Pally Celebrates TV’s Platinum Anniversary
3rd November, 2005
Next year Alexandra Palace will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first ever TV broadcast which came direct from the historic venue.
In 1936 Elizabeth Cowell uttered the immortal words, “This is direct television from Alexandra Palace”, since then television has become one of modern society’s most significant technological breakthroughs and the BBC’s occupation of the Palace in the 1930’s for early experiments and actual production was key to its development. Alexandra Palace is truly the birthplace of television and its anniversary will be celebrated throughout 2006.
Ally Pally is currently one of the UK’s most popular and versatile venues; hosting dozens of exhibitions from The Knitting and Stitching show to the London Motorcycle exhibition. The Palace has in recent times leapt into prominence as London’s busiest major music venue, with Rock acts including Razorlite, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, The White Stripes, Stereophonics, Faithless, The Pixies, Embrace, Nic Cave and Paul Weller all featuring in this year’s schedule.
Weblinks: http://www.alexandrapalace.com |
Edited by - Carl on 11/12/2005 01:41:23 |
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Pixies at Alexandra Palace (31st August)
