'Atom Heart Mother' live

[RobB]

Tomorrow I'll be in London to attend a live performance at Cadogan hall of Pink Floyd's epic 'Atom Heart Mother' composition.
Unfortunately it won't be performed by Pink Floyd themselves but by a tribute band,choir,brass ensemble,orchestra and Ron Geeson,the co-composer.

After the Osmonds experience,I need to get back to a musical performance again.

[sound world]

I need to get back to a musical performance again.

So that''ll be the sound of frying eggs and percolating coffee,then.
'Nice bit of toast'.
(NB RobB it's Ron Geesin,I think he'd appreciate his name being spelt properly )

[RobB]

So that''ll be the sound of frying eggs and percolating coffee,then.
'Nice bit of toast'.

I'm feeling hungry already.

(NB RobB it's Ron Geesin,I think he'd appreciate his name being spelt properly )

Talk about being pedantic .....ok Dave, just for you...... Rod Geesin,the co-composer.
Satisfied now?

[sound world]

Seriously,there have been dozens of times when I have heard musicians being asked about whether they read their reviews,and replying 'I don't mind what people write as long as they spell my name right'.

[RobB]

I think it is on an the label of an early Beatles single where the composers name is given as Paul McArtney. Oop's.

[RobB]

'ATH' turned out to better than I expected with a superb rendition by Ron Geesin (piano),the 4 piece Italian tribute band, Mun Floyd,Caroline Dale (cello),a (I think) 20 piece brass ensemble and the 40 member choir,Canticum.
They kept pretty faithful to the original recording too which was big bonus.

The first part of the concert was given over to new pieces by Ron Geesin which basically introduced the various performers. The first piece was by the brass section only, then Ron played solo piano.Then there was a piece by just Caroline on cello and Ron on banjo.
Caroline then leaves the stage whilst Ron plays a solo piece on banjo,following which the choir take the stage to take us up to the interval.

Between all these performances,Ron chats to the audience about how the pieces were composed and also he reads out some of his poems. Ron is quite the eccentric Scotsman.

Following the 30 minute interval (where there's a mad rush to the bar....where incidentally I'm sure I saw David Gilmour....only people look differnet in real life than they do on the telly or in photos so I'm not 100% sure) Ron took the stage again for a slide show and introduction to 'Atom Heart Mother'. The slides were of photographs taken during the actual original recording sessions for the ATH album.....amazing what 38 years can do to you and the difference between the 1970 Ron in the photos and the 2008 Ron standing in front of the screen.

My partner Kate was hearing ATH for the very first time and even she enjoyed it which surprised me as ATH isn't exactly the most easily accessable piece of music on an initial hearing.But the combination of guitars/drums/brass and choir was very powerful,especially on the climatic end piece.

They deservedly received a standing ovation and had to play the final section over again as their encore.

The concert wast he end to a wonderful but tiring day.London is draining. We did a lot of walking (Liverpool street station down to Tower Bridge......along the Thames to Westminster bridge was stage 1.) We then relocated by tube to central London for lunch in Charring Cross Rd.Then it was three hours shopping in Oxford Street before walking back down to the Thames (we initally tried Tottenham Court tube but the platform was so packed people were backed up onto the stairs so we turned round and came out again and walked instead).
We had drinks and a snack undeer the London Eye and then went across Westminster Bridge (again) and got the tube to Sloane Square.Very posh area.......in one shop window ....£95 for a shaving brush...yeah,cheap at half the price!

Incidenatlly,in HMV in Oxford Street they have available all of Stina's albums apart from 'This Is'.
Sods law it would be her best album thats been deleted.

[sound world]

It is that one with 'Alans Psychedelic Breakfast' isn't it? or did I get that wrong? (not much of a Floyd fan,me). Cows on the front,yeah? (Haven't heard it in 35 years).
Yes,London is knackering.I went to something at the Albert Hall the other week which involved basically 2 hours at the Albert Hall and about 5 hours not at the Albert Hall.

[RobB]

It is that one with 'Alans Psychedelic Breakfast' isn't it? or did I get that wrong? (not much of a Floyd fan,me). Cows on the front,yeah? (Haven't heard it in 35 years).

Thats the one,Dave,but they didn't perform side 2 of the album....just side 1's main title track which is about 25 minutes long.

These shows are part of this years Chelsea festival and they've used 'the cow' sleeve photo for all the advertsining posters etc. So walking around Chelsea yesterday there are all these 'cows' tied high up on the lamp-posts.