Desire Avenue

'Slightly' (sic) worse than having to wait 10 years for a new Stina Nordenstam album is the 35 year wait to see Kate Bush in concert.

But finally, that looooooooooooong wait was over when I attended Kate's 'Before the Dawn' show at the Eventim Apollo (formerly the Hammersmith Odeon) in London.

To use an early KB expression, it was an 'AMAZING' show, an almost perfect blend of sound and visuals, with a combination of skilled musicians and singers, great sound, pre-recorded film, puppets, lighting and visual fx just making the three hours pass in no time at all. It was well worth the wait.

Here's a photo of (my KB) friend Zowie and myself outside the venue. (Unfortunately but understandably no photos were allowed of the concert itself)

I've never been a devoted fan of Kate Bush but maintained an interest from afar, as it were, and I couldn't help getting caught up in the interest surrounding these shows.
The reviews of this comeback show have been universally positive - and considering the tickets for all those shows sold in minutes, you were definitely one of the lucky ones, RobB!

And I think it's great that she made a stand against phones and tablets. People seem to have forgotten how to simply be present where they are.

So is that some merch you're clutching? (no, not Zowie, the plastic bag)

nah, I'd been to Fopp in Leicester Square in the afternoon and bought a book on the Beatles to read on the train home.

I did buy a concert program though, for £15, my only concession to the merchandising stall. I managed to restrain myself from buying the £13 Hounds Of Love mug and the £15 cd albums,the same cds that the aforementioned Fopp were selling for £5.

I didn't see one single person take a photo (during the actual performance) or use their phones etc to record the show. Some people were writing text messages though instead of watching the show...........what's the matter with these people?

Yes, I was lucky with the ticket but that's because I got Zowie to buy them. She works in London and thankfully her place of work has a super-fast internet connection.

I'd love to know if Stina likes Kate's music. I've never heard Stina mention Kate in any interview unfortunately.

There's still some Fopps around? I thought they died a death a few years back.
In fact I was in at the death, whenever it was - I went into Bath that day with the express intent of buying some CDs at Fopps, but when I got to the store it was all closed up, mysteriously, at 10 am. I asked the next door shop what was going on and was told that the workforce had turned up a few minutes beforehand only to be told that they no longer had jobs...

As far as I know London just has the one Fopp left, just off Leicester Square. From what I've read there are still stores in Glasgow and Edinburgh. But it seems that Fopp are owned by HMV now so are not the indie chain they once were.

Lucky you!


I sure hope Stina releases something in the next 25 years.

kuhn wrote:I sure hope Stina releases something in the next 25 years.

Same here otherwise I'll be too deaf and senile to be able to enjoy it.