National Concert Hall Dublin

Andy From Sligo

Was the first ever time I have been in the National Concert Hall in Dublin yesterday - not what I was expecting, i mean hear you have this massive building from the outside but I was surprised at how small the auditorium and stage was.

I just presumed it would have been a lot bigger.

sound wasn't brilliant at the show I went to , but I cannot decide if it was the acoustics of the place or whether the sound guys did not turn up the volume loud enough, mind you we were sitting at the back underneath the balcony as well but i would have though the sound still would have blown us away still.

ILoveYourVibes

Its actually not a great performance space. The stage is tiny and the seating is wasted around the back near the organ.

corner of hells

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Was the first ever time I have been in the National Concert Hall in Dublin yesterday - not what I was expecting, i mean hear you have this massive building from the outside but I was surprised at how small the auditorium and stage was.

I just presumed it would have been a lot bigger.

sound wasn't brilliant at the show I went to , but I cannot decide if it was the acoustics of the place or whether the sound guys did not turn up the volume loud enough, mind you we were sitting at the back underneath the balcony as well but i would have though the sound still would have blown us away still.

Thank Jeebus you're back , yer man Mr Fegelien has been wrecking everyone's heads.

AtomicHorror

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Was the first ever time I have been in the National Concert Hall in Dublin yesterday - not what I was expecting, i mean hear you have this massive building from the outside but I was surprised at how small the auditorium and stage was.

I just presumed it would have been a lot bigger.

There's other performance rooms in the building that cater for smaller shows. Function rooms and the like for receptions. Also practice rooms for orchestras and smaller groups, teaching rooms for kids classes, and the offices of some music-related organisations like Music Network.

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

sound wasn't brilliant at the show I went to , but I cannot decide if it was the acoustics of the place or whether the sound guys did not turn up the volume loud enough, mind you we were sitting at the back underneath the balcony as well but i would have though the sound still would have blown us away still.

I'm no musician or sound engineer, but my understanding is that the concert hall auditorium was designed mainly for orchestral performances, which are not amplified. If you went to see something more modern, it might not really be best suited for that space.

JohnnyFlash

That's a shame, Andy. What did ye go and see?

Andy From Sligo

AtomicHorror wrote: »

I'm no musician or sound engineer, but my understanding is that the concert hall auditorium was designed mainly for orchestral performances, which are not amplified. If you went to see something more modern, it might not really be best suited for that space.

ah right that makes sense I suppose. Yes i see where you are coming from

There were overhead speakers and some speakers above where the balcony's were but i don;t know if all the were working. If they all were i would have thought we would have had more sound even at the back of the auditorium

Andy From Sligo

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

That's a shame, Andy. What did ye go and see?

the pink floyd thing on the 20th Nov - a cover band called Visions of Floyd and the RTE concert orchestra celebrating 40 years of the wall album. It was good but kinda didnt blow me away like other concerts have in other venues, but i think it was mainly the audio was poor and not loud enough. I did have larger expectations to be honest even though as I say I was expecting to enjoy it more.

The first half of the concert were (nearly) the full album of dark side of the moon and the sound was very poor and low , couldnt hardly hear the orchestra at all. then there was a intermission and the second half of the concert was much much better and seemed louder I suppose but not as loud as you think it would be at a concert such as that - it did indeed look like the orchestra didnt all have mikes and it was being drowned out by the sound of the bank - good in theory but I think the orchestra needs mic;s / more mic's and the sound guys did need to ramp up the volume even more. Saying that , maybe it wasn't so loud as to not drown out the orchestra more than what they was being.

On another note the drummer of the vision of Floyd band had a perspex screen all around him .. anyone know why that was ? - is it because the drums would have been too loud for the others on the stage or is it to ensure the drummer isnt distracted by the others on stage? - just curious.

Also because the drummer was screened off like this it muffled the sound of the drums/cymbals etc and I really love to hear the drums nice and loud at these kind of concerts . I have seen them do that on TV sometimes putting a screen around the drummer on a stage but always wondered why. Anyone know whats the reasoning behind it?

Rothko

I've only been there once, a few years ago, but I thought it was a pretty nice venue.

Better Than Christ

I sang there a couple of times with the National Children's Choir in the early '90s. Even back then, at the age of 10 or 11, I was hugely unimpressed and disappointed with the place.

bodhrandude

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

the pink floyd thing on the 20th Nov - a cover band called Visions of Floyd and the RTE concert orchestra celebrating 40 years of the wall album. It was good but kinda didnt blow me away like other concerts have in other venues, but i think it was mainly the audio was poor and not loud enough. I did have larger expectations to be honest even though as I say I was expecting to enjoy it more.

The first half of the concert were (nearly) the full album of dark side of the moon and the sound was very poor and low , couldnt hardly hear the orchestra at all. then there was a intermission and the second half of the concert was much much better and seemed louder I suppose but not as loud as you think it would be at a concert such as that - it did indeed look like the orchestra didnt all have mikes and it was being drowned out by the sound of the bank - good in theory but I think the orchestra needs mic;s / more mic's and the sound guys did need to ramp up the volume even more. Saying that , maybe it wasn't so loud as to not drown out the orchestra more than what they was being.

On another note the drummer of the vision of Floyd band had a perspex screen all around him .. anyone know why that was ? - is it because the drums would have been too loud for the others on the stage or is it to ensure the drummer isnt distracted by the others on stage? - just curious.

Also because the drummer was screened off like this it muffled the sound of the drums/cymbals etc and I really love to hear the drums nice and loud at these kind of concerts . I have seen them do that on TV sometimes putting a screen around the drummer on a stage but always wondered why. Anyone know whats the reasoning behind it?

Never made it to this one but I'm going to Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets in April 29th next year at the Convention Centre, maybe I'll see ya there Andy.

Andy From Sligo

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

.......i mean hear you have this massive building from the outside but I was surprised at how small the auditorium and stage was.

National children's choir, what a throwback. Was in that as well. Played a few times in orchestra as well. It's not glam

I wish they'd have an aisle up the middle so there are fewer people to trip over when getting in and out

Thelonious Monk

I played in an orchestra there a couple of times as a kid, seemed enormous to me at the time

kmurph

I went to the Best Of John Williams thing a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed by the sound. I was in the front row of the balcony and it sounded great to me. Going back again next week for the Music Of James Bond show.

Andy From Sligo

Rothko wrote: »

I've only been there once, a few years ago, but I thought it was a pretty nice venue.

yeah agree , nice .. but I think my expectations of it inside (well the stage and auditorium) were too high - i have been to smaller local theater's and been more blown away with the audio performance with it being very loud and clear (most probably why i'm going deaf at the moment lol) - I must say the lighting was pretty good though on the night whoever done that there , it wasn't like laser lighting or anything , but it was still good and matched the music .

Andy From Sligo

bodhrandude wrote: »

Never made it to this one but I'm going to Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets in April 29th next year at the Convention Centre, maybe I'll see ya there Andy.

ah right that sounds like it could be good. Never been actually inside the convention centre before. seen it enough times from the outside. looks impressive

Andy From Sligo

Deleted User wrote: »

I here you bud!

Andy From Sligo

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I played in an orchestra there a couple of times as a kid, seemed enormous to me at the time

yeah I suppose it would have

kmurph wrote: »

I went to the Best Of John Williams thing a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed by the sound. I was in the front row of the balcony and it sounded great to me. Going back again next week for the Music Of James Bond show.

yeah that must have been the thing - we may have been too far back of the venue , we were literally under the balcony at the back. would have thought they could include some speakers up halfway up the hall or at the rear. Thought I see some but it didnt sound like they were on.

MrAbyss

It is small but a lovely space. It is also from a simpler, less populated Ireland. The people who built it could not have envisioned the like of the 3 Arena today.


If you think that is underwhelming, I can only imagine how bands like Led Zeppelin felt playing at the NATIONAL STADIUM which was essentially a bingo hall. With a name like that, they must have expected something along the lines of Madison Square Gardens. There was even a statue of the Virgin Mary in the foyer for years.

Andy From Sligo

annoyingly an 'usher' kept walking up and down the aisle flashing her torch at anyone who looked like they were filming the event on their mobiles. So your trying to enjoy the event but out of the corner of your eye you can keep seeing her walking up and down flashing her flashlight at people throughout the show.

i suppose it has to be done. They always pre-warn people not to film these events well before hand but people still try get away with it

Andy From Sligo

MrAbyss wrote: »

It is small but a lovely space. It is also from a simpler, less populated Ireland. The people who built it could not have envisioned the like of the 3 Arena today.


If you think that is underwhelming, I can only imagine how bands like Led Zeppelin felt playing at the NATIONAL STADIUM which was essentially a bingo hall. With a name like that, they must have expected something along the lines of Madison Square Gardens. There was even a statue of the Virgin Mary in the foyer for years.

haha really, thats gas

some artists actually like playing raw at smaller venues they say.More intimate with the audience and more of a connection with the audience.

I just trying to think of this thing I went to if it could have gone somewhere else more suitable. It was sold out both nights . There was only supposed to be one night only but they added another night on the Tuesday . We went wednesday .

The 3 arena most probably too big? - I have never been in Vicar street at all. Is that bigger or smaller than the NCH?

MrAbyss

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

h

The 3 arena most probably too big? - I have never been in Vicar street at all. Is that bigger or smaller than the NCH?

it is sold out nearly 200 nights a year.

Muahahaha

Andy I was at the same gig the previous night and was also sitting under the balcony at the back of the stalls. Had no problems with sound really and thought it was a fantastic gig to match Pink Floyd music with a full orchestra. Did think the hall itself looks a little bit dated, that bright green paint job reminded me of horrific bathrooms you would see back in the 1980s.

Andy From Sligo

Muahahaha wrote: »

Andy I was at the same gig the previous night and was also sitting under the balcony at the back of the stalls. Had no problems with sound really and thought it was a fantastic gig to match Pink Floyd music with a full orchestra. Did think the hall itself looks a little bit dated, that bright green paint job reminded me of horrific bathrooms you would see back in the 1980s.

that's good. I didnt notice the green paint TBH . Did you find the actual band (Pink Floyd Experience) drowned out the sound of the orchestra in a lot of places - I did. I was really expecting to hear more of an orchestra sounding experience because i have heard DSOTM and the wall played numerous times by tribute bands but never before (live) by an orchestra.

Now, on my night i went the only time the orchestra stood out was there was a lovely harp player she was amazing I heard her OK , she played the 'is there anybody out there (before the 13 channels of shít song lol) - normally only ever heard that played on guitar before . But she played it great. A couple of other times I heard the Cello's (or were they Double Bass? - as u can most probably tell I am culturally challenged LOL) and violins the odd times - i do think the Ochestra could have been mic'ed up and amplfied and it would have been grand for everyone in the hall no matter where they sat.

You know as well as I do that Nick mason done a fantastic job on both albums and when i have heard the album on my own home system I can hear the symbols clealy. But although he was a really good drummer from the band the other night, that perspex screen they put around the drummer muted the sound of the drums and symbols I though.

The show copped out on a couple of things, i dont know whether on your night but on the night I am pretty sure there they completely missed out the song "in the flesh" (Side four/Disc two) - I thought afterwards though its a pretty homophobic and racist song (are there any queers in the theatre tonight? etc) so maybe they were just being PC by not playing it or they were pushed for time - but it was supposed to be the 'Full Album' at the end of the day.

On your night you were there did they play 'Comfortably Numb' in its right order or put it to the end of the show like on my night? - felt weird . I whispered to the mr's sitting next to me "they have left out Comfortably Numb" not realising they were going to play it at the end like that in that order.

and an awful lot of music actually from the album itself played in the background on the actual PA system coming through the speaker system in the hall. when you go to see a 'live' concert you expect the band to be playing and doing the vocals rather than play along to the soundtrack.

anyway, all in all on the whole I enjoyed the night and I am glad I went though even though it does sounds like I am whingeing about it. Just thought the whole experience was going to be a lot better than it was and have been to better live performances of DSOTM and the wall before by cover bands or on youtube where the performance really blows you away (have a look at any Brit Floyd live performances on youtube if you ever get the chance) - and i must have been spoilt by the performance I went to a few years back in the 3 arena (or was it O2 then?) with the main man himself Roger Waters doing the wall live - it was fantastic.

Dufflecoat Fanny

I saw Post Modern Jukebox there last Sunday, my first time in 25 years there. I thought the drums were a little too loud but otherwise the sound was great especially the vocals. I was seated front row main balcony. I'm looking forward to hearing Bach or Beethoven concerts there.

Muahahaha

Andy on my night they played Comfortably Numb last also. I think a few songs were missing due to time constraints, the gig went to 10.45pm and that was with some skipped songs. There was no chance of the 24 minute long version of Shine on You Crazy Diamond, thats for sure :pac:

One annoying thing was the band leaving the audience time for applause between every single son instead of it being continuous as it is on the album.
Heard the harp solo and loved it too, the lads on double bass were excellent also. Im sure they could have micced up the orchestra more but also think that the orchestra was there to supplement the main band rather than playing over them. I suppose both of us were up the back of the stalls so the unplugged sound of the orchestra didnt carry as well up to the back seats, it would have sounded better up the front or even in the middle.

Overall I enjoyed it though and for only 25 lids it was a bit of a bargain. Just wish Gilmore would do a gig in Ireland but as it looks like he isnt bothered coming here will have to search him out abroad on his next tour

is_that_so

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Also because the drummer was screened off like this it muffled the sound of the drums/cymbals etc and I really love to hear the drums nice and loud at these kind of concerts . I have seen them do that on TV sometimes putting a screen around the drummer on a stage but always wondered why. Anyone know whats the reasoning behind it?

It's used to separate acoustically louder instruments from quieter instruments and vocals.

peter4918

Slightly getting away from the acoustics of the place. What’s the parking like around there? Haven’t been yet but will be soon

Jonybgud

peter4918 wrote: »

Slightly getting away from the acoustics of the place. What’s the parking like around there? Haven’t been yet but will be soon

..don't think you can bring the car in mate...

Andy From Sligo

Muahahaha wrote: »

One annoying thing was the band leaving the audience time for applause between every single son instead of it being continuous as it is on the album.

yes same here - we were saying about that. Then you had the confusion of the ones in the audience wondering should they really be 'really' clapping and at what stage , only clapping after one or 2 people people clapped - it certainly wasnt what I would call spontaneously clapping LOL - of course they all got a standing ovation at the end, quite rightly so.

Muahahaha wrote: »

Overall I enjoyed it though and for only 25 lids it was a bit of a bargain.

indeed, got to take that into account alright. sure thats nothing for a concert these days. - its great it got sold out for the both nights they done it

Andy From Sligo

peter4918 wrote: »

Slightly getting away from the acoustics of the place. What’s the parking like around there? Haven’t been yet but will be soon

we stayed overnight in the camden hotel , just around the corner. lovely hotel never been there before. nice clean rooms with a good ol fashioned radiator with a thermostat , none of this air conditioning malarkey (well not in our room)

literally 5 minute walk from the hotel to the NCH. - I didnt notice parking there to be honest, must be though eh surely?

bodhrandude

Also check out Youtube one of the original Floyd concerts from 1980 at Earls Court is on there.

Andy From Sligo

was sorry for not pre-ordering the drinks before the intermission as the signs indicated when you entered the building , the queue for the bar(s) where crazy.

after finally getting served had literally a minute to down a pint of the black stuff and they wouldn't allow you to take the drink into the auditorium (not even if you transferred it to a plastic or paper cup like some venues let you)

so just a heads up for others going to the NCH who want a drink in the intermission ... huge queue as well for the blokes toilets as well in the intermission.

Muahahaha

peter4918 wrote: »

Slightly getting away from the acoustics of the place. What’s the parking like around there? Haven’t been yet but will be soon

On street parking is free after 7pm, provided you can find some. Id say youd get some on Hume Street/Ely Place or around the Green itself. If you want secure parking the Royal College of Surgeons car park is a few minutes walk away.

Andy From Sligo

heartbreaking passing the homeless in doorways on the way to and from the NCH - felt pretty guilty in a way, going to see a show with them sleeping out rough , makes you more than grateful at what you have

dasdog

I've heard people give out about the sound but I was only there twice in recent years

-Earlier this year to see Ronnie Spektor and it was okay
-Last year to see Autechre (in the dark) and I didn't notice as that kind of music loud and in almost complete darkness was some experience

I like the place - the bar is okay and it's good value and great if you are on the Luas - and whenever I've checked they've always had something interesting on in their listings.

Muahahaha

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

heartbreaking passing the homeless in doorways on the way to and from the NCH - felt pretty guilty in a way, going to see a show with them sleeping out rough , makes you more than grateful at what you have

yeah Im usually on O'Connell St once a week around 8pm and when you see the soup kitchens setting up and the crowds using them its really disconcerting. Walking by doorways and theres sleeping bags set up to sleep in later on. Its horrible to see and Ive never seen it as bad in Dublin.

Grid.

Yeah....it's very underwhelming for a prestigious venue and is due for redevelopment in the near future.

https://www.nch.ie/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=Newsroom-Government-Funding&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

Andy From Sligo

Grid. wrote: »

Yeah....it's very underwhelming for a prestigious venue and is due for redevelopment in the near future.

https://www.nch.ie/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=Newsroom-Government-Funding&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

that will be interesting to see what it will look like when its completed

bodhrandude

dasdog wrote: »

I've heard people give out about the sound but I was only there twice in recent years

-Earlier this year to see Ronnie Spektor and it was okay
-Last year to see Autechre (in the dark) and I didn't notice as that kind of music loud and in almost complete darkness was some experience

I like the place - the bar is okay and it's good value and great if you are on the Luas - and whenever I've checked they've always had something interesting on in their listings.

Yeah Four Tet done that this year at the Picnic, no stage lights just two desktop lamps around his equipment, brilliant gig too.

The high horse brigade

I was at this gig Tuesday and thought the sound was excellent. We were on the third row of the balcony in the centre so maybe it depends on your seat. I thought they did a good job of mixing the orchestra with amplified instruments and didn't think the guitars were too loud over the orchestra. The room is designed for an orchestra without any amplification.

The Rape of Lucretia

I think its OK for acoustics. 'Shoebox' concert halls while probably originating from simplicity rather than acoustics, actually work very well. Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and the Musikverein in Vienna, are both regarded very highly.

Where the NCH fails, is when anything is amplified. It really shouldnt be putting on 'shows'. To be fair, that not what it should be used for - it wasnt designed for it, and its size doesnt suit. Its a hall for symphony small orchestras. The stage is a little narrow, but I am never conscious of too much side reflection that you do get in some halls that really spoils things. The choir seats are exactly that - choir seats. As audience seats, of course they fail. But have been in them many times, and generally glad to have been there than not in the hall at all. It is getting a little shabby and tired in recent years, but still tolerable.

Andy From Sligo

I'm kinda getting the vibe that Tuesday's concert was maybe better / louder maybe .. unless I am just getting deafer (that could be it as well)

the second half after the intermission (the wall album) seemed a bit louder than the first i must say. and I heard the orchestra more in the second half.

When I have been to concerts before (even away from the stage) its been so loud you could feel the music pass through you, especially the drums. and then after the concert getting a whistling sound in my head (temporary deafness lol) and absolutely buzzing But i werent feeling that the other night. It was good but just needed to be louder and I think the orchestra needed amplifying - even if they had some dangling down mic's from the lighting rig above them . Its a shame because I really wanted to hear how the wall would sound being played by the RTE orchestra rather than just listening backing tracks and the band itself playing the instruments.

I even felt at some times I was hearing the keyboard player playing some orchestra sounds on the keyboard .. I mean why when there was already an orchestra up there on stage.

More than likely the hall is sufficient enough when there is just a large orchestra on stage playing to warrant it un-amplified - but I think like with the show i went to the other night i would have liked the bands music turned down and the orchestra turned up and the album pre-recorded background music and dialogue toned down and either replicated by the band and or with the orchestra.

But placement (where we were sitting more than likely had a part to play too) it sounds like it was much better sounding actually on the balconies too

It shows you how cultured I am because I thought all orchestras were mic'ed up and amplified but i read that a lot of people prefer the natural sound un-amplified from the orchestra, saying that amplifying an orchestra compresses the sound and makes it sound false and unnatural

Andy From Sligo

https://www.facebook.com/VISIONSOFFLOYDSHOW/photos/a.202511286953198/613039225900400/?type=3&theater

Sheridan81

Muahahaha wrote: »

Andy I was at the same gig the previous night and was also sitting under the balcony at the back of the stalls. Had no problems with sound really and thought it was a fantastic gig to match Pink Floyd music with a full orchestra. Did think the hall itself looks a little bit dated, that bright green paint job reminded me of horrific bathrooms you would see back in the 1980s.

The high horse brigade wrote: »

I was at this gig Tuesday and thought the sound was excellent. We were on the third row of the balcony in the centre so maybe it depends on your seat. I thought they did a good job of mixing the orchestra with amplified instruments and didn't think the guitars were too loud over the orchestra. The room is designed for an orchestra without any amplification.

I was at that gig too; seated in the balcony. I thought it sounded grand.

Also, I'm following both of you.

Strumms

What bugged the shît out of me in the venue is how nice the venue is aesthetically both inside and out but how poxy uncomfortable it is... the seats are uncomfortable both just to sit on and the leg room in particular. I’m 5’11 so no giant and my knees are hitting off the wooden back in front of me... I’ve heard there can be issues with the sound but I don’t recall that on any of my visits..

Andy From Sligo

Sheridan81 wrote: »

I was at that gig too; seated in the balcony. I thought it sounded grand.

Also, I'm following both of you.

thats good. I wonder then if its because we were sitting under the balcony then and it somehow muffled the sound a bit or didnt sound that loud , especially the first half when they were doing DSOTM - that might of been it , that because we were under the balcony at the back of the hall?. - Maybe the balconies had speakers up there or could hear the sound better out of that large vertical speaker hanging down from the lighting rig from the ceiling.

We found ourselves saying in the interval - its good but its not that loud! .. or that clear, and i commented that I really couldnt hear the live orchestra at all in the first half of the show - all I could hear were the band (which were really good) and the backing track of the album .

as I say though it got really better on the second half , louder and clearer, on the wall part ... still no-where near as loud as when I have been at other live concerts though , maybe I'm going deaf LOL

Muahahaha

Strumms wrote: »

What bugged the shît out of me in the venue is how nice the venue is aesthetically both inside and out but how poxy uncomfortable it is... the seats are uncomfortable both just to sit on and the leg room in particular. I’m 5’11 so no giant and my knees are hitting off the wooden back in front of me... I’ve heard there can be issues with the sound but I don’t recall that on any of my visits..

You must have been a bit unlucky Strumms because Im a bit taller that you and the row of seats we were in had ample knee room. I was conscious of that because Id just got off a 3 hour Ryanair flight earlier that afternoon and wasnt looking forward to another two hours with my knees banging the seat in front but it was fine where we were.

Anyway must say fair play to the RTE orchestra for doing these type of gigs. I think the penny finally dropped that there is limited people interested in going to see them perform Mozart for the umpteenth time. iirc it was 2009 that the Trinity Student Orchestra performed Dark Side of the Moon and Daft Punk on campus and in Christchurch cathedral (Hozier was the lead vocal) so it took a while for RTE to twig it but they got there in the end. I know a good few friends who have gone to shows there in the last couple of years so they've really opened up the orchestra to a wider audience other than just classical music.

AulWan

Its scheduled to be closed for refurbishment soon, they reckon it will be closed for two years. So make the most of it.

Muahahaha

It could definitely do with a bit of an upgrade as it looks quite tired and dated in the main auditorium at least. A 2 year renovation sounds like it will cost a pretty penny. I wonder where the two orchestras will base themselves for the 2 years?

AulWan

Muahahaha wrote: »

It could definitely do with a bit of an upgrade as it looks quite tired and dated in the main auditorium at least. A 2 year renovation sounds like it will cost a pretty penny. I wonder where the two orchestras will base themselves for the 2 years?

I don't know about the orchestras but I know the refurb is estimated at €74 million.