Tom Waits

Euchrid · 30-07-2008 05:40PM

LadyPennyworth wrote: »

Can anyone advise me on how long it will talk me to get there on foot from Hueston Train station? Coming up from Galway and dont fancy hanging about Dublin on a friday eve so will be arriving at 5.30 and plan to walk, I know I did for some other gig a few years back...

Heuston is 10/15 mins from main gate of the park so somewhere in the region of 35-45 mins total to the tent. So loads of time for a quiet beer in one of the pubs en route to the park!

j_nolan · 30-07-2008 05:46PM

Those of you who bought two tickets: your name is on both of them, right?

I'm reading some stuff here and there suggesting your 'plus one''s name has to be on their ticket, but at no stage was I given the option of doing this; were any of you?

Euchrid · 30-07-2008 05:53PM

j_nolan wrote: »

Those of you who bought two tickets: your name is on both of them, right?

I'm reading some stuff here and there suggesting your 'plus one''s name has to be on their ticket, but at no stage was I given the option of doing this; were any of you?

I just re-read the ticketmaster email from yesterday and while you could argue that it's open to mis-interpretation. But the credit card holders name is on both tickets for everyone and the only requirement for the 'plus one' is that they enter with the card holder, who has card and ID.

Legion · 30-07-2008 06:04PM

j_nolan wrote: »

Those of you who bought two tickets: your name is on both of them, right?

I'm reading some stuff here and there suggesting your 'plus one''s name has to be on their ticket, but at no stage was I given the option of doing this; were any of you?

Only bought mine today for Friday so have to pick them up at the venue on arrival but I do know people who bought two tickets and the buyers name is on both.

The Fool · 30-07-2008 06:28PM

Anyone listen to Joe Duffy today? Come on..own up.

I heard promoter backed down and will not insist on ticket matching id,
if there is a "good excuse"

Legion · 30-07-2008 06:36PM

The Fool wrote: »

Anyone listen to Joe Duffy today? Come on..own up.

I heard promoter backed down and will not insist on ticket matching id,
if there is a "good excuse"

Actually yes...yes i did

Heard the stuff going on about the non refunds etc and then some guy who got on saying he was traveling from Cork for the gig tonight and he was saying that he bought tickets for friends yesterday, I was like "WTF thats horse**** its sold out I have been trying to get tickets for weeks" so turfed one of the graphic monkeys out if their seat and took over their mac for a browse and then BAM !! two tickets to Waits on friday

CraggyIslander · 31-07-2008 12:17AM

just back now and all i have is one word:

BRILLIANT

nearly 3hrs of musical genius :-)

Oh and did NOT get checked for ID with the ticket on the way in

setanta59 · 31-07-2008 12:19AM

What a disappointment!
Paid full price for tickets, got lousy seats. Couln'd see the band at all, couldn't see the stage set, side view (barely) of Tom, lousy sound especially early on, so much so hard to recognise songs. Then the marquee leaked and the rain got in! I am sure Tom was great but it was hard to tell, it was like watching from another room. (One or two strange song choices IMO)
My ID wasn't checked, and i didn't see anyone elses gettng checked either.
Off to write a stinking email to Aitken promotions.
Waited years for Tom to come, and now I just want to cry!
Goodnight!

LadyMayBelle · 31-07-2008 12:20AM

CraggyIslander wrote: »

just back now and all i have is one word:

BRILLIANT

nearly 3hrs of musical genius :-)

Oh and did NOT get checked for ID with the ticket on the way in

Wow. going on friday. dying to see the setlist even tho it changes every gig. cant wait to hear more reports!

JJ · 31-07-2008 12:38AM

So all that huffing and puffing about tight security around tickets and no one had their ID checked?

Hermy · 31-07-2008 12:38AM

Glad you enjoyed it.
Can't wait for Friday.

flogen · 31-07-2008 12:51AM

Interested to see what the set list was like - I'm wondering if he'll play more "classics" because he hasn't played Ireland in so long. Wouldn't count on it, mind you.

While I thought the ID rules were strict I'm sad to see Aiken back down on them (Assuming they have). The Joe Duffy mob got to them and complained about something that was spelled out for them months ago, why it suddenly became an issue today is obscene and I'd have no sympathy for someone who couldn't follow the clear rules laid out.

But I suppose it has served its purpose in the end - even if Aiken say they're not going to check ID for the next two gigs you're not going to see that many people touting at such short notice.

I'm a little bit worried about my seats - they're very close to the front and just to the left of the stage... can anyone tell me firstly how high up the stage is compared to the flat seating (does it look like people in the front row would have to strain their necks to see it?) and secondly how far to the right and left of the stage does the flat seating go? I mean if your sitting in the seat at either end of each row are you going to have trouble seeing the stage?

Thanks

CraggyIslander · 31-07-2008 12:58AM

sorry to hear that setanta59, the tiered seats to the sides looked pretty bad alright with the big speakers in front of the stage at either side.

I got lucky and had seat 12rows from front in the middle.

Highlight of the night for me was 'way down in the hole', one of my favs and didnt think had a chance as hadnt seen it on any setlists....... but I was in luck

Didnt mind cycling home in the rain after a great evening......although do blame Tom for the rain with that 'make it rain' song!

iwhelan · 31-07-2008 12:59AM

AMAZING gig tonight!

yellabelly · 31-07-2008 08:00AM

I was blown away by a brilliant performance- gig of the year. Got lucky with the 8th row where it was worth every cent.

Qprmeath · 31-07-2008 08:13AM

Gig was superb. Didnt know that many of the songs but the man is just a class entertainer. Superb singer and just as good a comedian. Toms band were brilliant too.His stint at the piano which included a superb "Waltzing Matilda" was a personal highlight. I wouldnt be as much into the upbeat bluesy "Tom" material but it was hard not to enjoy that too. I was near the front of the tiered seating at the back to the left facing the stage,Block b Row F Seat 103. Had a perfect view of the stage and I felt I was getting a better view there than at the back of the ground level seating. I did feel a couple of drops of water on my head but nothing that would bother you. There was three people moved in beside us by stewards presmably because they were geting wet where they were. The ticket checks definitely werent enforced. If you are driving drive as far as you can into the park before parking as we parked just inside the Parkgate St gates and there was no need to park that far away as loads of parking close to venue. Marquee is beside the roundabout with the sign for Farmleigh, pretty much in the centre of the park.

Stef1979 · 31-07-2008 08:22AM

an amazing performance....living legend!!

ps: My id was checked against my tickets...we got there at about 715pm so early enough maybe they got bored checking after that....

cormie · 31-07-2008 08:26AM

Does the marquee have walls surrounding it? If it's rainy like it is now with strong gusts, will water be blowing in to everyone? How "leaky" was the tent?

Qprmeath · 31-07-2008 08:52AM

cormie wrote: »

Does the marquee have walls surrounding it? If it's rainy like it is now with strong gusts, will water be blowing in to everyone? How "leaky" was the tent?

The marquee is a pretty solid structure. It will not blow away and rain will not blow in on to the crowd. Where I was sitting there just seemed to be some very small leaks in the canvas of the tent but it didnt bother anyone sitting near me.

Brockagh · 31-07-2008 09:00AM

If the tent can withstand last night's rain, I wouldn't worry

Brilliant concert. It peaked about three quarters of the way through, I thought. Best concert I've been to since James Brown.

kranog · 31-07-2008 09:18AM

He's played Tom Traubert's Blues (Waltzing Matilda) only once over the entire tour apparently...and as it's my favourite waits tune....well...you can imagine my heart stopping as soon as he played the intro...I will die a happy man...I've waited 10 years to see him.
He just blew me away....now I gotta go see if I can find Henry Ford's second last breath in a coke bottle on eBay!

delbertgrady · 31-07-2008 09:35AM

Yeah. He did Tom Traubert's Blues in El Paso on the third show of the tour, and hadn't played it since. Mind you, there's about twenty songs that he's only done once or twice on this tour, so you wouldn't know what you'd get. Maybe we'll get Invitation to the Blues and/or I Can't Wait to Get Off Work tonight or tomorrow, as part of his "solo" set.
I personally thought Falling Down and Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis were superb.

What I didn't get was the huge amount of activity with people going in and out throughout the show. I was worried beforehand that people would get restless if they didn't know some of the material (there are those who expect him to still be doing a lot of the Asylum stuff), and sure enough, there was a steady stream of people going in and out from about the halfway stage in the show.

Danco · 31-07-2008 09:36AM

Hey Flogen,

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but last night I was sitting pretty much where (by the sounds of it) you'll be sitting and the view is dire. My brother and I had seats 1 and 2 in Block A, Row C (on the right facing the stage) and for all of the performance we could see only Tom (not the band or the stage set). He performs most of the show on a raised platform that is closer to the front of the stage than the rest of the band. Only once did I see another band member, that was when someone came to the front of the stage to play those upright drums for one song. Although I managed to enjoy the show I really was disappointed with the seats I was sold. If I looked straight ahead I was facing a fire door. The seats at the end of the rows on the flat are about 30 feet from the edge of the stage, If you were in the front row seats at the edge I'd say you'd have a hard time even seeing Tom at all.

I have to say I think this show was hugely oversold. We were packed into our rows and there was no room for people to pass if they wanted to leave at any point. I had to climb out of the row and into the aisle at least 10 times to let people out during the show. I reckon they just kept adding more and more rows on the flat and sold far more tickets than they originally said they would. As a result people attending the show really suffered, it was very uncomfortable where I was. Originally figures as low as 3,000 people per show were quoted. I always thought it was going to be more like 5,000 or 6,000 but yesterday the figure was definitely higher than any of these, and considerably so.

Tom was awesome and you'll enjoy the show anyway, but I think if the promoters are going to make the rows as wide across the hall as they did they either have to have screens for people at the edges to look at or they should have the rows at the front shorter so that everyone in them can see the stage and gradually make them longer the further back they are in the hall. That's pretty much common sense. As it was all the seats in Block A cost the same, some were worth €130 but some definitely weren't.

Popinjay · 31-07-2008 09:57AM

CraggyIslander wrote: »

although do blame Tom for the rain with that 'make it rain' song!

I walked out as far as the luas at the museum in that and I think I'm going to find out what hotel he's staying in and 'get' him.

Seriously though the gig was bloody fantastic. The man is a machine, I honestly don't think I could perform with such energy without a break for so long.

I was Row T Seat 12 on the flat so it was a great view. There were one or two really tall people around but nothing that a slight tilt of the head didn't sort out. A friend was front row centre though and I hate her now. Apparently Tom has 'very soft hands'.

I don't know why but I made a bet before the gig that Table-top Joe would be played so I spent that entire song just giggling to myself. I know he didn't play the whole thing but it still counts.

I saw some people being checked for ID but it seemed to be only about 1 in 15. That queue moved pretty damned quick considering how many people were there.

Definitely the experience of a lifetime!

packas · 31-07-2008 10:10AM

what a show. I was up the back in Block B row 15. Great view of the whole stage. With such a huge fantastic back catalogue I'm sure everyone was slightly dissapointed that their favourite song wasn't played. For me I was hoping for Hold On & Kentucky Avenue. But to hear "Hoist That Rag" live last night. Wow that's a rocking song played live. The platform with the simulated dust (dry ice) when he stomped was great. Also the T shirts with the photo's of oil stains that Tom is supposed to have taken just screams of Tom Waits quirky humour.

Wish I was going again tonight & tomorrow night

karlh · 31-07-2008 10:24AM

GIG OF THE YEAR!? ARE YOU ON CRACK?

I went to this last night and I can say hand-on-heart that it was THE worst gig I have ever been to. I've thought hard and I honestly can't think of a worse show.

The sound was absolutely abysmal , slightly improved halfway through the show but not even the greatest setup in the world could rescue Waits. He is beyond fúcked and really shouldn't be touring....certainly not for €120 a ticket anyway.

I know he's a legend but legends fade away. Try to take the blinkers off and see it for what it is. If it looks like shít and smells like shít...

I know 2 separate parties who left 30 mins before the end.

eamon234 · 31-07-2008 10:36AM

Complete bullsh1t - the gig was fantastic he was on top form had a great rapport with the crowd and played loads of favourites the sound wasn't that bad considering the limitations of the venue - I can see where a non-fan might not enjoy it but you cannot appreciate the man's music and not have enjoyed that performance last night.

karlh · 31-07-2008 10:40AM

top form!? :eek:

can you honestly say you think last night's performance is Waits at his prime?

it was quite sad tbh.

Qprmeath · 31-07-2008 10:41AM

Karlh, could you give us more detail as to what was wrong?

beth-lou · 31-07-2008 10:46AM

That was the most incredible gig I have ever been to and probably ever will. Tom Waits is the ultimate performer, funny, enchanting, eccentric, inspiring, and his voice just reverbirates through your bones and ignites your soul. I'm not gifted enough with language to do this gig justice. There just aren't enough words to describe it. He sent shivers down my spine and kept a smile on my face for over two and a half hours. His jokes, his stories, his whacked out imense imagination.....for that space in time you are transported to another dimension guided by his husky tones.

Sorry for gushing, he just blew me away.

KarlH I don't know what you were expecting, but he surpassed all my expectations. Pity you were disapointed. Ok my seat wasn't the best in the place, like others I couldn't see the band, but I could see Tom, and that was enough. If I was angry with anyone , which I'm not, about that it would be the promoters. But I thought it was an incredible gig. No he's not in his prime. He's in his 50's for christ sake. Anyone expecting to see a 50 yr old in their "prime" is a bit deluded and bound to be disapointed.

I loved it and would happliy pay to go again if I could afford it. The man is a creative genius. He is much more than a singer, he is a performer like no other, and that was evident last night.

Tom Waits

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