Camel - Another Night in Wolverhampton (Relayerx9) |
|
|
Notes |
Recorded at the Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, UK. Very good audience recording. From the info file: Camel - Another Night in Wolverhampton (AUD) Venue: Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, UK Date: Thursday 23rd July 2015 Quality: Hmmm, well ... about as good as I could given the problems with the PA (see below). Please check the sound samples for yourselves. Full artwork with band pictures and signed setlist included. Audience Recording Notes & Location ----------------------------------- Row D right in front of Andy just 5m back from the stage. This was a toughie. Everything was set for a great gig. Great mates, great recording location and we even found a great new pub beforehand. So, all was good ... and then the gig started. I immediately noticed an annoying 'buzz' coming from the right hand PA stack about 8m off to our right. It seemed as if something in the stack was damaged and it 'buzzed' quite annoyingly on certain frequencies. The sound guys appeared to be aware that something was wrong as the sound kept phasing in and out, and left and right - throughout the gig! It is probably at its worst at the start of 'Lunar Sea' after which I got so annoyed that I actually left my seat and went to complain to the sound guy and ultimately spoke directly with the house manager himself. This was taking a big chance I know but I have never experienced anything like this in a gig before - and certainly not one that I was recording - I mean, how inconsiderate! (oh yes, tongue firmly in cheek here). It transpired that I was not the only person to complain during the gig and many others did the same after the show. The band were also pretty unhappy, especially Colin Bass who expressed his ire to me in no uncertain terms after the show. Andy wasn't happy either and he mentions this in his post-show interview. I cannot sress enough that the various 'phasing', 'buzzing' and general 'fuzz' heard throughout this recording is NOTHING to do with my recording equipment (as my previous offerings on Dime will testify). This is an accurate reflection of what we actually heard from our seating location directly from the front of house PA. After listening, perhaps you will understand why I, along with the others I have already mentioned, took the somewhat drastic steps to complain directly to the house management during the gig itself! Given the massive problems they clearly had with the PA I am quite comfortable and somewhat surprised with how the recording turned out. Maybe a couple of other recordings from different locations of the same show might surface. We'll then at least be able to compare and contrast the different listening/recording experiences. All of that said, it was great gig with the band on top, top form. It's just a shame that they were so badly let down by the front of house PA system, which of course they have no control over! Not a lot you can do I guess? IMPORTANT --------- Please do not combine this with any other recordings in a matrix or any other incarnation. Two reasons: - a) I was not overly happy with the results achieved in a matrix of my last Camel recording which introduced 'clicks' and other annoying artefacts which massively impacted the listening experience. These artefacts were not there originally and there was nothing wrong with my recording in the first place, also b) This recording is already compromised by the PA problems I have already described. It is what it is - please do not compromise it any further! Lineage ------- Sony Hi-MD MZ-RH10 (Hi-SP) with external Sony ECM-MS907 Mic (in 120deg) hand-held on a mini boom, and this appears to have worked quite well. USB transfer to PC (WAV) 44/16 -> Soundforge 9.0 (normalise to -16db to 'level-out' audience applause) -> TLH SB align and Flac encode (Level 8) Bonus interview with Andy Latimer --------------------------------- After the show I waited around with about 20 or so other fans and we were duly rewarded when the whole band came out to have a chat with us all. As you will hear this was in the big, 'boomy' entrance hall by the merch desk. As I had my recording equipment I took a chance and asked Andy if he would be good enough to record an impromptu interview. As you will also hear I was glad I asked. I should point out that I am by no means an interviewer and this was all 'off the cuff' - the conversation drifted a little as others got involved but I think I kept it pretty much on track. The end result is a fairly interesting 10 minute interview where amongst other things, Andy discusses:- the current festival based tour, getting back on the road again, talcum powder, aging and his arthritis, the pain of losing some band members this year, finishing off an album for Guy LeBlanc and potential future Camel releases. Note: My heart skipped a beat when Andy talks about people recording gigs, and there's a brief pause where he probably realises that that's very probably what I have just done!! Oh dear! Tracklist --------- 01. Intro (0:33) 02. Never Let Go (8:53) 03. The White Rider (7:46) 04. Song Within A Song (7:57) 05. Unevensong (6:23) 06. Spirit Of The Water (3:13) 07. Air Born (5:28) 08. Lunar Sea (8:17) 09. Another Night (6:43) 10. Drafted (4:40) -- Suggested CD break here 11. Ice (9:01) 12. Mother Road (7:45) 13. Hopeless Anger (7:50) 14. Lady Fantasy (13:43) 15. Band Intros (1:27) 16. Long Goodbyes (8:58) Bonus Track ------------ 17. Andy Latimer post-show interview (10:21) The Band -------- Andy Latimer - Guitar, flute, vocals Colin Bass - Bass, vocals Denis Clemont - Drums Jason Hart - Additional keyboards and Ton Scherpenzeel - Keyboards Enjoy the concert - I certainly did, despite the PA! Support the artists and buy their stuff - I do. Cheers Relayerx9 on Dime July 2015 |