• 11月10日和11日,我在伦敦的Union Chapel看Andrew Bird。两场的票早已全部告罄。之所以打定主意两场都来,纯粹是因为自己夏天在爱丁堡看他的现场后轻而易举的爱上了这位大眼鸟。而现在,看过这两场演出后,我猜想,未来若有Andrew Bird的演出,而自己力所能及,便一定会奔去。在小妹这里达此标准的音乐人天底下只有两个,另一位是Graham Coxon。(你这是在讨好谁?)

    心得写了个开头,便写不下去了,然后就糊里糊涂索性都写成了英文(惊)。可是为了方便大家阅读,还是在此简要概括一下。

    说简要概括并不确切。其实英文心得是认认真真的写演出写音乐;中文心得是随随便便发发花痴。

    不过也没什么特别可花痴的,无非是此人浓眉大眼,睁眼时令人害羞,露出笑容时脸上出现两个酒窝。总之一个字:杀。

    10日的演出中有个瞬间尤其值得自己珍藏:鸟先生忘了Mx Missiles的歌词。当时我坐在第一排,喊出那句歌词给他提了醒,他才继续唱了下去。搞得我非常荣幸又进一步陷入紧张,一副要时刻做好提词准备的提心吊胆状态。

    演出依然很精彩,可惜曲目不多。鸟先生似乎有些游离,两处忘词,两首歌重新开头,也有一处忘了和弦。然而忘了词儿的鸟先生糊里糊涂的站在台上,显得无比可爱。

    好,欲知更多细节,请看英文(殴殴殴):

    Mr Andrew Bird has spent the whole of 2009 flying around the world putting on shows.

    He did 28 dates in 31 days with St. Vincent in October. I wasn't lucky enough to be a resident of the United States during that time to witness their collaboration on stage, but from what I heard, those shows were regarded as the best shows ever by many, even Mr Bird himself. He gave a little speech at the last stop of their tour together (in 9:30 club Washington DC), saying it was the best tour ever for him, that he was able to “jam” with Annie Clark of St. Vincent. It was also described that these two performed St. Vincent’s hit song “Marry Me” with eyes fixing on each other the whole time. It is no coincidence that people wish they were more than collaborators onstage. The comments I’ve seen include “Andy and Annie should date”, “make babies” and even, “have lots of super-skinny, musically talented children”.

    Anyway, his “best tour ever” ended on Oct 28th. After 10 days’ break, his second round of European tour began. Andrew was booked for two dates at Union Chapel in London, an active church / music venue most suitable for small, intimate shows. Both nights were sold-out. I had intended to come for only one date, but after being entranced by his live show in Edinburgh this summer, to go to both dates seemed a must.

    Union Chapel is beautiful. I would go as far as saying it’s my favorite music venue in London. The acoustics are fantastic. I particularly love the wooden benches. Yes, unnumbered wooden benches. Queuing outside for more than 1 hour, then going inside and sitting in the front row, this is all very great.

    Supporting band Moriarty consists of band members from New York and France. They are probably the best supporting act I’ve seen this year. Old school jazz and American folk might be their most obvious influence. The lead singer's voice reminds me of those diva ladies in the 30s. Their music is complex and multi-layered. Their stage performance is most distinctively old school style, with all band members huddling in front of the same microphone. There's a mystic air about the lead singer. At one time she greeted the audience with a low whispering "Good evening, bird watchers." Her eyes could talk. In other words, there was much captivity in them. She was seen often exchanging glances with the guitarist, who bears a striking similarity to Ewan McGregor. By the way, this is NOT the reason why I think highly of them. I've never seen any band give a theatrical stage performance as interesting as theirs.

    Moriarty left the stage at around 8:30. When Andrew’s roadies were busy setting up instruments, I noticed his sock monkey lying at the edge of the stage. I believe its name is “the night-hanger”.

    When Andrew got on stage holding his sock monkey, the crowd gave the warmest applause and cheers. He was wearing jeans, green checked shirt, dark sport coat, and a scarf, which, later I knew was a present from a fan a couple of weeks ago. No glittering shoes were seen. Mr Bird didn't bring them to Europe. He started with instrumental violin looping. Layer upon layer, soon the chapel was filled with intricate violin melodies, which evolved to be The Happy Birthday Song. Half way through the song, he made his horn revolving by hitting a pedal. Then he removed his shoes. His socks are red.

    After the second song Water Jet Cilice, he greeted the audience with some Bird-esque talking: “Hello…I don’t know…I’ve just got off the boat…I’ve got sea legs…That’s what you have while on a boat…I don’t know.” At the same time his left hand is seen making occasionally nervous gestures in the air. :)

    He introduced “Sweet Matter”, a previous version to Dark Matter. “Recently I’ve started to mash-up my own songs…not intentionally.” He had a false start due to a looping problem and had to start it a second time. The line “That’s the taste of neuron blinking” evoked some laughter just as it did when he performed it in Edinburgh. 

    He launched into “Why?” straight after that. This is a song I could never get tired watching him play. I could never get tired watching him play anyway. He mentioned in a previous interview that he had been playing this song on almost every show for the last 7 years and hadn’t got tired of it. The way he plays it, his facial expression during that song always get me under a spell. I’ve seen people declaring this song to be the sexiest song they’ve ever heard. Well, I’ve also seen people commenting “Andrew Bird’s voice is like sex with a violin.” Hmmm…I’m not sure. You tell me.
    “I always feel better after playing that song. It’s like it got something off my chest.” Andrew declared. “But I’ve changed the pronouns to protect…myself. I get people throwing things at me because sometimes I don’t give enough…emotional response. I’ve been playing that song for the last 7 or 8 years…It’s still true. Maybe that’s why it still works.”
    I giggled. He once admitted that he often takes the other person’s point of view when writing a song consists of dialogues. I suppose he had been damned for being easy-going. :P

    “Oh No” was played following “Oh Ho”. It’s interesting how he arranged the set in this way so that the palindrome still works. The audience that night was quiet, which probably lead Andrew to ask if everybody is alright. “Normally you’d expect the British audience to be a bit more … heckling”. (lol) 
    When giving background to the song “Effigy”, his talking was constantly interrupted by a woman’s laughter from the balcony. “It’s my birthday!” She shouted. It felt a bit weird at the time, particularly if you take into account that Andrew was talking about “a guy, sitting at the end of a bar/pub (‘you guys go to pubs here’ He said), blurted things out that have nothing to do anything, making people really uncomfortable.” So we have a song about loneliness and awkward social behavior, illustrated by some awkward social behavior from a member of the audience. (OK I’m being mean. I just hate seeing Andrew interrupted.)

    “Wake Up” was introduced as an unfinished song, “It’s been there for so long and starting to become an old song.” It occurred to me as a variation of “Trimmed and Burning” with the line “Jesus made my dying bed”. Like the other mashed-up song “Sweetmatter”, he had a false start with this one and had to start a second time.

    Mr Bird said he forgot to put something on the set list. “It’s very important. It’s about what kind of animal you become.” It took us no time to realize the song was “Anonanimal”, one of my most loved tracks on Noble Beast, and a song you can expect on every show in Andrew’s Noble Beast tour. When he played this song in the US last month, there were times when he forgot that he had to get ready for switching to the guitar. And this was what happened exactly. In the middle of the song, he put down the violin and hurried over to pick up the guitar, while gesturing to the audience with a lifted finger and a half apologetic face. “I always forget to switch to the guitar.”

    What I especially love about “Anonanimal” is that he sings “Don’t tell me this one I know I know this song I love this song” with his eyes wide open. Mr Bird has giant dark eyes. You don’t see them wide open during his live shows that often. He usually keeps them half closed, at the same time swinging his head into all directions. But occasionally when he opens his eyes, there’s so much clarity in them and it makes one shy to stare. He sometimes reminds me of an owl. Indeed there is something bird-like about him.

    Also included in the set were new song Lusitania and Tenuousness. During the latter he had to make a gesture to the engineers at the mixing desk to kill the track of the Moroccan instruments. At the end he commented, “I was amazed that things don’t fall apart … that was before I did that song.”
    After that he treated us with an old song “Mx Missiles” from the 2005 album “The Mysterious Production of Eggs.” I would be thrilled to hear him play any of his old songs, what thrilled me even more was – I was able to help him when he forgot the lyrics.

    He didn’t remember all the lyrics, which hit me as a surprise. The song appears on his 2005 album and he played it last month in a radio session, so it hasn’t been that long! He wrote that song after all! Anyway, he got confused during the first few lines and had to start again. I felt a bit relieved when he picked it up the second time. The audiences gave knowing and forgiving laughter. But he stopped again during the bridge. “I didn’t know what you were…?” I shouted out the lyrics. He got it. The song continued. I felt absolutely honored to have been the one who could give him a hand. There was similar situation in his US tour last month when he forgot the lyrics and was reminded by a member of the audience. I just never dreamed that it could happen to me.

    The cheers and applause didn’t get less warm. Indeed, it’s still a brilliant show, even if it’s not perfect. I once said “A bad day at fishing is better than a good day at work, an imperfect show from Andrew Bird is way better than a perfect show from many more”.

    “There’s only time for one song.” He said. “But I’d like to let you decide what that is.” All of a sudden suggestions poured down. The guy behind me even went as far as shouting “Anything you remember!” Oh that was really rude! But we laughed. Mr Bird laughed too. “That was fair” He said. In the end the choice was between Scythian Empires and Plasticities. There might have been more demand for Scythian Empires, but I was in the front row and I kept shouting Plasticities. :P
    So we had Plasticities. That just made the night perfect for me.

    That was the end of the main set. On his set list, he put down “I’m going home” and “Weather Systems” for encore, but he only played the first one. It’s an American folk type of cover song I believe. When he waved and bowed to the audience, then took his monkey and walked off stage I was still waiting. I didn’t expect him to play just one song for encore. Probably he was too tired.
    There was a fight over the set list (obviously), since Andrew was the only performer there was only one copy on the stage. A friend I met earlier that evening congratulated me on the little rescue I’d done for “Mx Missiles”. I could not help but smiled, and secretly thought, I bet Mr Bird would remember his lyrics well tomorrow. Well, judging from my experience the next day, I was very wrong.

    Like I said, it was still a good show. But I wish the set could be longer. He played 15 songs in total, including the instrumental “On Ho”. I think he was tired, probably due to his traveling across the Atlantic, plus he didn’t put on any show in the previous week, he might need some adjustment.

    I had prepared a gift for him. After the show I waited by the back door, and was soon joined by 3 other people. It was really cold outside. We felt even colder when we learnt there’s a fireplace in the lighted room by the street. It’s a room with art deco windows. I didn’t want to peek into the window but other people did. It turned out that Mr Bird himself was in that room. During the time we waited there was at least status updates. We knew he ate sushi, drank milk from a glass, and then a beer. Mr Bird ate sushi and then drank milk. What an adorable man. We waited for 1 hour 40 minutes. We waited until the lights were out, until doors to both the front and back of the building were locked. Mr Bird didn’t show up.

    I secretly blamed the other people, who were noisy all the time. Andrew knew there were people waiting outside, but he didn’t come out to meet us. I still can’t believe it. That’s just so unlike him, who is generous and sincere.

    Maybe he was tired. But I’ve got a present for you Andrew! How can you do this to me?! It was later suggested by a friend that Mr Bird didn’t feel like meeting the person who knows his lyrics better than he does. Well, this is comforting thought.

    That was how my Tuesday night ended up in chaos. Come to think of it, that was the first time when my wait by the stage door turned to nothing.

    Set list:

    The Happy Birthday Song
    Water Jet Cilice
    Sweet Matter
    Why?
    Natural Disaster
    On Ho
    Oh No
    Effigy
    Wake Up
    Anonanimal (not on the set list)
    Lusitania
    Tenuousness
    Mx Missiles
    Plasticities (chosen over “Scythian Empires”, which is actually on the set list)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I’m going home
    Weather Systems (on the set list but left unplayed)


  • 似乎每次写到近况,都是那两个字儿:混乱。

    不混乱的生活都是相似的,混乱的生活却各有各的混乱法。

    电影上映是有档期的,比如年末上映的那些片儿,个个心向奥斯卡。然而终于我也逐渐明白,音乐演出也是有档期的。不然怎么解释自己今年5月和11月的混乱呢?

    5月我跑了6场演出;11月目前已经跑了4场,还有3场。

    有趣就有趣在,订演出门票的时间总是3个月甚至半年以前,你永远估计不出,等到真正该奔演出的那阵,自己是闲得优哉还是忙到撞墙。

    这一次就赶得巧。11月4号我看Wilco。还没等去看,倒先听说加拿大的某个实验室投了某文章去某杂志,从消息看来,他们做的东西大概是我要投的文章的一半。

    于是好么。抓狂哇。拼命写哇。还好分析都做完了,就差写。我当然是着急的。我老板说话倒特别有水平,他写邮件说:很少有文章是在十全十美的情况下发表的。你要赶在任何人的文章被发表之前把你的文章投出去。

    我心想,哎,这两句多多少少是矛盾的么...

    好在我的文章之前已经写了大半。于是用了一周时间,把草稿扔给老板,我就开心的度周末去了,包括去伦敦看Yo La Tengo。

    周一回到实验室查邮件,老板果然在周末把草稿过了一遍。他居然说很好,咱们应该争取这周结束之前把它投掉。我心想,你过于乐观了吧?然后经housemate的善意提醒:你老板不是乐观,他是在变着法的催你快干活。

    嗯!果然我housemate比我有心眼。我的确有努力干活。只是周二和周三都得跑去伦敦看Andrew Bird。而且我运气超好,8-11号剑桥到伦敦King's Cross夜里没有车。这种事情大概一年也就这么四天,结果被我赶上了其中三天。当晚回不来,早晨又要赶去实验室。每天睡4个小时。疲于奔命。

    我只好安慰自己,这世界是公平的。既想发文章,又想自己玩得开心,还要逗老板开心,还要吃得好睡得好。天下哪有这么美的事儿?

    如今这周过去了,想来也还算完满。文章是有进展的,目前只需修改文字细节。鸟先生见了,礼物送到了,演出时他也穿了。

    鸟先生真是个心思细腻的人。

    目前我欠了四篇心得,分别是:Wilco, Yo La Tengo, Andrew Bird x 2

  • Dave Matthews Band是个活跃时间长达十几年以上的美国乐队。在美国应该算得上非主流摇滚乐队中屹立不倒的大旗一面,获过好几个格莱美奖。他们的风格可以概括为融合了各种流派的alternative rock。说各种流派,真是因为啥元素都有,soul,jazz,funk,world music,bluegrass...总之是丰富的大杂烩,这样的大杂烩风格本身还有一个名字,叫jam bands。

    DMB自打1994年前后出道,乐队成员陆陆续续的换过一些,唯有Dave Matthews常年坚守(废话,不然还叫什么DMB)。我听他们由来已久,第一次接触应该还是初中,电视里放Satellite,来自他们第一张major label debut,Under the Table and Dreaming。后来就一直陆陆续续的买到专辑,打口的或者原装的,基本上居然也集全了,实数不易。他们的studio albums到目前为止发行了7张呢。
    这次就是配合最新一张Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King的巡演。这么大牌的美国乐队,在英国却一共只安排了三场,一场Wolverhampton,两场Brixton Academy,票居然也没有卖得很快。很多颇为知名的美国音乐人在英国巡演场次都很少,大概是无法或无心拓展英国市场的缘故?搞得我只能三天两头的跑伦敦。

    喜欢他们的音乐那么久,真正促使我买票的原因却是——在剑桥看Graham Coxon的当晚,听一位和Graham Fox早年一起打鼓的朋友激情四射的说起他如何期待DMB的演出。那位仁兄真是他们的铁杆乐迷。想来也合理,Graham Fox是打爵士鼓的,他的朋友大概也受这方面影响,而DMB正是爵士影响颇深的非主流摇滚。

    演出那晚我去晚了,因为自己六月份实在活动太多状态奇差。
    但是那场演出看过令人淋漓尽致的爽快。

    DMB的现场太精彩了。看过之后才明白为啥人家不停的发现场专辑。他们的现场专辑比录音室专辑还要多。因为人家有那个资本哪。他们就是以激情的即兴段落而著名的乐队呢。乐队成员好多,乐器音色非常丰富。Dave Matthews会在acoustic吉他和电吉他之间切换,此外还有贝斯,鼓,小号,萨克斯,小提琴。而且,每个乐手都是可以独挡一面的!整晚演出过程中每个乐器都有精彩到令人血压飙升的solo,还有两把乐器互飙的对话段落。顺便讲,他的乐队像个联合国。联合国一样的乐队摇摆起来,背景是通明的灯火,哎哟,那景象热闹非凡。Dave Matthews就会在舞台前边微微笑着看着那些火花四射的小提琴萨克斯们。

    本来不长的setlist,愣被他们演到两个多小时。那些神来之笔一般的即兴段落啊,那些奇妙的起承转合,原本4分钟的歌可以拉长到11分钟甚至更久,然而,那11分钟精彩极了,甚至比录音室版本还要好。我非常开怀。
    Dave Matthews是个有才华而可爱的人,他说话的声音却含混不清,怎么和唱歌的声音一点也不一样?奇奇怪怪。我还是只听他唱歌比较好。

    演出场面非常非常之热烈,Brixton Academy那样大的场地爆满而且沸腾。没有推挤。看这种乐队推挤个什么劲,只要随意摇摆即可。观众都是成熟年长者。如我这般即使在他们真正登台之时才赶到现场的观众,居然也能一直挤到较前边,找到视线不错的位置。(可见人群中还是有很多缝隙)
    结束时鼓手向下抛鼓槌,居然抛了非常之久,我估计他抛了十几支,调动大家玩儿争抢的游戏。这时候骑人家脖子上的女观众就有优势了(哟!)。

    散场后发现他们的死忠乐迷相当之多,无数人穿着DMB的tee。大家排排站,要歌单。有人真的要到之时,我发现:居然那么小一张!宽度和厕所里的卷筒纸一样。演奏的那些位乐手真的看得清吗?而且那些乐手还喜欢戴墨镜呢。

    大约他们的视力都比我好。

    出了门来到车水马龙的伦敦大街上,与我同时涌向地铁站的观众们大多带着北美口音。
    呵呵,我就知道,你们是出了美国也要支持美国乐队的。那么喜欢英摇儿的北美人士有多少呢?

    此时便想到圆滑的北美口音念Blur一词,不禁发笑。

  • 如今再写Graham Coxon演出日志已经不知该怎样开头。总之如果他有演出,而自己有能力前往,就一定会去。这似乎成了人生中最理所当然的事情。演出前掰手指一算,自己居然从今年三月开始,每个月都有Graham Coxon可看。这次已是第10场。于自己真是莫大的幸福。“有饭吃,有书念,每月都有Graham Coxon可看”,这大概是人生的最高境界。。。?(喂!胡说什么?)于Graham而言,他大概要腻烦,“How are you?”(怎么是你?)“How old are you?”(怎么老是你?)

    iTunes Festival是iTunes办的节(好废的话),整个七月的每个晚上,在位于伦敦Camden的Roundhouse举办演出。门票虽是免费的,但要参加抽奖,抽中才行。而没想到自己居然真的被抽中了。想来也参加过其他艺人活动的许多次抽奖,比如Patrick Wolf和Mika,从来没有中过,而Graham的这一次却有中签。也不知是说明参加抽Graham Coxon这场的人少,还是自己真的和他有缘(殴飞)。

    鉴于之前Graham的小场地演出(NorwichCambridgeLondon)排队状况都非常轻松,我也没有什么警戒。得知6点发手环,我5点15到了Roundhouse门口,本以为或许会看不到什么人,结果发现青少年们或站或坐,呼呼啦啦的已经有一大排(二三十人)。我愕然+气死了。想想也合理,他们多半不是对Graham音乐特别熟悉的歌迷,而是抱着看免费演出的心理参加抽奖,抽到了门票就来看。而且青少年不用上班有大把的时间所以可以早早来排队。自己之前居然放松了警惕,忘记了这一点。啊啊啊,万一今天与第一排无缘岂不令人伤心?

    然而事情发生了转机。真要谢谢Moronica给我讲解进门细则,告诉我验票发手环,上楼梯右转等等细节,还在验票之后很善意的推我向前。结果自己真的跑上楼梯站在演出厅的门前时,发现自己成了队伍前边的人。呜呜哇哇。入场之时大家都像在练竞走,没有奔跑(在保安的提醒下)但每个人都使出浑身解数努力运动身体的各个部位迅速的向前移动。那场面太好笑了。总之我们还是第一排,中间稍稍偏左。站定之后才好好打量四周,舞台可不算小。Roundhouse的容量据称是2000。演出厅是圆型(roundhouse么..),木质的屋顶,很漂亮。这场地也有历史,似乎19世纪中期就有了。

    前排有大半是青少年。暖场团Esser演出时,他们跟唱得很火热,还自娱自乐的玩推挤。当时我心想,不知他们看Graham演The Spinning Top曲目会有何想法呢。

    工作人员摆器材时我们发现,场地右边除了Gareth的贝司装置,还多了两个麦克风,猜想是加了两位女歌手吧。果然。而这一次摆器材的是iTunes Festival的工作人员,五月份Graham的巡演都是他自己的工作人员布置设备呢。后来的事实证明,大概这便是频繁出问题的原因?

    然后Graham就出现了。当我看到他那件著名的“3”字NME照片黑黄条Tee就觉得非常开心。一直喜欢这一件,居然恰好亲历了他穿。他拿着饮料走上台,今天的饮料不是红牛,不是可乐,而是一个紫色纸杯里的(茶?)。咦?摒弃了能量饮料的格拉汉?

    他坐在自带的小黑椅子上抱起acoustic吉他拨弄几下,Look into the Light就响起了。

    说实话,觉得这次大场地的音响效果,虽然也可称很好,却不如之前自己看到的Graham小场演出好,也可能是因为自己在前边的缘故,因为据GC论坛上站后边的Simon说,他听到的音效很好。

    Look into the Light之后Graham放下一把acoustic吉它,拿起另一把acoustic吉它,经工作人员提醒,又换了回来。原来他拿错了。即,Look into the Light和This House都该用同一把的,Graham忘记了。其实他在剑桥场也犯过这个错误(亲爱的Graham你记性好差!)。此时他笑嘻嘻:它俩的确长得一样啊是不是?(真的是呢,你这样可爱的秉性令我们无话说)。

    开头几首安静的歌居然出了不少音响的问题。先是回响很严重,曾经一度几乎盖过了Graham的歌声,我隐约觉得坐着弹唱的Graham微微的红了脸,也不知是不是自己看错了。还有,If You Want Me接近结尾之时,他的控制板似乎不听使唤了,似乎乱响了一阵,然后Tele便不出声音了。Graham仍然站立,双手抱住吉它,对着麦克风继续唱。站在一旁的工作人员居然没有意识到,Graham唱了两句之后只得向他摆手,指指控制板,然后双手捧起吉它还做鬼脸,嘴里仍然没有停止唱歌。Graham那一套动作太好笑啦。工作人员赶紧跑过来去帮忙。可是不知怎么的,还是没有搞好。工作人员跑下去后Graham拨了下弦,Tele还是不出声音。他一脸无奈,继续唱。于是If You Want Me后半有不小的一段是没有电吉它的呢。除了这音效的状况,Graham唱这首歌第一段时还曾被打断,那时前排左方有个女孩一直在大喊"Graham I love you!!!",她大概觉得那样好玩吧,整晚她不是唯一这样喊的观众,这些青少年明知Graham羞怯,还特别喜欢逗他玩似的。那女孩叫个没完,直到Graham在"over here, over there"之前停下来,只是站着笑。前排观众便跟着起哄。哎哟哟。今晚的If You Want Me真是状况迭出,却也珍贵有趣。希望iTunes可以保持它的原始风貌让我们下载。

    此曲结束后工作人员跑来拿走了他的电吉它,与此同时Graham抱头“啊”的大叫一声,一副抓狂的样子。其实他多半是在开玩笑,今晚他的心情特别好呢。几乎每曲结束都会报以温暖舒展的笑容,有时还吐舌头做鬼脸,大概表示“这曲子能顺利演完真不容易”类似的意思。

    Perfect Love中间要萨克斯独奏的一瞬,却见Graham以迅雷不及掩耳盗铃之势把萨克斯的盖子拔掉向后丢,原来是工作人员摆放Saxphone时没有给他拔掉盖子,这也许导致了第一段萨克斯没有出声音。

    看起来他似乎比五月巡演的时候放松。即便是这些故障,也没有影响他愉快的心情。演出后他对BBC 6Music谈到这次solo演出给他的感觉:

    "It feels quite weird playing my own songs again,""It's so different and much looser and I'm not pressurising myself to play absolutely perfectly".
    "That was the pinnacle," Coxon admitted. "Hyde Park was really great as well, they were a real party.
    "But looking back, Glastonbury seemed to have a crazy magic to it. We weren't expecting to get that sort of insane affection."

    他没有给自己过大压力力求完美。这一次放松的他有许多特别可爱动作和表情。比如:歌曲结束使劲儿揉搓头发,和其他乐手做鬼脸挑眉毛,有时蹦跳起来,后踢腿(Blur演出后遗症?),一度在曲子中间把Tele顶在头上,中途起身掀开椅子...无法尽数。想来真是要了命了,这人居然坐把椅子也那么可爱。

    之前出的那些音响的状况让我颇为担心,好在后来这些问题都解决了,让人不用分心,可以专注的享受演出。在Blur的喧嚣之后再次看到他演The Spinning Top的曲目,感觉是清凉又暖心的。加入的两位女歌手丰富了人声的音色,和声很美令人沉醉。此外,Graham弯腰狂飙Telecaster的段落又闪电火花四射了。If You Want Me,Dead Bees,Caspian Sea,Tripping Over的电吉它让人不自觉的要屏住呼吸,全神贯注的看那琴弦上的发生的奇迹。舞台背景的视觉投影随音乐变换,Dead Bees时是星际飞行,In the Morning时的植物和晨曦,并非完美但也别具一格。

    前排观众的反应还是很热烈,虽然屋子后方时而会有嗡嗡的说话声传来,"The people who are in the right country but cannot show any respect"怒。此外就是些乱来的喊"song 2",喊"Spectacular"。Graham对此的反应是:
    “很多时候我不喜欢Song 2”。("I don't like Song 2 many of the times.")
    “今天这样的设备没法弹Spectacular呀。”那语调很弱气,还有几分哄小孩玩的成分。

    他介绍乐手,解释说:
    You may have noticed, we've expanded the power trio, into an ensemble, without calling it a quintet.

    每次他说什么,都令人想感叹Graham的可爱。(虽然已经感叹过很多次了)他在舞台上说什么或做什么都那么特别。那些近乎于他招牌的动作表情话语令我开怀。凝神看他弹琴唱歌,被那魔力慑服,捕捉到他投向自己的目光,向他报以微笑,也被他以微笑回报,那真是一种极致的幸福。

    Graham Fox的鼓点很出色。他已经被戏称为"The next best Graham",他和另一位Graham眼神交流,彼此互飙乐器的瞬间都很珍贵。那些即兴的段落全凭几位乐手的完美配合呀。

    曲目和五月巡演时完全一样,包括encore。整个set也许不及自己在Norwich,剑桥或伦敦看到的精致,但依然是美好独特的经历。不知接下来秋天他在更大的场地演出,又是怎样的情形了。

    回来的火车上,附近座位居然有两位英国先生也是这场演出的观众。听到其中一位说:他挺好的,但这次并没有特别的出色。另一位说,他应该有45了。Oasis他们...到这里我忍不住噗哧一声笑出来。他们大概不晓得我在笑他们的谈话。

    与此同时我低头看自己拍的照片,居然有一张拍到他正在看我的瞬间。想来好笑,演出的人在偷偷看观众,看演出的人在偷偷拍演出的人,结果彼此都被对方发现,还留下了证据。

  • 在四场Blur都看完之后,又过了些时候,才回来写第一场的日志。记忆却没有混在一起。

    今天突然想起Damon在7月3号的那场海德公园的结尾,也就是The Universal临近结束时那声撕心裂肺的大吼。他喊到:LONDON!那声音响彻心脾。如果是吴宇森的电影,应该在那一时刻有无数只鸽子呼拉拉的飞向天空。

    我不该这样开玩笑的。那时我正感动的紧。无数人在那首歌流泪了。

    回头想想Blur在Southend的演出,是我人生中第一次看Blur,是我第一次在Blur的现场流泪,也是我人生中第一次在看演出的过程中受伤。

    中午到达海边小城Southend-on-sea,遇到台湾过来的小欠,继而Moronica也到了。似乎我们三位亚洲女生来得最早呢。后来得知大概同一时刻还有一群葡萄牙粉丝,他们带着自制的旗子:Modern Life is Rubbish without Blur。

    工作人员正从大卡车上往下运器材。好多好多好多好多器材。偷偷看了一眼场地,发现舞台很大。现在回想起来,其实海德公园的舞台也没有比它大特别多。下午3点多有听到试音The Universal。心中澎湃。

    后来等待的人多了起来,大家开始排队。我认出了一位小小的日本粉丝。自己当时跑过去和她说,嗨你是不是去了Colchester那一场?!我在youtube上的Colchester视频里看到你站在第一排右边哦。她显得很不好意思。哦真是太好玩了。我又这样出其不意吓到人家。

    排队时还遇到文静女生一枚和穿西装的Damon Albarn的大迷弟一枚。后者实在是太糊涂了,犯过的错误包括:

    1.把strange news from another star误作bad news from another star
    2.把charmless man误作this charming man
    3.搞错了某位乐队成员的名字(见下文):

    等待期间,他问那位文静女生,待会儿入场你朝哪儿奔?女孩儿说,我是个Graham girl,会往Graham和Damon的中间奔,所以是舞台中间偏左。
    我当时心里想,好么,竞争对手甲。
    ...
    过了大约1小时,西装大迷弟突然问她:那你怎么知道Gareth一定会站在舞台左边?

    !!!!!!!!!!!!

    我完全疯掉了。英国民众都给惯成什么样儿了?欠扁哇?!Moronica说,他真的配站在第一排吗?XDDDDDDD

    只记得入场时大家怎样的奔跑。那时觉得奔跑已经很带劲儿,其实和海德公园比起来还差得远。我站在第一排,文静的”Graham girl”左边,几乎正对Graham的位置。然而后来的事实证明,她一点儿也不文静,音乐一响起她大概就成了全场最疯的观众之一。挥手动作幅度之大,用力之猛...难以预料那么瘦的一个人怎么有那么大的爆发力。我上臂内侧被狠狠挤在铁栏上瘀青两大块还得谢谢她呢。然而日后我居然在Glastonbury的电视直播里看到她,依然在第一排挥动着手臂。哟!

    暖场乐队是The Magistrate。他们大概是最倒霉的暖场乐队。我实在无心观赏,只是不住地想,一会儿Blur就会走上这个舞台啦!心里仍然难以相信这将会发生。所以当他们真的在震耳欲聋的欢呼声尖叫声中走上台时,觉得做梦一般。

    Graham穿旧Abyss tee。我觉得他瘦了。莫非一个多月的Blur排练过于劳累?想象他被猴子抓去排练的情景,笑。Damon便是Fred Perry(黑或者藏蓝色),他裤子右边大腿处有一块污渍,我记得很清楚。嘿!活跃的猴子,你这是爬高蹭的么?

    Graham背起吉他,一抬头,看到我,笑了一下。全世界的闪电和花朵。一个多月前看他的现场,结尾时曾经多么的留恋和不舍,原因之一便是觉得再看到Graham之时他不会再记得自己了。可是他还是一下子就认出我和Moronica。心中的欣喜和感激真是无可名状。不过后来我发现Gra也认识我右边的“文静”女生。爱葛拉拉的人真是太多了。难怪Blur演出时舞台左边的位置总是比右边抢手。

    Damon说,This is our first proper gig。

    舞台的灯光非常漂亮,而且和曲目搭配的太好了。回顾自己看的这四场,灯光都超级棒。他们的灯光师水准很高【废话!】。

    人生中第一场看Blur,然而我却很慌乱。(殴)
    由于没有经验,被推挤的很难受。手指关节处划破了皮,又一直被右边的女生挤,所以不能100%的享受这场本来该十分精彩的演出。
    Graham抿嘴的时候好多。很久没有看到他弹琴啦(殴,不是才1个多月吗),这次便忍不住想想多多看他,但是Damon又很精彩。唉,这四人一起出现真令人目不暇接,眼睛都不知该放哪里才好。不像看Graham一个人的solo演出,可以一网打尽。

    不时看到Gra分别和Damon,Alex和Dave相视而笑。最有爱的一次是Gra先是和Damon笑嘻嘻的说话,然后Damon以头去撞Graham上身,Graham有稍稍向后躲的意思,然而笑得更开心了。

    大门满场跑的到处都是。猴跳,瞪眼,泼水,爬上围栏,绕舞台边上走。对人群大呼:SHOW ME SOME ENERGY!ENERGY!!!ENERGY!!!!!!
    人群疯狂的怎样就难以描绘了。只记得大门看到大家疯狂状,就开心的咧嘴笑,露出他的大金牙。

    然而感觉这些Blur warm-up gig之中,大门的精力似乎是一场不如一场。Goldsmiths不及Southend,Southend不及Colchester。虽然我没有去Colchester,然而去过的人居然也说Goldsmiths无法和Colchester比拟。>////< 没有去成Colchester大概是人生中最遗憾的事情之一,尤其是开场数分钟之后,就又冒出100+多余的腕带,当地居民居然可以花15镑当场买票入场。呜呜哇哇~~【你够了!】

    继续回顾Southend场,有一次大门冲下来就在我斜前方,然而我动作缓慢,大门的腰早就被无数手臂环抱,我也就没有去凑热闹。然而,距我手边最近的,伸手就碰的到的,居然是大门露出的一截内裤。Lambretta商标赫然入目。囧。事后有人开玩笑说,其实你可以试试那橡皮筋儿的弹性。嘿嘿嘿。这种念头大概属于脑海中闪过一瞬的那种吧,然而会有人真的做出来吗?发指哇。XDrz

    大门和前排人群互动,保安忙得热锅蚂蚁一般。Graham在台上看的清清楚楚,然后大笑,和Dave互看,笑的前仰后合。美好的一瞬呵。

    Graham看到被推挤的很难过的第一排露出同情的鬼脸:你好可怜!

    后来不知怎的Graham似乎把手指划破了。看到他老是吮右手的无名指,还皱眉头。我们希望他没事。写此文的时候他的手指应该早都好了,他的食物中毒也在康复。小眼镜要在Camden的家中静养哦!养肥了就可以吃了【喂!】不过今天看那个巴黎宾馆房间的In the Morning,果然脖颈嫩嫩。

    音乐上只记得Tender的和声段落非常出色,只有Damon和Graham两人的和声,伴着非常简约的伴奏,动人。还有Coffee & TV的fade out,和album version的处理不一样,喜欢。

    返场第一次上来演的是Essex Dogs,在Essex演出这一首合乎情理。Damon说的似乎是,这首歌献给Essex的女孩儿们。又说这是他们最后一次演这首歌【可恶的大门你什么都说是最后一次!结果大家都被你搞得暴走。】

    第二次返场的For Tomorrow,前奏一开始我就流泪了。真是很奇怪的。之前的曲目自己也都很激动,却没有怎么样,以为自己会一直安然到结束,却被For Tomorrow出其不意的捕获。隐约记得Graham看到我这边,当时自己一边流泪,又想挤个笑容给他,想必状况尴尬。

    临近末尾Graham把一个red bull踢飞(好身手!),顿时空气中都弥漫着那饮料的味道。

    记得他们退场之后心里复杂的很,人生中第一次看Blur,就这样过去了,似乎满脑子都是感想,然而又讲不出什么来。现在回头看,那是我唯一听到Battery in Your Leg的机会。啊!早知道该好好珍惜的。现在却不记得什么了。>//<

    散场后我们在午夜的海风里等了一会儿,没有特别期待会等到他们,但是同行的女生都说,既然来都来了XDD。大家彼此分享观演心得还满有趣。我看到GC论坛高层粉丝一枚。

    他们真的出来了,然而被保安保护的好好的。保安站成墙,隔开他们和乐迷。于是我们目送着他们上了巨大的tour bus。Graham还是那件墨绿色天鹅绒外套,米白色帆布包,他手里拿着烟。看来他又开始吸烟是确凿无疑了。他和Alex站在tour bus的门口和大家挥手告别。Graham还会对着相机镜头做鬼脸。然而tour bus很快开走了。连夜开回伦敦也不知要多久。

    我们四人走回旅馆,完全湿透。回来路上还试图按记忆整理歌单。想来是值得回忆的状态,本已经非常非常之劳累,却又兴奋的几乎发抖。

    我当晚几乎没有睡着,次日醒来浑身酸痛。和大家一一道别,说海德公园见。然后急匆匆奔向Goldsmiths

    歌单:

    She's So High
    Girls & Boys
    Tracy Jacks
    There's No Other Way
    Jubilee
    Badhead
    Beetlebum
    Out Of Time
    Trimm Trabb
    Coffee & TV
    Tender
    Country House
    Oily Water
    Chemical World
    Sunday Sunday
    Parklife
    End Of A Century
    To The End
    This Is A Low
    --------------------------
    Essex Dogs
    Popscene
    Advert
    Song 2
    --------------------------
    Battery in Your Leg
    For Tomorrow
    The Universal