jeudi 2 février 2012

The Night Shift, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The George Tavern, Stepney 31/02/2012


Does it make sense to write a bad review just for the sake of it? Well I guess that if it were only for the sake of it, I wouldn’t have found any negatives. Not true.

First of all I am a bit annoyed with the George Tavern. A few years ago I moved to the area and I thought it could become my local. Unfortunately, price and quality haven't made it that way. Yes, it is a beautiful pub (inside) and of course it is cool (there used to be a photo of Kate Moss behind the bar behind the bar and it looks like they have enrolled Grace Jones in a campaign to save the place (see website). Is that cool? Well, it was. Or maybe not. Don’t know if cool people even say they’re cool. Anyway, that’s not the point.

The gig/concert itself was really pleasant and you can see why it has been praised but I don’t understand why they – everyone – have to make it such an astonishing feat that youngish people happen to be enjoying listening to classical music. We were all standing still with a knowing look on our faces, painfully trying to express the greatness of the concept to a stream of interviewers asking what we thought about this great concept. Which it is, really, only if everyone wasn’t trying so hard to making it so special.
And I'm not sure what to do with the singing of naughty songs in a highbrow-and-chuff-low kind of way. Didn't like it much at the time.   

I’m whinging. But I always felt suspicious of wholesome and consensual praise; in rhetoric I prefer Christopher Hitchens to Mother Theresa. It is classical music and no one should feel so smug listening to it.
Ok, enough. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment are good people really, so if you can get tickets, do go and see their next events. It was only for the sake of it.

Go to the Night Shift website and listen to their set list on Spotify

1 commentaire:

Anonyme a dit…

Well put Mr Brown. You would have thought that in an area that is especially 'liberal' (which itself seems to breed 'cool') that classical music wouldn't be such a big deal - and it isn't - just made to seem that way by the constant marketing efforts. I appreciate they've got to shout about their worth, but if the 'youngsters' are more into Beyonce than Bach - let them get on with it I say...there will always be an audience for this brilliant music - just don't force it. All this said - a very pleasant night in very pleasant company.

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