Went to Luka's DVD recording a couple of weeks ago. Rena asked me for a review for her website. Thought I might as well post it on mine as well.
Rena asked me to give my impression on the Helix gig. It’s nearly three weeks ago, but thinking back to it, I think I’m still able to give a pretty accurate description of my experiences that night.
Am a Belgian, living in Cork for the last eight months (currently not planning to move back home). This was definitely not my first Luka Bloom concert. To be honest, think I saw Luka playing more this year alone, than all years before. Can’t help it that he’s performing so often in Ireland, can I? And what about being back in Belgium for a short visit to my twin sister and her newborn, exactly at the time when he’s performing in Brussels. Couldn’t skip that one either, could I? The last time I saw him before the Helix gig was in Cobh. Was a magical evening. Just a small room, an audience of about 150 people. It felt like sitting in a living room. With windows on two sides of the room. View on the harbour. Seeing the sunset behind Luka. The sky first turning pink, after that beautiful blue and eventually black. Some great songs, I never heard him perform live before. Lonesome Robin one of them. A new song about the IRA declaration and my all time favourite Exploring the Blue. It was the first time in a while I saw Ruddy back on stage. Great surprise. The whole Cobh gig was definitely a foretaste of what Dublin was going to be. Less hot though.
I asked my boss that Wednesday to leave a bit earlier from work, to catch the three o’clock train from Mallow to Dublin. Rain was lashing down. Was wearing brand new white sneakers…should know by now that white isn’t very suitable for Irish weather conditions. Thanks to the Luka team I could bring a friend to the gig. Since I moved into the house, Luka’s music can be heard in nearly all rooms and the kitchen. After taking them to one of his gigs, three of the four housemates call themselves fans as well. I asked Laura, a Canadian girl to go with me. I met here on the train. We were all set for a great evening out.
We arrived in Heuston-Station around half five. Time was a bit tight, so we just had a quick bite in the station, before getting on our way to the Helix. Looking on the map, it didn’t seem too far away from Marino Institute, the college I had some trainings earlier this year. So we decided to take the 123 bus that direction and walk the rest of the way. We were lucky it was dry by then, ‘cause the walk was definitely longer than we expected. First test for my brand new white sneakers….blisters on both feet indeed.
We were in time anyway and Anne and Claire made us feel welcome immediately. There was plenty of time before for a drink. After a quick visit to the bathroom, we were all ready for the real thing. Anne gave us two seats on top of the stand. On the right-hand side. Opposite of the Lukalisters. We had a great view, on both the stage and the audience. Happy enough so…till we later that evening realised we must have gotten one of the hottest seats as well…high in a black corner. Well, it was all worth it. After a short welcoming by Claire, Luka came on stage and the evening started off. I don’t remember the set list any more, have never been very well in it, but am sure Rena has it all typed out on the website. I think it was quite similar to the one in Cobh. But the atmosphere was very different. It was all devoted fans that night in the Helix. Many had travelled a long way to be there that evening. All and everyone of us knew this was a once in a lifetime occasion and we were all definite making the most of it.
My housemate and I had been to John Spillane’s DVD recording in Cork as well, but comparing the two would be unfair. It was evident that John had to manage with way less resources than Luka. The amount of camera’s, lights and people running around that evening in the Helix was a bit overwhelming. Frightening is a bit strong, but still… It took me a while anyway to really get into it. Can imagine it must be pretty nerve wrecking for Luka as well…knowing it all had to happen that very one night. But once again Luka proved to be a professional and after a while we all forgot (almost) about the camera’s.
The opportunity to sing along came pretty early in the evening and it was obvious straight away this audience was well able for it. Am not a very good singer, so limited myself to miming the songs (on every live DVD there is always one person in the audience just sitting there while all the rest is signing along…me nor my housemate Laura wanted to be that person….therefore the miming). I loved to hear him play Lonesome Robin again. And we were lucky enough to hear some of the songs twice….Exploring the Blue and The man is Alive two of them.
The concert in the Helix was the longest I’ve ever been to. The most tiring as well. Never knew just sitting, listening and clapping could be so laborious. And hot. People started taking off jumpers, scarves and unnecessary accessories. After a while all sorts of “fans” appeared: tickets, passports, diaries,…Guess it made the whole experience even more unique. For the one time we shared Luka’s experience on stage…leaving the room for the short break, it looked like all and everyone of us had just given a great stage performance himself… I think it was nearly half eleven before the questions-and-answers- part began. And it was after twelve before I finally found myself a taxi to find some friend’s home in Dublin. After searching for the house for almost an hour finally in bed, to get up again (couldn’t find the house and forgot to put Lilliane’s number in my mobile phone) a couple of hours later to catch the seven o’clock train to be at work in time (or nearly, was half an hour late). Plan was to go to see Roesy in Cyprus Avenue that evening, but was wrecked and opted for an early night instead. Which I still regret…hope to see him another night.
saskia
Am a Belgian, living in Cork for the last eight months (currently not planning to move back home). This was definitely not my first Luka Bloom concert. To be honest, think I saw Luka playing more this year alone, than all years before. Can’t help it that he’s performing so often in Ireland, can I? And what about being back in Belgium for a short visit to my twin sister and her newborn, exactly at the time when he’s performing in Brussels. Couldn’t skip that one either, could I? The last time I saw him before the Helix gig was in Cobh. Was a magical evening. Just a small room, an audience of about 150 people. It felt like sitting in a living room. With windows on two sides of the room. View on the harbour. Seeing the sunset behind Luka. The sky first turning pink, after that beautiful blue and eventually black. Some great songs, I never heard him perform live before. Lonesome Robin one of them. A new song about the IRA declaration and my all time favourite Exploring the Blue. It was the first time in a while I saw Ruddy back on stage. Great surprise. The whole Cobh gig was definitely a foretaste of what Dublin was going to be. Less hot though.
I asked my boss that Wednesday to leave a bit earlier from work, to catch the three o’clock train from Mallow to Dublin. Rain was lashing down. Was wearing brand new white sneakers…should know by now that white isn’t very suitable for Irish weather conditions. Thanks to the Luka team I could bring a friend to the gig. Since I moved into the house, Luka’s music can be heard in nearly all rooms and the kitchen. After taking them to one of his gigs, three of the four housemates call themselves fans as well. I asked Laura, a Canadian girl to go with me. I met here on the train. We were all set for a great evening out.
We arrived in Heuston-Station around half five. Time was a bit tight, so we just had a quick bite in the station, before getting on our way to the Helix. Looking on the map, it didn’t seem too far away from Marino Institute, the college I had some trainings earlier this year. So we decided to take the 123 bus that direction and walk the rest of the way. We were lucky it was dry by then, ‘cause the walk was definitely longer than we expected. First test for my brand new white sneakers….blisters on both feet indeed.
We were in time anyway and Anne and Claire made us feel welcome immediately. There was plenty of time before for a drink. After a quick visit to the bathroom, we were all ready for the real thing. Anne gave us two seats on top of the stand. On the right-hand side. Opposite of the Lukalisters. We had a great view, on both the stage and the audience. Happy enough so…till we later that evening realised we must have gotten one of the hottest seats as well…high in a black corner. Well, it was all worth it. After a short welcoming by Claire, Luka came on stage and the evening started off. I don’t remember the set list any more, have never been very well in it, but am sure Rena has it all typed out on the website. I think it was quite similar to the one in Cobh. But the atmosphere was very different. It was all devoted fans that night in the Helix. Many had travelled a long way to be there that evening. All and everyone of us knew this was a once in a lifetime occasion and we were all definite making the most of it.
My housemate and I had been to John Spillane’s DVD recording in Cork as well, but comparing the two would be unfair. It was evident that John had to manage with way less resources than Luka. The amount of camera’s, lights and people running around that evening in the Helix was a bit overwhelming. Frightening is a bit strong, but still… It took me a while anyway to really get into it. Can imagine it must be pretty nerve wrecking for Luka as well…knowing it all had to happen that very one night. But once again Luka proved to be a professional and after a while we all forgot (almost) about the camera’s.
The opportunity to sing along came pretty early in the evening and it was obvious straight away this audience was well able for it. Am not a very good singer, so limited myself to miming the songs (on every live DVD there is always one person in the audience just sitting there while all the rest is signing along…me nor my housemate Laura wanted to be that person….therefore the miming). I loved to hear him play Lonesome Robin again. And we were lucky enough to hear some of the songs twice….Exploring the Blue and The man is Alive two of them.
The concert in the Helix was the longest I’ve ever been to. The most tiring as well. Never knew just sitting, listening and clapping could be so laborious. And hot. People started taking off jumpers, scarves and unnecessary accessories. After a while all sorts of “fans” appeared: tickets, passports, diaries,…Guess it made the whole experience even more unique. For the one time we shared Luka’s experience on stage…leaving the room for the short break, it looked like all and everyone of us had just given a great stage performance himself… I think it was nearly half eleven before the questions-and-answers- part began. And it was after twelve before I finally found myself a taxi to find some friend’s home in Dublin. After searching for the house for almost an hour finally in bed, to get up again (couldn’t find the house and forgot to put Lilliane’s number in my mobile phone) a couple of hours later to catch the seven o’clock train to be at work in time (or nearly, was half an hour late). Plan was to go to see Roesy in Cyprus Avenue that evening, but was wrecked and opted for an early night instead. Which I still regret…hope to see him another night.
saskia
