Audience master recording by Ian Macdonald

CDR

2

DVD 3438; lineage: Audience master, recorded from Row 5, slightly left of centre. Source: Factory-matched pair of Schoeps CCM 41V microphones (DINa mounted) -> Marantz PMD661 recorder with Oade Concert Mod (-18 dB gain/44.1 kHz/24 bit WAV). Audacity 2.0.3 * Applied variable amplification across recording for consistent listening experience. * Attenuated audience. * Added fades. * Split tracks. * Converted to 16 bit. -> FLAC (compression level 8) [libFLAC 1.2.1 20070917]. Taper: Ian Macdonald (ianmacd)

Well, the drive there with Jirka was fun, as was the drive back. Only the bit
in the middle, the reason for actually driving those 450 km, was on the drab
and dreary side.

To make matters worse, I had extra tickets for this show that I needed to sell
outside the venue. The huge 7,000 seat capacity meant that there was a ticket
on the door for anyone who still wanted one, so it was a buyer's market and,
with professional touts slurping up any passing trade that existed, attempts
to offload extra tickets ultimately proved futile.

With mere minutes to go until David Kuckhermann is due to appear on stage, I
abandon the quest to recoup some of my outlay and head inside for my first
indoor gig of the 2013 tour.

There isn't enough time left to head to the toilets, so I instead suit up in
the foyer and then make a beeline for my seat.

It's roasting hot inside the aircraft hangar the Francophones call Forest
National and the Dutch Vorst Nationaal. Beads of sweat soon form on my
forehead and begin to work their way down my brow.

I'm just in time for David Kuckhermann, who is particularly on form this
evening. With the good fortune of an excellent view of his hands, I marvel at
his spritely fingerwork during the outstanding riq solo. It garners a huge
response from the audience that leaves me feeling gratified on Kuckhermann's
behalf.

Also worth noting this evening is Kuckhermann's airing of an older piece that
I haven't previously heard him play live. At least someone is managing to
retain an element of surprise on this tour and, indeed, Kuckhermann's set will
turn out to be the highlight of my evening. It's all downhill from here.

Dead Can Dance come on at 21:00 and proceed to trot out yesterday's show all
over again. It's like watching Christmas Day repeats of Morecambe & Wise or
The Two Ronnies, but without the luxury of nostalgia.

Looking on the bright side, the recording of the show is considerably better
than the one I made in Gelsenkirchen the night before. I wouldn't rate it as
highly as the recording of Fiesole, but that was an outdoor venue with
completely different acoustics, so you may enjoy the different colour of both.

There's one other reason to be cheerful about this evening: I managed to park
the car for free.

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