Audience

CDR

2

DVD 3540; lineage: Audience master, recorded 4 metres back from the left-hand side PA stack. 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 2.0.0 -> FLAC (compression level 8). Taper: Ian Macdonald (ianmacd)

This is my last gig before the summer break and the start of festival season,
which heralds something of a hibernation for this taper. I don't have another
gig scheduled until mid-August.

I actually should have been in Utrecht once this week already, for Yeasayer
Monday evening, but Sarah booked the whole family into the Efteling amusement
park at short notice and I had to flog my ticket on Marktplaats.

I last saw St. Vincent not so very long ago in the Melkweg; just at the end of
February, in fact. I was impressed enough to desire more of the same, so when
I saw that she'd be coming this way again for a gig in Utrecht, it wasn't too
hard to muster the energy required to leave Amsterdam for it.

The gig was in Tivoli's smaller De Helling venue (capacity 450), located in an
unlikely looking industrial park. It's an odd setting for a concert venue and
one that makes you wonder whether your sat-nav is leading you astray, right at
the moment that the venue looms up in front of you. I've been to Tivoli's Oude
Gracht venue (capacity 1,000) many times before, but this was my first time in
De Helling.

Support came from Dutch band, Minus The Tiger, who were good (particularly by
Dutch standards), but not recorded by me. If I see them on the bill somewhere
else, however, I'll be sure to record them.

St. Vincent came on stage at 21:30. Right before she did, a very tall girl
came and stood just in front of me, to my right. This beanpole blocked my view
of Annie Clark for the entire gig.

Running with the new supercardioids close to the PA stack (stack-humping in
taper jargon), I couldn't turn my head to look past her without having a
negative impact on the recording, so I resigned myself to my fate and probably
glimpsed Clark for all of two minutes of her eighty minute set. On the other
hand, I witnessed just about every beat meted out by her drummer, who is a
pleasant enough chap to look at, but less to my taste than Annie.

The set had been shuffled since the Melkweg gig, but consisted of an almost
identical selection. 'The Party', listed as first song of the encore, actually
wasn't played, making way instead for Record Store Day 7", 'Krokodil', which
was played as the last track before the encore.

'Strange Mercy', not listed as part of the set, then took over as the first
song of the encore.

An unknown venue often presents unexpected challenges, but De Helling is an
easy enough place to record in, the only inconvenience being a couple of
stepped platforms at the side of the hall that require one to choose between
being slightly elevated and therefore more visible while at work, or lower and
not quite in one's preferred spot. I chose the latter, because the sacrifice
was so small.

The venue's sound was really great last night, just the right volume, and just
the right amount of bass and treble. I might not have been able to see much of
note, but it was a feast for the ears and I often close my eyes at gigs,
anyway. Annie's bag of gonzo guitar sounds came crunching through the PA,
crisp and clear, all night long.

The excellent sound is reflected by the recording. I can't say more than that,
really. Listen to the samples and judge for yourself.

3540

0