 15h52 - 01 July 2005 The high-speed ferry between Hoek van Holland and Harwich is the largest high-speed ferry in the world, travelling at a speed of nearly 80 km/h between The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Taking the Eurostar train via the Chunnel is slightly faster, but for my last minute purposes of getting to London the ferry was my cheapest option at 130 Euros return from any train station in Holland to London Liverpool Street.  The view out of the front of the ferry as we await departure.  And away we go... the unbelievably powerful water jet engines push us away and we head out to see. (Notice the Port of Rotterdam tugboat.)  This boat behind us is a Pilot vessel for the Port of Rotterdam. I wonder if pilot's have to guide the ferry as they would for any given visiting freight vessel? I mean, the ferry goes twice a day from here... one would think they would be more than qualified and familiar with these local waters.  Looking down the beach at Hoek van Holland. Way in the distance is Scheveningen.  I took this picture to capture the view of Holland pulling away into the distance, as well as to capture the crash of the waves in the wake of the boat as it starts really going full-speed. I have to say that I enjoy boat travel a lot more than I do air travel. I am still the only person worth mentioning (and the one whose idea it was) who's made a trans-Atlantic crossing on a boat. This excludes, of course, my parents who did so several times back in the 60s when it was still a normal means for people to get back and forth between Europe and North America. Nowadays we're always in such a hurry, it seems - trading comfort for speed.  Out here on the water I can actually stretch out and relax and enjoy the journey itself rather than it simply being nothing more than a means to an end. Not that I enjoy reading the newspaper that much. But I am interested to see the short article about something I learned in Germany a couple of years ago... specifically that the Lonsdale clothing line is favoured by right-wing Nazi types. It's the NSDA, you see. You know? Like as in NSDAP?!? Get it?  Theo van Gogh's weekly column... now nothing but empty space.  Look! Pictures of preparations for Live8! (Bottom Left) Oh! And is THAT MY JACKASS DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOUR???!??? (Top Right)  Hey! The farmer who owned the land where they filmed Lord of the Rings only charges 30 Euros for people to come have a look around the former movie set!  I wonder if this will be me in many years? I mean, I am already a fashion victim as it is... just look at my footwear.  Here we see the powerful water jet motors - a pair of jets on each side of the craft.  And so we approach the shores of England... the jets turn and reverse and we begin to swing around to dock.  Slowly we back up to the Harwich terminal.  The queue at Customs is a bit long and I miss the direct train to London, but that's okay... I take a connecting train through Manningtree and be in Liverpool Street a few minutes later than the direct train. Here we see lovely Manningtree station.  And finally we arrive in Liverpool Street just before nine in the evening.  Hopping on the Tube I head west to my friend's house near Baron's Court. I am pretty tired but still briefly consider whether or not I should stop at St Paul's Cathedral. I love St Paul's just at dusk, when no one's around and the light is fading.  And there they are.... my VIP Gold Circle tickets for Live8. (Note also the glass of orange juice and ice, which tasted better than any orange juice I've ever had in my life.) 06h47 - 02 July 2005 Something about London always reminds me of Oliver Twist. I half expect some clever little singing street urchins to be down below in the street.  My friend Tanja has decided to join those of us in the Golden Circle and give away the two tickets for the giant screen area of Hyde Park that she queued for a couple of days ago.  Loud music can damage your hearing.... really? Never heard that before.  And so it's time to set off for Hyde Park. Rather than take public transport I prefer to walk and see a bit of London on the way. Here we see Earl's Court, which is where Pink Floyd last played together (in the configuration that shall be seen later today) just over 24 years ago on the last concert of The Wall tour.  One of the great memories for some people of the original LiveAid was the performance by Freddie Mercury and Queen. Freddie won't be with us today, but we stop a moment outside the doorway leading to his house to pay respects.  Freddie, you are the king of magic.  A long view of the wall and house beyond, and the inconspicuous doorway.  This memorial for those lost in the war doesn't really have anything to do with Live8, but it looked nice so I took a snap to document my walk to the concert.  The last time I was here at Kensington Palace was just after Princess Diana was killed and it was a mountain of flowers.  This photo is from 1997, showing my last visit to Kensington Palace. It was weird to be there again years later and see it with no flowers stacked up all over the place.  It is going to be a pleasant day today for a concert. No rain, nice cool breeze, and overcast skies to spare all of us from the sun.  Continuing along brings us to the Prince Albert memorial with Royal Albert Hall in the background.  Away in the distance we can make out a giant screen for the main entrance area of the concert.  A view back at the Albert memorial.  And again we have the Royal Albert Hall.  The sign directs us toward the entrances to the concert.  Now here's a map I would have liked to have seen a week ago..... why wasn't this on the Internet anywhere?!??? Here you see the layout of Hyde Park for the concert, with the Red area for those watching the concert on giant screens, the darker green area for the general admission area to the concert proper, and the so-called Golden Circle.  Yes, good question. Are we there yet? Maybe I should have taken the subway.  Almost at Hyde Park Corner now, which is where the entrance for the Golden Circle ticket-holders is located.  The well-planned Live8 concert occurs on the same day as the London Pride festivities (shown here), not to mention the Wimbledon finals.  After a bit of confusion, and following the crowd (who are, of course, heading for the general admission area...) we locate the entrance for the Golden Circle.  The beauty of the Golden Circle is shown as we leave the crowds behind and find ourselves just behind Hyde Park Corner in a considerable less crowded state.  Which brings us to the queue and a very short wait before the "doors" open and we shuffle inside.  We're almost there now.... exciting, isn't it?  After a cursory security check we're in the final home stretch before we enter the concert.  Yay! We're there! Surrounded by food kiosks and the like in a pleasantly un-crowded atmosphere.  See? Fashion victim am I.  Hey! They are handing out free sunscreen!  Mr Fashion Victim once again.... Long Walk To Justice? I can't even imagine walking to Edinburgh. It was far enough of a walk just to Hyde Park, although it probably just felt long because of the anticipation.  And there it is... the Live8 stage!  And here we see the difference between the Golden Circle and the rest of the concert. Behind that barrier is a hundred metres of squished people, followed by tens of thousands more, many of which camped out overnight, and some since Thursday, to have a place near the front. Suddenly the money spent on being in the Golden Circle seems VERY worthwhile. See.... people criticised those who sold tickets on eBay, but although there were (and always will be) those who sell things like that for profit, this attitude completely overlooks the fact that many people spent a LOT of money in text messages (hundreds of pounds) to get tickets to the show in the first place, through legitimate means. If something happened (and it's bound to for a certain percentage of people) and they no longer can go, then why SHOULDN'T they be allowed to sell their tickets on eBay? They aren't profiteering, but are rather just recovering their costs.  See how not crowded it is in this area?  And so I settle into the spot that will be home for the next 12 hours.  A view backward at the still not crowded area of the Golden Circle.  AOL is a sponser of the concert and they are playing some excerpts from the AOL Sessions performances on the big screens.  A view straight back across the Golden Circle and the general area beyond.  It's still not too crowded so I wander around a bit snapping photos. Here we see a full view of the stage from as close as my camera would allow me to take a picture with a full view of the stage, which isn't that close, as you can see.      The Golden Circle starts to fill up a little bit.  As you can see, people are able to send photos from their phones to the big screens.  Some samples of various people enjoying the pre-concert atmosphere.  Sarah McLachlan! Hey! (This is her AOL Session, not her performance for Live8.)  A view of me at my selected plot of land for Live8 viewing.  Up on the stage a girl from BBC does a live broadcast back to the newsroom.  A view along the "front row" of the general admission area.  A view (taken by holding my camera way above my head) to see the crowds behind the barrier in the general admission area. People at home with the benefit of views from the helicoptors have a much better idea of the scope of this than I do on the ground, I'll bet.  Time for the final bathroom stop of the day. From now on it's only taking in as much water as I sweat out. I refuse to be one of those people who shove their way through the crowd so I just won't go (or move) for the next 10 to 12 hours. But hey! There's the broadcast pod with Elton John doing an interview!  And here is the triumph of the Yuppies.... not only do those with means get to have the best "seats" in the concert, they also get access to champagne and Pimm's.  Another view of the crowds at the barrier behind the Golden Circle.  One last shot of the general admission fence before I return to my spot.  Ok. Here we are, with a view looking back from the stage. This is me awaiting the start of the Live8 concert.  With just a few minutes to go a group of stage hands gather for a picture up on stage.  Again I take a picture of myself in the gathering crowd at Live8, taken (as I do any pictures of myself) by holding my camera out at arm's length and pointing it back and myself and hoping that it works.  Oh! At that red flag way over there they are selling watermelon. Mmmmmmm.... watermelon. Hmmmm. And there is a lingering smell of onion rings in the air.   In the two previous aerial photos of the crowd I have marked my location with a blue dot.  Here is a photo taken by one of the journalists of the crowd and you can see my head! 14h00 - 02 July 2005 And so the concert begins..... after a fanfare by the royal guards and a brief introduction of the various concerts around the globe (with everyone booing the French). Anyway, as most of you saw the concert already I won't bother to make commentary for every picture, just when something noteworthy occurs, ok? I should also mention, that although it is my habit to take photos off the Internet to share when I go to concerts, I have NOT done so in this Travelogue. Everything you see below is a photo taken by either myself or my friend Tanja. So here we go.... U2 and Paul McCartney U2 and Paul McCartney take to the stage to play Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And it was, actually.... "twenty years ago (today)" that a concert of this scale was last organised - the original LiveAid.    U2  In Beautiful Day, just after the line "See the bird with a leaf in her mouth, after the flood all the colours came out..." they release a bunch of white doves into the air over the crowd.                And so U2 packs off and heads for Vienna, where they are playing tonight.  The stage spins around to bring on the equipment for the next band. At most big concerts like this it takes forever for the crew to change equipment. Live8 was pretty good on this point, but still.... in the old days of rock and roll drummers could use the same kits and singers the same microphones and what not. These rock stars nowadays are living in luxury. Half the length of the concert is taken up by changing equipment. Coldplay           Richard Ashcroft of The Verve takes the stage with Coldplay to perform Bittersweet Symphony.   These chicks were much photographed during the day, I noticed.   Coldplay heads for Glasgow, where they are playing tonight.  Hey! Duran Duran in Rome!  These two guys are from Little England, the television show, I believe. But being non-British, I am not sure. Elton John     Pete Doherty joins Elton John on stage.   Who is Pete Doherty? I have no idea... but when he threw part of his mic stand into the audience I got got.  This chick knew who he was, however, so I gave the mic stand piece to her. Bob Geldof   Bill Gates    Dido    Youssou N'Dour joins Dido on stage for Seven Seconds.    Stereophonics Here's a band I was looking forward too.... and they are so awesome.      A view of me hard at work.... David Brent (aka Ricky Gervais)     Apparently this dance is something well-known to English types. REM What is wrong with Michael Stipe anyway?!??        Hey! It's Tom Cochrane from the Canada Live8 concert! Kofi Annan   And just like that.... Kofi is gone. Ms Dynamite Note to Bob: You should have kept the concert shorter and not included Ms Dynamite. Keane  Hey! Will Smith from Philadelphia! Travis     The umbrellas are for the song "Why Does It Always Rain On Me", in case you might be wondering whether it was raining. It wasn't. Bob Geldof (again) This time Bob actually sings, and does a poor version of I Don't Like Mondays. I mean, with all the pianos up on stage there and today's techonology there's no reason to use a terrible sounding synthesizer piano for a song original played on a beautiful REAL piano.    Brad Pitt   Annie Lennox    UB40 Note to Bob: UB40 could have saved many of us from standing here for so long today and none of us would have missed them.   A nice view of the crowd. As you can see the Golden Circle is fairly full now.  Bon Jovi??!??? Are you kidding me?!???? (Click below on the two links to see movies of Hyde Park's reaction to Bon Jovi)  Brian Wilson at Live8 Berlin. Snoop Dogg I wasn't sure what I was going to do during Snoop Dogg.... take a nap maybe? But he was really really great, I have to say.     Another view of those chicks that spent a lot of the concert up on boyfriend's shoulders. Note to chicks who like concerts: Date someone very strong. Razorlight These guys were good, but the lead singer thought he was Bono or something. Note to Razorlight singer: You are NOT Bono. (Cool how the picture is framed with the hands, isn't it?)  Bob Geldof This girl is the same girl who was in a movie shown at LiveAid and who was ten minutes from death, saved by the concert.... she now is a college graduate in agriculture and proof that these things can change the world. Or something like that. Madonna Madonna with same chick.   Many people thought Madonna was fantastic. She was great, don't get me wrong, but for me there were many others who stood out much more.        The crowd enjoyed Madonna, however. Very much so.  The ever-circling helicoptors overhead.       Snowpatrol   The Killers   Joss Stone Yah... I could have done without Joss Stone, I have to admit.  Scissor Sisters I also could have done with the Scissor Sisters. At this point in the concert we were all pretty tired and really sore from standing so long in the same place and trying to figure out how over time the show was.... calculating who was left to perform. We were definitely at a low point in the show here.   The sky clears up and turns blue again while the sun sets on Live8.   Velvet Revolver No one even cares about this pale Guns 'n Roses imitation.... it's Slash everyone wants to see.        But Slash does not disappoint. He shows what stars should be like.... larger than life. (And all it took was a big hat and long hair.... and being a great guitar player, of course.)   Slash ventures further out on the stage than anyone during the entire day. Sting We are officially now in the home stretch... the time when concert ahead is pretty much all fantastic and thoughts of maybe leaving the close rows are banished.  Sting was amazing.... he played the same songs as he did in 1985 at LiveAid, including Driven to Tears (which I don't know that many people knew as it is an obscure Police song, somewhat).     "Too many cameras and not enough food...."  Mariah Carey Note to Bob: Don't invite Mariah Carey! (And can someone PLEASE get her a sip of water and a mic stand so she'll stop fucking whining!)  Hey! Roxy Music in Berlin! David Beckham I am sure David had something interesting to say, but some crazy chick behind me keep screaming "FUCK YOU BECKHAM! FUCK YOU!!!!", so I missed a lot of his little speech.  Robbie Williams Without a doubt Robbie Williams was the best pure performance of the day. He is the the consumate and immaculate showman that we should all aspire to be.     If you're wondering where Robbie went, he's down in front of the stage now, kissing and hugging with girls.     I managed to catch Robbie in mid-air... can you believe it? The Spice Girls... I mean, The Who        Pink Floyd This is it.... this is what we've been waiting for. The stage turns around to reveal Pink Floyd's equipment.  To roadies put together Pink Floyd's gear.   And this is it.... Pink Floyd.                                                Paul McCartney      The All-Star Finale           As luck would have it I make a brief appearance in the video of the Live8 Finale from the Mariah Carey website. In the video captures above I have circled myself. The End of a Long and Perfect Day   I am quite dazed and tired and sore and dirty but utterly overwhelmed with everything. It will take me weeks to absorb the events of the last 12 hours.  The Set List According to IainAs I remember it, give me a break... it was a long concert.(Click on the hyperlinks, that exist, to hear the songs, by the way.)Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band U2 Beautiful Day Vertigo One Coldplay In My Place Bitter Sweet Symphony (with Richard Ashcroft) Fix You Elton John The Bitch is Back Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting Children of the Revolution (with Pete Doherty) Dido White Flag Thank You Seven Seconds (with Youssou N'Dour) Stereophonics The Bartender and the Thief Dakota Some other song I don't know, but which rocked! REM Imitation of Life Everybody Hurts Man On The Moon Ms Dynamite Redemption Song, but who cares? Keane Everybody's Changing Somewhere We Only Know Travis Sing Turn Why Does It Always Rain On Me Bob Geldof I Don't Like Mondays Annie Lennox Why Some song... Sweet Dreams UB40 A medley of songs!??? They played four distinct songs! Who do they think they are?!? Important and revered artists? But anyway, two of the four were Red Red Wine (shudder) and Unchained Melody Snoop Dogg Some song I never heard of, but which was good... Some other song I never heard of, but which was also good... What's My Name Razorlight Never heard of them, but they played a couple songs Madonna Like a Prayer Ray of Light Music Snow Patrol Joss Stone Scissor Sisters Velvet Revolver The Killers Sting Message in a Bottle Driven to Tears Every Breath You Take Mariah Carey Who cares? Robbie Williams We Will Rock You Let Me Entertain You Angels The Who Who Are You Won't Get Fooled Again Pink Floyd Breathe Money Wish You Were Here Comfortably Numb Paul McCartney Get Back Drive My Car (with George Michael) Helter Skelter The Long and Winding Road The Finale Hey Jude, sort of... the last bit of it anyway.  |