Ben Hur-- It's back!

[ltwoman]

Have a great time, everyone!

You'll be missed ( but there in spirit !)

[samburusunset]

Looking forward to seeing all you Nutters tomorrow! Woot!
Arrive, fly, drive carefully.

[63falcon]

[quote="ltwoman"][quote="DirtyMartini"]Have a great time, everyone![/quote]

You'll be missed ( but there in spirit !)[/quote]
DM, I wish that you & Moe could be there tomorrow. You will be missed indeed.
Ok, am planning on finding this Abbey place & being there between 4 & 4:30. Exciting!

[jerseyfan]

I want to wish everybody a great time. I really wish I could be there. It's looks like such an awesome and unique event. A great movie with a full live orchestra, plus Stewart!! Are you kidding me!

I checked out the ticket situation today. The 2,500 seat venue looks to be at least 90 percent sold. That's outstanding. Here's wishing for full sell-out.

[Maud138]

Have fun, everybody!

[conroy]

It was awesome! It was clear that a lot of love and hard work went into. I can say that this is my favorite Stewart Copeland composition for orchestra. The Virginia Fine Arts Symphony nailed it! Stewart nailed it both in his drumming and editing the film and modifying his arena score to make the two as one. I can't wait for Chicago and beyond as I am sure this is just the beginning for this wonderful piece of work that needs to be (and will!) be seen and heard by any fan of Stewart's!

ETA: I also really loved how Stewart fleshed out my favorite moments from the arena recording that i wished had been expanded upon in that recording and it finally happened. At the Q&A before the show, I believe sockii asked Stewart if there would be a recording made of the performance. Stewart didn't think it was likely to happen because there are quieter moments, but I disagree. I could listen to the whole thing because it was so beautiful.

ETA2: Electric Boogaloo - I wasn't prepared for the unusually cold weather that arrived in Norfolk this past weekend and did not dress warm enough. Now I seem to have come down with a nasty bug from another member of the audience. Whatever you don't, DON'T CATCH THIS WORM as it will burrow in your ear and become highly infectious!!! <cough> https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=2 ... ile%2c.zip <cough>

[ltwoman]

Good morning, Conroy, and all my Nutter buddies. It was a fantastic night and surreal for my virginal Stewart experience! OMG times infinity.

[ltwoman]

For Daniel Watkins. We met you last night. I couldn't reach you on that email address. Please reply to me at ltwoman20@aol.com

Thanks

[ltwoman]

Here's the link to my pictures: (the good, the bad, and the...)

https://picasaweb.google.com/1101744359 ... directlink

[conroy]

First review: http://hamptonroads.com/2014/04/review- ... ted-daring

[njperry]

The review Conroy posted is mostly positive with praise and criticisms.

I would just go for the praise. It was an awesome experience. Hearing Stewart bang on his drums while an orchestra performed his piece while watching the impressive movie was a great combo. And hanging with my fellow Nutters is always great.

The music is very similar to the Ben Hur Live soundtrack but this was so much better. I like much (but not all) of the Ben Hur Live CD, but the Ben Hur performed Saturday was great through and through.

I agree with Conroy that I could listen to the whole thing and would dearly love to have available in some manner such as the movie DVD with the soundtrack, a DVD of the performance, or a soundtrack CD. Stewart in the pre-show Q&A said that he didn't expect any of those things to happen.

I am not sure I would rank this, as Conroy did, as my favorite Stewart orchestra composition since I love Gamelan D'Drum and think that is a better composition.

Still a great piece of work with a great performance by the Master himself.

All Nutters (and music fans generally) should try to see this when possible. Stewart mentioned that there are discussions for the piece to be performed in a couple of other places besides the Columbus Day weekend performance in Chicago.

[conroy]

Here's an interview that was down pre-show that came out today and Stewart gives St. Jeff a shout-out:
http://www.technologytell.com/entertain ... nd-police/

I would still rank Gamelan D'Drum right behind Ben-Hur as my favorite work. But for me, the Ben-Hur Orcehstral performance besides being a score of epic length has resonance without being repetitive. And the fact that I can listen to the arena show recording and link it to the images from the movies more so than what I saw in the arena show says a lot about how great of a job Stewart was able to bring the arena show score and the silent film into a perfect union.

[ltwoman]

I like Ben Hur the best-- but this was my first Stewart. Even the silent film had me on the edge of my seat-- and I would catch myself " hey, this is a live orchestra, not a soundtrack!" Stewart literally never missed a beat and if he was holding himself back ( as he said in the ore- show talk ) it wasn't evident. He nailed it-- and each drum beat.

[Throb]

Looks like a great time.
Hope it comes to LA!
Conroy, if it comes here, hope you have some frequent flyer miles for a West coast gathering!

[conroy]

I definitely don't have enough miles in the bank right now and will be blowing a lot of my travel budget this year on my trip to Liverpool next month. However, if the stars were to align properly in the event of an LA performance of Ben Hur that happens to coincide with something like a Fiction Plane gig; a Police Experience gig; or a Dares gig, it might be enough to get me to consider the trip out there.