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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 4, 2024 21:17:40 GMT
I’ve just looked at tickets for the evening I’m going and the price is half of what I paid (now £75, I paid £153). How is this fair? I complained to KX Tickets who said they operate a dynamic pricing model and if I’m not satisfied I can complain to STAR. Has anyone else had a similar experience? I understand the frustration, but it’s difficult to advise you. Dynamic pricing works both ways and sometimes the prices go up. We’ve discussed the price reductions earlier in the thread and many of us know when they’re likely to be available, particularly for weekday shows during term time. All I can suggest in the future is to buy through a site that allows you to return the tickets for any reason. TodayTix offers this in return for a supplement. Then, you can rebook if the prices go down. That applies for other ticket sellers as well, as this is far from the only operator using dynamic pricing. |
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Post by d'James on Nov 7, 2024 0:12:19 GMT
Rolling Stock is out…
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Post by BVM on Nov 7, 2024 7:00:22 GMT
Desperate to keep the faith with this cast recording but starting to lose hope unfortunately.
Another track that is not the arrangement in the show, sounds underpowered, is edited down and, I dunno, just sounds cheap?
The oomph and zhuzh of the show itself really isn't coming across.
Said it before, said it again, they should have just done it live (and complete) after the epic Sunset.
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Post by d'James on Nov 7, 2024 7:07:19 GMT
I don’t know if the cast were told to oversing their songs for the recording, but that’s what it sounds like on the tracks so far. The voice is so loud, but sounds so weak; which is totally not the case in the show.
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Post by BVM on Nov 7, 2024 7:14:13 GMT
I don’t know if the cast were told to oversing their songs for the recording, but that’s what it sounds like on the tracks so far. The voice is so loud, but sounds so weak; which is totally not the case in the show. Yeah I agree. Just bizarre. Whole thing is giving concept recording arranged and bashed out on a Casio keyboard rather than OLC! |
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Post by stokerob on Nov 7, 2024 7:48:48 GMT
Have to agree re: 'Rolling Stock'. The mixing seems to be off and the performance a little shouty.
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Post by danb on Nov 7, 2024 10:18:51 GMT
Are we sure that we aren’t being Punk’d? It sounds like one of those TER or Music For Pleasure recordings you used to be able to get for £2.99 in Woollies!
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Post by BVM on Nov 7, 2024 10:30:52 GMT
Are we sure that we aren’t being Punk’d? It sounds like one of those TER or Music For Pleasure recordings you used to be able to get for £2.99 in Woollies! Oh my God, don't lol!!!! What IS going on here? The gap between this and Sunset is (so far) staggering. Not that I'm obsessed or anything..... |
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Post by ceebee on Nov 7, 2024 11:27:23 GMT
Either somebody has made a very poor creative choice on these tracks or (more likely) the overblown spectacle and sound design really only works in context, in the theatre, under controlled conditions. I think they've had to strip out quite a bit of the venue sound processing otherwise it would quickly sound like mess through some systems/platforms. It's the only reason I can think of why they have gone with this approach. It would be helpful if the album had some notes to explain the artistic choices behind the way tracks have been presented and perhaps also some tips on how to create the immersive surround feel of the venue. I don't object to what they have done as I've a hunch it's the only way they could lock down a clean version, but when this show is audibly "naked" it is a shadow of the immersive experience at Wembley.
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Post by danb on Nov 7, 2024 11:41:32 GMT
The beginning of ‘Rolling Stock’ in particular sounds so thin & cheap it is really jarring.
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Post by BVM on Nov 7, 2024 11:48:58 GMT
Either somebody has made a very poor creative choice on these tracks or (more likely) the overblown spectacle and sound design really only works in context, in the theatre, under controlled conditions. I think they've had to strip out quite a bit of the venue sound processing otherwise it would quickly sound like mess through some systems/platforms. It's the only reason I can think of why they have gone with this approach. It would be helpful if the album had some notes to explain the artistic choices behind the way tracks have been presented and perhaps also some tips on how to create the immersive surround feel of the venue. I don't object to what they have done as I've a hunch it's the only way they could lock down a clean version, but when this show is audibly "naked" it is a shadow of the immersive experience at Wembley. I think these are all really good points. I keep scratching my head as to whether the orchestrations/arrangements are actually different on the recording - or if they are the same but the sound processing and design in the theatre just makes it sound different. I veer to the latter. But then I think theatre band has three keys, two guitar, bass and drums - which is MORE than enough to sound full and good on record. So then I veer to the former and think they have changed the arrangements. I honestly don't know. (As an aside, Facebook, Insta and Twitter - outside the core fandom - which have 100 fold the posts we get on here generally think it's all amazing. So one could hypothesise they are reaching the target audience, and it isn't us. Who knows....) |
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Post by blamerobots on Nov 7, 2024 12:02:39 GMT
Again the voices so loud....!!  The actual arrangement could sound great but it's just mixed so quiet that it sounds really inoffensive. Al Knott is phenomenal though and sounds really good on this. |
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Post by erik24601 on Nov 7, 2024 12:11:33 GMT
I really can't put my finger on what is 'wrong' with this recording (thus far anyway) but the voices sound almost over-processed (to the point that they sound almost Cher-i-fied with the steps between the notes in places.
As for shouty-shouty Rolling Stock, no thanks. It all sounds so aggressive.
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Post by ceebee on Nov 7, 2024 12:53:28 GMT
I have a theory about this. We have a couple of generations who have been born into the whole BGT / X-Factor type of programme, where much of what is heard is deliberately engineered to be expansive and overblown. After all, half a stadium of lighting rack and speakers crammed into a tv studio or theatre would all seem like overkill if it wasn't backed up with red-light busting vocals and instrumentals. Matthew Brind is probably/possibly the expert in the field of overlaying multiple tracks backed up with hefty engineering to give the immersive experience, which is fine in the theatre or a studio. The ramp-up in tv programmes like the aforementioned is the whole mix - rarely do they deploy one tool, even for the quiet ballads - there is always the key-change, flood of light, big drums, keys, guitars etc. Starlight Express is probably the best show so far to have adopted such a highly engineered and artificial approach. Stripped bare, it actually sounds quite basic and simple. Also, it betrays iffy vocal technique in one or two of the otherwise excellent performers.
I guess my question is, does it matter? Do we want an album that replicates the Wembley vibe or do we want a cleaner mix and close our eyes to fill in the gaps? I've often felt that this is why the crossover success rate from talent shows is relatively low, except for the manufactured acts (e.g. 1D, Susan Boyle) where the likes of Simon Cowell had a vision to fill a gap in the market.
Feels like we are moving into new territory where highly engineered shows struggle to distil their own aura in the cast recordings. (Starlight Express, Back to the Future. Prince of Egypt, Cinderella to name but a few.) Patches and samples on synths are fine when beefed up and processed but they all sound pretty thin in their basic form without the processing, no matter how sophisticated the sound engines are.
Perhaps it is a trend - perhaps this is why traditional old fashioned shows still attract relatively large audiences - Anything Goes, Hello Dolly scores work largely through instruments and musicianship in the first instance, with far less reliance on tricks and engineering (beyond balance and amplification).
A brief chat with the sound guy at the back of Starlight revealed that there is a very large team behind the scenes engineering everything - far larger than a typical show.
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Post by danb on Nov 7, 2024 19:57:38 GMT
That’s all well and good, but if the recording sounds rubbish (of the 3 tracks we’ve heard) then that’s a choice. It has been put out there for our consumption but really foolishly within a month of one of the best musical recordings I can remember.
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Post by Sean on Nov 8, 2024 0:32:50 GMT
Was the full album due to be released digitally today? I was sure it was the 8th for release date.
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Post by evilmat360 on Nov 8, 2024 0:38:52 GMT
Was the full album due to be released digitally today? I was sure it was the 8th for release date. Originally was planned to be the 8th, was pushed back to the 15th with the CD/Vinyl album release. Think it's down to the switch from the CD being highlights to the contents of the deluxe vinyl. |
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Post by Sean on Nov 8, 2024 0:40:57 GMT
Was the full album due to be released digitally today? I was sure it was the 8th for release date. Originally was planned to be the 8th, was pushed back to the 15th with the CD/Vinyl album release. Think it's down to the switch from the CD being highlights to the contents of the deluxe vinyl. Ah ok I missed that, thanks so much for the info. |
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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 9, 2024 12:02:49 GMT
Likely only of minor interest, but I see they’ve had a small cast change. A while ago, they went down to four Controls on the cast board (the website never updated), now they’re back up up six. I believe it’s four of the originals, plus a new boy and girl (but someone please correct me if I’m wrong). The girl I saw the other afternoon was very good. Possibly her first show too. I also finally got to see Deearna McLean as Momma, who was very good also.
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Post by Jon on Nov 9, 2024 12:10:53 GMT
Likely only of minor interest, but I see they’ve had a small cast change. A while ago, they went down to four Controls on the cast board (the website never updated), now they’re back up up six. I believe it’s four of the originals, plus a new boy and girl (but someone please correct me if I’m wrong). The girl I saw the other afternoon was very good. Possibly her first show too. I also finally got to see Deearna McLean as Momma, who was very good also. I'm surprised they need six Controls but I'm guessing it's in case of sickness and holidays. I had a look to see what the number of other kid roles are in other shows and Gavroche in Les Miserables is six boys but young Eponine and Cosette only have three each. Matilda is four for each kid as well. |
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Post by BVM on Nov 9, 2024 12:53:16 GMT
Speaking of cast changes, what happened with the original Momma alternate?
Simply wasn't needed I guess!?
I think she's in Mary Poppins now.
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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 9, 2024 13:06:39 GMT
Speaking of cast changes, what happened with the original Momma alternate? Simply wasn't needed I guess!? I think she's in Mary Poppins now. Funny you should ask. I was wondering if I’d dreamt there was an alternate. Did she ever go on? |
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Post by BVM on Nov 9, 2024 13:11:07 GMT
Speaking of cast changes, what happened with the original Momma alternate? Simply wasn't needed I guess!? I think she's in Mary Poppins now. Funny you should ask. I was wondering if I’d dreamt there was an alternate. Did she ever go on? I don’t think so! |
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Post by Dr Tom on Nov 10, 2024 12:58:40 GMT
Was anyone there yesterday? They had a record number of covers on, then had to cut the show part way through the first half. How did it go?
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Post by d'James on Nov 10, 2024 13:03:37 GMT
Was anyone there yesterday? They had a record number of covers on, then had to cut the show part way through the first half. How did it go? What does that mean? ‘Cut the show?’ |
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