Shepherds Bush Empire

[sak4]

Good to hear reminiscences about Hurlingham.    I didn't make that one but did go to SBE in (was it 2002?).  Fabulous concert.

Sally  

[Jules]

MK played at the Shepperds in 1996 and 2002.

Funny thing, in 1996 they played at the Shepperds as they sold out several nights at the RAH but there wasnt more nights availables there, so they added a date at the SBE... Maybe the Hammersmith Apollo would had suited better, but maybe it wasnt available either...

The SBE is quite small for such concerts, but its a nice place.

[Pottel]

Beaulieu still hits me als extr special...aaaahhh

[ds1984]

Beaulieu still hits me als extr special...aaaahhh

The sore throat night?

IMHO SBE was much better

[twm]

Even I enjoyed Beaulieu. A very pleasant atmosphere, reasonable position, not too big, lovely setting and, oh , the music was none too bad either, nice and relaxed, a little less routine with the different musicians involved, them playing for one another as well as for us, almost as though they felt among friends. Have I overstated it?

I think Shepherds Bush Empire is a good music venue - small and compact with everyone relatively close to the stage. Almost intimate on occasions. Downstairs, the only drawback is the postioning of the bar along the side of the standing area - it can be a bit distracting.  The bar at the back is less intrusive and you can get a decent view from some positions there. Even the first level of balconies offers good sightlines and not that far from the stage. All in all, a pretty good place.

[Jules]

Actually there is one think I dislike from the SBE, the stage height...

If you are standing in the arena, the height of the stage is pretty low so people from third, fourth and go on rows wont see anything...

In 2002 I was pretty close to the stage in the arena, but behind some people, I

[twm]

I agree. I once stood next to a very tall Scandinavian who, leaning this way and that, encroached on my space. I just kept my left foot fixed to the ground and refused to budge.  I feared it would come to blows (and I would have lost) but he relented in the end.

The raised area at the back, adjacent to the bar, can offer good sightlines and you're not that far from the stage. A favourite spot for the video-ers.

[dmg]

He also played a night there with tickets available to competition winners a few years back.  Promo for Get Lucky album if I remember, not sure on the date.  Recent gigs are no longer recollected but old gigs are still in the memory bank and recollected with ease - is that just me?

Anyway in 2002 I managed right down the front row just in front of JI, I'll always remember the great atmosphere in the place but then the tickets were exclusively sold on the MK web site I think so it was mostly fans there. 

I really like the versions of Sultans from these gigs; pacey, energetic and JI's uncluttered bass lines.  Four piece fun!

[DIFFICULTTOBELIEVE]

He also played a night there with tickets available to competition winners a few years back.  Promo for Get Lucky album if I remember, not sure on the date. 

That was Bush Hall, a promo gig for Get Lucky. 200 folk who bought the album on Amazon got tickets.

[dmg]

He also played a night there with tickets available to competition winners a few years back.  Promo for Get Lucky album if I remember, not sure on the date. 

That was Bush Hall, a promo gig for Get Lucky. 200 folk who bought the album on Amazon got tickets.

Ah, so it was!  Remember now - thanks.  You've saved a lot of memory strain (that I can very much do without)!

[Justme]

He also played a night there with tickets available to competition winners a few years back.  Promo for Get Lucky album if I remember, not sure on the date.  Recent gigs are no longer recollected but old gigs are still in the memory bank and recollected with ease - is that just me?

H

[dmg]

He also played a night there with tickets available to competition winners a few years back.  Promo for Get Lucky album if I remember, not sure on the date.  Recent gigs are no longer recollected but old gigs are still in the memory bank and recollected with ease - is that just me?

H

[Justme]

Yes, dmg, joking aside - I'm getting the impression as well that the long-term memory overshadows the short-term memory over the years. A sure sign of age I reckon.

[Love Expresso]

Don't worry - after all, that's the deeper meaning of "short-term"...

In fact, I often think about this when it comes to MK and concert tickets - visiting more shows on a tour doesn't automatically mean more and deeper impressions - for example, the 2005 shows nearly left no impression on me, same with some other - whereas there are some that I can remember exactly every moment and vibe and variation and everything. One WANTS to love the show, but for example, 2010 the most impressing thing for me was the Royal Albert Hall itself, whereas the show was average at the most - I have it from Simfy but never listen to it... and there are only a few things I remember from that show... Although I wrote a very enthusiastic review here at AMIT (if I remember correctly), most of the later shows and also the 2011 shows
were much much better.... It depends on your own mood and circumstances of the day I am sure.
So the remembering is a funny thing. I could tell you the complete day from my very first Dire Straits show on September 26th 1991, but would have to take a look at the exact dates from the 2008 shows I visited for example...

LE

[Justme]

Don't worry - after all, that's the deeper meaning of "short-term"...

In fact, I often think about this when it comes to MK and concert tickets - visiting more shows on a tour doesn't automatically mean more and deeper impressions - for example, the 2005 shows nearly left no impression on me, same with some other - whereas there are some that I can remember exactly every moment and vibe and variation and everything. One WANTS to love the show, but for example, 2010 the most impressing thing for me was the Royal Albert Hall itself, whereas the show was average at the most - I have it from Simfy but never listen to it... and there are only a few things I remember from that show... Although I wrote a very enthusiastic review here at AMIT (if I remember correctly), most of the later shows and also the 2011 shows
were much much better.... It depends on your own mood and circumstances of the day I am sure.
So the remembering is a funny thing. I could tell you the complete day from my very first Dire Straits show on September 26th 1991, but would have to take a look at the exact dates from the 2008 shows I visited for example...

LE

You're spot on with your thoughts! Btw, the RAH shows are always very special to me, too. Don't know why, maybe it's the gathering of people from all over the world, the whole atmosphere is special.