Jarre UK.com

AKROPOLIS CONCERT REPORT

Monday 18th June 2001 - The Rehearsals

After nearly getting burnt up on top of the Acropolis in a 37C heat, and after meeting quite a few fans outside of the Herodian, we are to be treated to a very special (free) concert before the main two concerts on the 19th and 20th.

Outside of the venue were special free concert programmes just for the rehearsals - these are quite thin, and are all in Greek, but are more of a collectors item than what the main concert programmes are. In light of this, everyone rushed to grab hold of a few copies...

After arriving and sitting down inside the venue (we were left waiting outside until about 8:30pm...) we had to wait a little longer for the proceedings to begin. But while waiting for it to start, we are treated to the usual Waiting For Cousteau pouring through the speakers, which always gives a nice feel inside before any of Jarre's concerts. The seating for the rehearsals was basically a free-for-all, and so most of the fans including JarreUK decided to sit down in the seats that would normally have cost 100,000 drachmae (£175) - which we were very happy about since we got to sit in these seats for free.

9:30pm and after a nice array of lights and starfield backdrop, the concert starts in full with a nice rendition of Oxygene 4 - although we could all tell it was live since there was the odd miss-hit of a key here and there, but the fans aren't bothered as this is the rehearsals.
Towards the end of the track, on the backdrop, was an image of the earth, which slowly peeled away to reveal the Oxygene artwork for the album.
After the song, Jean Michel addressed the audience in both English and French, and stated that since this was a full dress rehearsal, we should bare with him as he still has a few problems that need addressing.

Next up should have been 'Akropolis', but there must have been a reshuffle of the Tracklisting, so next we are treated to Oxygene 2. After an excellent 1:30-ish intro, the first part of the song fades itself in. The track in itself is no different to the original, but while the track was playing, on the backdrop was projected 3 images of some Greek-style masks, and on stage were 4 figures, each with faces projected onto them (one of them had some trouble moving onto the stage as it seemed to have got caught on something). What these figures and faces were supposed to represent though, we don't know.

Now we are treated to an excellent version of Equinoxe 4. The track starts off as per usual, with yellow circles slowly moving down the backdrop, which reveal themselves to be the album cover artwork - which while during the track swaps between different images that were originally used at La Concorde, Lyon, and also La Defense (during Equinoxe 5).

Magnetic Fields 2 is in it's original form, and no different musically to any other version that he's played (with the exceptions being Oxygene Tour and 12 Dreams). The backdrop image used this time though was first used during the Okinawa concert on January 1st.

Je Me Souviens is the next track to be played, and is slightly different to the original musically - during the song itself, as part of the main rhythm, Jean Michel played (what sounded improvised) on his synth, but with an organ sound, and worked quite well with the track. Some technical problems were to arise with this as the Laurie Anderson video in the background was out of time with the voice itself (this was to be corrected for the main concerts of course). Projected onto the backdrop (in each of the alcoves) were silhouettes of various different people which each moved in and out of the windows.

Onto Chronologie 3. Up came the frame for the laser harp (which was first used at the Okinawa concert) and the audience knew they were in for a visual treat. The laser harp unfolded and was projected over the entire audience with each of the beams going off at a different angle. The laser harp itself though had the usual technical problems, first off being Jarre's sleeve catching in the beams during the first solo, and during the second solo, the laser harp sound not working at all, but got itself working again after a couple of tries by Jean Michel. Projected onto the background were 4 of the figures from the Chronologie album cover. Musically this was excellent, as the Soprano was very moving, and Patrick Rondat's guitar solo added to the piece as per usual. Also of note (which didn't make it into the main concerts) were two of the figures with faces in the background, situated behind the Soprano.

Oxygene 8 was next, with the video walls in the background showing some nice computer generated artwork. Musically this was no different to any other version except for the fact that we had the added bonus of Patrick Rondat playing along with the track, which added to the song to make it a lot better musically.

On came the Theremin, and the whole audience thought we were in for a rendition of Oxygene 10, which according the opening intro, Jean Michel wanted us to believe. Patrick Rondat also played along with this intro, and created a very nice sound. Oxygene 10 was not to be though as Magnetic Fields 1 burst its way through the speakers as the opening intro ended. The entire audience were fooled, and you could tell by a wry smile on Jean Michel's face that he knew he had fooled everyone! The entire backdrop (and the floor) had some psychedelic images projected onto them (all moving - quite a treat to watch). A lot of the track was played by Jean Michel on the Theremin, and musically mixing the Theremin in with Magnetic Fields 1 worked very well (as did Patrick Rondat's guitar too...).

Next up - Ethnicolor. Musically it was exactly the same as the version played at every other concert. The images projected onto the background were from Europe In Concert and quite well with the song. On-stage though were the 4 figures, but with different faces this time - with each of them actually speaking the words from the song - you had to be there to fully take-in the effect it had on everyone (it's a pity it was dropped from the main broadcast on the 20th). The second half of the song was amazing as per usual, but no backdrop images, just a load of moving coloured lights, which worked very well with the energy that was coming from the song - yet again from Patrick Rondat's guitar playing...

At this point Jean Michel introduced the band, and you knew he knew things were not going to plan, and so decided to introduce the band with their names slightly wrong! Lauren Fascher - Drums. Chrisdandese Papendieck - Bass. Francesco Rambert - Keyboards and Patrick Rondu - Guitar. :)

Next on stage - Vivaldi. This was to be an extremely upbeat version of the song that was originally played at Concert For Tolerance. This was to be Patrick Rondat's finest moment of the concert. Projected onto the background were plenty of psychedelic lights, and the video walls were showing a psychedelic video of an elderly couple eating, but very very fast! Half way through the song, the music stopped, and a dance rhythm drum beat belted out of the speakers and brought the song into a frenzy. Then the song ended. This song definitely needed to be extended.

Curtain close - time for the interval (time 10:30pm).

11:00pm - The orchestra was now set up on stage and started up (without warning) with the 12 Dreams fully orchestral rendition of Gloria, Lonely Boy (known as Gloria). Musically no different to the 12 Dreams version, but a nice introduction as we waited for the JMJ and his band to arrive back on-stage.

On came Jean Michel, and sat down at his Eminent, with a speech about how Melina Mercouri had invited him a few years ago to play at the Acropolis, but by the time he had the chance to play at the Acropolis it was too late, so he dedicates the next song - Oxygene 13 - to her. Backdrop images mainly consisted of the spaceship image from Okinawa, and worked quite well with the song, creating an overall somber mood.

Next up - Souvenir of China. The Chinese children voice sample is played to introduce the track - which in itself is no different to any other version except for the orchestra adding a lot of elements to it. On the backdrop is projected a red image of the Concerts in China face, which then embosses itself, splits into four, then splits even more to leave four normal white faces. Quite a nice effect in itself. Halfway through the song, Jean Michel improvises a little bit on the keyboard to add an extra effect to the track.

Equinoxe 7 kicks in, but the version played is just a standard version with nothing extra built in. No backdrop images were available either, just a few psychedelic colours and some computer generated video on the video screens. One part of the song though you could hear Laurent Faucheux's drums stop working briefly, but Laurent being the drummer he is just kept on playing until the volume levels decided to work again.

Next to kick its way through the door was an upbeat version of Chronologie 6. The bassline was better (it had a lot more depth) and had the whole audience clapping as per usual, and the Choir was used to its full. Swirly patterns mixed with images that were used at Oxygene in Moscow were to be the backdrop images of choice for this track.

Next on stage - Rendez-vous 2. The version played here was a combination of the original version with the 12 Dreams version. First images to be projected onto the backdrop were from Okinawa. Next were the satellite dishes from Destination Docklands, and then the moving spaceships from Okinawa. The orchestra and choir were used to their full for this track which gave it that bit more of an edge and depth. With the laser harp ready and waiting, Jean Michel proceeded to play the next part of the track. This time though, the original laser harp sound was used for the first part, which then moved onto the sound used for the 12 Dreams version - which worked quite well. While this part was playing, the dancing robots from Okinawa were projected onto the backdrop, which were in time with each hand placement on the laser harp. The final part of the track was very uplifting, with the image on the backdrop again being from Okinawa. Probably one of the better versions of Rendez-vous 2 to have actually been played.

Onto Oxygene 12. The track in itself is very uplifting, but for some reason even more so this time around. On the backdrop were lightning bolts each time the main bass lead was played, and on the video screens was a strobe effect camera moving over the black and white images that were used during Europe in Concert.

Time for Revolutions. This was a combination of the version from Docklands and the version from the Oxygene Tour. This time Jean Michel used the original robotic voice from Docklands while saying it through the usual megaphone. Projected onto the backdrop were images again from Europe in Concert. The RAVE-olution part was reminiscent to the Oxygene Tour version, but felt more upbeat, especially with Patrick Rondat playing along with it this time. The only problem though was someone's metronome blasting out through the speakers, but it worked quite well with the song, and was mixed in quite well too - although they forgot to turn it off at the end of the song...

Next up, the track we've all been waiting for - Akropolis. The song itself is basically reminiscent to a cross between a slow instrumental version of Give Me A Sign, and the unreleased track Palawan, but are plenty of other elements in the song, like the orchestra and choir, that make it one of Jean Michel's best ever tracks he's created. No background images this time, but the track didn't need them as it is a very emotional piece.

Finally (as the encore) we have Rendez-vous 4. At this point a lot of people were walking out as they probably thought the concert had finished - and so a lot of people were already on the floor. On came Patrick Rondat and proceeded to play the guitar solo intro that he played during Europe in Concert, Hong Kong, and Concert For Tolerance. In fact, the version of Rendez-vous 4 that was performed was the same that was played at these concerts. By this point, you could tell Jean Michel was really enjoying himself as everyone was on the floor, jamming away to the track, with a big smile on Jean Michel's face. The entire audience were ecstatic, as was Jean Michel and the entire band. This was a great end to a very special, intimate concert 5,000 people had witnessed.

All Photographs (c) 2001 Robin Hosgood and Duncan Walls (unless otherwise stated)

Web-Master: Duncan M G Walls 'Dunkie' (ICQ: 114076586)
Assistant Web-Master: Robin Hosgood (ICQ: 29538207)