"Wave after wave, each mightier than the last, Till last, a ninth one.."
March 28, 2014 7:07 PM Subscribe
Last week, Kate Bush announced her first set of concerts in 35 years. The promotional image, which featured Kate in the ocean with a life vest, was unfortunately released during the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Social media was quick to find fault, and Kate quickly apologized and replaced the image on her website. Fans came to her defense, pointing out that the image referred to the concept suite The Ninth Wave, the second side of her fifth album, Hounds of Love. The set of songs, referencing both the painting The Ninth Wave by Ivan Aivazovsky as well as Tennyson's Idylls of the King. The controversy apparently did not dissuade fans from the upcoming concerts, which sold out today within 15 minutes.
Also, squee Kate Bush. So jealous of everyone who gets to see her in concert.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:18 PM on March 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:18 PM on March 28, 2014 [6 favorites]
Bad timing, but without intrinsic fault, and she apologized. I think that's all fine.
posted by solarion at 7:26 PM on March 28, 2014
posted by solarion at 7:26 PM on March 28, 2014
Well, it was thanks to social media that I found out about sKate Bush which is one of those perfect tumblrs.
I would love to see her live some day, but I am resigned to the fact that it's extremely unlikely I ever will.
posted by rtha at 7:27 PM on March 28, 2014 [9 favorites]
I would love to see her live some day, but I am resigned to the fact that it's extremely unlikely I ever will.
posted by rtha at 7:27 PM on March 28, 2014 [9 favorites]
I'm going. Be jealous.
posted by SNACKeR at 7:33 PM on March 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by SNACKeR at 7:33 PM on March 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
God, SNACKeR, I will be.
It's an interesting choice, to wait 35 years. I'll always love her, but I can't believe her voice or athleticism can be quite what it was when she was younger. Still, KaTe on tour, even at reduced strength, is something I'd dearly love to see. I understand she didn't really enjoy touring, though you wouldn't know it from watching the old Hammersmith video.
Is there any word as to why now, and what she'll be featuring in the shows?
posted by tyllwin at 7:44 PM on March 28, 2014
It's an interesting choice, to wait 35 years. I'll always love her, but I can't believe her voice or athleticism can be quite what it was when she was younger. Still, KaTe on tour, even at reduced strength, is something I'd dearly love to see. I understand she didn't really enjoy touring, though you wouldn't know it from watching the old Hammersmith video.
Is there any word as to why now, and what she'll be featuring in the shows?
posted by tyllwin at 7:44 PM on March 28, 2014
If any human being on this blue orb can get a pass for something unintentionally offensive, Kate Bush is at the front of that goddamn line.
Also, satellite radio has vacillated back to "First Wave" being where the cool retro shit is, and "Lithium" is where the played to death '90s nostalgia shit gets aired again - you can tell by which station is playing Kate Bush. Right now, it's First Wave, who also just played Spandau Ballet.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:53 PM on March 28, 2014
Also, satellite radio has vacillated back to "First Wave" being where the cool retro shit is, and "Lithium" is where the played to death '90s nostalgia shit gets aired again - you can tell by which station is playing Kate Bush. Right now, it's First Wave, who also just played Spandau Ballet.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:53 PM on March 28, 2014
I understand she didn't really enjoy touring, though you wouldn't know it from watching the old Hammersmith video.
I was listening to an interview with her just today and she said she enjoyed touring immensely! She simply said that as she got more into the making of music she didn't like to spend so long away from the studio.
posted by Thing at 8:28 PM on March 28, 2014
I was listening to an interview with her just today and she said she enjoyed touring immensely! She simply said that as she got more into the making of music she didn't like to spend so long away from the studio.
posted by Thing at 8:28 PM on March 28, 2014
I'll always love her, but I can't believe her voice or athleticism can be quite what it was when she was younger.
Perhaps, but I doubt it will matter to the people in the room.
After who-knows-how-many years of fandom, I got to see Tony Bennett in concert tonight. He's 87. He can't sing like he used to, sure. Did that matter to anyone there? Not one bit.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:45 PM on March 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
Perhaps, but I doubt it will matter to the people in the room.
After who-knows-how-many years of fandom, I got to see Tony Bennett in concert tonight. He's 87. He can't sing like he used to, sure. Did that matter to anyone there? Not one bit.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:45 PM on March 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
Goddamn, do I wish that seeing one of these shows was even a remote possibility. Kate Bush shares a space with Tom Waits at the top of the list of people that I would dearly love to see live, and that I'm unlikely to have the chance to.
There's a St. Vincent show in town next week that'll be a pretty good consolation prize. But still...
posted by Ipsifendus at 9:50 PM on March 28, 2014
There's a St. Vincent show in town next week that'll be a pretty good consolation prize. But still...
posted by Ipsifendus at 9:50 PM on March 28, 2014
I have Kate Bush tickets and was doing a lot of reading of the #katebush hash tag yesterday to join in the excitement and yet this is the first I've heard of this. Storm in a teacup indeed.
posted by Summer at 11:32 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Summer at 11:32 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I really do hope The Ninth Wave is part of the show as The Hounds of Love is the greatest album ever made and The Ninth Wave is the strongest side. It will take some sort of genius to reproduce live though.
posted by Summer at 11:37 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Summer at 11:37 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
It will take some sort of genius to reproduce live though.
I have some good news!
posted by Ipsifendus at 6:31 AM on March 29, 2014 [7 favorites]
I have some good news!
posted by Ipsifendus at 6:31 AM on March 29, 2014 [7 favorites]
The professionally outraged at work again. Quick! It might trigger something!
posted by GallonOfAlan at 8:51 AM on March 29, 2014
posted by GallonOfAlan at 8:51 AM on March 29, 2014
I shouldn't be mean, but from my experience working with the NTSB back in the eighties, I can say with some certainty that there are virtually no water landings of large airliners in which people end up floating in life jackets, and moreover, that's not a life jacket from an airliner.
The outrage patrol is really getting out of control.
posted by sonascope at 9:21 AM on March 29, 2014
The outrage patrol is really getting out of control.
posted by sonascope at 9:21 AM on March 29, 2014
Perhaps, but I doubt it will matter to the people in the room.
I'm sure it won't. I'd cheerfully give what I made in a month to go if I could. I'm not at all trying to denigrate her abilities now. I know 55 is not dead. She and I are about the same age. And it wouldn't surprise me if Mick Jagger -- 15 years older -- announced a new tour. But he's been at it all along. I'd just have thought each passing year would have made a tour less likely for her. I'm surprised that after saying "no" for decades she's said "yes" now, is all.
posted by tyllwin at 9:51 AM on March 29, 2014
I'm sure it won't. I'd cheerfully give what I made in a month to go if I could. I'm not at all trying to denigrate her abilities now. I know 55 is not dead. She and I are about the same age. And it wouldn't surprise me if Mick Jagger -- 15 years older -- announced a new tour. But he's been at it all along. I'd just have thought each passing year would have made a tour less likely for her. I'm surprised that after saying "no" for decades she's said "yes" now, is all.
posted by tyllwin at 9:51 AM on March 29, 2014
TIL - I don't enjoy people being jealous of me. Seriously, though, i think I was really lucky the website worked and I got tickets within 60 seconds of them going on sale. I have to cross the pond to get there, though. There are few, possibly no, other artists I haven't seen that I would do this for.
A few years ago I told my spouse, "if she ever plays a gig, I am going." When it actually happened, she forgot this conversation, and just looked at me quizzically. It was good to have made that decision in advance.
posted by SNACKeR at 9:53 AM on March 29, 2014 [4 favorites]
A few years ago I told my spouse, "if she ever plays a gig, I am going." When it actually happened, she forgot this conversation, and just looked at me quizzically. It was good to have made that decision in advance.
posted by SNACKeR at 9:53 AM on March 29, 2014 [4 favorites]
SNACKeR, I had the same arrangement with my wife. She forgot about it too. I will be flying over from California.
posted by waytoomuchcoffee at 10:34 AM on March 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by waytoomuchcoffee at 10:34 AM on March 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
We're only flying from Amsterdam, but this was a non-negotiable gig in our household. Best part of an hour of frantic website refreshing and cursing.
posted by daveje at 3:21 AM on March 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by daveje at 3:21 AM on March 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
"Selling out within 15 minutes" is kind of missing the point, and it is a bad yardstick. The venues are chosen for several factors.
Selling out quickly is only one of them. Selling out increases demand ("you cannot have one of these, you peasant!") and by looking at the speed of the initial sales provides the answer as to how many additional show days that can be added, but added only if they too sell out.
Unsold tix *cost* money, better not to have any, plus they hurt the performer's reputation ("the venue wasn't full" will be surely reported).
posted by seamallowance at 3:24 AM on March 30, 2014
Selling out quickly is only one of them. Selling out increases demand ("you cannot have one of these, you peasant!") and by looking at the speed of the initial sales provides the answer as to how many additional show days that can be added, but added only if they too sell out.
Unsold tix *cost* money, better not to have any, plus they hurt the performer's reputation ("the venue wasn't full" will be surely reported).
posted by seamallowance at 3:24 AM on March 30, 2014
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posted by Joey Michaels at 7:17 PM on March 28, 2014 [28 favorites]