Concert: DURAN DURAN Live in Dubai

When:                 08 March 2012 (Thursday)

Where:                7he Sevens Stadium, Dubai

This has got to be one of the most memorable concerts I’ve ever been to! Simon’s voice still soars magnificently high!, and yes,  when I bought my ticket, I knew they were going to play some classic Duran Duran songs, but… I never expected them to play loads (and I do mean loads!) of their greatest hits! Wowww! Was I blown away! Nostalgia at its finest!

Here’s the setlist:
1. Before the Rain
2. Planet Earth
3. A View to a Kill
4. All You need is Now
5. The Reflex
6. Come Undone
7. Safe
8. Notorious
9. Girl Panic
10. Tiger Tiger
11. White Lines
12. Ordinary World --> the band dedicated this to the current distressing crisis in Syria
13. Hungry like the Wolf
14. Sunrise
15. Wild Boys --> mashed up midway with Relax! by Frankie goes to Hollywood
16. Girls on Film --> *encore*- where Simon introduced the band members. Check this out- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i59Vv3PDZZc&feature=colike.

(thanks to hvarcegovac for the upload) “Play that funky bass, John! Play that funky bass, John!!!”. Too bad that the girl couldn’t think of a much better intro tailored for Simon! I bet she was too overwhelmed to even think of anything, haha! I would be too if I were her.

17. Rio --> seems the liveliest and loudest the crowd had been!, not knowing it was to be the last song

They didn’t play “Save a Prayer”, “Union of the Snake” and “Is there something I should know?” but, nahhh, I’m not complaining. I already got more than what I asked for! Heck, just staring at those bunch of good-looking “gods” onstage was enough to make my night! It sent me screaming and giggling and screaming all over again like a little high school girl throughout the concert, heh!  

 

* big thanks to timeoutdubai for the last 3 photos (above)

Book: Touching from a Distance

 

I think every Ian Curtis/Joy Division fan out there would be thrilled with this book! It features a list of Joy Division gigs, discography, exclusive photos, complete song lyrics and other unfinished writings. 

I feel obliged to thank Debbie (and applaud her) for having the strength to write about it all-- the ups and downs of their relationship since the beginning-- the happiness, the pain, the betrayal. It must have been really difficult for her looking back. I think she tried her best to be honest about everything that transpired- even about the way Annik Honore (the “other woman”) really meant to Ian. She did not dare deny that Annik was able to see through Ian’s lyrics and what was going on inside his troubled soul. Too bad no one took her concerns seriously. It could have saved Ian, for all we know...

As an ardent Joy Division fan, I was absolutely fascinated reading through pages and pages of how Ian was as a child, as a teen, as a husband, and as a father… I totally enjoyed the read, picturing every moment- even those miserably disturbing bits. It’s fair to say that Debbie and Ian had the typical on-and-off couple’s quarrels between them. That’s pretty normal any way I look at it-- the jealousy, the possessiveness, even the ridiculous temper tantrums. But just like watching the film “Control”- when Annik eventually stepped in, it kinda broke my heart. My admiration and respect for Ian diminished dramatically. I was sickeningly torn!

There’s a part of me that somehow feels sorry for him for getting stuck in a marriage while being in love with another woman- and yet another part of me was loathing how he could cheat and lie to his wife. It’s a total plethora of contradicting emotions. Why does shit like this happen to people all the time, huh? (Ok, not all the time, but close! Such a shame how life plays its ugly tricks sometimes. Love… will tear us apart?)

I just can’t help but wonder what really triggered him to take his own life at that exact point in time. To think that Joy Division was already starting to climb up to its peak- he had fantasized and worked hard for it (and so did his band mates and the whole Factory team admittedly) and things were starting to fall into place. So, then, why? Was he really that depressed and in extreme agony of his epileptic condition that he just couldn’t take it anymore? Was he worried and too embarrassed of having frequent fits while performing onstage? Was it the guilt eating up on him for cheating on his wife?- or was he really so in love with Annik so much that he’d rather die than lose her? (I was under the impression that she was going away and leaving him at that time)... or perhaps, perhaps it was simply his ultimate majestic plan? Did he really want to die young and be remembered as one of the most legendary personae in the music history- just like his heroes (i.e. Jim Morrison, James Dean)- beloved, dead and gone. Just the way we remember him now… just the way Debbie somehow thinks so? That moment was bound to come. Maybe...

Barney says it was the pills.

It’s really hard to fathom, but I guess we simply have to accept that it has all ended- the way it did. Whatever his reasons… all we could do now is keep loving the music... In our hearts and minds, let him continue to live…


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On another note, I would personally recommend to read the book- “24-Hour Party People” (Tony Wilson) before or after reading this one. They are like 2 pieces of the puzzle that must be glued together. You’ll know what I’m saying when you get there…

*Sep '13 update: Peter Hook's "Unknown Pleasures- Inside Joy Division" is just as awesome as this book- but deals more on Peter and the band's escapades than just Ian. 5-stars. I will be writing about it soon when I get the time :p

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN- CRYSTAL DAYS 1979-1999 (4-CD Box Set)

This is a treasure chest of previously-unreleased materials (rare/live versions) and a full-coloured booklet to boot! There are loads of glossy pics that you might've never seen before. I had a good chuckle at the late Pete de Freitas' shaved head, which was said to be some kind of "protest" against the "three stooges" (umm, namely- Mac, Will, & Les! LOL!). The band's longtime publicist, Mick Houghton, did a brilliant job of sharing the Bunnymen's history in this booklet. It boasts interesting bits and pieces of trivia as well as personal commentaries by Mac and Will about the songs.

You'd be relieved to know that Will was actually embarrassed by having performed the official England World Cup Song in 1998 with the Spice Girls! Yikes! LOL.

Guess what though, I had a lump in my throat when I got to the part where Mac and Will eventually decided to reform the band. Les said "it was like putting a pair of old slippers back on"... and so, months after that, they offered us "Evergreen" (1997)- minus Pete, who sadly met an accident way back in 1989 (this just breaks my heart).

Another cool thing about this box set is that it is a "labour of love" by people who adore the Bunnymen themselves- particularly Andy Zax, the producer, who is a huge fan himself and said to be the reason why we have this box set in the first place. So, yeah, hats off to him! Job well done indeed! :)


Track list:
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1904925/a/Crystal+Days+(1979-1999).htm

Book: JOY DIVISION and the making of Unknown Pleasures

To be honest, I’m not even sure if this is worth reading! Personally, I'm not very happy with the content. It does give an interesting overview to “Warsaw” and the gigs and various tracks released under this band name prior to evolving into the mighty Joy Division. Each track from the UP album is indeed discussed to a considerable extent... but well, to my dismay, it’s all purely based on speculations by the author (although most are quite valid if you'd ponder on it, but... speculations just the same).

I was hoping to read first-hand revelations from the guys themselves- Barney and Hooky in particular!, but yeah, what a letdown!... The book also dwells lightly on the Joy Division-The Fall rivalry from those days although Marc Riley's comments are, um, fair enough, if I must say.

The brains behind Factory Records (incl. Mr. Manchester himself- bless his soul) are profoundly mentioned and given credit in this book, but then again, no direct comments from the concerned peeps whatsoever. So, you won't get the feeling that you are getting the facts at all- that's the annoying part (to me, at least, grrrr!).

Other bands are also mentioned here and there and it's notable that Joy Division was closely knitted with Buzzcocks (another one of my favorite bands, yay!) and in fact played numerous gigs in support of the band. Great guys!

The book also touches minimally on Ian's struggle with epilepsy, marital difficulties, and yes- of Annik Honore. No, don't get too eager, coz really it's devoid of any details, heh!

I would rate this 3 1/2 stars (er, ok, make that 4stars just coz it's freakin' Joy Division anyway!!!).