Radiophonic Workshop panel and concert
Up to the Roundhouse (a first for me) to see these paired events: a Q&A session featuring former members of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, followed by a live concert. The Q&A was more of a cozy chat than a breathless exposé, although a fair few amusing anecdotes came out, such as the producer who didn't know what sound he wanted "but I'll know it when you come up with it", or the experience of bumping into Stockhausen in the BBC Maida Vale canteen.
Then, having met up with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
aeglefinus, it was in to the main space for the concert itself. It was preceded by the support act, which it took us about fifteen minutes to identify as such as distinct from a warm-up of the synths. (Sorry, but it was the sort of electronica even I tend to pass on as "too blibbly".) Finally, the RW veterans took to the stage, and treated us to an hour and a half of themes and incidental music dating back to the late 1950s. Considering how much time and effort went into the original recordings, playing it live - even with extensive preparation - was quite a challenge, but for the most part it was pulled off with aplomb. Particular standouts included a live playthough of the backing music to the scene in the Hitch-Hikers TV series where Ford and Arthur are picked up by the Heart of Gold (with pictures, sans dialogue) and a long run-though of 1980s Who clips accompanied by incidental music from the episodes in question.
Overall, more nostalgia than thrills, but don't underestimate the pleasure of hearing the original Who theme live in a space like the Roundhouse. Or, for the first time in years, the medley of Horizon special episode themes 'Space for Man'/'The Case of the Ancient Astronauts'. Like Paul Cornell, I used to have the LP with this on, but it didn't sound one tenth so good on my parent's crackly gramophone as it did live tonight.
Then, having met up with
aeglefinus, it was in to the main space for the concert itself. It was preceded by the support act, which it took us about fifteen minutes to identify as such as distinct from a warm-up of the synths. (Sorry, but it was the sort of electronica even I tend to pass on as "too blibbly".) Finally, the RW veterans took to the stage, and treated us to an hour and a half of themes and incidental music dating back to the late 1950s. Considering how much time and effort went into the original recordings, playing it live - even with extensive preparation - was quite a challenge, but for the most part it was pulled off with aplomb. Particular standouts included a live playthough of the backing music to the scene in the Hitch-Hikers TV series where Ford and Arthur are picked up by the Heart of Gold (with pictures, sans dialogue) and a long run-though of 1980s Who clips accompanied by incidental music from the episodes in question. Overall, more nostalgia than thrills, but don't underestimate the pleasure of hearing the original Who theme live in a space like the Roundhouse. Or, for the first time in years, the medley of Horizon special episode themes 'Space for Man'/'The Case of the Ancient Astronauts'. Like Paul Cornell, I used to have the LP with this on, but it didn't sound one tenth so good on my parent's crackly gramophone as it did live tonight.