DarrenCarnall

New photos from the Royal Albert Hall website:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promised I'd link to my "crappy cellphone videos" for those who'd like another listen/vantage point 🙂 and here they are!
 
https://youtu.be/iaS2e-SeyAo
 
Again, if anyone has a good recording of this concert, please send me a link in PM. If not then I'll be forced to just rip it from the crappy ClassicFM online stream...!  

"Mr Williams, Mr Williams, the doctor told you not to air conduct the concert... please!"

That's a great photo. Kudos to him for that he goes up in my estimation. 
 
Nice size of orchestra too! Not overly familiar with his work but do like his rework of Goldsmith's Universal logo a lot and he has some decent moments I'm sure. 
 
He's a good drummer too I believe 😁
 
 

I am still a bit sad about not seeing Williams in the flesh. But the concert of Brian Tyler was really good and I met him in person after the show. 

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Got my Tivo setup to record it (better sound system downstairs) of course I can't remove it from there once it's done.. but as long as I can listen to it a couple of times I'll be ok

Gonzo made me full on CRY at that concert! And I managed to get my Force Awakens print signed by JJ afterwards, and get one done by Adam Savage who I just adore.. so yeah that gig was fantastic for me! 

Since I had to cancel this concert and pull out of this trip from Liverpool (wife's dad is sick in hospital so I said I'd stay at home in case she needed me - although literally as soon as I got the refund he started getting better) - but yeah since I had to cancel I'm not sure why I'm still here reading all these updates. They're already killing me seeing what else is going to be played and imagining how great the atmosphere is going to be. 5,000 fans all together listening to the LSO while JW recovers not too far away. Arrghhhh these posts over the next 24 hours are going to rip my heart out I know it lol. 

yeah I've already set that up to record. And I know I'll enjoy it but... not the same as being in the RAH with so many like minded people listening to all those amazing musicians. I swear if Spielberg or Lucas turns up to do a little speech I'll throw things 😂

I'm just so thankful I got the chance to see him live in boston 2 years ago. Although that nearly didn't happen thanks to a massive extended thunderstorm over Tanglewood during the interval ⛈️😂
 
20160813_225330.mp4
 
 
 

I dipped my toe into Twitter to see what people are saying. As expected, most people are wishing him a speedy recovery and treating him with reverence. I saw one tweet where someone is complaining that it is false advertising that JW won't be there and it is a serious breach of his consumer rights. How stupid and self-entitled are some people! Seriously.

I actually called up and upgraded my ticket to better seats. Did the opposite to everyone else 😂😊

Not for people like me who've never heard it played live before 😉

As a first time John Williams live watcher (unlike some of you guys clearly!) I've no idea what to expect from this show. Is there a standard sort of set list that he plays at shows like this or a standard list that he rotates work from? 
 
I've seen people talk about a guest conductor, so is it like the first half is conducted by someone else then Williams comes out for the end? 
 
Super excited about this! (and having quite the Williams year with Close Encounters previously... then Jurassic Park, this show AND Star Wars later) 

I've taken DSLR photos, with a portable tripod, from box seats before the performance without problems. I just hope they won't stop me from taking out my DSLR and 90mm lens in row 14 during the applause after the concert.

So apparently this is 2 seats away from mine. I tried to get the front row but every time I chose a seat that was there it came back with "this seat is unavailable" ..so not wanting to miss out I just hit 'best available'. Would have been nice to be closer down, but this'll do. Considering how absolutely crushed I was when I missed out the first time.. this has made my year! 

OMG I got choir tickets!!! 5 rows up but basically looking right at him when he's conducting. I could not be more excited about this!! (I did the Friends and Patrons thing as not doing that last time was what cost me my chance lol) - but seriously... £45 each to be in the perfect spot. I'm flabbergasted here. 

Thanks to whoever posted in here about them releasing more, because without you I would not have even known about this! THANK YOU. 

The fact that they are selling choir seats for this concert does not necessarily mean that there will not be a choir, it just means that there will not be a huge choir.  There are nine rows of choir seats at the Royal Albert Hall with row 1 closest to the stage and row 9 furthest away at the top.  Choir West seats are located to the right of the organ and Choir East seats to the left of the organ.
 
Even fairly large choirs can be accommodated on the same stage as the orchestra without the choir having to use any of the choir seats at all.  If there is a particularly large choir they sometimes use just the first three rows of choir seats for the choir, leaving rows 4 to 9 available for the general public.  I would be interested to see if anyone who is lucky enough to buy choir seats tomorrow is allocated a seat in rows 1 to 3.  They would only use all nine rows of choir seats for some huge choral work requiring several choirs.   I took the photo below during a recent Proms concert a few weeks ago - it shows the choir (the BBC National Chorus of Wales) in rows 1 to 3 and also on the stage behind the brass and percussion sections.
 
To add to what @leeallen01 said earlier, the choir seats can offer a fantastic view of the conductor and the rest of the auditorium.  By pure coincidence I have choir seats for the BBC proms tomorrow evening, so I will try to take a photo for illustrative purposes if anyone is interested.  The only considerations I would add are that the steps to the upper rows of the choir are quite steep so would not suit anyone with a mobility problem or anyone who is very uncomfortable with heights.  Also you might not be able to see the whole orchestra if you have a seat in one of the upper rows of the choir closest to the organ on either side; seat 1 is closest to the organ in the east choir while seat 101 is closest to the organ in the west choir.
 

So apparently this is 2 seats away from mine. I tried to get the front row but every time I chose a seat that was there it came back with "this seat is unavailable" ..so not wanting to miss out I just hit 'best available'. Would have been nice to be closer down, but this'll do. Considering how absolutely crushed I was when I missed out the first time.. this has made my year! 

That's a fantastic seat, Darren. Much better than mine (even if it is on the "wrong side").
 
 
Me too! Keep us updated, Pasi.

So apparently this is 2 seats away from mine. I tried to get the front row but every time I chose a seat that was there it came back with "this seat is unavailable" ..so not wanting to miss out I just hit 'best available'. Would have been nice to be closer down, but this'll do. Considering how absolutely crushed I was when I missed out the first time.. this has made my year! 

So apparently this is 2 seats away from mine. I tried to get the front row but every time I chose a seat that was there it came back with "this seat is unavailable" ..so not wanting to miss out I just hit 'best available'. Would have been nice to be closer down, but this'll do. Considering how absolutely crushed I was when I missed out the first time.. this has made my year! 

OMG I got choir tickets!!! 5 rows up but basically looking right at him when he's conducting. I could not be more excited about this!! (I did the Friends and Patrons thing as not doing that last time was what cost me my chance lol) - but seriously... £45 each to be in the perfect spot. I'm flabbergasted here. 

Thanks to whoever posted in here about them releasing more, because without you I would not have even known about this! THANK YOU. 

OMG I got choir tickets!!! 5 rows up but basically looking right at him when he's conducting. I could not be more excited about this!! (I did the Friends and Patrons thing as not doing that last time was what cost me my chance lol) - but seriously... £45 each to be in the perfect spot. I'm flabbergasted here. 

Thanks to whoever posted in here about them releasing more, because without you I would not have even known about this! THANK YOU.