Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Game Lorde

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  • Cameron Pitches,

    ...and a drummer...

    Who was that masked man? Watching from the audience, he didn't miss a beat, and those beats are such a big part of the Lorde sound. I guess band introductions will come later, like when she gets a band.

    This tiny, composed, bewilderingly talented teenager is, by example, asking everyone around her to raise their own games.

    Amen to that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 21 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    She's an extraordinary young woman. All personal biases aside - I know and love her mum well - I found her performance last night transfixing. She has a rare talent - singing and songwriting as given, but all the ability to hold the stage. And she has a face that tells you who she will be in coming years. So beautiful.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh,

    I found this review in the Herald a little confused, as if he really, really wanted to criticise some of the flaws in her performance but just felt too bad about it.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Attachment

    The Lorde works in mysterious ways...
    Overshadowing the big news from Australia, will mean many miss this breaking story...
    :- )

    (feel free to share this, er, collage humour)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    what was really remarkable was the quality of the songs. Four or five tunes from her forthcoming debut sound like hits, before ‘Royals’ has even done its business.

    So much this. So much great material, all at once. I expected Royals , Tennis Court , and Love Club to carry the evening. But it was all so great.

    I agree that there were some rough edges, and those few minutes when she wasn’t quite hitting the mark, but man. She kept her composure and brought it right back. One young woman in that huge venue. What sangfroid.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    Attachment Attachment

    This tiny, composed, bewilderingly talented teenager is, by example, asking everyone around her to raise their own games.

    Well, it was alright on the night, from where we were standing.

    Interesting that concert organisers and their crews have to think about not just the audience in the room, but those in thousands of rooms, on various broadcast devices, with varying degree of sound quality and so on. I don’t envy those doing it. Was that one of the Media 3 crew I saw running around?

    The ticketing and rules around entry were a bit weird. Actually the line had disappeared by the time we got there after parking just after 8pm. Would have preferred to watch the Rugby with a beer, then cruise in, but we were told to be at the door for verification by 8.30pm. They never asked for ID, and just scanned the printed ticket.

    The seats were mostly full, and I appreciated the ease with which we could move around the floor area, but they could have got another few hundred in I suspect.

    Yep, at times Ella seemed a little over-awed by the home crowd, but there were moments when I couldn’t help but applaud or dance, or both, which is generally a gauge of a concert’s merit to me. There will be no holding her back.

    Ribs was great, and I also liked Buzzcut Season, although the new track that really stood out doesn’t seem to be online yet. Will have to wait for the album.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP,

    Attachment

    One more. I had a clumsy night of it, and deleted half the photos I took with my hips. i.e. left the camera on while dancing.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to JacksonP,

    I had a clumsy night of it, and deleted half the photos I took with my hips. i.e. left the camera on while dancing.

    Oh dude! It's " shoot from the hip"!
    But I love that you had such a happy dancey time. :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Lilith __,

    I agree that there were some rough edges, and those few minutes when she wasn’t quite hitting the mark, but man. She kept her composure and brought it right back. One young woman in that huge venue. What sangfroid.

    Indeed. She’s been on stage in one way or another for much of her life, but had played about 10, mostly small, gigs as Lorde before last night. And that format is really hard in such a big venue. I thought she got overheated and maybe a bit overwhelmed during ‘Tennis Court’, which had a lot of backing track going on. He mic hand was shaking, and she hid under her hair at the end. It seemed to help when she was able to regather and set her own pitch for ‘Swingin’ Party’.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • kalypso,

    Hubby and I commented as we left that it was a shame she didn't have a real band (although the guy on the drums was great). It meant that there was no real opportunity to rev the crowd up during Royals. But no doubt about it, she is an impressive young lady. I was watching her face on the (amazingly clear) big screens and it is like she becomes a different person when she sings. It was fascinating to watch. Looking forward to hearing her album.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2010 • 13 posts Report Reply

  • Shaun Lott,

    The Kate Bush of her time?

    Waitakere • Since Aug 2009 • 113 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to JacksonP,

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to kalypso,

    Yes, that too. Transformed.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher, in reply to Shaun Lott,

    The Kate Bush of her time?

    Just hold your horses there. "Royals" is good but it ain't no "Wuthering Heights". And Kate Bush is still around, still creating.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Meanwhile, I'm bracing myself for the flood of Lorde clones over the next 18 months, from both New Zealand and overseas, trying to capture a slice of Lorde's magic. But not quite getting it.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    “Royals” is good but it ain’t no “Wuthering Heights”

    Would be a shame if Lorde had nothing left to aspire to! :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It seemed to help when she was able to regather and set her own pitch for ‘Swingin’ Party’.

    I got goosebumps when she started belting that out. Win.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    Just hold your horses there. “Royals” is good but it ain’t no “Wuthering Heights”. And Kate Bush is still around, still creating.

    I don’t think it’s out of the question that she’ll achieve a similar stature in her time, though. But she’s a different artist, for sure – certainly much more plugged into the popular music of her era. In the pre-show interview, she enthused about Taylor Swift’s ability to hold a crowd for two hours, and you can see she’s aiming for a similar command of the stage.

    Before the NetHui panel, I asked Adam Holt what he thought about Benny Tipene’s chances, and what he said was really interesting: he wasn’t sure whether Benny had developed the necessary good taste yet. Lorde’s got that in spades.

    Thought: maybe Bjork is the better comparison.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • andrew r,

    Wow -- so was it kind of like seeing the Sex Pistols at the 100 club London in 1976 ?I hear that was a pretty darn bristly gig, though JL was 19 at that show so a few years older than the Lorde.

    auckland • Since May 2007 • 100 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Just caught the last half-hour-or so, (and didn’t know any of the songs) but it was great!
    Also kept thinking, this streaming lark is the way to go, even here in the wop-wops, on the end of a lot of copper. Why can’t we watch everything online like this, live or on demand?
    It's coming, but slower than it should be.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Hugh Sundae, in reply to JacksonP,

    their crews have to think about not just the audience in the room, but those in thousands of rooms, on various broadcast devices,

    That was our first real test streaming to mobiles, about time huh? All Herald streams (Silver Scrolls, Film Awards, Critics Choice Prize etc) will stream to mobiles from now on too.

    Auckland • Since May 2011 • 16 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The Kid's outstripping my words.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    "Royals" is good but it ain't no "Wuthering Heights"

    I disagree - ask any teen.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    trying to capture a slice of Lorde's magic. But not quite getting it.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • jesstherese,

    I'm seeing her at the v small Madame Jojo's venue in London in a couple of weeks. Can't wait!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 2 posts Report Reply

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