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I spend some time last night at the Montreal gig nerding out around the sound booth. He had three Protools rigs recording 16ch of sound each - funny to see the UK-style plugs pumped into a power bar, easy to see where the Mac originated from. Amusingly, I was there when the assistant sound engineer managed, despite three workstations, to miss the opening cues of the second set as he was talking to a couple guys (not in red overalls, so clearly not official crew) that were hanging in the sound area with him, chatting away. Further nerdiness - as a "pc guy", there's always chiding when some BSOD shows up on a giant billboard downtown - during last night's show the lighting/camera issues were a bit of a nightmare. The main front video screen could not be made to work (hence the 45 minute delay), and certain dramatic "hiding" of the artists was of course not accomplished. At any rate, I had a chat with the lead lighting and sound mixer after show. I was intrigued how they got that Steinway grand to sound -just- like a CP80. He asked me, "is that a good thing?", and I assured him in the case of a PG show that it certainly was. Seems he crammed a guitar pickup way under the strings, with another pair of mics in stereo pair. It was completely effective during the more rambunctious, rhythmic pattern during Solsbury Hill. I also asked directly if the gigs were going to be filmed - he kindly answered that, no, due to the union restrictions of the band that there wouldn't be a filmed version of the gig (I figured that Hollywood bowl would have been a contender, if O2 hadn't already been shot). Given the tech issues and the interruptions because of the Montreal game (shout outs of the score DURING some of the numbers. classy!), this wasn't a gig to shoot, but it was certainly an amazing one to attend. Finally, he did say that they were planning a studio recording of the "second half", the orchestrated versions of PGs own stuff. Sorry if this is old news to some of you, but to me it actually put the ".and I Scratch Yours" album into better context. If they were smart, they'd do a disc of all PG stuff done in this style, and the second disc of the covers, making even casual PG fans interested. So, no film of this tour, yet to an album (not live) of the PG stuff. At least, that's what I was told. Thanks PG and staff for a great night, certainly worth the (SNOWY!!!) drive in from Toronto.

Thanks Sharkshark, interesting about the studio recording. Would love to hear the 'Second half' live on CD too but. . . studio is good. Interesting review - and hey everyone is nerdy about something! Glad you enjoyed the gig, sounds fab:-]

.'twas. The sound was really good, for a hockey arena. But it was still a hockey arena. I sat Row R, North Side, seat 5 (basically 20th row or so, right in line with PG on stage left). Three empty seats in the row in front of us, and four super annoying people that took forever to shut the hell up, and would leave, clearly to go watch the game. Insane. But, yeah, to listen to the new orchestrations without distraction would be a happy thing indeed.

I don't know. I'd very much like to be proven wrong, but to me this (studio recording of the own songs half of the show) sounds like one of the PG projects that are bound to never materialise (see Son of Ovo)

Thank you very much for the detective work, Sharkshark. Although I'm sorry to hear that New Blood won't be filmed, I'm glad to hear that an album of orchestrated PG songs is on the drawing board. Perhaps the bills for raising 2 sons and sticking them through Uni someday may prompt PG to get back in the studio. :-]

.very good news, let's hope they actually do it sooner rather than later.

Yeah, I thought this was pretty big news (unconfirmed, but still. a bit more than normal rumour) I guess in this time of iTunes they'd just let all the singles slip out 'till all the covers are done. Who's still a holdout? NY hasn't officially confirmed what he's doing, right? And did I hear that Arcade Fire was waffling?

BSOD?

I am so glad to hear that Peter wants to rerecord his own songs with an orchestra. i was hoping for this. unfortunately it sounds like something peter typically says, but never delivers on

I am so glad to hear that Peter wants to rerecord his own songs with an orchestra. i was hoping for this. unfortunately it sounds like something peter typically says, but never delivers on

It's a very interesting project and i hope it will see the light of day but with Peter, we know that such projects can be put on ice forever.

Either that or he will do the demos for it and THEN put it on ice forever. :-] Rumor (courtesy of the Tour Diary) is that since PG & crew could not film in the US, they may try a couple of European venues in the fall and try to get it filmed.