U2 Getting Intimate With Glendale Arizona
October 21, 2009 at 4:34 pm | In Concert, Photography, Review, Rock, Social Networking | Leave a CommentTags: Arizona, Audio, Cameras, Concert, Glendale, Massive, Phoenix, technology, U2, Video
Have you ever tried to be intimate? With a stadium full of people? U2 has.
U2 Intimate Superstructure
What does it take to get intimate with 50,000+ people simultaneously? Well, as far as I can tell…a whole lot of cash. Way more cash than getting intimate with one or two people for sure. I’m talking the kind of cash even a supergroup like U2 needs to round up a corporate sponsor like Blackberry for.
Once you have that kind of cash you can go about calling up someone like Willie Williams and asking him to come up with some ideas on how to go about it. In this case, it apparently only took him one idea according to the guys over at Live Design.
I’m not going to get into the exacting specs of just how they pull this amazing feat of intimacy off, but here’s a quick list of some of the many things involved and you can follow the links if you have a burning curiosity for all things “concert tech” or an extra $ 50 mil burning a hole in your pocket.
- Audio – Incredible 15 zone system Clair i-5 – Yes it goes to 11.
- Lighting – Nope. Not what you think. No Vari-lites here. These are Bad Boys from the guys over at PRG. There’s a lot of them.
- Spotlights – Coupla dozen for sure
- Video – Insane, Custom-designed LED job by the guys over at Barco. Yes it moves. Yes it’s ginormous. Follow the links if you wanna know just how amazingly crazy this thing is.
- Cameras – Robotic Moving Awe-inspiring setup from the guys at Telemetrics
- Massive Superstructure Stage Rig – Bono calls it a UFO. See the show to find out why. Suffice it to say this rig is the key to pulling off the intimacy-on-a-grand-scale concept. Its big, heavy, expensive and they had to build 3 of them.
- Band. Oh yeah – Insert supergroup into the middle of all that technology and Bam! Instant rock concert.
So, there you have a quick breakdown of how to get intimate with a bunch of people at one time. Once you have all the pieces in place the only thing that can stand in your way are traffic problems and social media-ites that like to complain about $20 parking costs.
So, as I close – you are probably asking yourself – did U2 actually pull off getting intimate with an entire city? Look at the pics on their photo page and you tell me. Keep in mind, these shots were from the upper level of the stadium. Intimate enough?
Creed & Staind Hit Jobing.com
October 1, 2009 at 1:11 pm | In Concert, Rock, Tickets, Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: Arizona, Concert, Creed, Glendale, Jobing.com Arena, Phoenix, Photos, Pixled, Staind, Vari-lites, Video
I’m all for “rock with a positive message” as long as it’s done by a band like Creed, rather than say Stryper. Not that I have anything against 80’s hair bands in bumblebee spandex outfits…wait…I do if they are Stryper. Just saying. But I digress…
Lo-Pro opened the show, and apparently played a 19 minute set. We walked in as they were playing their last notes…so can’t really comment on those guys. I can comment on the fact that draft beers were $10.25. That is just ridiculous.
Aaron Lewis and Johnny April - Staind
It wasn’t long before Staind took the stage and rocked the house. The lighting designer and soundguy were spot on! Great show both audibly and visibly. Rather than a giant video screen they opted for a seven panel display from pixled from what I gather around the net. Technically and artistically the band was definitely at the top of their game. Of course, they played all of their hits including the ones I didn’t even realize were theirs!
Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti
Creed put on a rock show. Yes. With fire and pyro and sound system turned up to a hair past 11. I know it was a hair past because there were some moments during the loudest passages that took the system just past its limit and you could tell. Everyone knows you never go past 11. Those moments were few, and for the most part the show was great. You gotta love a tour that includes excellent video screen with awesome imagery, Varilites on suspended elevators and explosives. You just can’t go wrong with explosives and fire.
Did I mention they had fire that we could feel from the back of the arena? Well they did. Brings a whole new dimension to entertainment. In fact some movies have tried to pull off this “4th Dimension” experience with puffs of cold air or rumbling seats. They failed. Why? Because they didn’t use fire! Apparently flames are the key to bringing some of that onstage energy into the crowd. Who knew?
The drawback to random, giant bursts of flame is that they are random and therefore, hard to capture adequately with a still camera. Varilites, giant video screens and elevators aren’t. Check the concert photos page for some of the shots I managed to grab.
Oh! a shout out to @Stang5_0 who asked me to go because he had some tickets from @JobingArenaGirl. Thanks so much!
Panda King Express – Chinese Takeout
September 26, 2009 at 12:04 am | In Food, Restaurant Review | Leave a CommentTags: Chinese, delivery, Food, North Phoenix, Restaurant, take out
If you live in North Phoenix – you should definitely call up Panda King Express (602-548-8108) for some chinese takeout when you aren’t in the mood to cook or drive. Delivery areas are from 35th Ave to Cave Creek and from Thunderbird to Pinnacle Peak. The place is located at 1512 W. Bell Rd, if you want to stop by instead. But hey, delivery is a buck plus tip – so just call…
All of the standard chinese fare as most Americans know it is offered at a reasonable price. You can order anything one of three ways – Small or large (denotes size of container and comes with steamed rice) or in a combo which includes fried rice, egg roll and crab puff. You can substitute noodles for rice for a dollar more.
I can’t say enough good about this place…delivery is fast (seems to always be the same guy – owner maybe?) and the guy that answers the telephone is knowledgeable of the products and efficient.
Food is excellent. The egg rolls are crispy and golden brown (2 per side order) with a soft floral taste which I assume comes from five-spice-powder. Skip the wonton soup and order the Wor Wonton Soup. Totally worth the extra 3 bucks as it packs in beef, shrimp, snow peas, carrots, zucchini, some type of choy and other goodies bathed in a simple tasty broth.
The dishes like shrimp and snow peas are flavored elegantly. Those of you that prefer your chinese in szechwan, mongolian or hunan style will appreciate that the dishes are spicier as time goes by. It’s not a full on frontal assault of your palate, but a building crescendo of flavors.
According to my menu, the only way you can get duck is in fried rice…which seems a bit odd. If they have it for rice, they must have it for other things, right? Maybe I’ll ask if they can do a Peking duck for Christmas this year, as I love that for a holiday meal. Of course, I know they better require 24-72 hrs notice, otherwise they aren’t doing it right. Oh, I’ve been known to spend the days before that holiday with bike pump and fan in hand hanging a duck on my own screened in porch. Mmmm mm good.
Hey, just because I order takeout once in awhile doesn’t mean I don’t have my own Japanese & German steel blades hanging in my kitchen above the bad-ass pots n pans. The myriad cookbooks aren’t for show either. At this house – I’m really cookin. Unless I’m ordering Panda King Express (or Roberto’s).
Fall Frenzy (that it was)
September 21, 2009 at 5:34 pm | In Concert | 1 CommentTags: 2009, Arizona Fall Frenzy, Fall Out Boy, Light rail, Slightly Stoopid, Tempe Beach Park
Saturday, I went to Fall Frenzy down in Tempe. Now, I’m not a fan of Tempe because they like to have these huge events there and the parking is atrocious. The city is probably great if you live on campus and ride your bike everywhere.
Anyway, I won the tickets from the Arizona Republic via Twitter. So, we headed down to Christown Mall and jumped on the light rail. The light rail is excellent, contrary to my beliefs before I actually rode the thing. It makes Tempe an enjoyable place to go. No parking, no fuss.
We got there in time to catch Slightly Stoopid, a bunch of guys from Ocean Beach in San Diego that play some funky reggae styled jams.
Slightly Stoopid - Artistic Version
The crowd was packing it in. The beer area had a line about 300 people long, so I didn’t even bother to get a wristband. The jams were good, the sound system nicely adequate (not always the case at festivals). Continue reading Fall Frenzy (that it was)…
The Codfather – British Fish n’ Chips
September 21, 2009 at 11:48 am | In Food, Restaurant Review | Leave a CommentTags: British, Fish, Fried, North Phoenix, Pub, Restaurant Review
The Codfather is another great strip-mall find! This one is on 16th St. & Bell.
It’s an interesting style of joint. Seems to be part take-out, part sit-in, part pub, part mini-grocery. You can run in and get some fish n’ chips to go, or sit down and have them bring your order to you on real plates, with your ale in real pint glasses (16oz not imperial pints). There’s even some gaming in an adjoining area. Billiards, anyone? Continue reading The Codfather – British Fish n’ Chips…
My Photography Website Now Open
September 19, 2009 at 1:50 pm | In Photography | Leave a CommentIf you are looking to get some portrait or event photographs taken and you are in the Phoenix area, you definitely want to have a look at my new website.
It is currently in beta testing, but should be finalized soon. It will tell you pretty much everything you might want to know about my photography, and allow clients to proof their photo sessions and purchase prints right from the comfort of their browser.
I offer services in portraits, events and maternity/baby for right now. I’m always looking for new photograph subjects – so stop by Jim Petrosino Photography and I’ll work you a great deal on those family or holiday photos. Book early!
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