Category: Music

U2 3D


U2 3D

Laurie and I went and saw U2 3D this weekend. Awesome! It was way better than I expected and even more lifelike than I had imagined it expected.

I told Laurie afterwards that I was conflicted during the 80 minute IMAX concert experience. It was real enough that I felt like I was right smack dab in the middle of this concert in Argentina with several thousand fans around me. I wanted to take part in everything – yet I felt like I had to be restrained and remind myself I’m in public – in a theater. Of course if you know me, you know I love U2. It doesn’t take much “realism” for me to want to sing along.

Yet during the entire 80 minutes I sat quietly taking it all in and trying not to disturb my neighbors – or everyone in the theater behind me (especially since we were on the front row). Afterwards I was disappointed it came to an end and I actually felt like I had missed out on something. I couldn’t place my finger on it until I realized it was the interaction I missed.

I’ve been to one U2 concert and it was by far my most favorite concert ever. It felt as much of a worship service as a concert. And after leaving U2 3D it almost felt like I had been at church but only as a fly on the wall. I didn’t get to participate. All these people on the screen were involved and participating yet I sat on the sidelines.

I wonder how often we miss out in church because we don’t want to annoy the people next to us. We don’t want them to think we’re odd for standing up and cheering. We don’t want to be the crazy guy on the front (or back) row who won’t sit down.

What if we’re missing out on interaction with God? What if worship was so much more?

U2-3D

Yessssss…..

Shot during U2’s visit to South America on the Vertigo Tour, the film is directed by Catherine Owens, with additional direction from Mark Pellington. Owens, longtime collaborator with U2 on live-show visuals, says ‘this was the ultimate challenge in presenting U2’. The results, she predicts, will startle audiences.

‘There is no comparison with a traditional concert film seen in 2D. One minute you are on stage with the band and the next you are at the back of the stadium. ‘The best way I can describe it for the viewer,’ she adds, ‘Is that it’s like being on the wings of a bird flying around the concert stadium – it’s really something else.’

The 3D shoot took place over seven shows in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina in February last year and the film is being produced by 3ality Digital in Los Angeles, edited by Olivier Wicki with music produced by Carl Glanville, who has a long list of U2 production credits. Director of 3D photography was Peter Anderson and the Director of photography was Tom Krueger.

Falling at Your Feet

I’ve heard this song over and over again but never heard it as a Gospel song till this morning – suddenly (after Sunday’s service) it painted such a great picture of Luke 7:36-50.

Falling at Your Feet – U2

Every chip from every cup
Every promise given up
Every reason that’s not enough
Is falling, falling at your feet

Every band elastic limit
Every race when there’s nothing in it
Every winner that has lost their ticket
Is falling, falling at your feet
I’ve come crawling, falling at your feet

Everyone who needs a friend
Every life that has no end
Every knee not ready to bend
Is falling, falling at your feet
I’ve come crawling, now I’m falling at your feet

All fall down
All the manic days
The faces that you pull
All the x-rays not under your control
The graffiti rolling down off of your tongue
And the compromise you make for someone

Every teenage with acne
Every face that’s spoiled by beauty
Every adult tamed by duty
Are all falling at your feet

Every foot in every face
Every cop stop that finds the grace
Every prisoner in the Maze
Every hand that needs an ace
Is falling, falling at your feet
I’ve come crawling, now I’m falling at your feet

All fall down
All the books you never read
Just started
All the meals you rushed
And never tasted

Every eye closed by a bruise
Every player who just can’t lose
Every pop star hurling abuse
Every drunk back on the booze
All falling at your feet, all falling at your feet

All fall down
All the information
All the big ideas
All the radio waves
On electronic seas
How to navigate
How to simply be
Don’t know when to wait
Explain simplicity
In whom shall I trust?
How might I be still?
Teach me to surrender
Not my will, THY will

Christmas Eve Sarajevo

love this live introduction to TSO’s Christmas Eve Sarajevo, it reminds me of Wim Winders Wings of Desire and U2’s Stay (Faraway So Close).

…when he flew over sarajevo
there were scars upon the land
there were scars upon the people
it was hard to understand
and the deepest scars of all
which to humans are unseen
the angel could see clearly
were the scars of all the dreams
by bellfast, rowanda, palestine
the only decorations here had been awards for their crimes
and in the gardens where the children played
now soldiers only trod
and stranger still
he heard some say that they were killing for their god
now the angel had heard God speak many times
and he had always paid attention
but this killing of one’s neighbor
was something the Lord had never mentioned
as he neared the earth of a recent battle ground
from among the ruins
he once more heard the sound
it was a simple chello
playing a forgotten christmas song
and even on that battlefield
that song somehow belonged
and as he flew away
the angel did take note
and where he found this music played
one always could find hope

re: 18 Hours of Christmas Music

If you just need a quick Christmas music fix, head over to NPR for the 18th annual A Jazz Piano Christmas. An hour of amazing live jazz Christmas music.

Which speaking of Christmas jazz, I forgot to mention the Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack as one of my favorites.

The 18th annual A Jazz Piano Christmas, recorded live at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., features three great pianists who have each been shaping the sound of jazz for more than half a century. Dr. Billy Taylor, Hank Jones and Barry Harris spin their original solo takes on the holiday songbook.

Here’s the lineup:

* “The Little Drummer Boy” — Andrew Hill (from A Jazz Piano Christmas XIII)
* “Merry Christmas” — Billy Taylor
* “The Christmas Song” — Billy Taylor
* “Winter Wonderland” — Joey DeFrancesco
* “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” — Joey DeFrancesco
* “White Christmas” — Barry Harris
* “We Three Kings” — Hank Jones
* “Good King Wenceslas” – Hank Jones
* “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — Hank Jones & Roberta Gambarini
* “Silent Night” — Hank Jones & Roberta Gambarini
* “Jingle Bells” — All Artists (Taylor, DeFrancesco, Harris, Jones, Gambarini)

Enjoy!