Elf wrote:
Even if I think he's wrong, I do enjoy reading a really "oh my god I hate this shit" review
And yes, I would like to read the other review.
This one was very typical from the kind of reviewer that is desperate to show that he does like the "real" electronic music. Like Kraftwerk.
I agree with you and Dr_Jones, once in a while it's fun to read that kind of bad reviews... OK I will translate the other article in a few days - that one's funny too!
Re: Kraftwerk, I agree too, they are THE reference, always quoted... And rightly so. I saw them live earlier this month at Philadelphia's Electric Factory (an appropriate name for them!). Beforehand I didn't expect much musically as, as you said, they've been recycling their stuff since 1991 (Tour de France Soundtracks doesn't count
and thought that the 3D visuals would be gimmicky. I was wrong. Even though the music was nothing new they still keep changing the arrangements and a few songs were very different from the originals or their renditions from The Mix. And the 3D effects do work! I was impressed. And the sound was crisp, with fat bass, but you leave the show without tinnitus, which is pretty uncommon...
Back to Jarre, I think one of the things that has done him disservice is that he's media-friendly (in the PR sense), so he's more seen as a celebrity and can appear vain (as opposed to "reclusive, serious musicians", like Kraftwerk for example). As long as you're a "cult, underground" figure you're cool, but once you have reached stardom, you " have sold out"... Also Jarre is perceived as arrogant (at least in France, but again it's probably because of his huge success - the French always find this suspicious) while everyone who's had the chance to meet him can testify that he's very friendly. The second thing is that he's always been on the poppy side of electronic music (in the late 80s only the cheesy RDV 4 would play on the radio) and his more experimental side is mostly ignored (and no, the fans don't have a voice on that). So there. But that's OK. As Plate of Chips mentioned, there is depth in Jarre's music that's hidden beneath the shiny surface of his poppy tunes.
Concerts: 2017: Upper Darby < 2010: Lille, Liège, Paris < 1997: Lille < 1990: La Défense
) 2 hours only JMJ last Wednesday. A great Show 
