Discussion Forums

PrevPrev Go to previous topic
NextNext Go to next topic
Last Post 9/5/2006 11:30 AM by  Gar
RTE's Electric Picnic coverage
 12 Replies
Sort:
You are not authorized to post a reply.
Author Messages
Gar
Veteran Member
Veteran Member
Posts:1676


--
9/5/2006 11:30 AM
    I had to sell my Electric Picnic ticket the day before the festival because I had to work all through the weekend. So with drunken calls from mates and texts from other friends saying how great it all was, I was curious to see what way it looked on RTE. Of course, it was a brave move to cover such an eclectic festival but it felt very amateur. Tom Dunne was a decent host but Jenny Huston just didn't look comfortable in front of the camera. It was an obvious attempt by RTE to copy the Glastonbury/ V Festival format that BBC2 have with Zane Lowe and Jo Whiley, but it didn't work as well as it should have. The studio was pretty crap with tons of muppets posing in the window behind and the inclusion of Lucy from Podge & Rodge plus some other chap that went up in a hot air balloon was just a waste of time. Of the coverage of the festival, not enough camera shots focused on the different tents and the general vibe of the place. The Frames were shown three times and they were all older tunes that they showed. PJ Harvey and Rufus Wainwright both looked good, but Michael Franti and The Blue Nile looked lost on the main stage. The Super Furry Animals and Gang Of Four did their best, but didn't work too well on the TV. That's seven acts I've mentioned and I can't even remember anyone else they showed, proving that the live footage was pretty poor. All in all, RTE must be applauded for their attempts but they should learn from the mistakes and show more live performances and conduct better interviews. Anyone like or dislike the coverage?
    nerraw
    Basic Member
    Basic Member
    Posts:475


    --
    9/5/2006 12:53 PM
    Did they show Yeah Yeah Yeahs? Karen O was playing it up to the cameras and remember thinking it would look great on tv
    palace
    Basic Member
    Basic Member
    Posts:392


    --
    9/5/2006 1:35 PM
    i suppose your comments are probably fair, gar... (didn't spend too much time watching really)... but i'll reiterate what i said in another thread... it was a truly bizarre decision by rte to show all that coverage in the first place... you can be (almost) sure they won't repeat the experiment again next year... ...commendable all the same p.s. thought tom dunne was as equally crap as jenny huston
    Vent My Spleen
    Advanced Member
    Advanced Member
    Posts:500


    --
    9/5/2006 1:35 PM
    Yep, the coverage was very amateur. YOu can't really fault Dunne and Huston as they have relatively little experience, cue much looking at wrong cameras and getting a bit flustered when producers were whispering in their ears. The real problem was the complete lack of editing. They only seemed capable of showing acts live which meant you got multiple songs from the artists whereas the BBCs Glasto coverage would pick out a single song most people might know from an artist. Ah well, better luck next year!
    Rev Jules
    Veteran Member
    Veteran Member
    Posts:1041


    --
    9/5/2006 2:01 PM
    Have to say, I liked the coverage, certainly confirmed my opinion that i didn't care if i was there or not, As for the bands shown, alabama 3 came across better on 2fm then rte2, rufus (yep, still dont like him), at this stage given the number of times they play heyday should the frames not be renamed 'the framistophers', cutting to bazement jaxx half way thru their final number, pants. Jenny Huston is lovely though And Gary Numan rocked, he should tour with depeche mode
    Mully
    Advanced Member
    Advanced Member
    Posts:849


    --
    9/5/2006 2:05 PM
    quote:
    Originally posted by Rev Jules
    Jenny Huston is lovely though
    In what way, apart from the 'She's got a face for radio' ...
    Protein biscuit
    Basic Member
    Basic Member
    Posts:364


    --
    9/5/2006 2:10 PM
    I thought it was pretty decent. Wouldn't worry to much personally what cameras they were or weren't looking at. Was disappointed sometimes when they pulled away from certain acts but i suppose you can't have it everyway. Think they got some good interviewees in and both Tom and Jenny know their musical onions. A bit more interaction with the crowd and the craic perhaps. Still, was great to get to see it after been too slow to get tickets. And yes, Rev. Jules, Jenny is lovely, lovely, lovely. I love her accent, enthusiasm and smiley- ness.
    benni
    Advanced Member
    Advanced Member
    Posts:947


    --
    9/5/2006 2:18 PM
    quote:
    Originally posted by Rev Jules
    And Gary Numan rocked, he should tour with depeche mode
    I'm so gutted I missed this ......... 'Damn you chemical stimulants!'
    ctrlaltdelete
    Basic Member
    Basic Member
    Posts:268


    --
    9/5/2006 2:30 PM
    Whatever gary numan was like on TV, he was rubbish in the flesh. Grim goth synth-metal; every song sounded the same, 'cept 'are friends electric' which was decent.
    Una
    Veteran Member
    Veteran Member
    Posts:1721


    --
    9/5/2006 3:44 PM
    quote:
    Originally posted by benni
    quote:
    Originally posted by Rev Jules
    And Gary Numan rocked, he should tour with depeche mode
    I'm so gutted I missed this ......... 'Damn you chemical stimulants!'
    dude, I feel your pain, I missed this too. I also missed Tapes N Tapes - even made it to where they were on before becoming completely distracted by those Tim Burton Lost Vagueness giant puppet things and the old dudes in the brass band. I'm like a magpie at festivals - OOHHH, SOMETHING SHINEY, then I'm gone. Sidetracked. Bummer.
    Antistar
    Advanced Member
    Advanced Member
    Posts:544


    --
    9/5/2006 5:38 PM
    I watched most of the coverage on RTE. I said a few weeks ago that RTE would make a balls of it and they did in many respects, but it wasn't as woeful as I expected. The presenters seemed slightly uncomfortable which probably is down to a lack of experience in front of the cameras. Tom Dunne is an amiable presence but Jenny Huston was slightly irritating.After every performance, she said they were 'absolutely fantastic, wonderful, etc'. I hate that excessive lovey-dovey s**t she does. At least Tom laced some of his comments with a slightly sarcastic undertone. The interviews were pretty good though. Agree with Gar that there was too much footage of Lucy 'Haven't I such a dirty laugh' Kennedy walking around the site and some clown from kiddie's TV doing pointless dares, etc. If RTE are going to repeat the exercise next year they should ditch those two.The studio looked like it was assembled for 50 euro. The live footage was poorly edited and rather slipshod. We were treated to about 30 minutes of the vastly overrated Rufus Wainright for some reason. The Frames and Damien Rice were awful...The Blue Nile are sublime but what moron decided to put them on a Sunday afternoon, what a waste...No Massive Attack or Mogwai (the 2 acts I would have loved to have seen but I've seen them loads of times already) ...the only act that came across brilliantly was Gary Numan doing 'Cars', absolutely f**king brilliant, probably the only time I felt gutted for not being there............Yeah Yeah Yeahs were excellent too, Karen O is such a great, compelling presence on stage....
    comet
    Basic Member
    Basic Member
    Posts:485


    --
    9/5/2006 5:49 PM
    quote:
    Originally posted by Antistar footage of Lucy 'Haven't I such a dirty laugh' Kennedy
    sums her up, I like her though. I saw her Sunday morning doing an intro piece for the day up in that area in the woods tir na gasta or something "Hi and welcome to Day 3 at Electric Picnic" but there was these 2 guys behind her ruining it and they wouldn't move, eventually they did but next thing another guy hops in drops his trousers whips off the t-shirt and starts dancing around naked in the shot .....
    miwadi
    New Member
    New Member
    Posts:48


    --
    9/6/2006 11:37 AM
    I have to agree with Antistar, coverage wasn't as bad as I thought, Great to see Tom still has his Something Happens wardrobe. Classic moment when he asked Gary Numan would he be playing the old good stuff or his new album!!!! Jeeny was good was the good vibe (which I am sure was there) was overplayed. Also don't know why we saw so much Rufas (booorrrrinnng) and why they insisted on show so much live and thus missing start or end of songs. Antony and the Johnsons were the TV highlight for me, though Basement Jaxx and Blue Nile looked great as as the Mali mudicians. Overall conclusion was I was glad they did it and if they had given it more airtime they would have wider choice and thus better coverage. Why might they not do it again?
    You are not authorized to post a reply.