Two Recent Concerts

We have observed that the French absolutely LOVE live performances, and they are very generous with their applause.  It doesn’t seem to matter whether the performance is especially good or not; all performances get enthusiastic standing ovations at the end and demands for encores.  We were reminded of this charming, and very French trait recently when we went to two concerts recently….

Dominique had suggested we go to two concerts coming up in Lyon.  We were all for it, and she took care of all the details.  (She really spoils us!)



Hugh Laurie and the Copper Bottom Band

The first concert was Hugh Laurie and the Copper Bottom Band.  It was at the Auditorium at Cité Internationale, a large conference and convention center in Lyon. So Roger, Dominique, and we hopped on a bus and rode out to the center and had an early dinner before claiming our seats (very good ones – thank you, Dominique!).  Hugh Laurie is a very talented man, and he has connected with a group of VERY remarkable musicians and singers.  The show was very good and well-deserving of the applause and demands for encores.  Definitely a lovely, memorable evening.  In fact we are all still talking about some of the individual performers.

Hugh Laurie with members of the band, including
two incredibly talented female singers.

 

Yes, the seats are hard, but they hand out cushions.  Just think
of al the people who have been in these seats!

Stage set up - ready for a performance.

For the second event, we decided to go to a performance at the annual Les Nuìts de Fourvière  celebration during June and July in which various acts are presented in the Roman theater in Lyon.  We had been hearing about it since we first came to Lyon and yet hadn’t been to a show, and Dominique and Roger have lived here for nine years and had never been either.  It was time to do it!  The four of us plus Tom and Christine, two other friends, met at Dominique and Roger’s for a delicious barbecue dinner and then piled into a cab to go to up the hill to the Roman theater.  We thought we were getting there early, but the theater was already about 1/3 full.  Tom found us good seats part way up and directly across from the stage, and we were set.  We must say, just going to a performance in an old Roman theater is an experience in itself – one can’t help but speculate about who else had sat in those seats and what they might had seen back in the days of the Romans.   

 

 

 



Woody and the band (the band leader is actually the banjo player)

The show we were going to see was Woody Allen and His New Orleans Jazz Band.  Since we like “trad jazz” and New Orleans style jazz, it sounded like a great choice.  Woody Allen had been interviewed in the local paper and had declared he was a “nul” (dummy or nobody) at music and particularly playing the clarinet.  We had assumed he was just being modest.  Sadly, he was not.  We must say he is without a doubt the worst clarinet player we have ever heard.  That’s actually saying a lot considering all the elementary, junior high, and high school concerts we’ve been to.   Also, both Anna’s father and our daughter played clarinet so the instrument is not really foreign to us.  Woody’s tone was not good and his solos were punctuated with frequent squeaks and squawks.  The band was okay - competent and professional - but Woody was another thing.  The six of us agreed that he was terrible, but the rest of the audience applauded wildly and demanded encores.  We were amazed. 

But, we are reminded that this is also the country that reveres Jerry Lewis.