So, after arriving late at night on our Boeing Business Jet (specially chartered for the band and crew), we headed over to site to check out the stage and technicals.
Seeing as there is only about an hour of darkness at this time of year, we could see the magnificence of the courtyard the show was in as soon as we arrived at 2am. Surrounded by dramatic state buildings, the stage looked very out of place. Even more bizarre was the crowd arrangement, with rows of seating in front of stage and the standing area not starting until behind the front of house tower. The event was for the Russian government’s financial event in the city as a treat for the delegates, hence the seating.
Once the show kicked off the atmosphere wasn’t what we’d come to expect from Faithless shows, with only a few people sat stage right in the VIP area and about 50 or so stage left in the guests area. The standing crowd in their thousands couldn’t seem to get into the show until Maxi ran down the divide between the seating areas and brought the show to them! A very admirable move.
After this the crowd showed a little more energy, peaking for Insomnia and God is a DJ. They never really seemed to connect that much with the show though, how could you when the crowd starts 100ft from stage?
A very strange show in a beautiful place.
