Jean Michel Jarre & Safri Duo - Aero (Alive In Bourges)

Uffe Savery (left) and Morten Friis (right) of Safri Duo with Jean Michel Jarre in July 2002
2002 - © Casper Helmer

"Aero" (Aero - Tribute to the Wind concert, Aalborg, Denmark, September 7, 2002)
Original title: "Alive in Bourges" (Live Printemps de Bourges 2002)
Jarre held a very wet and muddy concert at the Gammel Vrå Enge Windmill Park near the city of Aalborg in Denmark, on September 7, 2002, with 40,000 spectators (including 5,000 VIPs). Danish band Safri Duo featured on the track "Aero", which in fact was Bourges 2 from the performance earlier that year, and Rendez-Vous 4.

Magical sounds!

                    

Safri DuoOfficial

Jean Michel Jarre, Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden, May 12, 2009

By: Fredrik "Schlatt" Svensson

After a dozen or so years Jean Michel Jarre returned to Gothenburg and Scandinavium. Last time he was here was during the “Oxygene 7-13 Tour” and I remember that show to be the first really big concert I went to. Despite having a seat extremely high above and far away from the stage, I remember gasping for oxygen not due to the elevation but rather the terrific performance on stage. Yesterday was no different albeit my seat was much better this time.
The current, and first, according to Jarre himself, world tour is entitled “In-Doors” and has just begun with shows in Hungary, The Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark before coming to Sweden.

I have been to four Jarre concerts in total through the years, and all of them have been very different. Last year saw the 30th anniversary of the classic “Oxygene” album with a special “Oxygene” tour and the album reprogrammed using all the old machines. The stage design then was entirely focused on the vast number of vintage keyboards, synthesizers and various electronic musical equipment - his “old ladies”, as Jarre lovingly call them.
This time he brought even more stuff to the stage but has chosen to play larger venues and the stage design is completely revamped. There is a large elevated stage and four keyboard cubicles in the middle of the stage. Each housing one of Jarre’s trusted partners in crime. The three other musicians on stage are Dominic Perrier (keyboards, synthesizers), Claude Samard (musical director, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion) and Francis Rimbert (according to Jarre he plays: ”Uhm… a lot of synthesizer parts and… yes… a lot of sequenced stuff as well…”).

The PA system was completely hidden from the audience and placed behind the stage; it was a brand new system developed by the French sound masters at L-Acoustics. In front of the PA there is a retractable membrane wall and this wall was used in some songs for colour effects. This made the whole stage look like a single unit and it was a very nice example on how to make a beautiful and slick stage design without compromising the sound quality. I had a seat on the first row and usually the sound close to the stage is crap, but not this time. I think that the layout with the PA invisible behind the stage was brilliant; you get a bit longer distance from the PA than normal and this really helps to improve the sound quality close to the stage. The only worrying thing is the sound level on stage but the artists used in ear systems. Also I do not know how the sound was further away from the stage, I heard some people complaining about it being too loud, but from my point of view it was loud, but not disturbingly so.

In addition a number of lasers was used for the stage show; I counted at least five of them and the very beginning of the show was awesome: A sheet of laser light and Jarre’s hand punching through it. There was also a number of huge search-light like lamps used throughout the show. Overall the intricate webs of laser beams, light effects and smoke machines made this show really a treat for the eyes as well as the ears and the purpose of bringing the Jarre concept indoors was to make use of the special architecture of the various venues. I found this to be very well executed in Scandinavium, despite the lasers hitting a lot of strange stuff in the ceiling. The whole experience was a perfectly integrated combination of visuals and sound. The most beautiful ingredient had to be the laser harp though, used in the beginning of the show and once more towards the end. And yes, he is triggering the sound live, Jarre got one or two notes wrong but I certainly did not mind, it was the same back in 1997 when the tip of his shirt caught one of the lasers beams. Apart from the laser harp there was too many things on stage to mention.
Well OK, a brief best of list then: A good friend of me counted three Syntars, three Eminents (who on earth could be bothered to bring three of them, I guess the answer is... Jean Michel Jarre). We discussed the logistics of the tour afterwards and came to the conclusion that they already have paid a lot of money for their roadies and why not make them earn their money) and of course they brought the ARP 2600 and 2500, the Minimoog, the Moog Liberator, the Theremin, centred in Jarre’s cubicle there was a Nordlead with the bright red back facing the audience. I remember the show in 1997 where he got one brand new Nordlead from Swedish Clavia and it was pre-programmed with bunch of sounds. Jarre also played a few songs on his Keytar. In short, the equipment on stage must be the wet dream for all you synthesizer fans out there; it certainly was for me.

The show lasted for almost two hours and they played more or less all the best known material, I will not spoil any future attendants shows by listing the entire set list but you get all the classics. The versions played were close to the originals and not as dance orientated as the versions played at the “Aero” concert in Denmark a few years back, for example. Highlights were of course “Magnetic Fields 2”, “Rendez-Vous 4”, “Chronologie 6”, “Oxygene 12” and the encores “Oxygene 4”, “Calypso 3” (dedicated to the audience, as usual) and “Rendez-Vous 2”.

The crowd was very enthusiastic and appreciative and I think that I have never seen Mr Jarre so energetic on stage before. He showed his enthusiasm and ran around the stage waving and clapping his hands, clearly very happy with the crowd reaction. For a guy over 60 years old he is fit. A friend told me after the show that he thought that it looked like Jarre had won the world championship of synthesizing after each song, I loved it! The rest of the on stage crew also seemed to be in a very good mood laughing at each other’s ad libs and the few mistakes.
Anyhow, this is the beginning of the world tour and with more and more dates being announced this could be a journey well into 2010. I hope that the tour will come back to Europe later on and I would love to go to a concert towards the end of the tour and see how it has evolved.

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Jean Michel Jarre, Cirkus, Stockholm, April 4, 2008

By: Tobias Eliasson 

Photos by: Isabella Westbla

Now this is something that I never would have expected to see. Jean Michel Jarre, the undisputed king of grandiose stage shows on a tour of small venues, where everything is performed live without computers. The reason for this unusual move is the 30th anniversary of the groundbreaking “Oxygene” album. Jarre decided that is was time for a new master recording in high definition audio, but at the same time he also performed the whole album live, together with three musicians. This was recorded and released as a DVD; “Oxygene – Live in Your Living Room” and it’s this performance that is now taken out on the road.
As the curtains rise we get to see the army of classic synthesizers that is used, about 50 all in all. The live setup is a bit different that the one on the DVD; they have added even more machines for the tour. For those of us interested in the technology as much as the music in itself this is really something special, and a setup like this I will probably never see live again in my life.
 

Jarre then takes the stage and starts off talking about the album, what we are going to hear tonight and he Introduces some of the instruments That he loves so much. The other musicians join him on stage and after tuning the old machines, the concert takes off slowly.

And I must confess That it's very hard to put my feelings in writing on what I experience for the next 75 minutes. It's amazing to hear the old tracks reborn with new life, but without losing any of the originals' feeling. The band takes use of the arsenal in front of Them and together with very subtle light Arrangements and projections (for Jarre anyhow), they simply own the stage. Halfway into the show, a large mirror is Sunk down and Placed over the band So we can see exactly what they are doing. This is a brilliant move That adds even more to the intimate feeling Between the audience and the performers. The experience to hear this music live and reborn is absolutely amazing and this is one of the best shows I have ever seen.

When the show is over, Jarre has Treated us to a magnificent journey and after a standing ovation we get an encore with Jarre alone on stage after Which he thanks us over and over again, promising to return soon.

For Those That artists out there thinks about re-releasing an old album, this is how it's done.

 

Jean Michel Jarre, Gl Vrå Enge, Denmark - September 7, 2002 "AERO 2002"

By: Mikael Kahrle
Photos by: Mikael and Lotta Kahrle Kahrle

The 36x18 meter the scene with the 160 tonnes back wall and one of the many wind mills at the right. Jean Michel Jarre in a cage surrounded by camera men.

Jean Michel Jarre just celebrated his 54th birthday and for some artists That is old. But Jarre is at it again. The Scandinavians are the first to applaud. Even if he has done indoor shows here in the past, he has never Showed us one of his super-extravaganza shows.
Throughout the years, Jean Michel Jarre has done his best to come closer to god. He has successfully launched numerous "Mission Impossible" shows of a grand scale Previously unheard of. But not even Jarre had the power to stop the skies from opening During his latest show, "Aero."
Even under perfect weather Conditions, the 2.7 million dollar event "Aero" was a great challenge for the Organisers. We all knew in advance, driving to and from the show site Could take hours.

Walking towards the wind park.

The location, Gl Vrå Enge's wind park, can hardly be found on any maps. It is located in the absolute countryside north of the city of Aalborg in northern Denmark. For some reason, Jarre and his co-workers picked this very site. "Aero" was a show dedicated to the wind - in the world's wind power pioneer country - but surely there be other bridge Suitable locations. It was an idea crazy enough for a man like Jarre and destined to grab the world's media attention once again.

Photo by: Philippe Abergele

His latest gig, in April this year, Actually it was a demo artist level. 100 People Could Just watch his show in Bourges, France. But I figure, something like that catch the attention of people too. Just Like When He released an album, "Music for Supermarkets", in one single copy.
Jarre rarely does anything average. Either it's huge or tiny. In Both Cases, he makes his statement.
"Aero" was sold-out four weeks after the tickets were released and the visitors came from 24 countries.The preparations for moving the show and 40 000 people to this wind park on minimal roads has occupied the Organisers for many months and they had prepared themselves quite well after all. Closely to the show, they anticipated 4 mm of rain, but it soon Became clear more was coming.

Endless lines of people and cars.

Driving on the farm roads, parking on the bumpy grass fields and even walking on the ground soon Became a Difficult task. Many thousand visitors could not reach the concert in time and others left the area before the show had started.
During Jarre's performance the skies opened once again and we all Understood what was to come. A total of 22 mm rain fell and even a small amount was enough to turn the bare ground into a mud bath. I have experienced the mud before a Danish one of Roskilde's worst years a decade ago. But back then I camped and my tent collapsed into water and mud. This time "all" I had it up to you to get the hell out of there.

                                
The police used the PA after the show and asked us to take it cool and expect many hours before We Could reach or Destinations. Just after two meters, our car got stuck in the mud at the press parking lot and so did cars everywhere. Towing cars and local farmers worked all night in the dark to help us. And the fields looked like a surreal war or catastrophe zone with military police, home guard and ambulances everywhere.
Finally, after five hours, we were on our way and the good thing was that by then, the long lines were gone.
No one got seriously hurt During the night and most people experience Could a fantastic show. It was built to stand rain - and wind of course - and went as Planned, but without fireworks in the last songs.

                            
Jarre focused on his classic tunes, many of Them successfully updated with heavy dance beats and more. In many Cases, the sound was even more electrified and cool than on record.
He collaborated with among others a choir and popular Danish percussionists Safri Duo. In the end of the show Jarre and Safri Duo Performed rhythmic pieces Which leaned against the experimental and sometimes rave-like. Jarre also debuted new, fairly good "Aero" music.

The sky is the limit.

Those who did not enjoy the music, could keep themselves busy watching the constant flow of fireworks (five tonnes of powder), fire, light (1.7 million watts), confetti and back projections. Many songs featured fireworks synchronised expensive computer, Often with a big bang finale in the end of the songs. Grown men cheered like small children.

                                         
The fire on stage cascades were also impressive and of course the wind mills up point you in different ways. Two cool big circle projection screens Showed Jarre close-ups Throughout the two hour show. They Were Placed behind people, opposite of the stage, so I watched Them Whenever I looked straight at the face of the people next to Them. "Aero" was recorded for TV and will show up on channels world-wide in the near future. Watch it.

I think the stage was too point up from time to time and some of the backdrop projections ranged from fantastic to just quite cheap and boring. Jarre's talk in between songs Sounded plain silly voice effects with the present and his poor English. I have no more negative comments. The fact, most of us forgot the weather During the show says it all. A once-in-a-lifetime experience to remember.

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