OMD (LiVE!) @the.Music.Box (Los Angeles, CA)

Orchestral.Manoeuvres.in.the.Dark.

@Music.Box (Los Angeles, CA)

Friday.March.25.2011

I bought the VIP package that gives me a shirt, the album, see them warm-up before the actual show, meet them afterwards and come back and watch the show. For a hundred bucks, that's a deal.

They send us a email telling us to be at the venue around 5 to get your package, ticket and for the sound check. They even told us do not be late because its a tight schedule. Sure enough, it's 5:15pm and we are not in.

The line has wrapped around the building and I thought it was gonna be a few people, but it's not. They where smart to do something like this. I am looking in to the crowd and I see people around 45-50 years of age. Some are wearing there old concert t-shirts from the 80s. A girl in front of me brought flowers. Just looking at this crowd it's gonna be a tamed show.

They started letting us in around 5:35p (I could of ate!!!). I looked over to the other side of the venue and you see people in line for the show at 8pm. Wow! Once inside, they handed us are package. We are all inside in the lobby and they have not let us in the actual floor. We hear them warming up and I thought that was the point. When they finished with one song, people clapped and yelled "let us in!". "Thank you and I hoped you enjoyed the show", said Andy (lead singer). Funny.

Right about 6pm they let us in the main floor. I think there was around 100 of us here. Some rushed to the stage. They played "If You Leave", "Tesla Girl", "Electricity" and "Made of Honors". They did not play the whole songs, just a few minutes of it. I noticed that they did not have any laptops on stage like Yazoo did, just two synthesizers and a drum set.

Someone in the audience yelled out "Hold Me". "Who is requesting that song?", Andy asked and people pointed at this girl. They said they never played that song live, NEVER. They continued to play and Andy was a bit crazy with the sound check. Asking the sound guy to come up stage because something was off. They kept on telling him that they sound great, but he was not taking that. He grabbed his mic and went around to each speaker next to him. It was cool to see that he wanted perfection. The sound check went by quick and we where out by 7pm. I thought we got to met the band, but that is if you gotten the VIP package. I only got the gold. DAM!!!!

I went to my car to drop off my package. Before I did that, I looked inside. I got my album, a shirt, the program and a singed autograph picture of the ban. Plus, the tote bag with there logo on it. Awesum!

I came back around 9pm and the place is PACKd! It was hard to move up to the front. I was stuck in the back for awhile, but when the opening band went off (they where Awesome by the way) stage, I moved up to the front very quick. There is this couple 2 feet away from me and the girl is sporting a Sioux Sue teased out Robert Smith hair-do circa 1983. \m/ - rock on. There was a younger crowd compared to the sound check, but still mixed with the older crowd.

OMD hit the stage and they opened with a new song from there latest album "History of Modern". Just to let you know, the person who designed the album is the one who did New Order covers. Andy came out with bulging eyes that where ready to come out. He looked a bit scary as if he did something before the show. They sounded great and the crowd was loving it. I was a bit disappointed on how plain the stage was. No cool visuals at all. I was hoping there would be something. I guess the music was the main focus and it was. It was a greatest hit list, but they did not play "Secret". Some people where shouting that, but they payed no attention. It was a good show, but I think they where better at the Rose Bowl when they opened up for Depeche Mode in 1988. Now that was a KILLER show that blew me away. I was hoping for the same reaction.

I looked into the crowd a couple of times just to watch the people get into the show. It was great to watch people sing along to the songs they grew up with. Some brought out that 80's dance move (think Bruce Springsteen video "Dancing in the Dark" when Courtney Cox went on stage and danced with Bruce).

It has been 23 years since they been back in the states and it was a good performance.

\m/ \m/ \m/ \m/ - Rock On!