Review of the Hammersmith video in Option

[ed@wente.llnl.gov (Ed Suranyi)]

I know Vickie said she would post this, but last night she asked
me to do it.

In the July/August issue of _Option_, there's a very nice review
of _Live at Hammersmith_.  Here it is:

KATE BUSH: Live At Hammersmith Odeon
     Video document of the original Kate Bush shows that took Britain
by storm in 1979.  This is the quirky Kate, who mixed mime and dance
and odd stage settings with plenty of loopy falsetto, backed by a '70s
progressive rock band.  It's still plenty of fun to watch, and is a 
welcome reminder of the days when pop videos didn't constantly cross-cut
between a dozen camera angles every 1.5 seconds -- what a pleasure to
watch scenes that cross-fade slowly, or hold one angle for more than five
seconds.  The dozen songs are drawn from Bush's first three albums (Them
Heavy People," "James and the Cold Gun," "Oh England My Lionheart," etc.);
most are visual, sometimes campy, delights, with a small cast of mimes and
dancers in addition to the six-piece band.  It's unusual to see a pop
singer put on a show where dance and props really take center stage (she
doesn't even sing on "Hammer Horror," using recorded vocals to allow for
some vigorous choreography), and yet this was a pop event that puts most 
rock stars to shame.  When Kate waves goodbye at the end of "Wuthering
Heights,"  it's clear she reached the audience like few others can.  (EMI)
					  -- Dan Maryon

Ed
ed@wente.llnl.gov