So. Didja watch the Opening Ceremonies from Vancouver last evening? I did and I thoroughly enjoyed the show, glitch and all. Ya had to feel bad for the organizers because everything was picture-perfect up until that point. But... technology. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm surprised everything went as well as it did, given the obvious complexity of the show. A few random thoughts:
NBC's feed lagged the real-time events by 45 minutes to an hour. How do I know? Coz I was also monitoring my Twitter feed, and Wyshynski was tweeting the ceremonies. I knew what was coming before it got here... not entirely a Good Thing.
I did NOT like the rendition of "O Canada." There are some things that shouldn't be messed with and a country's national anthem leads that parade. I've seen MUCH better performances at hockey games and that's no lie.
Good on the organizers for highlighting Canadian singer-songwriters. The performances were generally awesome, whether live or recorded. k.d. lang was spectacular and the selection of Cohen's "Hallelujah" was inspired.
My favorite moment, though, was the "Salute to the Prairie." I'm glad Joni Mitchell got a big piece of the show, even if it was recorded. "Both Sides Now" fit the scene and mood perfectly... and immediately called to mind the year I spent up on the prairie three miles south of the Saskatchewan border. Joni figured prominently in the lives of my friends and I during that time and was often the soundtrack for the great times we had there. Most excellent.
It was GOOD that The Great One had the honor of lighting the outdoor Olympic flame. There couldn't have been a better choice.
And now we wait for the hockey to begin. I'll watch all the women's games today, tomorrow, and Monday but the real action (for me) begins on Tuesday when the men's play starts. Yeah, I know: sexist.
Buck, you might find this hard to believe. But, I don't watch the Winter Olympics...nor the Summer Olympics.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago, I just lost my "passion" for it. Dunno. Maybe because they're all pros now...or live off sponsorships, Olympic Committee support, etc. Maybe I'm wrong, and there are still some pure amateurs in the games.
Kinda like how I don't watch pro roundball, or anything else much pro. Nothing personal against 'em all, but it just don't seem like the old days when a plumber, or a carpenter was competing for a medal.
But, that's just me...
:)
ReplyDeleteI just posted my take on it as well over at my place. But keep in mind that while there have been many an amazing renditions sung at hockey games... The Opening Ceremonies - well, weren't hockey. LOL. I know what you mean. I am truly torn about it. I won't diss it. I can't. But I will say, not my favorite rendition.
KD Lang ... omg - firstly I must say that Hallelujah IS my favorite song of all time. And KD Lang - well the woman can simply sing. And her version I have loved since she sang it back in 2004. She makes me cry. And last night was no exception. Simply amazing.
I can't help you out with who to root for. I can tell you - CANADA ALL THE WAY... for VERY obvious reasons. Because I know who I'm rooting for. Women's hockey is starting tonight and I can't wait!
I didn't see the full opening ceremony - still nursing the horrible cold taht's laid me out for the better part of 2 weeks now.
ReplyDeleteWhat I did see was pretty awesome. I'm terribly bummed I missed k.d. lang though! She is beyond incredible.
It was all so...Canada. (What a difference when compared to the Olympics in China.) This was individualism all the way - with quite a bit of kindly but determined PC thrown in. The appearance of the whales was amazing (I was relieved that the global warming theme didn't go too far.)
ReplyDeleteI often cry when I hear "O Canada" sung traditionally. (Why oh why did they do it this way?)
K.D. Lang was one of my favorites too. And the "Salute to the Prairie."
My goodness. "blest" is my word verification. :)
Dang! Bec gets "blest" as a WV! Mine is usually something like "turdfail," or "whiner."
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all these comments, I'm kinda wishing I had watched it. I did read a blog post this morning though (a comedy/sarcasm blog), where the guy asked the question...
"If you had a choice between watching the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, or being in a coma for one month, which would you choose?" His answer was that he'd choose the coma...because he knew that at least it would eventually end.
I do like KD Lang's singing, though. Maybe I'll YouTube it...
I watched it and enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteWithout bunches of totalitarian cash to allocate to the opening, the Canadians did a good job. And
I say this from the perspective of one who has done lighting and stage design for real money, in both theater and television in my distant past.
And I thought the musicians were VERY good, even if I didn't know who most all of them were. (Old k.d. has bulked up a bit since I last saw her...)
Lastly, any opening ceremony with fiddle music in it is okay in my book. Remember where those Cajuns came from...
What do you think about this?
Like I mentioned over at Gordon's place, I have lost my passion for the Olympics, where I used to sit glued to every moment of coverage I could get for the Winter Games.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if it's the commercialization, drama, et al. Perhaps it's my inability to sit in front of the boob tube for more than 10 minutes without feeling that I'm wasting precious time.
Andy: The Olympics lost their amateur status way back in the 1920s, maybe even before that. Even when I was a child there was pissing and moaning about the Soviet bloc athlete factories. So this ain't a recent phenomenon. I like the Olympics... one gets to see the best of the best and it's always quite a spectacle. And it's more "amateur" than most sport.
ReplyDeleteKC: You're exercising admirable restraint, M' Lady! (Read that as not being TOO much of a homer, LOL!) But... as I said over at your place: I SO envy you. This is an experience you'll be able to tell your grandchildren about.
Kris: I hope you beat that cold soon. And there are always re-runs and highlights available on the 'net.
Bec: As long as you opened up that particular can o' worms... I thought the First Nations thing was a bit over the top. It wasn't enough to make me turn away but it definitely skirted the line of my tolerance.
Your point about contrasting last evening with Beijing is interesting. I thought the Beijing ceremonies were spectacular and I doubt seriously if anyone will ever equal that display... ever. It was a breathtaking achievement, millions of commie dollars (yuan) or no.
And yes... the music was the highlight(s) of the evening for me.
Andy (II): NBC has lotsa video. Most of it is good, too!
Mr. Webb: re: Your link. I think the article is overly emotional and over the top. That said, there's doubtless some truth therein. The young Georgian's death was certainly a tragedy but I'm not willing to blame the Canadians for that.
BR: MY patience is being tested at the moment... the Canadian women's hockey team just set an Olympic blow-out record by scoring their 17th goal against the hapless Slovakians (it's 17-0 as we speak, with eight minutes to go in the third). There should be a mercy rule. Oops... 18-0. They scored again as I was typing.
Go CANADA go!!!! hehehe... even our own Don Cherry (*I say that without chocking*) bitches that its not a fair competition!! The women's hockey team (Canada) is SUPERIOR!!!
ReplyDeleteWe just want gold. Gonna get it too!
Oh... and grandchildren whoa! That's enough to really make me chock!! Lemme first warm up to the idea of babies!!! ;0) Yes indeed... a once in a lifetime opportunity.
For the record... because I KNOW as I facilitated the contract for DAEP (and no, will not give out details of it either)... the money Canada had for all Opening & Closing Ceremonies - both Olympic and Paralympic - the budget for all 4 was probably less than what China or even the US had for just the one Opening Ceremony. Considering THAT fact... I bow down to DAEP for making it beautiful and awe-inspiring as he did. Boring to some.... FABULOUS to many others. That is Canada, afterall!
I thought it was beautiful and awe-inspiring as well. When I compared it with China above, I meant it as a compliment to the individualism of Canadians. (Hope it was understood as such. I'm one of those who was rather creeped out by the in-sync movements of the Chinese performance. Reminded me of a beehive, but that's just me.) I loved the "Appalachian Spring" feel to the Prairie paean and the feeling of spaciousness.
ReplyDeleteWV snendu, Andy. Followed by doolu :)
We missed the opening ceremonies. Had we been home, I would have been watching. While I was cooking lunch today, Jesse said, "Mom it's your skiing chute!" I was totally confused. Then I realized it was the biathlon, and she had said "ski and shoot" not "skiing chute." I did a little biathlon years ago in NM - we used lazer guns. Toby and I won in our age catagories.
ReplyDeleteKC: Don Cherry makes ya choke? I love that ol' dude.
ReplyDeleteBec: I hear ya about the Chinese synchronization stuff; lotsa folks made the military analogy and I think it fits. Agreed on the Prairie segment... that was my absolute favorite of the show, mostly for highly personal reasons.
Lou: As noted above, NBC has some good highlights on their Olympics site. Well worth your time.
I can see you doing the biathlon. Srsly.
I think Don's collars are too high or too tight... Certainly is a character to say the least.
ReplyDelete