2014 Globe Theatre Show: "London Rocks!"
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I'm on the fence on this one, if they do base it on the actual British Invasion, then I will be pretty excited. However, even if they do base it on the actual British Invasion, and play actual Beatles' songs in it (and other British Invasion songs too) at the end of the show it always comes down to the way it's produced. Look at Entwined v3 it has an amazing set, and amazing songs, but when you watch the show itself it feels like you're watching a Circus, that's trying to be based on Fairy Tales. So at the end of the day it ALWAYS comes down to the way it's produced. It could have the absolute best British Invasion songs played in it, but if it's produced like a train wreck then I still won't like it. And if it ends up having One Direction, and Black eyed pees music, I won't care if it's the best darn show produced in the park's history I still won't like it. And God Forbid that it has One Direction, and Black Eyed Pees songs, and it's produced like a train wreck then I will riot, and protest like BGW has never seen before!
Follow up question: Am I the only one who has a problem with the massive, blaring thematic and atmospheric clash that a straight "British Invasion"-themed show presents in what has always been a very strictly pre-industrial European themed hamlet like Banbury Cross?
I'm just trying to figure out how "mainstream" my current thoughts on the show are.
I'm just trying to figure out how "mainstream" my current thoughts on the show are.
^^^ Very true! But The park is not focusing on staying on theme anymore, which saddens me very much. Isn't it sad that, ^^that problem wasn't the first thing that popped into our minds? In 2010, or 2011 that would've been one of the first 3 posts in this thread, but it seems like we've almost gotten used to it by now. 
JuniorBGWfan28 said:In 2010, or 2011 that would've been one of the first 3 posts in this thread, but it seems like we've almost gotten used to it by now.
This is my fear.
No, I think themeing is still a big concern, which is why 99% of the people here hated KK. I do think that the show will not match the theme, but if it's indoors and they don't try to theme England to the show, it won't be as bad.
If you want theming, just wait until Union Jax bursts out into the streets!!
Yeah baby!!
Yeah baby!!
After 20 years of 4-D movies, it will be great to have a "LIVE" show back in the Globe Theater. I am excited. I miss Ghosts of the Globe, magic/ice/circus/patriotic live shows from the past.
Look, I know this is an unpopular view here, but as long as it is themed "England," I think that is what matters. I challenge you to find anywhere in Europe that is naturally a single architectural era. Unless it has been redone for the benefit of tourists, England has always been a hodgepodge of eras, since at least the Roman conquest. People have always built on and next to what is already there. I suppose parts of London after the Great Fire may be an exception.
Unless you are going to put Shakespearean (or other Elizabethan) theater in the Globe, I'm not sure how you can have a "period" show, regardless. I'm not saying that would necessarily be a bad thing, but I kinda doubt it would draw the kinds of crowds they need.
I can feel the hate already...
Unless you are going to put Shakespearean (or other Elizabethan) theater in the Globe, I'm not sure how you can have a "period" show, regardless. I'm not saying that would necessarily be a bad thing, but I kinda doubt it would draw the kinds of crowds they need.
I can feel the hate already...
Yes, the park should be allowed some flexibility regarding theme. I think that a contemporary rock show is stretching it too much though. That and everybody's (I am at least) is terrified at the park's show direction after KK.
I think they can do a 20th century rock show without attempting to appeal to the lowest common denominator, which what KK sounds like. Some of the logic may have been this (please understand I am not trying to excuse it; in my mind bad is bad): many people prefer music with which they are familiar. Using Top 40 crap may be an attempt to draw in people who don't like new and/or unfamiliar music. As for the staging, I never saw the show, so I have no way to comment.
Nic said:
HOW DARE YOU SPEAK SUCH BLASPHEMY HERE! SPOUTING SUCH ATROCITIES! SHE'S A WITCH I TELL YOU! A WITCH! THE DEVIL HAS HER! BE OUT DEVIL! I'm counting on you guys to help me here!
Cody said:
Does that mean I weigh the same as a duck? I'll take that!
Nic said:
There are videos of it in YouTube so you can watch KK (at your own risk). I 100% agree, the fact that the park is no longer willing to push the artistic envelope and will do something only to pander to people is a very bad sign. If KK didn't happen, I wouldn't be as worried for this show.
Zachary said:
I am VERY with you. Especially after KK, the lines for Disney girl (VERY troubling that the park may see that mess as successful) and that music from the DJ on Pass Member night.
I would note, however, that this is not the first time "modern" music has been in shows here. American Jukebox, Stage Struck, Hats Off to Hollywood, Totally Television, Rockin' the Boat, and that Country thing that replaced Jukebox all had some kind of "newer" music. Jukebox went from Jack Haley to Beyoncé. Not to mention the venue (Palladium) & show were so out of place in New France. But, it's benches (now at Mix It Up) were always full. The biggest response was usually to "Le Freak", "Only In America" and "YMCA".
I'd say I'd also agree with HOW it was produced as a big factor. (But cringe at more Black Eyes Peas.)
A Query: To everyone saying "classic" or Beatles but not Spice Girls, up to what year would be okay with you?
In my case it is more genre-based than year-based. And I openly admit that it might not make a lot of sense thematically to include all of these, but would I WANT to hear?
- Classic British Invasion from the 60s
- Punk from the 70s
- New Wave from the 80s
- Maybe some Manchester from the 90s
- Classic British Invasion from the 60s
- Punk from the 70s
- New Wave from the 80s
- Maybe some Manchester from the 90s
I'm sorry to call out your post Pretzel, but I only do so because I know we can't hate each other.
"[...] it won't be as bad."
It's comments like this that absolutely terrify me. I've been here for four years and since joining, I've seen a dramatic shift in the general community's opinions on what constitutes a thematically appropriate and all-around acceptable show product at Busch Gardens. In a lot of ways, I feel the park has slowly whittled down our requirements for what we see as a "good show" by simply overstepping every line in the sand we've ever drawn. Believe it or not, there was a time when Celtic Fyre crossed one of those lines for this community. When Celtic Fyre debuted, there was a massive discussion about whether or not it was fitting in Killarney- a hamlet that had always been very deeply rooted in celtic magic and folklore. Back then, the general community balked at just the thought that a mystical show like Emerald Beat had been replaced by a wedding reception at an Irish pub set in, presumably, the 1800s. We look back on that now and think those lines in the sand were drawn by radicals but in all honesty, they weren't- those lines were drawn by people who have since lost all hope and left. Even just the idea that we're drawing the line at whether or not London Rocks! has the Spice Girls makes me sick to my stomach. Have our standards truly been eroded that much?
Look, when I first saw Entwined this year, I was mortified. I had never seen anything so awful. What horrified me even more was to listen all the praise roll in from everyone (not just people on the park's Facebook page) about how it's such a dramatic improvement, how it's a great show now, etc. Have any of you ever thought about what would have happened if this year's version of Entwined debuted last year? If everyone hadn't seen 2012's trainwreck that left us all grasping for anything that even slightly resembled a good show, what would people's opinions on Entwined v. 3 looked like? Personally, I hypothesize that they would be far more abysmal if the cushioning hadn't been provided by version 1. Why? All of the thematic and atmospheric gripes that were presented in the months after Entwined's original debut were all even more prevalent when version 3 debuted. Unfortunately, we all (yes, myself included to a certain extent) seemed far too willing to sweep our prior criticism under the rug because this year's show "isn't that bad." The new version is "good enough to pass" so instead of taking the time to criticize it, we'll pick something more ghastly to beat to death this year (oh, hello Killarney Kommotion). Are we to the point where as long as London Rocks! is simply a step or two above Killarney Kommotion and Entwined we'll just grin and bear it? I truly hope we're not quite that complacent just yet, but I fear we're already well down that road.
Anyway, I encourage you all to try to look at the show products that have debuted over the last 2 or 3 years through the eyes of someone who hasn't visited the park since 2007 or 2008. Don't focus on production quality or visual appeal, look at the themes, the stories, and, most importantly, the overall feel and tone of the shows. Look past the great performers and try to see the skeleton of these productions. The writing has been on the wall for years- we've just done a crappy job of reading it.
Lastly, I leave you with this: Scott Gasparich isn't the true enemy here. Our biggest foe is our inclination towards complacency and willingness to settle for mediocrity.
Pretzel Kaiser said:
"[...] it won't be as bad."
It's comments like this that absolutely terrify me. I've been here for four years and since joining, I've seen a dramatic shift in the general community's opinions on what constitutes a thematically appropriate and all-around acceptable show product at Busch Gardens. In a lot of ways, I feel the park has slowly whittled down our requirements for what we see as a "good show" by simply overstepping every line in the sand we've ever drawn. Believe it or not, there was a time when Celtic Fyre crossed one of those lines for this community. When Celtic Fyre debuted, there was a massive discussion about whether or not it was fitting in Killarney- a hamlet that had always been very deeply rooted in celtic magic and folklore. Back then, the general community balked at just the thought that a mystical show like Emerald Beat had been replaced by a wedding reception at an Irish pub set in, presumably, the 1800s. We look back on that now and think those lines in the sand were drawn by radicals but in all honesty, they weren't- those lines were drawn by people who have since lost all hope and left. Even just the idea that we're drawing the line at whether or not London Rocks! has the Spice Girls makes me sick to my stomach. Have our standards truly been eroded that much?
Look, when I first saw Entwined this year, I was mortified. I had never seen anything so awful. What horrified me even more was to listen all the praise roll in from everyone (not just people on the park's Facebook page) about how it's such a dramatic improvement, how it's a great show now, etc. Have any of you ever thought about what would have happened if this year's version of Entwined debuted last year? If everyone hadn't seen 2012's trainwreck that left us all grasping for anything that even slightly resembled a good show, what would people's opinions on Entwined v. 3 looked like? Personally, I hypothesize that they would be far more abysmal if the cushioning hadn't been provided by version 1. Why? All of the thematic and atmospheric gripes that were presented in the months after Entwined's original debut were all even more prevalent when version 3 debuted. Unfortunately, we all (yes, myself included to a certain extent) seemed far too willing to sweep our prior criticism under the rug because this year's show "isn't that bad." The new version is "good enough to pass" so instead of taking the time to criticize it, we'll pick something more ghastly to beat to death this year (oh, hello Killarney Kommotion). Are we to the point where as long as London Rocks! is simply a step or two above Killarney Kommotion and Entwined we'll just grin and bear it? I truly hope we're not quite that complacent just yet, but I fear we're already well down that road.
Anyway, I encourage you all to try to look at the show products that have debuted over the last 2 or 3 years through the eyes of someone who hasn't visited the park since 2007 or 2008. Don't focus on production quality or visual appeal, look at the themes, the stories, and, most importantly, the overall feel and tone of the shows. Look past the great performers and try to see the skeleton of these productions. The writing has been on the wall for years- we've just done a crappy job of reading it.
Lastly, I leave you with this: Scott Gasparich isn't the true enemy here. Our biggest foe is our inclination towards complacency and willingness to settle for mediocrity.
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