Live at Royal Albert Hall, London, 23. March 2024

[Csar]

Perfectly fitting for my 10th gig.

What a perfect venue for the 10th + a unique poster to commemorate that is just splendid! Just feels like the Olympia show back in 2008.

Great to see you guys had a blast last night! I wonder what kind of sound comes out now of the organ pipes after this gig

Btw, was BoldCaptain spotted somewhere by any chance (asking for a friend?)

Oh, some busy bees have already uploaded some video, too:

Encore (a bit distorted unfortunately)

Goodbye/ Setting Sun/ CB

[Stefan]

What a perfect venue for the 10th + a unique poster to commemorate that is just splendid!

Haha yes, I got one as well, it's the perfect souvenir

[Stefan]

I wonder what kind of sound comes out now of the organ pipes after this gig

Confetti. What will come out of there is Confetti. The GTKO confetti got everywhere.
Btw, one flew into my mouth during the song and I can report that they do not taste great.

[Csar]

Confetti. What will come out of there is Confetti. The GTKO confetti got everywhere.
Btw, one flew into my mouth during the song and I can report that they do not taste great.

As promised, there will be photos...they just need to be developed as you will note in the photo.

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Haha, I just realized you didn't say that just like that, you DID bring an actual film camera!! Is overnight developing still a thing?

[Fine Time]

Yessahh , brothers and sisters in tha house , that house being the Royal Albert Hall last night , what a fantastic show and unique venue , you can see once inside why bands and artists say it's a privilege and honour to perform there.
    Many thanks to rynostar for organising the rendezvous and for expert navigation from the pub to the venue. It was great to meet you all , and i'm glad i found you again after losing each other on entering the arena , how i did that i don't know (maybe too many vodka-redbulls ?, yep , that was probably it) , me and Stefan were reunited in the middle for the Reel towards the end. Those stained glass windows flashing by felt close enough to touch.
    Really glad i went to see that performance , especially as it's their last for a while , the sound was awesome and it was the first time i got the deep-bass feels from a Chems show.
    Here's lookin forward to more concerts from various artists , later this year and beyond.

[Csar]

Dad surprises daughter with a chems show

I love that we get to walk along with them to the gig and also get some pre-show impressions which makes it almost palpable how it must have felt like there experiencing it all.

That's what he writes in the info box

I've seen many many live bands, shows and events over the years.  I worked in the music industry, TV, media, events.  30 years.  Press passes and front of stage with Motörhead, Slayer, Nine Inch Nails (many shows), Sunn O))) at Festival Hall.  100's of raves and gigs, the Astoria, the Underworld.  Amazing gigs with bands like Electric Eel Shock (Japan) in Europe where the places truly kick off. Techno in Berlin.  Metal in Greece.  Underworld in New York after 9/11.  Underworld all-nighters back in the early Brixton Academy nights of 90's.  Raves, The Prodigy, Universe, Vision etc etc etc...Sterns nightclub, Heaven nightclub, Ibiza.  Sporting events.  The list goes on... and on and on... and I have to say...

The Chemical Brothers at The Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust in 2024 was an absolute 10 out of 10 event.  The sound was amazing.  The atmosphere and the crowd and the energy and the vibe.. amazing,,,, but the visuals.  No matter how many people you hear talk about it.  No matter how many YouTube videos or DVDs you watch.  You simply can never capture the true spectacle of seeing it with the human eye, feeling it with goose bumps all over you... a truly spiritual, mesmerising, mind bending night.  Without a single shadow of a doubt.. an absolute 10out of 10 show.

[ILoveCats]

Okay. I've showered. Now for mini review.

Lovely to meet Stefan, Fine Time, and ILoveCats (and partner Roya (sp?)). Always a pleasure to hang with actionjackson and Metta. Always great to connect with fans across the globe and see how we were drawn to the community.

Show hit hard. Sound was amazing. Seeing people dance to the rafters was awe inspiring. Feeling the floor shake was insane. As promised, there will be photos...they just need to be developed as you will note in the photo. Some lucky forum member will be getting #168. Also note the FTBF cassette with everyone's signature (apologies for some of the pen wiping off in my pocket...)

Longer review in a few days.

Thanks again for organizing, and nice meeting everyone  (you did spell Roya's name correctly). Such a wonderful experience for our first show, big shout out to everyone involved in the production! 

[rynostar]

To add to the suspense of what the film photos from the floor (and the eventual review) will look like...I provide these  attached photos from my phone

[graysquire]

Dad surprises daughter with a chems show

I love that we get to walk along with them to the gig and also get some pre-show impressions which makes it almost palpable how it must have felt like there experiencing it all.

That's what he writes in the info box

Very similar experience to me - could replace them with my daughter and I, although rather than listening to them for 3 months in the car she's been subjected to it her whole life!  After trying for many years I finally got her along to the 2023 show in Glasgow - didn't know what to expect, but "much better than I thought they'd be..."  (She's not one for overly excited verdicts so this was a big thing!). When tickets for RAH came out it was that once in a lifetime, too good to miss events, so it wasn't too much of a challenge this time!  (It did cost me - wife and son decided they should also come to London for the weekend, although they went to see Frozen on stage - no comment...)

RAH experience was superb - the atmosphere on the floor was incredible. We were standing at the desk, great spot. My daughter did find the sight of many middle aged men reliving their younger years with some "interesting" moves very amusing!  One in particular - top off, really into it - you'll get the idea from the photo.

Sorry I didn't get to meet up with you all - best laid plans and all that, but hopefully another time. Just glad that I managed to see this one, looks like it might be the last show for a while so will keep the memories until then.

Now to get the print to the picture framer...

[chemdup]

Have to say that was a wonderful show. Shared it with some very special friends, in a very special venue. It's a unique experience to rave during the encore with a glass of champagne! 

Met Kate who signed my poster to make it an extra special memento! 

If that was the last show...it was a special one. 

Gutted I didn't get to the forum meet up but had pre show dinner booked but it looked like everyone turned up and did it! 

[rynostar]

(WARNING: Another long, but meaningful, rynostar review post. Go grab a coffee to enjoy reading this)

The Homecoming
This was special. It was a culmination. A shared experience. And personal.

The above took me a week to reflect on and write this post. It was not just about the set list, but about the venue, location, our community, our muses, and the occasion.

Some may recall I studied and worked in South Kensington a decade past. The Royal Albert Hall always fascinated me. As a teen I heard of The Proms, the multiple recorded performances by different artists, and the "Victorian" history of the venue. As a "poor" student, I was lucky to get tickets in the lower stalls for me and then girlfriend to see Cinematic Orchestra, The Heritage Orchestra playing an Amon Tobin orchestral piece (sans Amon due to visa issues), and a young Dorian Concept play as part of the 20th anniversary of Ninja Tune (hours after experiencing a Sunday Afternoon at Dingwalls session with Gilles Peterson). Having already worked for my hometown symphony, the pipe organ, bubble sound roof reflectors, and intimacy of an otherwise massive venue left me in awe. Last October, I was sitting in the upper level boxes moments prior to Yussef Dawes play a groundbreaking future Afro-Jazz set when you in the forum informed me of Kate Tabor's Wincanton exhibition.

The Lead Up
When the show was announced, I didn't think much of it. I thought this show would be almost impossible to get tickets. I was on medical leave from work due to anxiety and stress. My focus was on my mental health and next steps career wise. In that time, I found out that my contract would not be extended past the end of March due to budget cuts. I was in negotiation with my employer as part of a return to work plan when @chemdup posted the offer for an extra box ticket. Recognizing this was a once in a lifetime show, I Dm'ed him saying I would be interested in taking and came to an agreement with my employer to end the contract a week early. Just a few days later, @gfa2001 posted the link for standing floor tickets. There was no hesitation in buying the ticket, but also the nagging feeling this was too good to be true. I immediately started booking flights and contacting friends in the area. The previous trip to London in October was when the work stress was at its peak. This time I knew the stress would be behind me.

The Meetup
I've participated in multiple other meetups organized by others here on the forum. As mentions of a meetup started, I recognized my knowledge of the area from previously work a short walk from the RAH would be useful. Taking leadership on organizing the meetup was another way I could give back to the brother/sister/siblinghood. With @actionjackson780 and @Metta attending, it was comforting knowing I wouldn't be going in blind to meeting "strangers" in real life. The day before was in reality two days as I worked the last day of my contract, went home, packed my bags, went to the airport, got minimal sleep on the flight (2-ish hours), got to my Airbnb, and forced myself outside hunting for more space invaders for the evening to fight off the jet lag. When finally stopping to eat, @ILoveCats reached out to confirm details for the next evening. It was then the notion that this was really happening started to hit. Jet lag woke me at 4:00am leading me to worry that I would be too tired to bring the true Rynostar self for the meetup and gig. I spent the morning continuing my ongoing photo project hunting Invaders across south London and the early afternoon participating in Pokemon Go Raids. I headed back to the Airbnb around 3:00pm and forced myself to lie down and shut my eyes for 30 minutes in a hopeless attempt to recover energy. As I headed out the door to the meetup, the messages started pouring in about who we were looking for or that people were on their way. Upon arrival. I was quick to find ILoveCats and Roya where we were quick to introduce ourselves and start with the usual nervous yet excited testimonies of our introductions to Tom and Ed's music. It was exciting to learn that they came from Tennessee tonight for their first live Chemical Brothers experience and see the fresh anticipation in their eyes (that would later turn to glint). Ten (10) minutes into the conversation, @Stefan arrived hesitantly confirming if we were the correct table (but all good). He and I quickly connected the dots that it was both our tenth (10th) show seeing Tom and Ed providing another meet cute for the night. I soon stepped away for a moment for the loo and to order from the bar. While ordering and confirming with the servers our additional details, actionjackson780 and metta arrived. I stopped my sentence midway with the server to do big pogo jump hugs with both as we've had a special connection since discovering five years back that at the time we lived 15 minutes away from each other in Canada. Upon my return to the table, another unknown face to the table which turned out to be @FineTime. It was lovely to hear his story of living in the midlands and having followed them since the mid '90s. Over the next hour we waxed lyrical about our journeys to get here, our shared loves of everything chemical, our regular lives, and what we hoped for the night. I had two secret projects for the night which I started at the meetup. One was to have everyone at the meetup sign my cassette tape of FTBF as a keepsake. The other was to capture the night via disposable film camera to hopefully capture a different side of the night (as noted by Csar). As 7:30 approached, I led our siblinghood towards the Royal Albert Hall and we continued to discuss everything related to the night.

The Royal Albert Hall
After the cold twenty (20) minute stroll, we arrived at the North Side of the Royal Albert Hall, took last minute group photos, and headed to our respective doors as we were all located in different sections depending on tickets. Stefan, FineTime, and I made our way into the venue and are informed we need to hand in our tickets but that we can pick them up from door six (6) after the show. We next went on the hunt for the cherished poster prints which took us a full lap around the venue to snag our hands on. I had the forward thinking to bring a small bag to store the prints and store in the cloak room for the duration of the show. Finding the cloak room was another ordeal as the advertised location at door three (3) was closed with the staff turning us back around to where we originally started for the merch table (but downstairs). In that time we lost FineTime as he was spent time chatting with many charity volunteer, RAH staff, or random patron we encountered (and in an enviable warm welcoming manner). We must have circled the entire outer ring of the venue five (5) times upon the first ten (10) minutes of arriving at the venue. Once we stored everything in the cloak room, Stefan and I did another lap around to find FineTime but came to the conclusion we would have to keep an eye out for him on the floor.

Getting to the floor section means going down a long set of stairs on the outer sections of the hall passing side bars and restaurants I never realized were there before entering a dark set of doors and proceeding up a steep set of stairs. Reaching the top step, we find ourselves in the middle of the now strobe light filled hall that was half filled with James Holyrod Djing to stage left. We plant ourselves closer than expected approximately ten (5) feet from the front barrier. I marvel at being smack dab in the middle of a venue that has meant a great deal to me. Looking upward to the reverb spheres in the roof leaves me in awe having only seen them from higher side views at past shows. The steepness of the upper seating sections is more apparent from the floor making it appear that one wrong move means a quick potentially deadly fall many feet to the seats below. With my extra six inches in height compared to Stefan, I quickly find IloveCats and Roya to our right (with ILoveCats already dancing in the aisle) and ActionJackson780 and metta directly back from us. Me and Stefan confirm to each other that we are both "go all out" dancers while listening to James Holyrod. There are a few breaks for speeches and videos for Teenage Cancer Trust explaining the main goals for the night. One of our fellow patrons informs us that performances have been happening all week (The Who, Pulp) and that shows start immediately at 9:00pm (not the 8:40pm as advertised in the hall).

The Gig
- Slow Go start right into hard Do It Again
- Seeing Mark in Get Yourself High Oni-Devil costume hits hard having met Kate Tabor and seen the original in Wincanton recently.
- Big cheers for No Reason
- Loudest "Here We Go!" HBHG crowd chant I've ever heard.
- Stefan now joins as the third member of the synchronized brotherhood dance team. Slightly separated from me a few people behind for most of the show. Always fills my soul to know I'm not the only one who goes lock step in dance to every note and rhythm of Tom and Ed's sets.
- Feel Like I'm Dreaming has been my favourite off the new album. The psychidellic Kabuki visual mix sends me to another plane every time live. This was the only time the sound was slightly off during the gig with the bass drum kick not fully getting through the high synth lines. However, the fade out lasting slightly longer than previous shows left me with an afterglow leaving me wanting more
- Swoon brings back memories of hearing the Fabric 2009 video where we speculated on the track and finally established it's name via the "Remember to fall in love" tweet from Ed.
- New Star Guitar hitting with the unexpected feels. The build doesn't translate when watching YT videos. It feels natural as it sweeps into the old reliable.
- Not been fan of Live Again on album, but live hits hard with its squeals.
- Me screaming "The Eve of Aurora" every time she appears.
- Us leading small group of synchronized GTKO claps on the floor.
- Wide Open having new meaning again. Family and my new career path.
- Golden Path continues my reflection of the new path from Wide Open with the realization that "I should face it, and move on".
- Get Up On It is always me getting low and hard. Been my favourite live track since 2019.
- Previously was tired of Saturate in sets. Having it back after a tour off was nourishing especially as it was short.
- Goodbye drums mixed with haunting vox was ethereal. I kept looking to the roof feeling like I was floating in blue space.
- George and Mildred in Chemical Beats with new colours was a welcome treat. Could see them the entire night as there was no cover for them. and of course "Fucking Animals on Amyl House!"
- Galvanize is another track that I usually tire of, but the crowd energy left me wanting more of it.
- BRB kept the crowd energy. The energy switched to where the previously hard floor was clearly in lethargic mode and the seated crowd was now banging in entire venue.
- No Geography very welcome return from 2019. The crowd had separated a bit with me and Stefan finally connecting again.
- Darkness You Fear was where it became clear that the primary generation of the audience was those who were of younger age of the dancers in the video but now in their middle years at the gig. We still all wanted to go hard.

The Reel
A beautiful 6-7 minute blur. The most emotional I've ever felt for the track. FineTime reuniting Stefan again (he clearly didn't recognize I was on the other side of Stefan). Us jumping in armed unison during the first drop. Having a few moments by myself to go hard. The thought of the imagery of Christian stained glass windows in a venue where the monarch who laid the groundwork (and first foundational stone) as a tribute to her great love (Prince Albert) and as a venue to showcase the art of the empire. The long holding synths in the break with Mick Jagger screaming what's my name with the devil imagery leading to the reflection that we are celebrating in the heart of a place built on colonialism. The track built on opening pads and eventual organ sounds mimicking said pipe organ directly behind the screen, the sitar sounds taken from India, drums associated (maybe sampled) from Tomorrow Never Knows, Screeching guitars from the Stones Sympathy From The Devil with Mick matching squeals like we are suffering in Hell for our Dionysian celebrations as the organ sounds now coming to a crescendo, the release into a glorious spiritual ecstasy. They end with the Octave Cat break our electronic spiritual journey down to singular squeals. As is tradition, I hold my hands in a prayer manner while screaming "Thank You Old Friends" as they wave goodbyes to the home crowd with Love Is All flickering behind and Terry Reily's A Rainbow In Curved Air signalling the strike crew to do their thing. I hope this is the Reel that stays with me forever.

The Glint

Throughout the gig, it was apparent that Tom and Ed were in their element as it really was a hometown show surrounded by friends. For us as fans it was a celebration of their entire career. None of us know if this will be the last show, the last time we will see each other, or what the future has in store for us. Being in the exact centre of the Royal Albert Hall with all its history and my history of the building was an joyous summation of my experiences.

We find loos and then the looooonnnngggg line taking us almost back into the main hall for the cloak room. Somehow see Simon Pegg in one of the bars where a private party is now happening. We discuss the highs of everything in the show. We backtrack to door 6 and manage to pickup "our" tickets again. With it cold, we say our goodbyes with FineTime as he is heading the other direction than me and Stefan. ActionJackson780 and Metta had already left for their hotel. We were surprised to find still ILoveCats and Roya at the spot we designated as post show meetup with it being a long time since the show ended. The energy off them was intense with excitement from seeing their first Chemical Brothers experience. We hugged and decided to see if we could get one last drink at the not so great pub closer to High Street Kensington station. Managed to get in with 10 minutes and share our accounts. Each one of us had that glint in our eye as we picked out highlights from the show. We try to finish our drinks but are kicked out by the bar staff. We all go our separate ways for the night after this. I make it back to my Airbnb with ringing in my ears, an aching body, and a smile on my face.

Coda
The rest of the trip was a continuation of friends, projects, and jet lag. Seeing my friends play a hardcore show in New Cross added a musical (black) cherry to the Chemical experience the night before. The photos are coming, but will take another 3-4 days before being fully processed. Actionjackson780 said he wasn't able to grab a poster print meaning I will be gifting him the extra. Overall, the experience was surreal and felt too quick. It made me reaffirm that meeting all of you IRL is as exciting as seeing Tom and Ed live.

PS...While eating breakfast the morning before the gig, I was sent new photos by my friend of Wincanton since the exhibit in October. Let's just say their might be new Kate Tabor designs.

[whirlygirl]

These reviews!!! They make my eyes go soft reading through them and give me the warm fuzzies... and @rynostar oh my goodness, your review hit sooo many feels!!! And it is such a beautiful read - how incredible to see and feel this show, have had these incredible moments, and to be among the forumites and the community at large (and in such an amazing venue)! Thank you so much for sharing your experience ❤️ I hope it has you afterglowing for a good long time!!

[gfa2001]

Sad I couldn't make it in the end but glad to have helped you get a ticket @rynostar - sounds like you had a fab time!  

[Csar]

I can only second Whirly. Thank you for your vivid review @rynostar and all you guys ! Sounds like this has been a home run for T&E, reflected in that grandiose atmosphere and joy among the crowd. It's always a special moment when you're surrounded by like-minded peeps who are there for the same thing and you get to share it with each other.

I'm so happy for you all who were lucky to see them at a special venue as that. @gfa2001 bummer you coulnd't make it but kudos for making another brother happy!!
I can't wait to see  some more pics, the ones already posted by you and @ILoveCats are fantastic! The ceiling just looks so cool with its sound reflecting plates (I would have probably taken the same shots ).

"much better than I thought they'd be..." (She's not one for overly excited verdicts so this was a big thing!)

What was her verdict for this one?

RAH experience was superb - the atmosphere on the floor was incredible. We were standing at the desk, great spot. My daughter did find the sight of many middle aged men reliving their younger years with some "interesting" moves very amusing!

Haha. I wonder what kind of dance moves are considered "modern" these days

[rynostar]

I got the digital versions of the photos back. They came out as bad and as great as I expected. I still am waiting for the physical prints. Below are the good prints. I've uploaded all the digital versions (including the bad ones) to my imgur link. Anyone have a good photo software to brighten contrast? I recognize not much can be done, but it's worth trying.
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[Csar]

Cool pics for what was in it with a cam like that under those light conditions!

Anyone have a good photo software to brighten contrast? I recognize not much can be done, but it's worth trying.

I played around in my nikon nx-d to adjust white balance and some other things:
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[Stefan]

Those are really great pictures!
Even with modern smartphones, which can handle dark and high dynamic range scenes quite well due to their software shenanigans, taking pictures during a show is a lot of hit-and-miss.

[gfa2001]

Discounted merch left, t shirts £12 and hoodies like £30 ish

40% off code = SUMMER

https://shop.teenagecancertrust.org/products/chemical-brothers-event-t-shirt

https://shop.teenagecancertrust.org/products/chemical-brothers-event-hoodie

https://shop.teenagecancertrust.org/products/line-up-event-t-shirt-2024

[sneakerbeater]

Nice! Hadn't appreciated what a bargain these were till I read your post.  Not bought a chemical brothers since my 1997 freestyle dust embroidered hoodie which still sees occasional action to this day!

I was unaware when I was at Royal Albert hall that the tshirts and hoodies were specials. Apart from the teenage cancer trust logo inside you would not know. I wish they had actually gone and made a full on design special for the show! Not that I'm complaining we got the Kate Gibb print for the show which is pretty special.