Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Jamie's Picnic

Arrow Jazz in the Park
Zuiderpark, Den Haag, 23 July 2006



Last week I got a nice surprise when I checked my mailbox, I had won two tickets for Jamie Cullum concert in Den Haag! So that was my second concert visit this month after Sting in Bospop.

So, there we were, me and my wife, went to Den Haag on a hot Sunday morning. We managed to make appointment with some friends for lunch in Den Haag. After a nice dim sum, we spent some times in the shopping quarter of Den Haag to find some gifts for our trip home next month. Only after 4 in the afternoon we took the tram to the Zuiderpark where the concert would be held.

Zuiderpark is located in the south part of the city (as the name indicates that, 'South Park'), a big green park that really perfect for a picnic with nice jazz music. When we arrived there the Arrow Jazz event itself already more than half way because it had started since 2 in the afternoon. We skipped those parts since we did not familiar with the performers (no offence for jazz lovers :)).
After collecting our tickets at the guest list counter, we queued for the picnic box, and then we were completely ready for the picnic.

The stage was located on a square where already pretty full of people who were enjoying the sun. On the other hand we preferred to stay under the tree shades, so we chose to sit on a further side of the park on a nice grass, reading novels (what a picnic!). We could not see the stage because it was blocked by a tree, but still we could enjoy the music. At that time a band called New Cool Collective was performing some nice dynamic tunes with rich percussions and brass sounds.

About half past six we got up from the grass and took a nice spot at the far side of the square. It was still under the shades and there were line of bushes in front of us, protecting people stood directly in front of us so we had a clear view to the stage.
Some times after seven, Jamie Cullum entered the stage with his band. He directly sat behind his grand piano and played Photograph, a song from Catching Tales, his newest album. He was accompanied with his permanent musicians: Geoff Gascoyne (bass), Sebastiaan de Krom (drums) and two new musicians: Rory Simmons (trumpet, guitar) and Tom Richards (sax, keyboards, and percussion).

They performed nice songs from Jamie's two albums, including the hits Get Your Way, Mind Trick, and of course Everlasting Love. Besides that, Jamie was very attractive on stage. He chatted with the audience, jumped tirelessly..on the stage and from the grand piano, played drums during Frontin' - while Sebastiaan sang the song, played guitar in London Skies, led the audience for a choir, and splashed water to the audience - and of course received some back - during Singing in the Rain. In my opinion he was a good entertainer.

After a nice High and Dry and watery Singing in the Rain, the band disappeared to the backstage, then back and performed All at Sea, the classic I Get a Kick Out of You, and finally Jamie asked the audience to jump endlessly during I Could Have Danced All Night until the show was ended and they bowed goodbye to us.

I enjoyed mostly the jazzy tunes and some calm songs such as What a Difference a Day Made (with bit of Oasis' Champaign Supernova in the beginning) and All at Sea. Nevertheless it was also interesting to watch Jamie tapped his hands on the piano and performed medley of hip-hop songs. In general it was a very nice picnic, relaxing atmosphere, and good performance.

The show was ended around half past nine, so more than two hours of nice music. We went back by the tram, thanks for the extra tram provided by organizer so we didn't need to wait too long.

Set list (may contain some mistakes here and there, I do not know all Jamie's songs):
- Photograph
- Get Your Way
- What a Difference a Day Made
- These are the Days
- Mind Trick
- Next Year Baby
- Don't Cha/I Got a Woman/Golddigger/One Thing - Frontin'
- Lover, You Should Have Come Over
- London Skies
- Everlasting Love
- Seven Nation Army
- High and Dry
- Singing in the Rain
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- All at Sea
- I Get a Kick Out of You
- I Could Have Danced All Night

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