# Okay someone has to, Olympics time



## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Who loved it and who hated the opening and why. I will say that I was somewhat pleasently surprised about the whole thing and thought we did a pretty good job of it.ship


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Question...did anyone _actually_ sing? I could be wrong of course but I honestly didn't think so...


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

K.D. Lang appeared to actually be singing "Hallelujah" and I thought was the highlight of all the performers. Now Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado on the other hand...ouch. And who wrote that song? Painful...


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## gearalley (Oct 23, 2009)

Sara McLaughlin, that girl who sang the opening theme song, and Nelly/Bryan Adams were synching for sure. At one point they both missed their queues! Shameless. KD Lang stole the whole show - best I've ever heard her sing. I did think Gretzky was in trouble for a bit there in the back of that truck - the mob was closing in on him. Did he not look like he wanted to be somewhere else the whole time?


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## Big White Tele (Feb 10, 2007)

What was the deal with the National anthem? When did we change it???


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Ship of fools said:


> Who loved it and who hated the opening and why. I will say that I was somewhat pleasently surprised about the whole thing and thought we did a pretty good job of it.ship


Oh wait! Has that started already?


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I was impressed with most of it. There were some cheezy moments, but the whole thing was pretty darned amazing. Lighting and stage effects were the best I've ever seen.

Loved the whales!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

We were in a pub watching a band at the same time so the sound was off.

The visual effects were pretty spectacular. If you're like me, you spent a lot of time going "How do they DO that?".


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*my $.02*

Visual effects were awesome. Loved the whales, Liked the part with the indigenous nations welcoming everyone, dancers, etc. That was all put together nicely. 

I would have prefered a more traditional national anthem, rather than an americanized/tarted up version That young singer from Montreal is great though, so good for her for landing the gig and doing a great job of what they gave her.
Bryan and Nelly Furtada were 'ahh... so so'. Whatever, very forgetable. 

K.D. Lang seems to have actually sung (vs. lip sync) although I understand the logistical nightmare real vocals would be in a place like that under the time constraints. She did a killer job.

Rick Hansen bringing the flame in was a nice touch. Glad to see Gretsky do the final lighting. I like the guy.

Although, I was kind of waiting for something biigger, like a hologram or CGI of Terry Fox lighting the olympic flame, or carrying the torchh the last part of the way... or something like that. I'm glad to see his mom there. He's a superhero.

All told, I'm pretty stoked about the olympics, but the opening ceremony wasn't something that I'll remember forever. Now on to the games...

g.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Honestly, these are the 1st opening ceremonies I've even watched from start to finish. I disagree with the people who didn't like the arrangement of our anthem, it was really very good - as was the singer. I agree that k.d. stole the show, she was utterly fantastic! A lot of the effects were quite stunning as well, but I don't get out much, so take that with a grain of salt...
I think that as a way of welcoming the world to a games and showcasing what it means to be Canadian (which is a very hard thing to do), the Vancouver Olympic committee did a truly excellent job. The inclusion of aboriginal culture as a main focus and the attempt at French (bee en ven oo??) was nice.

The only thing I was sad to see was the mechanical malfunction at the torch lighting and the serious lack of security for Gretzky and the Gov. General.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

I agree that kd Lang stole the show musically. That was a terrific performance. I rewatched it this morning so my 5 year old daughter could see what the fuss was about with the torches that we saw a couple of days ago. She insisted that kd was a man. it was a pretty amusing discussion trying to convince her otherwise.

regarding the Anthem, she was very talented, but the arrangement didn't work for a couple of reasons: 1) international audience, so this is the time to present the traditional arrangement, and 2) energetic event, now is the time for a rousing rendition. I would lay that at the singer's feet though, i doubt she had much to do with the arrangement.

yeah, Brian and Nelly... yeesh. Brian didn't even show up for the rehearsal.

a shame that the 4th torch didn't come up, but oh well maybe that'll take some of the headlines way from the d-bag protesters later that night.

I thought the outdoor truck ride (Gretzky has stolen the torch, and he's making his escape in a low white pick-up) was a very anticlimactic way to end things.


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## Rumble_b (Feb 14, 2006)

I thought overall it was very good. The visual stuff was amazing. I wasn't to impressed with the version of Oh Canada but the girl who sang it was very good. I think K.D. Lang made up for all the bad performances. I but I wasn't surprised, she is always excellent.


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

mhammer said:


> We were in a pub watching a band at the same time so the sound was off.
> 
> The visual effects were pretty spectacular. If you're like me, you spent a lot of time going "How do they DO that?".


Same here! Visually stunning (some of it anyway). The whole thing was, of course, overshadowed by the death of the young, Georgian luger. I am very sorry that I watched the video of that on TSN. The sound of him hitting that steel beam will not leave me for a long time I'm afraid.


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

I dont watch the Olympics, because I think it way too much about the casholas. If I want to see real athletes I'll watch the real Olympics, the Special Olympics. It doesnt cost tax payers $6B and no one ever cheats, no one ever dies because someone wants to boost tv ratings. Sorry thats my rant, Special Olympics or no Olympics for me............


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

*I agree*

Special olympics are great and every one including LD Lang was lip synced that place is a night mare for music and concerts and its just about impossible to control the dirrection.Ship............I was hoping to volunteer for it but they said sorry.


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2010)

Watching Ashley MacIsaac and all those fiddlers/dancers








was pretty cool too.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I wanted some classic rock. BTO would have been cool doing Blue Collar, Taking Care Of Business, or better yet, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.

Rush would have made my day.

It is completely beyond me why they would program the national anthem in a vocal style that others can't sing along with. I love the girl's voice, but the pseudo-r'n'b-lounge vocal stylings of one singer trying to out-do the next is irritating enough at hockey games. Setting it against an over-orchestrated accompaniment was pretty out there.

The opera singer's vibrato was so wide her intended pitch was indecipherable. I suspect this is a big reason that folks dislike opera to start with.

I am decidedly NOT a KD fan (unless it means Kraft Dinner), but she was fantastic. Great song too.

Nelly and Brian looked good, but I don't dig the styles, except for that dress.

The First Nations stuff was fantastic, and so appropriate. We sometimes go to Pow-Wows that make us feel the same way...a direct line to our past and a wake-up call to the present.

Young people aren't supposed to die at the Olympics. We send them to war for that. At least there was an acknowledgment of the young man's sacrifice. Pray there is no more.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

gearalley said:


> I did think Gretzky was in trouble for a bit there in the back of that truck - the mob was closing in on him. Did he not look like he wanted to be somewhere else the whole time?


He ALWAYS looks like that, unless he's hoisting the Stanley Cup. He was programmed that way. There's an outside chance he doesn't _"look like he wanted to be somewhere else"_ with his wife...who wouldn't, she's a doll!

Peace, Mooh.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

mrmatt1972 said:


> The only thing I was sad to see was the mechanical malfunction at the torch lighting and the serious lack of security for Gretzky and the Gov. General.


Agreed, but it's nice that they didn't ultimately need the security. How Canadian.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

Mooh said:


> I wanted some classic rock. BTO would have been cool doing Blue Collar, Taking Care Of Business, or better yet, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.
> 
> Rush would have made my day.
> 
> ...


Hey Mooh, why are you surprised? The event was choreographed by a government selected contractor!

You can have all the talent in the country available but if it's managed by the government you shouldn't be surprised you get a rinky-dink show!

I'm just grateful they didn't wrap it all up around the theme song from "Little Mosque on the Prairie" or, going WAY back, "The Trouble with Tracy".

Or maybe things were organized by the same managers that picked the sound crew for one of the last international rock concerts up north of Toronto, where we had video feeds from America, Britain, Australia, Canada and such. Can't remember what was the charity but I've never forgotten how the sound from Toronto was such an awful mix! I was embarrassed to be Canadian listening to the difference between our feed and that from other countries. You being a sound man probably remember the event better than I.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Wild Bill said:


> Hey Mooh, why are you surprised? The event was choreographed by a government selected contractor!
> 
> You can have all the talent in the country available but if it's managed by the government you shouldn't be surprised you get a rinky-dink show!
> 
> ...


What were you reading Bill? I didn't say I was surprised, just that it was "beyond me". In fact I surely was/am not surprised, this stuff is what I've come to expect. And, I don't call myself a soundman, though I've done sound a few times. Instead, I make my meagre way as a musician of the teaching/performing variety.

Nonetheless, your point is otherwsie well taken.

Peace, Mooh.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

> Mooh: the pseudo-r'n'b-lounge vocal stylings


that's a good way to describe it. I call it "American Idolizing" the song. How to pretend you have a bit of soul. I agree with the comments above. Oh Canada should have been sung straight up, with the crowd perhaps.

KD Lang, man she is awesome. 

Who was the poet guy from the NWT? I didn't know what to expect, but I thought he was great!


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

*Well our first medal*

And what was it some idiot said to her, you lost the gold and she calmly replied no I won the Silver for myself and Canada, way to go Jenn I know I wasn't disappointed.Ship...............thats what I call a very winning and gracious attitude


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

:smilie_flagge17:

you bet, she won Silver, she didn't 'lose' Gold. As the announcer said last night, the girl that won had the best run of her life. That happens.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

dwagar said:


> Who was the poet guy from the NWT? I didn't know what to expect, but I thought he was great!


+1

I liked his style and some of the things he said were quite memorable and appropriate.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

laristotle said:


> Watching Ashley MacIsaac and all those fiddlers/dancers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I just looked at the that. My friends daughter Sierra Noble is the fiddler with red dress and feathers in her hair


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

the toronto star was free yesterday so i got me a copy at the grocery store. i read an article in there of some writer's opinion of the opening ceremony. he picked everything apart and basically trashed the entire thing. the guy's name was richard ouzunian. one of the things that stood out for me was his description of the totem poles. he called them "uncomfortably phallic" 
i didn't see the show, but i did see a pic of the totems. i think someone should tell that guy that sometimes, 
_a cigar is just a cigar_. know what i mean vern? i can't imagine it was as bad as he claims. it just came off as if he was one of those guys who thinks he is sooo discerning he finds fault with nearly everything. the kind who, if you told him you enjoyed it would give an exasperated sigh and and think "ugh!!! what a commoner" i didn't see it, and i don't think it was perfect, but i can't imagine it being as bad as he seems to think it was.


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

Mooh said:


> What were you reading Bill? I didn't say I was surprised, just that it was "beyond me". In fact I surely was/am not surprised, this stuff is what I've come to expect. And, I don't call myself a soundman, though I've done sound a few times. Instead, I make my meagre way as a musician of the teaching/performing variety.
> 
> Nonetheless, your point is otherwsie well taken.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


I keep forgetting, Mooh! Drink coffee first, THEN type!

Sorry, I assumed you were a sound man 'cuz you always sound like you know what you're doing with it! You always made sense to me!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

The "arrangement" of our national anthem was bloody awful.

I know I'm not the only one who would prefer that anthems be treated with a little more dignity. Even my Japanese bosses asked why they would do such a thing.


That, and the technical problem with the cauldron were the two parts that bugged me. The damned thing cost a fortune and only had to work ONCE. Someone's ass should be on a platter for that. Never mind the "but so much went perfectly" rationalization.


Other than those, and that horrific operatic Olympic anthem, it was a hell of a show.

The projection elements were brilliant in my opinion, as were the rest of the lights and the staging.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

gearalley said:


> . I did think Gretzky was in trouble for a bit there in the back of that truck - the mob was closing in on him. Did he not look like he wanted to be somewhere else the whole time?


I love this pic...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Wild Bill said:


> I keep forgetting, Mooh! Drink coffee first, THEN type!
> 
> Sorry, I assumed you were a sound man 'cuz you always sound like you know what you're doing with it! You always made sense to me!


LOL! Thanks, no problem. A lifetime of also-ran bands, self-sound, and endless trial and error. 

I find myself watching the Olympics with considerable pride, even though I have concerns about the expense. Young folks at their peak. Idealistic perhaps, but better than the competition of war.

Peace, Mooh.


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## jcon (Apr 28, 2006)

Wow... No one at NBC managed to realize Michael J. Fox did not run across Canada?

[video=youtube;nBP2gOKPP8I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBP2gOKPP8I[/video]


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

jcon said:


> Wow... No one at NBC managed to realize Michael J. Fox did not run across Canada?
> 
> [video=youtube;nBP2gOKPP8I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBP2gOKPP8I[/video]


Holy crap, do your homework, for heaven's sake!

Peace, Mooh.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

*Well we fianlly broke the ice*

And got our very first gold medal at home, another good day, last I saw we have 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze. Ship


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Mooh said:


> Holy crap, do your homework, for heaven's sake!
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


I suspect this is merely a case of "high associates". Stateside, Michael J. Fox has been in the news far more often in the last 20 years than Terry Fox has. Moreover, Michael has also been an active campaigner for a health-related cause. So, unless the announcer is mindlessly reading a teleprompter, there is a reasonable expectation that an American announcer would absent-mindlessly say a name more strongly associated (for them) with a health-related cause. That they share the same last name only increases the likelihood of the error.

People know my name is Mark Hammer, but deep in the recesses of their mind the name "Mike" is strongly associated with "Hammer". So much so that they call me "Mike", not in jest, but simply because if they don't know me that well, it just sorta sounds like the name that goes with "hammer" for some reason that they are unaware of.

It happens.


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

Accidentally saying the wrong name is certainly excusable, and happens to us all. Displaying a picture of Michael J Fox right after a picture of Terry Fox on screen on the other hand, does make one wonder how closely they check their facts. 

Back on topic; I finally had a chance to watch the opening ceremonies and I aside from the one glaring technical difficulty, I thought they were incredibly well done. I honestly didn't mind the rendition of the national anthem either (though I understand why traditionalists wouldn't care for it). As others have said, KD Lang stole the show.


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## ashm70 (Apr 2, 2009)

Between the giant penises being worshiped in the centre and the over done aborignial Vegas stage show I bailed.... The PC brigade that ruled these games is the same group that says we should have "Winter Celebrations" in schools... Canada is more than mountains, soap stone carvings, totem poles and montuies (who could not march in step because they mixed tall men and short women, again a PC gesture...) The girl who sung the national anthem had great pipes, but the person who arranged that should be shot. I actually felt bad for the soldiers who were being shown in Kandahar. It cheapened the anthem and denied the crowd the chance to sing along, it would have been awesome to hear 60k people sing along.

Over all, a giant waste of your and my tax dollars. 6 Billion dollars on a budget of 660 million with a projected return of only 1 billion? I am thankful Toronto will never get the games.

I hate to side with the douchebag protesters, but they have a point. 6 billion dollars could have been used to feed and house a lot of people in Canada that are in desperate need of it. 

Just my bitter 2 cents...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

mhammer said:


> I suspect this is merely a case of "high associates". Stateside, Michael J. Fox has been in the news far more often in the last 20 years than Terry Fox has. Moreover, Michael has also been an active campaigner for a health-related cause. So, unless the announcer is mindlessly reading a teleprompter, there is a reasonable expectation that an American announcer would absent-mindlessly say a name more strongly associated (for them) with a health-related cause. That they share the same last name only increases the likelihood of the error.
> 
> People know my name is Mark Hammer, but deep in the recesses of their mind the name "Mike" is strongly associated with "Hammer". So much so that they call me "Mike", not in jest, but simply because if they don't know me that well, it just sorta sounds like the name that goes with "hammer" for some reason that they are unaware of.
> 
> It happens.


Except that they also showed his picture, and no one present made the correction...and don't they usually refer to Michael *J.* Fox? Whatever.

Who's Mike Hammer? Seriously. I know I can Google him, but I really don't know.

Peace, Mooh.

Edit...Right, Mike Hammer. I guess I saw the movie a million years ago. Obviously wasn't memorable.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Well, I can tell you I didn't see the ceremonies in their entirety. My wife and I went to see the opening of a local play (we support our local theatre group and that was the only free night we had to attend, and it was a great show, by the way). I work at a grocery store and was surprised the next day to hear more than a few of our customers say (and I am paraphrasing the comments I heard) that anyone not familiar with B.C. (or I guess Canada as well) would get the impression that we are mainly a population of French-speaking First Nations people. By the way, I took French all the way through school, and went to Quebec on an exceptional exchange trip many years ago, and my wife and I have put all three of our daughters through French Immersion in school, because we love the fact that Canada is a bilingual country, and I have many First Nations friends, so I wouldn't want anyone to misconstrue anything here to reflect my feelings on the subject. I hope to see a replay of the entire ceremony at some point so that I can make my own opinion. 
As for the anthem, I DID hear that part and I was PEE'D Off!!!! The singer took way too much liberty with the melody, rendering it only VAGUELY like the National Anthem I know and love and sing along whole-heartedly with at every possible occasion, and the 'American Idol' (as somebody so aptly put it) arrangement of the orchestration just made it all that much worse. BOO HISS to the idiots that made that crappy call! Any other nation in the world would do their anthem justice, but NO, we have to screw ours up! How pathetic! MORONS!
-Mikey


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

*Hey Spikezone*

Actually the girl didn't do anything she did her job and was given the arrangment by a musical dirtector, the same one who decided that it would be better to record everyone in the studio first and have them lip sync it on the live performance, I understand that the buildiing is just not desinged for great sound but we are talking professional musicians, like them or hate them they all can perform live in these type of venues and the kid might have done much better with our anthem if they hadn't messed with it, we are after all pround of our country and don't need to stretch it out any more then what it is, our Anthem.Ship


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I totally get what you're saying. I don't blame her for doing what she was told to do, but I think whoever made the decision to mess with the anthem should be shot (or something more Canadian!)
-Mikey


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## Stonesy (Oct 7, 2008)

Maybe the ladies can show the men how to win some medals.
42 medals available and we have 4 smells like a choke.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Stonesy said:


> Maybe the ladies can show the men how to win some medals.
> 42 medals available and we have 4 smells like a choke.


The snow cross was awesome... tons of spills and chills in the qualifing rounds.... 4 golds is what 1.23 billion each ....


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