Live City Rocks!

After watching the Canadian men trounce the Russians in hockey,  Gord and I and our friend Lynn braved the rain, which turned out to be light and insignificant, to check out Damian "Jr Gong" Marley at the Live City stage in Yaletown. When we got there the line up extended from David Lam Park past the Granville bridge (aka really frigging far) and a portable electronic sign said wait time was 60 minutes. We did not believe the sign.  Gord made a call and we walked straight in through the media entrance. I am an Olympic blogger after all, I should get in the media entrance (it helps to know people).

 Live City serves as both a concert venue and a place to watch sporting events on the biggest, clearest screens I have ever seen. 

The venue is surrounded on all sides by Olympic trade show where sponsors show off their wares.

Coke has a 8600 square foot three story red "Happiness" tent that projects moving images onto the roof. Inside there is Coke stuff.

At the back, Yaletown high rises provide a backdrop to the Panasonic pavilion where, I've heard, there is an impressive 3D theatre. Samsung and Acer and the City of Vancouver have pavilions there as well but I wasn't there to see them.

The band playing when we arrived was Chocolat from Montreal.

They are good (Gord made an iTunes purchase when we got home) and the lead singer looked very french in the stripes and red.

 Live City has a very well produced show. There are no breaks in the action or time standing around wondering if the band will ever come on. As soon as Chocolat left the stage, we were watching Clara Hughs getting her bronze medal on the big screen.

 

Then mayor Hunky, who is looking a bit tired and stressed at the moment, came on stage and proclaimed the day as Canadian Snowboard Team Day. 

Looking very geek chic in toque and glasses, Gold medalist Maelle Ricker joined him on stage and read a speech thanking the city for giving her the opportunity to tell kids to get out and be physically active. She said that that next year, on this day, kids should take the day off of school and go snowboarding.

She was joined on stage by members of the snowboard team and everyone cheered.

The snowboarders left the stage, Damian Marley was introduced, his band started playing and the lingerers at the back pressed forward. It got sardine packed just like a real rock concert, only one where everyone is wearing red and some sport weird hats.

Mr. Marley came on stage and everyone was grooving to the reggae beat.

That is until Gord and I  got rammed from behind by a guy leading a wheelchair convoy into the crowd. I turned around and he said "sorry coming through".  They made it just far enough to be trapped with Gord one side and me and Lynn on the other. I wonder why they preferred to leave a trail of bruises in their wake just to get a view of someone's ass rather that sit in the accessible zone that has a better view than 90% of the audience?  My guess is that it isn't a comfortable place to chain toke.

Anyway, after that distraction, we finally found a way to move Gord onto our side of the convoy and got into the concert. 

Ya mon, wave that bear hat!

There is a lot of flag waving at the Olympics and if they ever decide to make it an official sport this guy gets my vote to win gold. He waved that Jamaican flag loud and proud through the entire concert.

The big screens are a marvel and the sound system spectacular. I've never been to an outdoor concert that size with sound that good. Marley did a lot of interaction with the audience and played every song you'd expect. Great show.

When the concert ended the backdrop behind the stage went up revealing the skyline of false creek and three big spot lights shone up into the air.

Water cannons shot straight up and Olympic moments were projected onto the water. Pretty cool.

A couple of flares looped out over the city.

A montage of gold medal moments flashed on the screen as K'naan's "Wavin' Flag" blasted out of the speakers. The fireworks intensified as the song came to a climax. It was a jaw dropping moment of incredibly intense hype, that left several thousand people in tears and craving a cigarette. What a ride!

I wish my cold hadn't prevented me from seeing earlier shows. Oh and by the way, Lynn's friend got in line at the Granville Bridge and made it into the show.

Olympic Fashion Spectacle

Olympic fashion is really important. The, official Olympic sponsor, HBC has sold a zillion dollars worth of red mittens.

  

 There are line-ups a block long to get into the store to buy official Canada sports wear.

 

And, it isn't just Canadians buying the stuff. A good portion of the people I saw in line were sporting other nation's colours. 

 

Good souvenirs to take back to the kids in Sweden, I guess.

 

It seems that everyone is wearing something red, even if it means mittens and toques when it is a balmy thirteen degrees outside. 

There are those, however, that choose to be a little more creative with their patriotic fashion choices.

Others are entrepreneurial.

 Attractive head wear is a must,

no matter which country you support.

It's also important to make sure your pet reflects your nationalistic fervor.

Some like the, "I just got off shift at Home Depot" look. This is not my personal preference but there are worse offenders...

... like the "Elvis gives blood" boys,

 

and the ah... ah ... quick call the Fashion Police!

Officer Dudley Dress Right to the rescue. He's fabulous but the job is so big he needs super power help, so he calls on his friends,

 the Fashion Savior (his breath is really garlicky),

Cowboy Canuck (uses his umbrellas for good and not evil),

and Captain Coolada ( just generally better than everyone).

Yes, the Olympic crowd is an awfully attractive bunch, but I choose these two to bring home.

Cops and Flames

  One of the things you notice walking around the crowded streets is all the smiling cops from all around the country. While the more stressed looking Vancouver police do most of the heavy lifting, the visiting police mingle with the crowds and generally supply a presence.

The ones I talked to seemed to be enjoying the crowds and were finding little opportunity to apply their enforcement skills.   

Since the sidewalks were packed with ubiquitous red and white clad revelers it is impossible for cars to get in or out of the hotel underground parkades without the help of police. 

The grinning police working the parking lot at the Pan Pacific Hotel were a hit with the pedestrians for yelling out "car" when they needed the pedestrians to stop. Then, they yelled "game on" after the vehicle  passed.

A couple at the top of the flame viewing deck were helping tourists by taking their pictures in front of the flame.

I wouldn't want to be a cop. I don't think they should investigate themselves. I've seen good ones. I've seen stupid ones. Some are corrupt. Some are heros. There are times when I've been very happy to see them.  (Even if they are the muscle for the greedy, violent, fascist capitalist state)

 Speaking of protesters, it appears that the peaceful ones have finally had enough of the masked anarchist variety. The Tyee has an article about the head of the Pivot Legal Society getting a pie in the face when trying to reason with the more militant faction of the protest coalition. I used to think a lot of Pivot until it seemed that they were aligning themselves with the militants. I just couldn't understand it. Now that the fissure has erupted in the coalition, I can go back to being supportive of Pivot, but I can't help thinking that if little old me knew this was going to happen, how come they didn't?

Oh ya, the "four spliffs and a bowl" torch. Yep, there is a big ugly fence.

The slit they created may be a bit high for short photographers. I had to stand on tip toe. It doesn't matter though, because they created a new viewing area.

It's from on top of the grass roofed convention centre.

At first, I thought there was no way I would stand in line to take a picture of the flame but I looked around and changed my mind.

Why wouldn't I want to hang around in one of the most picturesque spots in the city on a gorgeous sunny day with a bunch of happy people?

It's not really a hardship to watch sea planes take off and boats cruise by now is it?

I noticed the boys didn't check with each to see who got to wear the new new shirt.

 

I had never walked up the ramp to the top of the convention centre before.

From every direction the view is incredible.

Look out! The flame! The flame!

 You can feel the heat.

A nice cop (I don't think he was a fascist pig but how does one tell these things) offered to take my picture.

I look down upon the fenced in masses. 

There is a lot of media doing their reports in front of the flame. I eavesdropped on American gold medalist Shaun White's coach being interviewed. For anyone who thinks it isn't show business, they had him say the same thing four times in four different ways.

The torch, it's big and glassy and it has fire.

 I started the day on a trek to see ground zero of Olympic complaining but met a whole bunch of really friendly cops and not a grumble from the masses.  Another perfect day in surprisingly patriotic, happy Vancouver.