Jean Michel Jarre: décembre 2008

The last concert was planned to be in Warsaw, especially because of what happened in Gdansk. I really wanted to share something special with the polish audience and I have not been disappointed.

The Torwar Theater had an ideal size for the production. It was absolutely packed. As I said, usually monday night's gigs are not the most lively, but for the last concert of the tour, the polish audience was like a a saturday night one.

I went on stage from the back of the theater and immediately, I felt it was going to be great. The warmth, the energy, the excitement of being together again was there like in the Docks of Gdansk! I went on stage. Dominique, Claude and Francis were all in good shape and I knew we were going to have a good time. All the crew was focused and I felt that every one wanted to give to me and to everyone in the hall a good show.

And I had a real good time. Oxygene 1 and 2 sounded right and I got the feeling that it will be great until the end... I loved Dominique's bass in Oxygene 4 and Claude and Francis were great in Oxygene 5 and Variation 3. I had a lot of fun with the Moog Liberation solo and I think I delivered one of the best choruses of the tour.. The audience (and us) became really hot during Oxygene 12. Oxygene 13 was a pure moment of shared emotions with the audience.

There is a tradition that for the last concert strange things happen to the artist on stage.. For the Encore, Francis went to Dominque's area and coverd his keyboards with paper, then he disapeared under the Eminent, just when i was supposed to look at him for a cue. While they were playing, Claude and especially Dominique filmed everything with one hand on their mobile phones..

Then at the end, I asked all the crew to come on stage, including accountants, truck drivers... just every one being involved in the tour. It was for me the best way to thank them and tell everybody how much I appreciate the amount of work, talent and dedication they showed. I even went down and left the stage to join the polish audience to applaud all the family...

Truck drivers had real hard times particularly in Russia and on the way to Riga driving all night in the snow through the mountains, so that all the equipment could be ready the next evening for the next show...
The crew after the load-out had to sleep in the bus, and be ready in the morning for the next load-in in another city...etc.
Chris Rowley and James Monkman did really great , organising everything, always cool and relax even with the day-to-day pressure.
Patrick Pelamourgues and Jean Paul took care of all the precious instruments day after day.
The sound team: Alain Courieux, Julien Vouillon, Vincent, Arno, Jean-Claude.. all did great, the sound was amazing with smiles..!
Ignace de Haese, Glen and all the lighting crew were always on the case to deliver a fantastic light.
All the Arpège team and the rest of the team did their best every night to deliver the best possible show.
A special mention to Thomas Alsina who stayed always connected and so helpful in spite of his other activities.
Pierre Garnier for his eye and ears..!
Dear Edith Napias and Michel Geiss for all the reasons they know...
Dear Fiona who managed the all project perfectly as usual with the help of Louis.
And Paul Charles, the secret agent who worked hard behind the curtain...

Thank you all for having contributed to make this tour a success on a human, artistic and business point of view.

Thank you also to all the bloggers / readers on the web, from all over the world, who followed the adventure and for your interesting, fun and clever comments valuable to me.

Thank you particularly to everyone in the audience in the way you have welcome us, for your unique feedback and for your interest in my work.

It is the best reward in my life.

I LOVE YOU ALL, RENDEZ VOUS NEXT YEAR .... MERRY CHRISTMAS !

All the crew on stage for a deserved round of applause

The audience in the mirror

It's raining on stage..

Francis playing the synth dialog in Oxygene 12

The Torwar theater's structures

Playing the AKS noise in Oxygene 2

With Piotr, breathing some Oxygene..

I never get enough Oxygene!

Dominique prefers water..

Patrick Pelamourgues, packing up the synthesizers for the last time in the tour

Vincent from the sound team, exhausted but happy

In the audience, applauding the crew

Dominique filming the photographer during Oxygene 4..

Standing audience during the Encore

Oxygene 13 with the mirror down

Last bow

Receiving such energy from the audience

Dominique's familiar silhouette

A great audience

Even the Theremin is impressed..

Dear James Monkman, so kind and so focused

Claude imitating a hedgehog

Focused during sound check

Sound engineer Julien Vouillon celebrating