I read with interest yesterday's Post commentary on the Vanessa-Mae concert in Hall 3 of the Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday night. I arrived at about 7.45pm and by the stated starting time of 8pm the auditorium was less than half full, with most people turning up in the next 20 minutes. For these same people to start a slow hand clap of disapproval at 8.30pm was a real insult to the performers. Audience members should try to practise better timekeeping themselves. I have been to four concerts at that venue in the past 18 months and not one has started on time because of this constant tardiness of the audience. I would advise promoters to consider printing a warning on tickets saying late-comers will not be admitted and no refunds will be considered.
The same people that instigated the slow hand clap were probably among those who walked out before the end of the show, obstructing the view of those they walked past.
And Hall 3, where three of the past four concerts I have attended were held, is simply diabolical on every count. It has the acoustic quality of an aircraft hangar, the sound system is well below standard and on Thursday night there was a constant and annoying rattle from the air-conditioning system. The hall has atrocious stage visibility and the selection of refreshments is a joke, but its access problems are the worst. At the end of each show I deliberately waited until most of the audience had departed. Why does the management persist in squeezing 5,000 people within five minutes out of the two entrances that it took the same 5,000 people more than half an hour to enter through? The management seems to try different barrier arrangements at every concert with no consistency. What is wrong with simply opening all the fire exits and letting people leave via these routes?
Hong Kong's shortcomings as a venue for world-class concerts have again been highlighted. It's no wonder that we fail to get on to the regular concert tour routes.
STEVE NUTTALL
Tuen Mun