Top gear Live 2012

Amanaman

Amanaman

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For those who went to the Birmingham show this week, that did everyone think of this year's Top Gear Live performance?

Must admit I felt like I had seen it all before. Hammond spinning May and Clarkson into scrap cars was essentially car curling again, whereas Sidecar Polo was really a rehash of car football. The Bond tribute could have been better as all the actual Bond cars were on-stage far too briefly. The 720 loop the loop was undeniably impressive though, as was the BMX biker balancing on the moving trucks. I still enjoyed it, of course, but I preferred last year's Olympics theme and the format of having two live shows was more of a novelty before.

Organisation was also poor. The performance was delayed due to a "technical problem," which left everyone stuck in the crowded queue for over half an hour.

I also can't help but feel that the value for money you get with the Platinum ticket is decreasing every year. I miss my 'posh nosh' pie in a box meal, and this year they got rid of the free Classic Car Show and the Paddock tour after the show.

Also uploaded videos from the show onto my account: http://www.youtube.com/user/AmanamanIII?feature=mhee
 
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How the hell would I know? I live in the US.
 
Are this shows any different than the fooling around we see on regular TV Top Gear? I watched a couple of youtube videos, and I am not really impressed. I get the live atmosphere, some stunts and everything, but still... it's not a competition in a serious-sport-event-kinda-way, so what's the point?...
 
Still enjoyable but ever so slightly underwhelming, especially the stands. The loss of the classic car show was definitely detrimental but even without that there seemed to be fewer and less impressive exhibitors. I'm used to allowing 2-3 hours to look around everything before watching the show but after an hour I was done and we just went and had some (horrendously overpriced) drinks while we waited. What really put it into prespective for me was that tickets for the Goodwood Festival of Speed are roughly the same price and yet offer so much more. Don't get me wrong, once the show actually started I enjoyed it very much but I'm not sure it's really worth all that money any more.
 
I thought it was worse than last year and smacked of a money making venture far more than usual. I thought that the price of the tickets was astonishing given what you actually get for that and the differentiation between gold and platinum tickets was pretty much nothing considering the price. For example I had platinum tickets for the late Saturday show and was in row P and I had gold tickets for the Sunday show and was in row E. I thought the lack of classic car show was disappointing because I love wandering around that bit, and it seemed like every stall wanted money from you, with the exception of the cool wall and the studio furniture (the latter of which you had to queue for.)

As for the actual show I thought it was too long sitting on truly terrible, uncomfortable seats and that at least last year the main show was in the other arena with much better seating. There was also no way of going for a pee in between the show with fifteen minutes break so you had to just cross your legs. I liked the banter between the boys and they still looked pretty happy but other commenters are right in that it was just tweaks on stuff we'd seen before. I go to the show in Birmingham with a bunch of my mates and we get drunk and treat it as a girls weekend away but we're increasingly of the opinion that we could do that anywhere for nowhere near the price. Plus the boys now make a point to avoid the hotel bar so you don't even have the chance that you might see them having a drink (like in past years) I was just disappointed but I was also quite ill and so I can accept that this possibly clouded my experience somewhat. Here are my photos if you wish to see them.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152198602495117.918932.734130116&type=1&l=effc55a735
 
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I must admit I expected more reaction to TGL on here. I don't know whether less FG (and other boards) members attended this time, or those who did were less inclined to comment.

I agree with some of what Suggsygirl has written, though not all. Certainly what you got for your money was less than in previous years. I'm told that platinum ticket holders in past years have got a couple of drinks and a light meal, but this year it just seemed to be a separate bar.I've heard mixed responses to the two shows being one after the other - some people preferred it, some didn't. I managed to squeeze in a loo break but only because I'd done a recce and got info from the staff as to when to move and where the nearest loos were! I agree about discrepancies regarding seats - I always ring up to negotiate seats and ended up with a good view on silver on Saturday and a front row seat on Sunday on gold. I think so much depends on how quickly you book and how.

Perhaps because I went on my own and was there for two days/performances I had quite a few chats with the stewards and they ended up being very helpful. One was actually embarrassed at what little extra there was for people with the higher priced tickets to look at. I asked at the Classic Car stand as to why the two shows weren't together this year, and I was told that TG had decided to go for the half-term "dads 'n' lads" and family ticket market, which meant it couldn't coincide with the CC show as "TG steers it".

But did I enjoy the show itself? Yes, absolutely. I've been every year and agreed, there tend to be variations on a theme, but I actually think this year's was better than last year's. I can do without some of the track show but that's my personal opinion. The TG section made me laugh, made me hold my breath, astonished me with the stunt driving - loved it. I also suspect that when they plan it they're not necessarily thinking about the minority of people who go every year, but assume that it's a new experience for most. And from the reaction of many kids around me, that was very much the case.

It was clear that there was no way the guys would turn up in an incredibly busy hotel bar, yes those days are (sadly) past. I looked at the heaving bar, went back to my room and had room service.

So for next year, IMHO,

Get back with the Classic Car Show
Make more sense of seating arrangementsa
Give more perks for those who pay most
Try to get a bit more variety in the show.

That'll do nicely!
 
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I just went to a Top Gear Live -show in Finland and have to admit I was disappointed.
Only time we saw nice cars was when they were driven to stage in two rows - commented a bit by Clarkson and May and then they were driven away.

There were more scooter and motorcycles than cars, quite boring. The Focus RS stunt car drivers were pretty nice but that was the best part. Lowest point was "Rammstein-ripoff" 2 flaming 911:s and a girl in high heels with a flamethrower. Sounds a lot nicer than what it was in the show..
 
diti said:
I must admit I expected more reaction to TGL on here. I don't know whether less FG (and other boards) members attended this time, or those who did were less inclined to comment.

I agree with some of what Suggsygirl has written, though not all. Certainly what you got for your money was less than in previous years. I'm told that platinum ticket holders in past years have got a couple of drinks and a light meal, but this year it just seemed to be a separate bar.I've heard mixed responses to the two shows being one after the other - some people preferred it, some didn't. I managed to squeeze in a loo break but only because I'd done a recce and got info from the staff as to when to move and where the nearest loos were! I agree about discrepancies regarding seats - I always ring up to negotiate seats and ended up with a good view on silver on Saturday and a front row seat on Sunday on gold. I think so much depends on how quickly you book and how.

Perhaps because I went on my own and was there for two days/performances I had quite a few chats with the stewards and they ended up being very helpful. One was actually embarrassed at what little extra there was for people with the higher priced tickets to look at. I asked at the Classic Car stand as to why the two shows weren't together this year, and I was told that TG had decided to go for the half-term "dads 'n' lads" and family ticket market, which meant it couldn't coincide with the CC show as "TG steers it".

But did I enjoy the show itself? Yes, absolutely. I've been every year and agreed, there tend to be variations on a theme, but I actually think this year's was better than last year's. I can do without some of the track show but that's my personal opinion. The TG section made me laugh, made me hold my breath, astonished me with the stunt driving - loved it. I also suspect that when they plan it they're not necessarily thinking about the minority of people who go every year, but assume that it's a new experience for most. And from the reaction of many kids around me, that was very much the case.

It was clear that there was no way the guys would turn up in an incredibly busy hotel bar, yes those days are (sadly) past. I looked at the heaving bar, went back to my room and had room service.

So for next year, IMHO,

Get back with the Classic Car Show
Make more sense of seating arrangementsa
Give more perks for those who pay most
Try to get a bit more variety in the show.

That'll do nicely!
Click to expand...


Very expensive, short and... Hammond couldn't be bothered to come to Stockholm. I saw Clarkson in the flesh, so I guess that was mission accomplished in a way. But yeah, thoroughly disappointed. This was last spring.
 
They should stick to television and radio, they don't at all convert well to these slightly embarrassing watered down money grabs. The only one capable of pulling off a live show would be May, but in a completely different setting and quite possible having nothing to do with cars.
 
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Clarkson's Annual Spat with Australian Photographers

Clarkson's Annual Spat with Australian Photographers

I'm sure I recall something like this happened last year in Melbourne. But you get what you deserve. Otto (the restaurant) is overpriced, ordinary and exposed. If they wanted to dine with privacy they should've gone to Sepia or Marque ...... or maybe just ordered room service at the hotel :p
 
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