Temperature and Comfort IN RAH

[ucanseetheend]

Question to the Prommers and regulars ,whats the comfort level in RAH in the current heatwave?I seem to remember the Aircon isnt very good or non exisistent. Im going later next week so hoping its bearable.

[VodkaDilc]

I will be able to report back after tomorrow evening. I'm anticipating a sticky evening, but at least I won't be on-stage, under those lights and trying to play an instrument.

(Of course a visiting Italian orchestra is bound to look cool and elegant, whatever the temperature!)

[Cavaradossi]

Hence day 7 and I've still not set foot in the hall, The Ring should be fun next week.

Full of misfits as well according to... http://sinfinimusic.com/uk/features/...-out-prommers/

[Ferretfancy]

I went last Sunday, and it really wasn't too bad at all. If you are promming, it's a good tip to collect the ticket that marks your place in the queue, and then go to the pre concert talk in the RCM, which is nice and cool. By the time you emerge and take your place it's only a short while before you go in to the concert and you won't have been in the hot sun.
As for air conditioning, there is air movement of a sort. Last Sunday there had been a packed Dr Who Prom in the afternoon, but the Arena was quite pleasant in spite of that. I did get a bit hot towards the end of the Rite of Spring!

[Petrushka]

It isn't air conditioning in the hall but air cooling. To air con a vast space like the RAH was ruled out on account of cost and noise. I was in the hall on Monday and while it was hot it was nowhere near the levels of many a previous year. I can recall some very sticky evenings indeed (one I mention often was August 14 1997, Gergiev/Kirov Orch, blazing TV lights) but Monday was tame by comparison which does suggest that the air cooling works without being overly noticeable.

Go along and see for yourself!

[ucanseetheend]

I agree with this Radical Solution, and the reasons from Christopher Gillett. Especially when season ticket holders seem to think they can reserve places for friends on the front rail.


"I really think the Proms needs a shake-up, to break the stranglehold the ageing, die-hard prommers now have on this extraordinary festival.

My solution is quite simple: get rid of the season tickets entirely and lower the price of day tickets by 20 per cent. That would open the Arena to everyone and anyone, and it would end the practice of hogging the front rail. "

http://sinfinimusic.com/uk/features/...-out-prommers/

[clive heath]

Why would anyone want to be on the front rail except for reasons of self-promotion? Surely the sound is better further back. My place of choice is at the top of one of the stairwells on the N-S axis toward the rear. Some fresh air, if you're lucky, and a quick escape route.

[Ferretfancy]

Why would anyone want to be on the front rail except for reasons of self-promotion? Surely the sound is better further back. My place of choice is at the top of one of the stairwells on the N-S axis toward the rear. Some fresh air, if you're lucky, and a quick escape route.

I don't think that the regulars on the front rail are self promoting, it's more a social thing. A large group of them meet for a picnic on the steps practically every afternoon, and they are well organised. It's worth remembering that this is the group which do the collection for musical charities which raised more than £86000
last year.

The sound is certainly better further back in the Arena. My favourite spot is slightly to the left facing the platform, and just in front of the fountain. Unfortunately they have removed the fountain! Incidentally, until they replaced the floor covering a couple of years ago there was one spot with a small saucer sized disc inset. If this was surreptitiously removed, a draught of cold air came in ! Now that the fountain has gone there is more space than before, which is an improvement.

[salymap]

I don't think that the regulars on the front rail are self promoting, it's more a social thing. A large group of them meet for a picnic on the steps practically every afternoon, and they are well organised. It's worth remembering that this is the group which do the collection for musical charities which raised more than £86000
last year.

The sound is certainly better further back in the Arena. My favourite spot is slightly to the left facing the platform, and just in front of the fountain. Unfortunately they have removed the fountain! Incidentally, until they replaced the floor covering a couple of years ago there was one spot with a small saucer sized disc inset. If this was surreptitiously removed, a draught of cold air came in ! Now that the fountain has gone there is more space than before, which is an improvement.

Snap Ferret. that was my/our favourite place years ago. We were lucky to have a free season ticket admitting two,so prommed with a number of different work friends. To save rows we agreed that justin front on the fountain,slightly to the left was best for sound and for minimizing the echo, then rampant still.

[PhilipT]

I agree with this Radical Solution, and the reasons from Christopher Gillett. Especially when season ticket holders seem to think they can reserve places for friends on the front rail.


"I really think the Proms needs a shake-up, to break the stranglehold the ageing, die-hard prommers now have on this extraordinary festival.

My solution is quite simple: get rid of the season tickets entirely and lower the price of day tickets by 20 per cent. That would open the Arena to everyone and anyone, and it would end the practice of hogging the front rail. "
http://sinfinimusic.com/uk/features/...-out-prommers/

There is no point arguing with people like ucanseetheend, but newcomers to this board, and to the Proms, should be warned that he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Season Ticket holders do not "reserve places for friends". Neither do they "hog the front rail". The Day and Season Ticket queues are admitted to the Arena simultaneously, and there is a general understanding that the Season Ticket holders take the violin side of the front row and the Day people take the 'cello side. Typically, there's then a 45 minute wait before the concert starts, and it's usual for those who have queued all day to bag a good spot to mark their places and go off to find the loos or a drink or a bite to eat. Not everyone goes at once, and if a late arrival then tries to bag the empty place they will have it explained to them, very clearly, that it has already been taken by someone else who has queued for it. Most regular Prommers will do this, not just Season Ticket holders, and not just friends of the person who has gone off for a drink. When they return they will of course be welcomed back by those around them, often with evident relief if the late arrival had proved unwilling to see reason.

We now return to our regular programming.

[Sir Velo]

there is a general understanding that the Season Ticket holders take the violin side of the front row and the Day people take the 'cello side.

Ah but who decides that Philip? Is it in the condition of entry marked on the ticket? It may be customary among regulars but hardly enforceable.

it's usual for those who have queued all day to bag a good spot to mark their places and go off to find the loos or a drink or a bite to eat. Not everyone goes at once, and if a late arrival then tries to bag the empty place they will have it explained to them, very clearly, that it has already been taken by someone else who has queued for it. Most regular Prommers will do this, not just Season Ticket holders, and not just friends of the person who has gone off for a drink. When they return they will of course be welcomed back by those around them, often with evident relief if the late arrival had proved unwilling to see reason.

The problem with this is that nowhere does your Arena ticket guarantee you a particular place. I'm afraid I fail to see why those who have had the fortune to be able to afford to take the whole day to queue should be privilged with a better position in the Arena, particularly if they decide to leave their place unattended on their own volition. To describe anyone who does not see this as "reason" as a "late arrival" smacks of the arrogance about which ucanseetheend laments.

[PhilipT]

Ah but who decides that Philip? Is it in the condition of entry marked on the ticket? It may be customary among regulars but hardly enforceable.

What happens in practice is that the Stewards admit both queues into the Arena simultaneously, and the heads of the queues meet in the middle of the front row. Once they are there, they have their places. Simple. Things only go wrong if the Stewards screw up, which has been known but hasn't happened recently.

The problem with this is that nowhere does your Arena ticket guarantee you a particular place. I'm afraid I fail to see why those who have had the fortune to be able to afford to take the whole day to queue should be privilged with a better position in the Arena, particularly if they decide to leave their place unattended on their own volition.

It may not be "fortune". They may have booked a day off work, travelled in from outside London, and in extreme cases booked bed-and-breakfast afterwards. What you seem to be saying - correct me if I have misunderstood - is that having done all that and queued all day, they may not visit the loos or the bars until the end of the concert on pain of losing the place they have queued for. Doesn't it occur to you that that's a little harsh?

To describe anyone who does not see this as "reason" as a "late arrival" smacks of the arrogance about which ucanseetheend laments.

"Late arrival" means what it says - I didn't mean it disparagingly. I've often been a late arrival at a Prom - once being so late that Nicholas Kenyon commented on the fact. But I've then been careful to seek out a spot towards the back of the Arena that hadn't already been taken by someone else, and I fail to understand why others would not do the same.

[Resurrection Man]

.... I can recall some very sticky evenings indeed (one I mention often was August 14 1997, Gergiev/Kirov Orch, blazing TV lights) but Monday was tame by comparison which does suggest that the air cooling works without being overly noticeable.

Go along and see for yourself!

I suspect that it is the newer generation of digital broadcast cameras that we have to thank for the much lower light levels needed (hence heat) compared to the years of the first EMI 2001 colour cameras.

[vinteuil]

there is a general understanding that the Season Ticket holders take the violin side of the front row and the Day people take the 'cello side.
.

... and what happens when the conductor opts for the tradition of dividing violins to right and left???

[VodkaDilc]

I will be able to report back after tomorrow evening. I'm anticipating a sticky evening, but at least I won't be on-stage, under those lights and trying to play an instrument.

(Of course a visiting Italian orchestra is bound to look cool and elegant, whatever the temperature!)

I can now confirm that it is very hot! The bank of television floodlights being beamed onto the audience between works does not help. It's worth putting up with though; I can assure ucanseetheend that it IS bearable - just.