Damn you humanity that's just smoke in my eye

May 8, 2012 7:17 AM

Flashmob of the Day: A flashmob invaded a Copenhagen, Denmark Metro train last month.
posted by infini (25 comments total)

What a high-quality production! Oh, you Denmark.

It's the looks of the passengers (especially the kids) that gets you. Thanks for posting.
posted by mrgrimm at 7:28 AM on May 8, 2012

Previously. Looks like the Copenhagen Symphony likes to take it on the road (train?).
posted by Runes at 7:30 AM on May 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

They really need to be dressed as Stormtroopers if this is going to go viral.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:44 AM on May 8, 2012 [3 favorites]

Beautiful. But something tells me it didn't exactly sound like that. Call me skeptical, but I've been on a train before.
posted by hanoixan at 7:45 AM on May 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

They're electric trains and pretty quiet. Shortly after the train departs the station you can hear the next station being announced over the tannoy.

The metro stop shown at the end with people getting off is the one next to the Copenhagen symphony hall.
posted by brokkr at 7:57 AM on May 8, 2012

But something tells me it didn't exactly sound like that. Call me skeptical, but I've been on a train before.

creative agency Makropol captured the whole thing on video.

But, does it matter? Today they made an unlearned philistine like myself want to listen to and learn more about classical music. They've gotten it out to where the ears are.
posted by infini at 7:57 AM on May 8, 2012

They really need to be dressed as Stormtroopers if this is going to go viral.

I'm working on it! These things take time!
posted by stormpooper at 7:57 AM on May 8, 2012 [4 favorites]

I had an LSD hallucination many years ago where I thought I was the reincarnation of Edvard Grieg.
posted by Xurando at 8:01 AM on May 8, 2012 [2 favorites]

You do that here in the States, and you will get screamed at, beat up, probably shot, and the flute sold for a few grams of crack.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 8:30 AM on May 8, 2012

Old'n'Busted : You do that here in the States, and you will get screamed at, beat up, probably shot, and the flute sold for a few grams of crack.

Or cheered on. But don't let reality shine on your dark vision.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:41 AM on May 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

You do that here in the States, and you will get screamed at, beat up, probably shot, and the flute sold for a few grams of crack.

You say "here in the States," so I think there's a good chance that people who have never been to the U.S. and who have only seen America depicted in Escape From New York, Robocop, and Rumble In The Bronx will assume that you're talking about the U.S. But level with us: You're not really in the U.S., are you? When you say "the States," you're referring to some other place that also happens to be called "the States," right? Someplace that might not even exist in reality?
posted by The World Famous at 8:50 AM on May 8, 2012 [8 favorites]

That was good. But I think that train car was 90% musicians, 5% videographers and maybe 3 actual surprised passengers.
posted by chundo at 9:03 AM on May 8, 2012 [6 favorites]

But, does it matter?

As a video, probably not. As a flashmob, definitely.
posted by DU at 9:06 AM on May 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Xurando: "I had an LSD hallucination many years ago where I thought I was the reincarnation of Edvard Grieg"

In your hallucination, did you enter a mountain hall with an old guy on a throne?
posted by brokkr at 9:30 AM on May 8, 2012

It's a bit ironic that for a performance on public transit they chose to play something so pedestrian.

Honestly, if I was on that train, I would be pretty pissed off about being forced to stand in the crowded aisle while a bunch of loiterers took up all the seats and crowded the train with their enormous cellos just to play frigging Morgenstimmung. Leave that goddamned sickly twee piece of shit where it belong: fabric softener ads.
posted by Sys Rq at 3:36 PM on May 8, 2012

When we plan the flash mob for you, Sys Rq, we'll just get a DJ.
posted by The World Famous at 3:37 PM on May 8, 2012

Random people playing music on the metro? Sounds like my daily train ride!
posted by Defenestrator at 6:09 PM on May 8, 2012

Old'n'Busted: You do that here in the States, and you will get screamed at, beat up, probably shot, and the flute sold for a few grams of crack.

IAmBroom: Or cheered on. But don't let reality shine on your dark vision.

Not the best counter example.

The Moncler Grenoble Show (reference earlier) was officially not a flash mob because the city wouldn't let them call it that.

It was a city-approved, carefully staged and choreographed corporate marketing show funded by an Italian entrepreneur who hired a Belgian director and an Eritrea-born choreographer to pull it off... and all of the dancers were hired off of Craigslist for the low-low price of a free jacket (which they were all wearing, hence the marketing angle). And a lot of the people in the balconies were invited guests.

The city didn't even want to allow this one to take place, out of concern for security... which the city ended up providing in spades.

“The city was very specific about not mentioning flash mob,”

[...] Mr. Russo’s persistence prevailed over city officials’ concerns about safety.

“[...] there with dogs and I can’t tell you what else, or what degree of security,” Mr. Russo said Sunday afternoon. “But there will be a lot.”

Yet the police presence was inconspicuous as invited guests gathered on the balconies...

________________________________

Perhaps Old'n'Busted was thinking of people being forcefully arrested by police for silently dancing at the Jefferson Memorial. But I'm sure that was the Original Intent of the Founding Fathers. Decision here.

And cities have debated banning flash mobs altogether, fearing all kinds of mischief and crime may result.

Cleveland officials ruled mobile devices are criminal tools when used to rally flash mobs. Violators could be sentenced up to six months in jail and fined $1,000 for violating the new law, said the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Even San Francisco considered a ban on flash mobs after a pillow fight flash mob.
posted by Davenhill at 6:11 PM on May 8, 2012

I live in NC. After tonight's vote on Amendment 1 I really needed this. Thanks for reminding me that we primates can do some great things occasionally.
posted by skepticbill at 7:42 PM on May 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

They're electric trains and pretty quiet.

If anyone finds any of the original video/audio recording of this online, please post it here.
I wonder how it would compare to this highly produced and edited version?

Would you hear laughter? Do people say anything or just listen? How does the music sound with the train - one of the more musical machines created by man? Was the timing where the music crescendo aligned with leaving the tunnel into the light real or was that the editor's magic wand?

This was indeed beautiful. But it also makes me want to see the more raw point of view of a person present on the train... Certainly there are nuances that are lost with changes made in production.

If I can generalize, if your aim or claim is to document some event - and you modify the content for the audience - it would be a big point towards authenticity in this age of cheap streaming and easily modified messaging to provide a link or way for users to see or experience the original unadulterated source.

And now I'm wondering why some iconography or shorthand disclaimer indicating how a film has been modified hasn't emerged. Just like with Pharma or car commercials it would be great to look down at the small print of disclaimers about the kinds of modifications that have been made. Snot nose kid in background blurred out at 1:20. Blush added to pretty girl's face to change the meaning of her smile... that kind of stuff. In this case pretty it would be pointless perhaps but there is so much 'editing' out there that it would be nice to see standards/best practices emerge that help people navigate real vs. unreal or otherwise modified media. Anyone know of something like that? A media authenticity tag?
posted by astrobiophysican at 9:17 PM on May 8, 2012

This is lovely. I thought it was cool until the older lady teared up visibly. Then I did too. As did my spouse. He wishes his daily train trip was this amazingly soundtracked! Thanks for the link.
posted by pink candy floss at 9:53 PM on May 8, 2012

The lyrics to this piece, courtesy of a Music Appreciation class in the New York City Public School system in 1943. (Spoiler warning: once you read this you will never be able to un-hear these words.)

Morning is dawning
and Peer Gynt is yawning
and Grieg is composing this suite

The last words can be replaced by "washing his feet" if you feel like being publicly silly.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 12:11 AM on May 9, 2012

"the States" is the new "the Streets".
posted by BurnChao at 1:01 AM on May 9, 2012

astrobiophysican: "I wonder how it would compare to this highly produced and edited version?

Now I got curious and had a closer look at the video. My earlier statement that these are quiet trains and that they're getting off at the Concert Hall stop is hereby retracted. List of locations (you might want to open the Copenhagen Metro map to follow along):

0:00

stairs up from Nørreport Station, most likely.

0:07

station sign ending in "ort" = Nørreport. Sign announces M1 to Vestamager.

0:51

"Fasanvej" announced on loudspeaker.

0:58

next stop: "Kongens Nytorv".

1:01

next stop: "Forum".

1:02

rectangular tunnel tube with left bend. Between Forum and Vestamager (at least) there are round tunnel tubes, so most likely we're between Fasanvej and Frederiksberg, driving towards the city centre.

1:11

next stop: "DR Byen".

1:13

driving onto the elevated tracks between Islands Brygge and DR Byen.

1:15

next stop: "Islands Brygge". Ambient light indicates we're above ground, so between DR Byen and Islands Brygge = driving back towards city centre.

1:30

next stop: "Bella Center".

1:40

five storey brick buildings to the right of track - we're probably back around Lindevang station here.

1:54

exterior shot of above-ground station. Flintholm looking east.

2:00

exterior shot of above-ground station. Flintholm looking west.

So it looks like they've driven at least one round trip on the M1 line to get this two minute video shot. Audio is then obviously not original, but more likely a concert recording laid on top of heavily filtered ambient sounds.
posted by brokkr at 2:00 AM on May 9, 2012 [3 favorites]

Why I love Metafilter? see brokkr above.
posted by infini at 4:54 AM on May 9, 2012