I so remember this night. I was in the seventh grade and my uncle had taken my sister and me to go see this live. It was so crowded that night we had to walk three miles to our car. I had so much fun. I remember the radio saying that there were 3 million people there that night. It was for Houston turning 150 years old (sesquisentenial). Glad I got to relive it again. And thanks so much for posting.
Good old days, that was before music making went PC. Even though it's a playback most likely, still, some cool instruments on the stage. I think it's even pre-Atari ST era.
Sin lugar a dudas la música de Jean Michel Jarre ha pasado a través del tiempo y éste la ha respetado como a la de todos los clásicos -Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven- sus interpretaciones a pesar de ser las mismas, cada día se escuchan mejor, cada nueva vez mis oídos captan nuevas notas, nuevos acordes, como si la música estuviera viva y reinventándose a sí misma constantemente.
@trissss Obviously my friend!!! The Lasers doesn't play by it self!.... they need to be plugged to a syntheziser (Elka Synthex in this case) to play the notes! How do you think that light can make noise by it self? is just like a electric guitar, you can't play it and make riffs or effects by it self, you must to conect to an amplifier and (to do some effects you must to use a stomp box/pedal)!
even now the music, the lights, the thousands and thousands of people downtown to see this extraordinary event are etched in my mind. this can never be duplicated.
Amazing show!, just to clarify, some people have asked this question, but the lazerharp is Meerly a Midi device connected to the Elka Synthex, instead of just playing the elka synthex, hes connected the lazer harp and is playing it with that ;]
Later today I think I wanna watch my Rendez-Vous Huston/Texas I have on my computer :D Better to watch the whole concert than watch some videoclips :)
Rendez-Vous from Huston/Texas in 1986 was the reason that I first became JMJ fan that year :) and I still like JMJ music a lot :) I will still love his songs and his new albums with songs before he dies :)
My parents brought me to see this when I was 8 years old and I still remember it so well. Jarre is an awesome composer and the skyline of Houston makes a perfect concert hall. IIRC, we parked on the bridge leading to downtown right there near the University of Houston. I remember this being especially healing for us Houstonians who were all grieving over the Challenger. Thanks for posting this and bringing back some wonderful memories. Peace!
I grew up in Ireland and a french foreign student showed me this video around '87 or '88. I was amazed. I thought this was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I thought America was the coolest place in the world. I still think so. I now live here. America Rocks!
A great way to do music (if it were for real). But it has to be possible nowadays to create a simple system that is capable of recognizing either which beam and at which height is interrupted and to react playing a sample with different pitch and altitude... should be possible. And so damn stylish.
It was so great to see this show after the Challenger tragedy. Sad, but great. He really understood how greatly we were affected. The show was amazing.
In fact Jean will not create music for our dreams forever... 2009 is the end, he is reitring, though, he will do a last worldwide tour, i know he'll be in London UK on 22nd of May, i don't know about here in America though, but i'll keep watching, i don't want to miss the last concert of the best composer of all time !!! after more than 20 years of music...We'll miss you Jean Michel !
lmao :) You're right, and my Rendez-vous Houston old VHS tape concert was in the 80s ... Time is flying fast sadly ... We're all geting old, nuuuuuuuu :(
I still have my original VHS copy of this I bought when the Houston Chronicle had a special coupon to send in (along with some bucks) to purchase it. I truly wish they would put this on DVD, because I'm beginning to see wear and tear on my VHS copy. But what can you expect from viewing it often because this laser show was the best thing to happen to Houston ever! I wish Jean-Michel would come back and do another show..thanks for posting..I can watch on my computer, and give my tape a break lol!
they wanted to, but the quality of the VHS is too bad, so they canceled the planned re-release, who knows they might re-master it and we will see it in 6 months
@85Salem This man is not a God but he is the King of Synthe. So many celebrities are underrated and not really appreciated until they're dead. Lets give this man the recognition he deserves while he is still alive.
Holy crap, this brings back some memories. I was only 11 years old when this was Broadcast back in 1986. My Dad Videoed it onto what was our first VCR, a Betamax (remember those?)and I watched it all the time. I was very young but I was hooked. I used to imagine I was him when he did the Laser Harp Performance.
Thanks a million for posting it here, great to see it again.
I caught this from the Bufalo Bayou hillside in downtown Houston. The most spectacular outdoor event that I have ever attended.
He is playing a laser activated synthesizer where the note playing is activated by the location of his hand penetrating the light shining upwards from the ground.
One thing that got me about the Laser Harp was the tones, nice and Bass-y. I realised, though I was a kid, that I loved that register, probably one of the reasons why I'm a Bass Player now :-)
man i remember this so vivid. It literally shut down the city. I live just outside downtown where this took place. we still tried to get closer and wound up watching it from the freeway because traffic was just stopped for as far as you could see. A truly amazing show.
I remember watching this on BBC TV in England back in 1986/7 whilst the it was also being transmitted on FM stereo, which I recorded to Cassette. I later bought a copy of the "studio" version on cassette but it totally lacked something after seeing/hearing the live concert.
HEAVY DUTY !!!!
amalwayslate 6 months ago
i was there and it was amazing smiles
varanus65 7 months ago
international music
realomon 8 months ago
Há somente três mestres das teclas no mundo: Mozart, Chopin, and Jean Michel Jarre!!!
Raiodeindra 9 months ago
I was so fortunate to have been there front row; this reminds me so much of living in First Ward back in the 80's Love it. Thanks for uploading.
djsoss1980 10 months ago
I so remember this night. I was in the seventh grade and my uncle had taken my sister and me to go see this live. It was so crowded that night we had to walk three miles to our car. I had so much fun. I remember the radio saying that there were 3 million people there that night. It was for Houston turning 150 years old (sesquisentenial). Glad I got to relive it again. And thanks so much for posting.
rockygonzales1 10 months ago
I am only beginning to learn about JMJ through a friend. This is crazy!
PinkGlamChick 10 months ago
had this on vhs, musta watched it hundreds of times, so cool in the 80's...
FeNsTa 11 months ago
prachtig
juandoncaufriez 1 year ago
Good old days, that was before music making went PC. Even though it's a playback most likely, still, some cool instruments on the stage. I think it's even pre-Atari ST era.
dvamateur 1 year ago
The music of the future before it was the future..The future is now ! 2010 !!
davisgreen2020 1 year ago
Fantastique !
Vivement le 11 décembre à Pau ou je serai présent pour son concert !!
Mrdominos74 1 year ago
Im pretty sure that even extraterrestrials came to listen to Jean Michel Jarre.
19cohen 1 year ago
Sin lugar a dudas la música de Jean Michel Jarre ha pasado a través del tiempo y éste la ha respetado como a la de todos los clásicos -Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven- sus interpretaciones a pesar de ser las mismas, cada día se escuchan mejor, cada nueva vez mis oídos captan nuevas notas, nuevos acordes, como si la música estuviera viva y reinventándose a sí misma constantemente.
orion2050 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
the laser keyboard is the most epic fake ever.
trissss 1 year ago
the laser keyboard is the most epic fake ever.
trissss 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@trissss you obvously have no clue what you are talking about.
19cohen 1 year ago
@trissss
Yep he fakes it here, but the instrument itself DOES exist and he often plays it live. Look it up.
Mr12stringbass 7 months ago
@trissss Obviously my friend!!! The Lasers doesn't play by it self!.... they need to be plugged to a syntheziser (Elka Synthex in this case) to play the notes! How do you think that light can make noise by it self? is just like a electric guitar, you can't play it and make riffs or effects by it self, you must to conect to an amplifier and (to do some effects you must to use a stomp box/pedal)!
maraujo1984 3 months ago
I saw this show when I was a child and I never forgot.
calculoA 1 year ago
even now the music, the lights, the thousands and thousands of people downtown to see this extraordinary event are etched in my mind. this can never be duplicated.
cheaptwangers 1 year ago
i think i said this before and people made fun of me?in 100 years time jean will be like mozart,mad music but never forgottin
despoolkop 1 year ago
A true visionary. And what a concert!
There's also a great article on wikipedia documenting the event.
AlexAlcyone 1 year ago
Elka Synthex.. love that sound.
azynkron 1 year ago
beautiful arrangement of equinoxe ! thank you Jean Michel !
velanx 1 year ago
I was 8 years old and remember like it was yesterday. I love that this is here thank you
mehrizi78 1 year ago
I wsh I still have the VHS!
Martinofredwall100 2 years ago
Amazing show!, just to clarify, some people have asked this question, but the lazerharp is Meerly a Midi device connected to the Elka Synthex, instead of just playing the elka synthex, hes connected the lazer harp and is playing it with that ;]
BenjiSpeaks 2 years ago
From that day I saw Jean Michel Jarre playing the laser harp I was obsessed with lasers.
I still have this on VHS.
voon100 2 years ago
Thanks for posting this, I saw it for the first time 20 years ago, in fact I discovered him then. I still think he's the best in his field.
electroabc 2 years ago
Later today I think I wanna watch my Rendez-Vous Huston/Texas I have on my computer :D Better to watch the whole concert than watch some videoclips :)
MoodMan35 2 years ago
where did u get it?
vladimir88x7 2 years ago
Yes, it's a Laser Harp, but it is actually a Elka Synthex than been used, when JMJ is playing on his Laser Harp :)
MoodMan35 2 years ago
Rendez-Vous from Huston/Texas in 1986 was the reason that I first became JMJ fan that year :) and I still like JMJ music a lot :) I will still love his songs and his new albums with songs before he dies :)
MoodMan35 2 years ago
My parents brought me to see this when I was 8 years old and I still remember it so well. Jarre is an awesome composer and the skyline of Houston makes a perfect concert hall. IIRC, we parked on the bridge leading to downtown right there near the University of Houston. I remember this being especially healing for us Houstonians who were all grieving over the Challenger. Thanks for posting this and bringing back some wonderful memories. Peace!
coffeegirl2000 2 years ago 3
I grew up in Ireland and a french foreign student showed me this video around '87 or '88. I was amazed. I thought this was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I thought America was the coolest place in the world. I still think so. I now live here. America Rocks!
BehrHunterNH 2 years ago 5
A great way to do music (if it were for real). But it has to be possible nowadays to create a simple system that is capable of recognizing either which beam and at which height is interrupted and to react playing a sample with different pitch and altitude... should be possible. And so damn stylish.
Dunkelseele 3 years ago
Dude its called the laser harp it is a real instrument! we use it in our orchestra and they are way cool!
Spandexius1 2 years ago 3
Yeah the one and only wersion of Equinoxe 7 theres ever made live there worth the deepest respct a music tune ever can get.
TheDane2006 3 years ago
It was so great to see this show after the Challenger tragedy. Sad, but great. He really understood how greatly we were affected. The show was amazing.
gracebatmonkey 3 years ago
In fact Jean will not create music for our dreams forever... 2009 is the end, he is reitring, though, he will do a last worldwide tour, i know he'll be in London UK on 22nd of May, i don't know about here in America though, but i'll keep watching, i don't want to miss the last concert of the best composer of all time !!! after more than 20 years of music...We'll miss you Jean Michel !
Ozzalin 3 years ago
Try 40 years of making music... But hey, you were no more wrong than 20 years...
zpo685d 2 years ago
lmao :) You're right, and my Rendez-vous Houston old VHS tape concert was in the 80s ... Time is flying fast sadly ... We're all geting old, nuuuuuuuu :(
Ozzalin 2 years ago
its play back.. the only thing that is really 100% non-playback live music for jarre is oxygene live in your room 2008...
the rest is 95%play back..
DoctorMustafaSaad 3 years ago
i remember this concert...in 1986 ...was and will be for ever magnificent.....jean will always creates music for our dreams....
alexkartalis 3 years ago 2
I was there too.
soralx 3 years ago
i was there.
backrubs62 3 years ago
Good pyrotechnic... i've recorded this video but....
9w2alz 3 years ago
non ce n est pas du playback!!
desmet57 3 years ago
Incredible music - some of Jarre's best! Truly inspirational stuff - even by today's standards!
WolfStatic 3 years ago 3
he plays en play back !!!!
happycachu 3 years ago
I still have my original VHS copy of this I bought when the Houston Chronicle had a special coupon to send in (along with some bucks) to purchase it. I truly wish they would put this on DVD, because I'm beginning to see wear and tear on my VHS copy. But what can you expect from viewing it often because this laser show was the best thing to happen to Houston ever! I wish Jean-Michel would come back and do another show..thanks for posting..I can watch on my computer, and give my tape a break lol!
RudyIzCool 3 years ago 3
they wanted to, but the quality of the VHS is too bad, so they canceled the planned re-release, who knows they might re-master it and we will see it in 6 months
vladimir88x7 3 years ago
Jarre even played Oxygene 1 at this concert. Pretty damn ballsy!
Glargl 3 years ago
i should upload the audio from the Peking concert in 1981 where he played it
vladimir88x7 3 years ago
lol I was 4 when this was broadcast, we bought the Beta of it, I still have it somewhere, unfortunally I no longer have a beta player! LOL
klingterra 3 years ago
Why oh why doesn't he releases his "old" shows like this and the one in China (1981) on DVD/BR??? This is so great!
GandalfTheGrey1969 3 years ago 3
this men is a god
85Salem 3 years ago 17
@85Salem This man is not a God but he is the King of Synthe. So many celebrities are underrated and not really appreciated until they're dead. Lets give this man the recognition he deserves while he is still alive.
spiritofangela 1 week ago
Holy crap, this brings back some memories. I was only 11 years old when this was Broadcast back in 1986. My Dad Videoed it onto what was our first VCR, a Betamax (remember those?)and I watched it all the time. I was very young but I was hooked. I used to imagine I was him when he did the Laser Harp Performance.
Thanks a million for posting it here, great to see it again.
peteandurnot 3 years ago
great, celestial performance
akat9 3 years ago 2
I caught this from the Bufalo Bayou hillside in downtown Houston. The most spectacular outdoor event that I have ever attended.
He is playing a laser activated synthesizer where the note playing is activated by the location of his hand penetrating the light shining upwards from the ground.
boomerhouston 3 years ago
One thing that got me about the Laser Harp was the tones, nice and Bass-y. I realised, though I was a kid, that I loved that register, probably one of the reasons why I'm a Bass Player now :-)
peteandurnot 3 years ago
man i remember this so vivid. It literally shut down the city. I live just outside downtown where this took place. we still tried to get closer and wound up watching it from the freeway because traffic was just stopped for as far as you could see. A truly amazing show.
Krucify36 3 years ago 4
just..THANK YOU!
Magnificent music!
ariez64 4 years ago 12
I remember watching this on BBC TV in England back in 1986/7 whilst the it was also being transmitted on FM stereo, which I recorded to Cassette. I later bought a copy of the "studio" version on cassette but it totally lacked something after seeing/hearing the live concert.
Thanks for sharing
DoneFishin 4 years ago 6