Anyone who missed out on a chance to purchase merchandise at the Before the Dawn concerts, which ended earlier this month, can now pre-order all the prints, clothing, collectables and even the beautifully produced tour programme from Kate’s official online store here. Haven’t tried out your “little light” from the Rescue Kit yet? You’re in for a treat.
davidly
I recommend the Hounds of Love mug for anyone wondering if they should bother. It’s the first coffee cup I’ve ever had that seems to have considered the ergonomics of the handle in the hand.
Keith
I think I’m missing something: How does “pre-order” fit in? Is this merchandise that one could pre-order before the shows but that was then not…
Sorry. Lost here. Pre-order in advance of…?
Peace,
Keith
Seán
Hi Keith, I think it will give the merchandising company an indication as to demand should they need to produce extra stock. All orders will be dispatched in early November. All of these items were available at the shows, so there’s nothing “extra” here, just giving everyone a chance to get the items they might like.
Ed
Well, I guess I’ll just state the obvious (as unpopular as it may be)- this sh** is ugly and way, way overpriced. I bought the Hounds of Love T-shirt, wore it once and stashed it away forever. I felt like such a dork wearing such a drab, ugly, ill-fitting shirt. Given Kate’s sterling reputation as an artist’s artist, I had high expectations for concert t-shirts that actually resemble something fashionable or “designer-ish” – something with seam details, raglan sleeves, a V-neck… just something… anything besides the standard boring old Tshirt. Almost everything else, especially the rescue tin, was rubbish too. The one and only thing that I felt lived up to Kate’s reputation was the concert program, which was exquisitely rendered with folded pages and a fascinating, detailed account of the show’s preparation. My only criticism of the program would be the virtual absence of Kate pictures. And the handful of Kate pictures that were included were obviously heavily retouched or were taken from some distance.
Oh, one final gripe about the merch… I found it endlessly annoying that nothing actually said “KATE BUSH” on it. It was all “KT Foundation” or “Fish People.” Perhaps all of the merch was so ugly that Kate didn’t want to attach her name to it? If that is the case, I totally understand why she did it.
Dennis
Wow, Ed! You sound like someone who is very hard to please, so I doubt there’s anything Kate could have done that would have lived up to your high standards. No one is forced to buy these items, neither were you when you decided to buy the T-shirt, I’m baffled as to where you got your ‘high expectations’ from? Even Queen Elizabeth II sells “ordinary” merchandise at her Buckingham Palace Shop. And it’s not like Kate is known for selling her music on diamond studded discs. Cheer up!
Ed
Yes, I am hard to please! But I blame Kate because she has upped the ante on so many levels that I have come to expect nothing but interesting/innovative things from her. As such, the merch was a major disappointment. Indeed, my initial reaction upon first seeing the Tshirts was “Ugh, really?” But that was quickly followed up with “…but I’m not walking out of here emptyhanded!” So I held my nose and went for the design that seemed the least offensive to me. Considering the phenomenally epic scale of the show’s visual elements, it seems utterly daft that the Tshirts would be so perfunctory and unappealing. So many missed opportunities… Kate, if you ever decide to stage this show again, give me a call…
Seán
Hey Ed. So….you weren’t into the merch then, I take it? 😉 Fair enough. I loved all the t-shirts and bought a set but passed on the lifejacket one. I thought the t-shirts were good quality with a very nice lunar-phase rendering of the tour dates on the back of some. The Nocturn lyrics in the blackbird wings t-shirts was very clever and the feather/bird t-shirt with its “hidden” KT symbol was beautiful also. A close family member now cherishes her Cloudbusting pendant. The Rescue Tin was certainly a pricey item that not all fans went for, but I thought it was fun and different. The tasteful element to the items Kate chose to make available was, I think, enhanced by her use of the “KT Fellowship” on all Before the Dawn items. It was clearly how she wanted to approach this show, as a collaborative creative endeavour – and as such she didn’t want her own name or face plastered over everything, it seems to me. Just my opinion, I think it makes these items even more special, to be hopefully enjoyed by those who appreciated how she put the entire project together.
Adam
Sort of agree with Ed, I have to say, though I’m not one to buy merchandise anyway. I’m in it for the music and spending a fortune on second hand tickets was quite enough.
Now where is the show DVD for god’s sake? Who wants a coffee mug anyway. Waiting with baited breath for the first Kate release in surround sound — how long do you all recon we’ll be waiting for this one?
Dennis
We had to wait 12 years for Aerial to come out, and it’s only been 1 month since the last concert! I think making a DVD takes a little while longer to get right. Until then, the coffee mug looks lovely on my display shelf, and I’m sure many other people are enjoying theirs too.
Mingus 42
Interesting comments Ed, and I kind of agree. Have been trying to obtain a poster from the official site tonight, but it keeps crashing!
davidly
In short: buyer beware. Though I don’t imagine this warning was necessary for most of the fans who eagerly waded into the merch pit. We knew what we were doing. I have long felt that t-shirts with images on them were for teenagers and kids. Still, I got the sense at the show that many of us brought that mentality into the venue with us, being dorks anyway, and a raglan design couldn’t obscure that reality. I mean, come on Ed, you had a voice in your head telling you not to buy the shirt and you bought it anyway. Am I right? Fair enough, though, if your purpose is to protect those who can’t see it up close before purchasing.
I was fortunate to have had the time and patience to watch the line, post-show, as it dwindled before I hopped in. But it wasn’t until I got to the front that I was able to adequately soak in the effect of the images on the front of the tees. My initial reaction was quite simply that I didn’t really want any of them. My thought process kind of went: don’t want the promo image, too cliché, hm… best would be something only identifiable by an fellow initiate, ie. no name or facial image… the Hounds of Love one is a bit better, with just the opening line…
…then I saw the same HoL mug lonely in the back. Who wants a mug? Me. I’m drinking coffee out of it right now and would be lying if I said I weren’t pleased with my purchase. And the ergonomic aspect I mentioned in my previous comment works for the right- and left-hander.
As the nice young person who womanned the counter was getting the mug, I began eye-ing the t-shirts again. Hm. As I soaked in the image of Kate “floating on the open sea” I realized it was the best of the lot. So I bit. I probably won’t wear it much, if at all. Right now I use it as a display, a nice alternative to a poster for my taste.
giulio
The real must-haves? The Hounds Of Love mug and the libretto 🙂 (IMHO)
Stephen
I’m only just recovering from the Kategasm I suffered when the merch became available From a more clear headed perspective I must say that does seem overpriced, the uncharitable might even say “cash grab”. That said I’m still going pony up for most,if not all, of it
Nigel Morgan
Have to say I agree with many of the comments. I too was swept away with euphoria and bought 2 tees, key ring, feather pin and poster (which is lovely now it is in a silver frame!). The tees were a mite disappointing and certainly overpriced. I see that a couple of items are cheaper on the website as I guess the Apollo doesn’t get a cut out of this.
But I was surprised that Kate allowed the rescue kit to go on sale. It was fun but tacky and at £45!! Come on! I also understand totally that Kate wanted to emphasise the collaborative nature of the show by not putting her name on items – though I did find it bizarre that her name didn’t appear anywhere outside the theatre. She won’t get away with that on the DVD!
Consdering we are just 6 weeks away from Christmas and no announcement yet it is getting increasingly unlikely this will get a pre Christmas release :o(