Chantastic....the return of Patrick

[Corianna]

My French is rusty - 84.11 announced as unofficial score?

yes

 

[FreeAgent]

Awesome!

Can't wait to see it.

 

[totoro8673]

I think so, too. Great program!

 

[VarBar]

Patrick's SP skate at Souvenir Georges-Éthier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TELI674xQU0

 

[Spun Silver]

"Old Mikey is back" - I'd say so! Brilliant - not quite perfect yet but a wonderful showcase for all he can do. If only he can add a smile here and there to make it fun, like the song. Welcome back, Patrick!

 

[screech]

BEAUTIFUL program. Though I didn't see as much of the tap dancing skills as I expected. But his playfulness was great and I do sees an improvement in his performance skills compared to past 'similar' programs (like Take 5). And his outfit works well, though it looks like he just walked out of a Gap.

His beautiful ease of movement and flow with that amazing speed just soothed me so much. God he moves across the ice like nobody else.

 

[Jammers]

Sadly he still has that "coach" with him.

 

[bardtoob]

Sadly he still has that "coach" with him.

Really? Given the 2A, I assumed he was coachless. Anyway, his skating is still nice to watch.

 

[wickedwitch]

"Old Mikey is back" - I'd say so! Brilliant - not quite perfect yet but a wonderful showcase for all he can do. If only he can add a smile here and there to make it fun, like the song. Welcome back, Patrick!

If you listen to the words, a smile would seem inappropriate. That's the hard thing about using this song with lyrics: striking the balance between the upbeat rhythm and the story behind the lyrics.

 

[Spun Silver]

I never heard the song and couldn't hear most of the lyrics, but I just looked them up. You're right! That is one creepy song. The music seemed so cheery! But I'm sure I will hear it differently now. Still, I think some sort of facial expression is called for, and a smile (that could be read as callous) is probably easiest.

 

[Japanfan]

Really? Given the 2A, I assumed he was coachless. Anyway, his skating is still nice to watch.

From what he's said in interviews, I don't expect there to be a focus on improving the 3A or any other jumps.

That said, it's nice to see Patrick back and my appreciation of his SS has been renewed. I really enjoyed that program, despite not liking the music. Enjoying a program skated to music I don't like is a sort of litmus test for me.

 

[bardtoob]

From what he's said in interviews, I don't expect there to be a focus on improving the 3A or any other jumps.

I suppose he would not since he does not have a coach.

 

[dinakt]

Back in town in right! I love it. Patrick flies, and he dances. He's come a long way in interpretation over the years, and has become exquisite.
I watched it a few times and every time see some nuances- for ex., reacting to the bass line... Oh it's goooooood... or the long edge on the word "shark", a lethal skill on ice
Next post will be re: the music, so I'll break it up

 

[dinakt]

If you listen to the words, a smile would seem inappropriate. That's the hard thing about using this song with lyrics: striking the balance between the upbeat rhythm and the story behind the lyrics.

I completely agree about the balance, though if one takes the metamorphosis of the song over the years, it can go either way. Also, there's the question of who the interpreter is- the character or the narrator, and that subtly influences the way it could be done. So in this particular case, to me, not smiling is fine, smiling is fine, darker is fine, but so is light/ironic. What Patrick did seemed appropriate. The Buble version he uses is one of the lightest, most "big band" versions I know.

I never heard the song and couldn't hear most of the lyrics, but I just looked them up. You're right! That is one creepy song. The music seemed so cheery! But I'm sure I will hear it differently now. Still, I think some sort of facial expression is called for, and a smile (that could be read as callous) is probably easiest.

Bear with me.
Kurt Weill original, in German- a street performer sings a ballad introducing the main character (Mack, a hard core gangsta). The twist is that in the primary source - 18th century English ballad opera "The Beggar's Opera"- McHeath is more of a Robin Hood type. When the character was transplanted into Kurt Weill's/Bertold Brecht's "Three Penny Opera", they made him very dark. Then the Americans translated the piece, and it went to Broadway (or off- Broadway?). Then it became a super popular jazz single with Louis Armstrong making it a hit (and throwing Weill's wife's name into the song for a good measure, making it even more of an ironic commentary- she was one of the performers in the show). The song took off from there.
Because I had a great time listening to various versions, here they are:
The Original: https://youtu.be/zMWc4h77e2o?list=RDzMWc4h77e2o
Armstrong:https://youtu.be/S-lHrDPjGfQ
Ella Fitzgerald (heavenly and she has so much fun, calling out other singers who recorded the song) https://youtu.be/YX2n2EE2hls
Bobby Darin https://youtu.be/wIUK7emelkw
et cetera

 

[Spun Silver]

Wow, dinakt. Fabulous post! What a range of interpretations you linked. The Original is threatening and scary. Ella definitely accents the fun, yet hints at the dark side with the unusual vocal color she adds as she goes on. This is the first time I ever heard her sound like Louie! So fun!

Great musical choice for Patrick. I hope he enjoys interpreting it as the season continues!

 

[lala]

Sadly he still has that "coach" with him.

no tech coach? and he will go to the season without it?

 

[briancoogaert]

What a beautiful program, and again, that flow
But the jumps

 

[jenny12]

So glad Patrick's skating this season. What a gorgeous skater!

But please let the jumps be there!!!

 

[Japanfan]

I suppose he would not since he does not have a coach.

He does have a coach. You may not call her that, but he does.

After the disappointment of Sochi I've lowered my expectations of Patrick. I've given up on expecting that one piece of unforgettable piece of perfection from him - a moment that surpasses his victory over Buttle at Nationals.

TBH, I would be thrilled if Nam beat him at Nationals with a skate-of-a-lifetime. I'm not crazy about Nam and I adore Patrick's skating, but Nam has more to prove. He's on the up-and-up and has already proven that he's capable of staying on his feet.

 

[skatebug943]

He did the 3A in the warmup, and this is his first competition in over a year. I thought he looked nervous going into each jump. It might take a bit of time to get used to doing these jumps in competition again.

Patrick is capable of skating clean programs. His last clean LP was 2013 TEB (unless you count the Japan Open last year?). He just unfortunately hasn't had that moment at Worlds/Olympics. But clean programs are few and far between these days for any skater. I don't think this is unique to Patrick.

 

[Sylvia]

Souvenir Georges-Éthier 2015 Sr. Men SP protocol: http://www.patinage.qc.ca/doc/resultats/GE_2015/6 det.pdf

As expected, Patrick did not compete today even though he was listed in the FS starting order.

 

[sunshine4you]

Souvenir Georges-Éthier 2015 Sr. Men SP protocol: http://www.patinage.qc.ca/doc/resultats/GE_2015/6 det.pdf

As expected, Patrick did not compete today even though he was listed in the FS starting order.

Is it because he has to fly to Japan asap?

 

[Sylvia]

Beverley Smith's blog article (Sept. 2, 2015): Patrick Chan finds his rhythm

The end of the aticle says "Chan won’t do a senior B competition, but he’ll probably show up at a competition in Quebec later this month, just to get his short program out there."

ETA:

He did the 3A in the warmup, and this is his first competition in over a year.

3A is around the 3 min. 45 second mark of this video of the 6-minute warmup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ayTupn5u0

 

[luckiest1]

Thank you Sylvia. I wasn't sure if he warmed it up or not!

 

[puglover]

I just hope he is coming back because he missed competing. People who are trying to prove something rarely seem to hit the target. If he can have some fun out there, that would seem a success to me. I adore him and am just happy to see him back.

 

[DreamSkates]

Well it's a gorgeous program......a few technical problems today, no combo but he stayed on his feet and it's got a lot of potential. I'll take 84 for that, has the potential to be mid nineties for sure!

It will be exciting to see Chan back in the mix of the top men and a showdown between him and Hanyu.

 

[luckiest1]

Here are links to watch the men's free from Japan Open in order of skate (courtesy of DobrinFan in the Japan Open thread):

Joubert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lme-MviIlcA
Abbott https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daaU7ufgGjE
Murakami https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtF__zBC6Cs
Fernandez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCCUuiG3uOo
Chan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA-wyzACDfU
Shoma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wsIZlOXCI4

 

[AxelAnnie]

Brilliant Simply brilliant. That kind of gorgeous skating, smooth....flowing.. Organic and explosive jumps is sorry missing in these parts. Like watching Kurt Browning in a pro program. Simply doesn't get much better

 

[Spun Silver]

I thought Patrick was breathtaking and his program is stunning. It doesn't worry me that he hasn't integrated his jumps yet. I really hope he will because otherwise this was just masterful.

 

[Vash01]

Nobody can match his basic skating skills. He can do anything he wants with his blades on the ice, and he puts a lot of detail in the moves. I love his Chopin program. Hopefully the jumps will become more secure as the season progresses. Even with the mistakes it was beautiful skating at the Japan Open.