La Machine's spider-mech traipses through the streets of Liverpool

France: it's like Canada, only with less hockey, and more boring mechanical spiders. Those hosers have foisted this amazingly-styled and yet utterly dull "La Princesse" piece of street theater on the innocent, unsuspecting people of Liverpool, and the travesty is set to continue for another couple of days. Hit up the read link for BBC's video of the mundanity.

[Yay. @ Sep 5th 2008 3:08PM]

Why would you want to try? It would take too many blenders!

[barry99705 @ Sep 5th 2008 3:11PM]

And, no, it can't. It would need a screen for that.

[Blackstar @ Sep 5th 2008 3:18PM]

I think Dr. Arliss Loveless already tried this and if I recall, it was not entirely successful.

[thomas @ Sep 5th 2008 9:37PM]

you did not just make a Wild Wild West reference.........

[Blackstar @ Sep 6th 2008 12:04AM]

No. I made it about 9 hours ago.

But I think their version was about as successful as that film was. :P

[barry99705 @ Sep 5th 2008 3:09PM]

That's freaking weird.

[Argot @ Sep 6th 2008 4:15PM]

No it's not. It's the Mobile oppression palace!

http://discardedlies.com/media/mobile-oppression-palace.jpg

[skant @ Sep 5th 2008 3:10PM]

The scouse are anything but innocent, just ask Joey Barton.

[Karl @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:44AM]

What a micro-brained comment.
So all the Americans are like Bush, all the Austrians like Hitler? What a stupid thing to say.

[shane @ Sep 5th 2008 3:12PM]

why does it say "france" is like canada with less hockey?

[who? @ Sep 5th 2008 3:14PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada#Etymology

[John @ Sep 6th 2008 12:03AM]

@ who?

Bad answer, dude. Yeah, so Canada's name comes from an Iroquois word. And that makes it like France how? And I feel awful pointing out, yet again, the narrow geographical scope of some of the bloggers here. Unless of course Mr. Miller was making a reference to Canadians all speaking French. In which case he missed the mark by a long shot. Keep at it though. Hopefully ignorance dilutes over time. . . Oh, and big mechanical spiders rock.

[skant @ Sep 5th 2008 3:17PM]

only on Merseyside does a useless mechanical spider count as culture

[maty @ Sep 5th 2008 7:13PM]

Merseyside? Culture? Culture in Merseyside is like anti-matter, they anihilate when they come into contact.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Sep 5th 2008 3:19PM]

Aaah yes the french, The rivalry between we brits and the french has
gone for years and just when we thought the rivalry had simmered down
they send a bloody spider to get back at us. The bastards. Thank god its only liverpool No one cares about merseysiders.

[5times @ Sep 6th 2008 7:23PM]

what are you talking about? Are you jealous or something? What amazing place do you come from?

[jon @ Sep 5th 2008 3:29PM]

that was a pointless video, it seemed more hyped up then what it was actually worth

[NHAnimator @ Sep 5th 2008 3:33PM]

That's it. Just keep building giant robots. One of these days, one of them will turn on us. Mark my words! Then you'll pay! WE'LL ALL PAY!!!

[riggs @ Sep 5th 2008 3:52PM]

GAME OVER MAN!! GAME OVER!

[smi1ey @ Sep 5th 2008 3:39PM]

Boooooooring.

[James Scott @ Sep 5th 2008 3:39PM]

BOOOORING. Its not even walking under its own power, its got some big dumb crane thing behind it carrying it. HAND PUPPET INVADES LIVERPOOL!

[Leo @ Sep 5th 2008 4:30PM]

I tend to agree. It looks like it would be cool but it loses all sorts of realism by not supporting itself and doesn't live up to any sort of potential.

[james @ Sep 5th 2008 3:39PM]

"Travesty"? If you've seen their other stuff this is about the same feel and speed. Unfortunately not a magical walking robotic sculpture like most people were hoping for. But the entire performance and art of it all is quite nice. Don't worry, there are a few more days to go. Check out their other pieces and performances sometime.

[james @ Sep 5th 2008 3:44PM]

Some footage from The Sultan's Elephant: http://red6hosting.com/3.5/?p=348

[Tom @ Sep 5th 2008 4:55PM]

Absolutely. For engadget to call this a 'travesty' and 'boring' suggests they have lost all hope and wouldn't understand street theatre if it was dancing about in an apple store. For shame! I'm pretty sure these guys were at least somewhat involved in the London-New York Telectroscope (http://www.tiscali.co.uk/telectroscope/) as well. This kind of large scale street art is exactly the kind of thing we Brits enjoy. It's a shame geographically-estranged americans don't appreciate it as much.

[Christian Martin @ Sep 5th 2008 3:41PM]

Okay, enough dancing; now transform into Blackarachnia and get cranky.

[Christian Martin @ Sep 5th 2008 3:42PM]

Plastic parts and glue
Doing everything I can do
To build the robots.
They're filling up the room
'Cause all that I ever do is
Build the robots.

I need assembly lines
A crew and much more time.
The money's all mine
And my funds are getting thin.
Probably have to rob a bank again.
'Cause I'm spending every dime and
I'm spending all my time to
Build the robots.

One fine day when I've got my army made
My flying saucers and toys invade
Every city and every town.
And then I'll plaster my face up all over the place.
See, I'm gonna win the human race.
See, I'm gonna make the world a better place (for me).

Cause I'm manufacturing a disaster.
I'm taking over the world.

[Mr. Fax Sender @ Sep 5th 2008 3:57PM]

What was that stupid music that was playing?

It's not as awesome as it should be. They screwed it up.

[liverpool 05 @ Sep 5th 2008 4:00PM]

Skant you a manc???? sounds like, get a life the lot of you, all your comments are brought on by the GREEN EYED MONSTER i feel sorry for you that you wont get to see it and nothing this amazing will happen in your city, never mind us scousers will enjoy xxx

[riggs @ Sep 5th 2008 4:04PM]

I hope the spider avoided all water spouts.

[Joe @ Sep 5th 2008 4:07PM]

Wow, a comedian :l ^^


I like it, it was on the news earlier trapsing through the Albert Dock. It is quite interesting, bit of an eye sore, but cool. Im from merseyside btw. :)

[Andrew @ Sep 5th 2008 4:08PM]

Liverpool France? Writer needs to take 5th grade geography.

[jorvay @ Sep 5th 2008 5:20PM]

I think I finally figured it out despite the Engadget caption:
French people made the spider. Then they took it to Liverpool, England to show it off.

Now if only I could understand how I, as a Canadian, am like the French. I love France and its people, but last time I checked, we were part of the former British empire and the Queen of England was still our queen. Sounds like England is a lot more like Canada to me...especially when you factor in about 80% of the Canadian population speaking english.

Ironically, I'm off to Quebec for a week to enjoy our fantastic french province.

[Benson @ Sep 6th 2008 2:45PM]

It';s because you Canucks are always sending hockey (rather than spiders) to Liverpool, of course.

Didn't you know that?

[DeusExMach @ Sep 5th 2008 4:17PM]

I for one... yada yada... giant mechanical whatsits overlords... [insert clever sig here]

[nxtiak @ Sep 5th 2008 4:19PM]

Dissapointing, It's not even self supporting. It's like a big marionette.

[HighJinx @ Sep 5th 2008 4:32PM]

dumbest thing ever, doesn't even walk on its own legs, a robot it isn't, its just a frontend loader with 8 legs which carries a bunch of people trying to look cool.

[Karl @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:53AM]

It's art, you prat.

[Nerdhater. @ Sep 5th 2008 4:44PM]

Just glanced through these comments. And some of you bedroom bound, lone boners call La Princesse boring! I'm off to the alehouse.
(Shakes head)

[Piotr @ Sep 5th 2008 5:09PM]

I'm hardly a proud Liverpudlian, but I'm disappointed at the dismissive responses here. Yes, Capital of Culture 2008 is a bit of a non-title for all but the proudest Liverpudlian, and yes some of the criticism levelled at it is certainly justifiable. However, this very imaginative, atmospheric, ethereal art installation has done something which not even the biggest events such as the Mathew Street Festival and Summer Pops has done - it's brought hundreds, even thousands out into the city, of all ages, groups and persuasions, despite the torrential rain and howling wind. Just to see the performances.

Before you criticise, anyone who can ought to go and see this wonderful piece of street theatre. The best events on Sunday are yet to come, so get down there while you can.

Also, Engadget - try a bit more description and less hyperbolae or sweeping generalisation in story bodies - wonderfully exemplified in this article, eh?

[fish @ Sep 5th 2008 6:15PM]

The city of culture peeps can hardly claim the Mathew St. festival as a major event they've done as it was a yearly event previously (Yes, I know about last year and that was their fault). The city of culture has been a mess, even had the banana sheep down as an event from June thru' Aug and they are just a copy of Manchester's cows.
Load of rubbish

[Zapp @ Sep 5th 2008 5:23PM]

Magical?

Have you seen the Mondo spider? There is nothing magical about it, except that feeling in a section of my brain that fight-or-flights when it finally starts moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hfljB2wQD8

[Zapp @ Sep 5th 2008 5:22PM]

This was supposed to be @james.

[Major4Play @ Sep 5th 2008 5:47PM]

I love how everyone is annoyed because it isn't a REAL mechanical spider ! Yes kids of course it should support it's own weight and walk but sadly not really a reality outside of computer games.
Looks quite interesting although Engadget shows up it's American writing style again going all ROW, Canada is like France ? Apart from all the English speaking English, Scottish, Irish settlers (like the US)
I feel Engadget writers nees some kind of gap year to get a small understanding of the world that exists outside of the net and the states.

[Andrew @ Sep 5th 2008 5:59PM]

I saw the sultans elephant in london a couple of years ago and whilst really unusual, it was non the less a stunning spectacal. Im sure the spider will be the same. It does seem a shame that engagdet is taking such an ignorant stand, sometimes things like this bring people together and whilst not everyones cup of tea should be recognised as inventive and entertaining. Perhapes you guys should stick to reviewing technology. Your comments were like reading the comments of someone who's trying to be big and clever whilst actually appearing small minded and childish... unusual for you guys.

[T-Ball @ Sep 5th 2008 6:47PM]

Why the heck is it snowing, did i miss some news flash about snow in the UK in september?

[Bob @ Sep 5th 2008 6:56PM]

Engadget, i dont know if your comments were meant to be sarcastic, but the start of this event was brilliant. I was also disappointed initially that it wasn't walking in an anatomically correct manner, but when you're nearly underneath a 50 foot spider walking down the street, you certainly arnt looking at the hydraulic arm that is keeping it afloat. The fact that the truck beneath keeps it up means that the 8 people controlling the arms movement can be much more fluid, artistic and playful. As a spectacle and street theatre, i have to applaud Artichoke (the company who made it) and Liverpool for organising this event. What it has done, to spur a sense of pride in the city, and how it has engaged and enthused the public can only be a wonderful thing. Its certainly the highlight of the (admittedly spurious) 'capital of culture' year for the city.


(note: i am a Brit who is currently living in Liverpool , but not a scoucer)

[Laron @ Sep 5th 2008 7:25PM]

*yawn*

[HighJinx @ Sep 5th 2008 9:19PM]

Tachikoma > "La Princesse"

[Cedric @ Sep 6th 2008 12:32AM]

They're making up for the Maginot Line. :D