News and Reviews: May 18, 2012

On the radar.
Fri sees me staying at a nice hotel by The River Thames with dinner to review for the site.
Sat sees Happy Mondays play the last of three shows at Brixton Academy.
Sat sees Jay-Z and Kanye West play the second of five nights at The 02 Arena.
Sat sees Black Sabbath play Birmingham Academy.
Original drummer Bill Ward will not be playing.
Sat sees The Championship Play Off Final At Wembley Stadium at 3pm as West Ham play Blackpool.
Sat sees The Champions League Final as Bayern Munich play Chelsea.
Sat sees Guns And Roses + Thin Lizzy play Nottingham Arena.

Shame about the death of disco queen Donna Summer aged 63 from cancer.
She rarely came to the UK but there are some good clips on youtube from when she played at The Louis Vuitton London Summer Party 25 May 2010.


17 May 2012.A full day out at two good events.
Noon to 5pm was The 57th Ivor Novello Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel,Park Lane,London W1.
The UKs main awards event for songwriters.
Here are some of the 14 winners who all turned up.
The Ivors Jazz Award - Stan Tracey
Outstanding Song Collection - Gary Kemp
The Ivors Inspiration Award - Siouxsie Sioux
PRS for Music Outstanding Contribution to British Music - Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen & Robbie Williams (Take That)
Robbie Williams and Jason Orange did not turn up.
Lifetime Achievement - Mark Knopfler
Songwriter of the Year - Adele
PRS for Music Special International Award - Jimmy Webb
BASCA Fellowship - Andrew Lloyd Webber
then
7.30pm to 11pm was the launch of Burhara pop up
restaurant at Sheraton Park Tower Hotel,1st Floor,Knightsbridge,London.
Check back soon for full reviews.


16 May 2012.I went to two good events tonight.
First 7.15pm to 9.15pm was the launch of Brasserie Blanc,Opera Terrace,Covent Garden,London.
Top chef Raymond Blanc opens another one of his Blanc
Brasseries.Lovely views looking down on to the square.Lovely freebie champers,cocktails and canapes including oysters for all of the 200 guests.
Raymond Blanc gave a funny speech.
I had a nice chat with Britt Ekland.She spends most of her time in Los Angeles but will be coming to Europe a lot this year for James Bond 50th anniversary events.She usually does panto each Christmas in the UK.Britt was very friendly and chatty and still looks great at age 69.
Her personal life was a bit crazy back in the day.
From Peter Sellers to Rod Stewart and then younger rockers Phil Lewis(singer with Girl) and Slim Jim Phantom(drummer with The Stray Cats).
then 9.30pm to 11.45pm
was the afterparty for the play "What The Butler Saw" at The Waldorf Hotel,Aldwych,London.
The play was on earlier at The Vaudeville Theatre. Around 500 folks here in this posh ballrooom including the star of the show Omid Djalili.Others here included Lenny Henry,Jim Broadbent,Jenny Eclair,Alexie Sayle and David Baddiel.Lots of lovely different food here and beers and wines to wash it down.Another good one.