Ray's Gigs

Daily news and reviews of gigs bars clubs restaurants product launches films theatre fashion shows books art galleries hotels competitions interesting places to visit ...and much more!

Tuesday 28 January 2025.

Tuesday 28 January 2025. Thanks to the internet and band websites, it is easier to find out about bands touring overseas, and what level they play to. The likes of Coldplay and Ed Sheeran play massive stadiums all across the world. Coldplay spent the weekend in India, continuing to set records with its “Music Of The Spheres World Tour.” The band’s Jan. 25-26 shows at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat hosted more than 111,000 fans each night, marking the biggest performances of the band’s career and two of the largest stadium concerts of the 21st century. ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Monday 27 January 2025. Happy Birthday to NICK MASON who is 81 today. See my Facebook page for a photo of us together. --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Sunday 26 January 2025. The week of shows for Teenage Cancer Trust at The Royal Albert Hall has been announced for the end of March. As usual The Who are playing two shows. Who are playing the opening night on Monday 24 March ? It's only THE SEX PISTOLS with Frank Carter. A nice warm show for their Japan , NZ and Australia shows. Tickets go on sale on Friday 31 January . ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Thursday 23 January 2025...6.15pm to 8.30pm... Private view - Bonhams , New Bond Street , London W1. Lee & LEE...A SKY original... Surrealist and fashion photographer, model and pioneering war correspondent, Lee Miller (1907-1977) was a force of nature who had an exceptional career. Yet, for a long time, it remained hidden – even from her son – with all of her negatives and photographs stored away in the attic at her home, Farleys in East Sussex. Since her powerful images came to light, her son Antony Penrose and granddaughter Ami Bouhassane have worked to ensure her legacy lives on. Last year the first narrative movie about her life during the war, LEE starring Kate Winslet, who was also one of the producers on the film, was released by Sky, with Winslet recently being nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. Now Bonhams has collaborated with Farleys House & Gallery – Home of the Surrealists – to bring its exhibition 'Lee & LEE' to New Bond Street in January 2025. The exhibition, curated by Ami Bouhassane and producer of LEE Kate Solomon, pairs Lee Miller's iconic war photographs with their counterparts from the 2024 feature film. The exhibition will run from 13-24 January (10am-4pm including weekends) at Bonhams New Bond Street, London. 'Lee & LEE' showcases comparative images of Lee Miller's wartime reporting alongside photographs of meticulously researched scenes recreated for the film by official photographer for LEE, Kimberley French. The exhibition will also feature photographs by Kate Winslet taken on set using a Rolleiflex camera, built specially as a replica of Lee Miller's own camera at Farleys. Having been on view in the Lee Miller Gallery at Farleys in Sussex over the summer, this is the first time the exhibition will travel to London, and it will also include props from the film and items owned by Lee Miller. These will include Lee's own wartime uniform, as well as the uniform from the film and special stunt camera, costumes created by Michael O'Connor, a prop typewriter and WWII Jeep, amongst other objects. Over 200 guests here , including rows of seats. From 6.45pm to 7.30pm was on the interview with Lee's son and granddaughter, followed by a Q & A. Complimentary Pol Roger champers for all the guests. ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- Wednesday 22 January 2025. THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS live at 229 Great Portland Street, London W1. The band play the second of three shows at this venue. They will be promoting their new album ' Live in Houston '. The Fabulous Thunderbirds is an American blues band formed in 1974. Singer Kim Wilson is the only constant member through the band's entire history. Their 1986 album Tuff Enuff sold over a million copies, and spawned two minor hit singles: the title track and "Wrap It Up". I have seen them twice before, including amazingly 45 years ago when they played The Hope n Anchor in Islington and then in 1995 at The Mean Fiddler in Harlesden. These shows are part of The Blues Festival at this venue. 620 capacity venue, includes 20 side seats for early arrivals. A great venue , with the stage at a perfect height , but the big promoters like Live Nation and SJM avoid using it. --------- The venue looks pretty full. THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS arrived on stage at 9pm and played for 1 hour 45 mins. There were five of them on stage tonight. The second guitarist also played some boogie-woogie piano. A nice blues sound from the band. Singer Kim Wilson plays a lot of nifty harmonica, and halfway through the show , he performs an extended five minute harmonica solo , where the band members actually leave the stage for it....and another solo at tge end of the show. A good show that ticked along ok. Full setlist played tonight by The Fabulous Thunderbirds.... Wrap It Up ( Sam & Dave cover) I Ain't Lyin Wait on Time Can't Tear It Up Enuff Early Every Morning ( B.B. King cover) Why Get Up Don't Make No Sense Struck Down By the Blues Give Me All Your Lovin' Black Night ( Charles Brown cover) Down at Antones I Hear You Knockin' ( Lazy Lester cover) Payback Time Twist of the Knife Tuff Enuff Encore : The Crawl ( Guitar Jr. cover) Sugar Coated Love ( Lazy Lester cover) Harmonica solo ----------- ----------- JEFF BECK auction update.... Jeff Beck: The Guitar Collection At Christie's Totals £8,727,284 Over eight times the pre-sale estimate Led by Jeff Beck's 1954 'Oxblood' Gibson Les Paul which realised £1,068,500 100% Sold, the sale welcomed registered bidders from 40 countries, setting a World Auction Record for a Gibson Les Paul.