Monday 12 May 2025.

Monday 12 May 2025. GARY BARLOW live at The Royal Albert Hall. Take That singer plays the first of two RAH shows on his massive ' Songbook' UK tour. I have seen Take That a couple of times when they played Wembley Stadium....with Robbie and without Robbie. Expect solo material mixed in with several Take That hits. ---------- As expected, it is mainly females and couples here tonight. BRAD KELLA arrives on stage at 7.30pm for his 30 mins set. Just Brad and his piano in front of Gary's huge stage curtain. Coming through early adversity, being fostered and ending up living on the streets, he went on to win Channel 4's The Piano. Kella says: 'After seeing a teacher play piano in high school, I went home and asked my foster parents if I could have a piano, which just seemed like a pipe dream. I had no training, no lessons. Some superb piano instrumentals where he mixed his own material and cover versions. His friendly Scouse stage banter with the crowd , helped him get a good reception. GARY BARLOW arrives in stage at 8.15pm for his 1 hour 45 mins set. Gary was backed by eleven musicians , including a three man brass and two female backing singers. A full stage production , with loads of lights. Gary certainly knows how to work the crowd well. The vocals are nice and clear , and the females here are really enjoying the mix of solo material and Take That hits. The ticker-tape cannons were used three times . A few of his solo songs plodded a bit ,but you can't deny the great melodies and big choruses of the Take That hits ,made it a really great show. Full GARY BARLOW setlist played tonight... Open Road Greatest Day (Take That song) These Days ( Take That song) Let Me Go Incredible (with band introduction) Medley - Sure / Everything Changes / Whatever You Do to Me A Million Love Songs (Take That song) (with Brad Kella) Pray ( Take That song) Medley - The Flood / Since I Saw You Last / Reach Out Patience (Take That song) If There's Not a Song About It Forever Love 6th Avenue Love Ain't Here Anymore (Take That song) Said It All ( Take That song) The Garden (Take That song) Shine ( Take That song) Relight My Fire (Dan Hartman cover) Back for Good (Take That song) Rule the World ( Take That song) Never Forget (Take That song) --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Sunday 11 May 2025. Hard to believe it is 20 years ago since CREAM reunited. I was at all four Royal Albert Hall shows. Twenty years ago, on May 2, 2005, Cream—one of rock’s most influential bands—reunited for the first of four landmark concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall The line-up featured all three original members, Eric Clapton , Jack Bruce , Ginger Baker. ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- Saturday 10 May 2025. Happy Birthday to SALLY JAMES who is 75 today. If you are old enough , she was on Tiswas TV in the 1970s. Heavenly Birthday to SID VICIOUS who would be 68 today. ------------------------------- -------------------------------- Friday 09 May 2025....6.30pm to 9.45pm... JIKONI - launch party - 3rd Floor , Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly London W1. Marylebone restaurant JIKONI celebrate their ten day residence at this historic venue, that dates back over 300 years. From Friday 9th May until Sunday 18th May, chef and food writer Ravinder Bhogal and Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany, co-founders of Jikoni, will join forces with Fortnum & Mason to bring their warm, joyful hospitality and unique expression of maternal, cross-border cooking to the Piccadilly Flagship. Around 150 guests are here, including PROFESSOR GREEN and MEERA SYAL with SANJEEV BHASKAR . At 7pm we have a couple of speeches At 7.10pm we have two piano instrumentals and a 40 mins DJ set from multi-award-winning producer, composer and musician NITIN SAWHNEY. Complimentary drinks and food , included Fortnum & Mason sparkling wines , gin cocktails and lots of tasty bowl food , canapes ( including Jikoni's take on the Fortnum & Mason classic scotch egg) and desserts from the JIKONI menu. All guests got a copy of the JIKONI cook book which is published via Bloomsbury .

Posted 10th May 2025