News and Reviews: 9th November 2011
08 Nov 2011.I went to three good events tonight.6.45pm to 8pm i was at the launch for Tony "AP" McCoys book
"My Autobiography" at Thomas Pink,Jermyn Street,London SW1.
Anthony Peter McCoy OBE (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey.He is the most successful jump jockey of all time.Having recorded his first win at age 17 in 1992, by 2009 he had ridden over 3,000 winners and been named British jump racing Champion Jockey every year since 1995/6. His winners included the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, King George VI Chase and the 2010 Grand National, riding Don't Push It on his 15th attempt. He has ridden over 13,000 races (equivalent of 31,000 miles or 1.25 times around the earth). In addition, McCoy was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, becoming the first jockey to win the award.
Lots of freebie champers,cocktails and canapes here at this posh tailors store.Tony McCoy held a Q n A session and signed his books that were for sale here.Guests here included current BBC presenter Clare Balding and the ex BBC presenter legend Sir Peter O'Sullivan who is now aged 93 having retired from BBC after 50 years service.Everyone got a decent goodie bag here.The book is out now on Orion Books.Then to
8.05pm to 9.35pm i attended a fashion show at Gucci,New Bond Street,London W1.Lots of freebie champers,cocktails and canapes here that were served by guys that all looked like David Beckham male model types.The girl models strutted around the store looking glam in luxury female items.Very expensive prices here as you would imagine.
They flew in some trades folks from Italy showing us how they cut and treated the leather,stitching,embossing etc.No celebs here but i got a couple of excellent goodie bags.Really nice little event.Then to
9.45pm to 10.30pm i went to the dvd launch of Brides Maids
at Merah,Wells Street,London W1.
This popular chick flick film will do well in the pre Christmas sales.Friends say it is very funny.I got there a bit late so just free beers flowing and cupcakes.A mainly girly crowd here as expected with lots on the dancefloor having a good boogie.Pretty lousy goodie bags here.
07 Nov 2011.I went to two good events tonight.
6.45pm to 8.15pm was the unveiling of the WMRT Championship Trophy at Garrard,Albemarle Street,London W1.
An upmarket crowd at this famous Swiss jewellers.Freebie Lanson champers,Snow Queen Vodka cocktails and canapes for all.Half a dozen faces here inc Sinitta,dancer Brendan Cole and designer Oswald Boateng.We had a couple of speeches then the unveiling of the beatiful trophy that was made by Garrard for this worldwide sailing series.
After the presentation Sophie Ellis Bextor and hubby Richard Jones were the djs.A good party.
See www.wmrt.com
then 8.45pm to 12.15am i was at the launch of "Call Of Duty-Modern Warfare 3" at Old Billingsgate,London EC3.
In terms of launch events it does not get bigger than this.A staggering 1300 invited guests,comp winners and media here for this very popular computer game.
There are searchlights as you enter the venue with folks in full combat outfits with guns and there are over 100 consoles inside the venue for gamers to play on.
Freebie spirits,beers and wines and food all night for all here.It was a proper big budget event.
We also get two big live dance acts.Chase And Status and Example.A few faces here inc Joey Barton from QPR.
I may be a bit bias but he is how a footballer should be.A tiger on the pitch and super nice off it.He said he went to see Noel Gallagher live last week and hopes to get to Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kasabian.Other footballers here inc Ashley Cole(Chelsea) and Danny Simpson(Newcastle).
Also boxer David Haye,Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet,Katie Melua,Danny Wallace,Jack Whitehall,Tom from McFly,Dynamo,Calum Best,Goldie,dj Spoony and even Sophie Ellis Bextor and hubby arrived here from the earlier Garrard event.No doubt a few others.
At 10pm Example played a 40 mins set inc big hits "Stay Awake","Kickstarts" and "Changed The Way You Kiss Me".
At 11pm Chase And Status played for an hour.Like Example the last 12 months has been very good for them.Their set
inc "Let Me Go" and a spine tingling "Blind Faith".
At midnight the video screens flashed to stores across the country to show big queues had formed to be the first to get their hands on the game at midnight.For the midnight countdown we had fireworks and lasers in the venue.A great event.
The Call of Duty franchise has sold in excess of 100 million units worldwide.
Call of Duty is played online by gamers in over 144 countries around the world.
Over 1.4 billion matches have been played in multiplayer alone on Call of Duty Black Ops, the previous game, as of August 2011, with 1,576 billion shots fired and 5,285,198 metric tons of frag grenades thrown.
Call of Duty players have fired more virtual bullets than there are stars in the Milky Way.
Enough people play multiplayer every day to fill up the 80 largest sports stadiums in the world.
Call of Duty: Black Ops set a new five day entertainment opening record shattering theatrical box office, book and video game launch sales records surpassing $650 million (£400 million) worldwide upon its release on November 11th, 2010.
Call Of Duty-Modern Warfare 3 is in the shops now.
06 Nov 2011.George Michael "Symphonica" live at The Royal Opera House,Covent Garden,London.
This was a black tie charity gig for Elton John Aids Foundation in this stunning venue where seats ranged from £25 up in the gods to £2750 for best seats and a private dinner with George Michael after the show.
Lots of celebs here.Down the front was Elton John seated next to David Furnish,Janet Street Porter and David Walliams.Others here included Kylie Minogue,Rupert Everett,
James Corden,Michael McIntyre,Angus Deayton,Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters,Harvey Goldsmith,David Arnold and footballer Theo Walcott.
The show was 2 hours 20 mins long over two sets of 55 mins and 85 mins.A plush set with great use of images on the big screen and the 41 piece orchestra sounded excellent.
George Michael is still very much an "A list" artist.This current European Tour has around 50 shows including four at The Royal Albert Hall and three at Earls Court Arena.
The set was split with his own tracks and covers.A tad too many sombre covers for my liking.The first set included New Orders "True Faith" and Rufus Wainwrights "Going To A Town".His voice is still in fine form.The second half was better with "Patience" and covers of The Police "Roxanne" and Amy Winehouse "Love Is A Losing Game".Two of his songs "A Different Corner" and "Praying For Time" were superb.For the encores the crowd finally got up and danced along to "Amazing","Im Your Man" and "Freedom" which were great.Last song was Frank Ifields "I Remember You".
Overall very good but would have preferred more of his own
material rather than covers.