News and Reviews: 10th December 2011
08 Dec 2011.Bryan Adams live at The 02 Arena, London.Another act i have a lot of history with as i have seen Bryan Adams over 20 times since 1985.
Last night of his UK arena tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his album "Waking Up the Neighbours" co-produced by Adams and Mutt Lange, peaked at number six on the American Billboard 200.Reaching number 1 in the UK and Germany. The album was released in September 1991 and featured "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", his second 1 hit single in Billboard Hot 100. This song was featured on the album and a movie "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner and Alan Rickman".The single was 16 weeks at number one in the UK....Yes 16 weeks.
The critics have never really taken to Bryan Adams but i really like his catchy pop rock tunes with simple singalong lyrics.His 16 albums have sold over 65 million albums worldwide.As usual Bryan and his band are looking very casual in simple jeans and dark shirts.
The light show is pretty basic apart from the use of lasers a couple of times.The big screens are great.The middle one is a monster that takes over the entire area behind the stage.
On stage for 2 hours 15 mins with loads of great tunes.Its a full house here mainly as he still gets a lot of female fans.Tracks played inc
"Somebody","Cant Stop This Thing We Started",
"18 Til I Die","Summer Of 69","Everything I Do I Do It For You","Cuts Like A Knife","Its Only Love","Heaven","The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You","Run To You","There Will Never Be Another Tonight" and encores were just Bryan with acoustic guitar for "Straight From The Heart" and "All For You".A great show.
Bryan Adams does a lot of charity work.For one song a winner from a charity auction won the bid to sing a song with Bryan.The guy was very entertaining.Looking like Gok Wan and singing like Justin Hawkins in a sparkly jacket.
06 Dec 2011.Def Leppard + Motley Crue + Steel Panther live at The LG Arena,Birmingham.
Opening night of a six date UK arena tour.
Mouthwatering trio of rock bands meant i simply had to see this package before it came to London.
Up first we have Steel Panther who play a very entertaining 40 mins set.Very rude tonque in cheek lyrics but great fun.Set included "Asian Hooker","Community Property","17 Girls In A Row" and "Death To All But Metal".
Motley Crue play a full 90 mins set.I first saw them in 1984 on their first visit to the UK.
They have big screens,flames and pyros galore.
Lots of great catchy rock tunes inc "Wild Child",
"Live Wire","Shout At The Devil","Same Old Situation","Home Sweet Home","Looks That Kill","Dr Feelgood","Girls Girls Girls" and "Smoking In The Boys Room".However the highlight of their show is a drum solo by Tommy Lee.On previous tours he had his amazing drum kit that he played upside down.This time the same drum kit is here but he has a huge circular rollercoaster that the kit moves on.It really has the wow factor.Then he gets an audience member to go upside with him.Dont miss it.
Then it is Def Leppard.Another rock band i have seen over 20 times.I saw them as youngsters supporting AC/DC at Hammersmith Odeon in 1979.
They play a brilliant 90 mins set and have brought over their full American stage show.
Loads of big screens and a fantastic wall of sound.Phil Collen is shirtless from the start and plays lots of great guitar.Loads of great songs inc a cover of The Sweets "Action","Make Love Like A Man","When Love And Hate Collide" and the second half has the big hits as they play "Hysteria","Animal","Photograph","Pour Some Sugar On Me" and encores of "Lets Get Rocked" and "Wasted".An excellent show.In fact all three bands were great.They end the tour at Wembley Arena on Wed 14 Dec 2011.See you there.
05 Dec 2011.Paul McCartney live at The 02 Arena,London.Macca seems to love playing more than ever these days.Last year i saw him at Hyde Park and those two magical gigs indoors at The Hammersmith Apollo and The 100 Club.
As expected he has a lot of family and friends here who are all a few rows in front of us.They include daughters Stella and Mary with their kids and Ronnie Wood who is sitting next to Pauls new wife and Kate Moss and her hubby from The Kills.Also here is David Gilmour,Sharleen Spiteri,Twiggy and short person Warwick Davis from the "Lifes Too Short" tv show.
It is another stunning Macca show lasting 2 hours 50 mins.The band sound great and the big screen visuals are perfect.Remember we are dealing with the man with the best back catalogue in pop and more than half his set is Beatles classics alongside Wings gems and solo stuff.So many great songs tonight one after the other.Paul looks great and really seems to be enjoying it.
Set included "Hello Goodbye","Juniors Farm","All My Loving","Jet","Paperback Writer","The Long And Winding Road","Maybe I'm Amazed","Blackbird",
"Dance Tonight","Eleanor Rigby","Something",
"Band On The Run","Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da","Back In The USSR","Let It Be",a totally stunning "Live And Let Die" with full monty flames and pyros,
"Hey Jude" and encores including "All You Need Is Love","Day Tripper",Ronnie Wood came on for "Get Back","Yesterday" and "Helter Skelter".
A totally brilliant show that will no doubt top my end of year best gigs poll of 2011.
03 Dec 2011.Machine Head + Bring Me The Horizon + Devildriver live at Wembley Arena,London.
A night of metal over in North London.
Like me most of the crowd have arrived early to see Devildriver who are promoting their fifth album "Beast".The crowd know all the tunes and the circle pit moshing is very lively.A very impressive 40 mins set from these Californians.
Next up are Bring Me The Horizon who play a decent 45 mins set based on their three albums but some of this crowd see them as "not metal enough" and even though the singer gives it 100% they have not got the metal power of Devildriver.
Machine Head have been doing their own thing now for some 20 years.This is their first UK arena tour which follows some mainland European shows.
On stage for 1 hour 50 mins.It is heavy,very heavy.
Twin flying v guitars riffing away.....fast
There are big screens that show images rather than live footage from the stage.Their "Blackening" album got them a Grammy Award nomination.They are promoting new album "Unto The Locust".The floor standing area is a pure mess of bodies but great to see so many fans jumping about.Tracks played included "I Am Hell","Imperium","The Blood,The Sweat,The Tears","This Is The End","Darkness Within" and "Who We Are".Encores of "Halo" and "Davidian" send everyone home happy.
01 Dec 2011.I went to four events tonight ending up at the launch party for the new Gorillaz album.It rained all evening so handy all events were near eachother.
6.30pm to 7.45pm was the flagship store launch of Scabal,
12 Saville Row,London W1.
Small shop but full of quaility menswear items as you would imagine from the street it is in.Freebie Piper Heidsieck champers and canapes here.Sadly i did not win one of the three good items in the prize draw.Though there was a nice goodie bag with gents stuff inside.
then
7.50pm to 8.50pm was the launch of The Lucky Pig,
5 Clipstone Street,London W1.
A cosy New York style basement cocktail bar just five minutes north of Oxford Street.Ideal place on a rainy night like tonight as there is a nice warm vibe here.
Lots of yummy different freebie cocktails here along with canapes.An average goodie bag here.
then
9pm to 10pm was the Paige Denim launch at 51 Great Marlborough Street,London W1.
American upmarket female designer.Mainly female jeans but they do sell male jeans.They are a very tight sexy fit as the models here showcased in the catwalk.Freebie cocktails,beers,mulled wine,bowl food and canapes here.An average goodie bag.
then 10.10pm to 11.45pm was the launch of The Gorillaz "The Singles Collection 2001-2011" at The 100 Club,London W1.
Invite only gig for Converse comp winners and media.
We have a live band Gorillaz Sound System who are pretty much an official Gorillaz tribute band.They play a good 45 mins set of Gorillaz related tunes.Their drummer was brilliant.In typical Gorillaz style they play behind a see through curtain although i watch it proper at the side where there is no curtain.There are Gorillaz cartoons projected on to the curtain.We had a special treat as Damon Albarn and De La Soul joined the band to sing one song.
A good one.