Tuesday 16 December 2025.

Tuesday 16 December 2025. LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR live at The Royal Albert Hall. The London Community Gospel Choir are back with their annual festive party at this venue. Expect Christmas tunes and gospel classics. Featuring The Heritage Orchestra and the powerhouse London Community Gospel Choir band conducted by Tom Smith. With special guest YolanDa Brown. I first saw LCGC at The Jazz Cafe in Camden back in 1998. Also a couple of times as the support act at shows , and when they backed Blur at Wembley Stadium , when they performed 'Tender'. ----------- Not sold out tonight, but the venue is very full , with just the choir seats sections half empty. The show was on for two hours over two sets of 60 mins. Lots of musicians on stage to create a lovely big wall of sound. Several different singers in or related to the LCGC , 20 in the LCGC and over 30 others in the band and Heritage Orchestra. YolanDa Brown and her nice sax joined in on a few tracks. It was mainly soulful Gospel tracks , Christmas Carols and Christmas hits. Including ' Silent Night', a cover of ' How Deep is Your Love' and all on stage for the finale of the Slade classic ' Merry Christmas Everybody '. Two females in the corner taking it in turns for the sign language . An enjoyable show . ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- Tuesday 16 December 2025. Sad to hear that JOE ELY has died aged 78. I saw him perform several times with The Clash , Robert Cray Band and solo. Clash,Joe Ely Electric Ballroom, London 16.02.1980 The Clash played 3 London venues in 3 days Clash,Joe Ely Lyceum Theatre, London 17.02.1980 The Clash loved to play live Clash,Joe Ely Lewisham Odeon, London 18.02.1980 All 3 nights were incredible -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- Monday 15 December 2025. Happy Birthday to The Clash bass player PAUL SIMONON who is 70 today. See my Facebook page for a nice photo of us together. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- Sunday 14 December 2025. HOLY TRINITY BROMPTON CHRISTMAS CAROLS live at Shepherds Bush Empire. Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) is a very popular, large, charismatic evangelical Anglican church in London's Knightsbridge area, known for its vibrant worship, large congregations, and influential Alpha Course, attracting many people with its modern approach to Christianity, The church is around three miles from the venue. ---------- Not sold out but all levels are being used. Must be over 1200 here , which is more than some of the bands get . Although the tickets are cheaper - £20, £15 and £10. Most folks here are under 30, and all skin colours represented. The main event started at at 8.10pm and was on for 80 mins. They had some nice big screens showing festive digital images. Several big balloons thrown out near the start , and confetti came down at the end. There was a choir at the start , and at the end. A six piece band backed all the singers. There were several different singers who sang Christmas Carols and Christmas Chart Hits. The crowd were singing along loudly to all of it. There was certainly a joyous and uplifting atmosphere in the venue . When the main event finished at 9.30pm we had a DJ for an hour playing party anthems. Some of the crowd left after the show but 75% remained and danced away. -------------------------------- -------------------------------- 14 December 1973 ... .It was 52 years ago today ....me aged 14 and a half. MOTT THE HOOPLE + QUEEN live at Hammersmith Odeon. It was the first of over 2000 shows I have seen at that venue. They played two shows that evening. The second show was a bit crazy as Mott The Hoople were still on stage for their encore when the venue brought the stage curtain down for the midnight curfew. It was the only tour that Queen supported in the UK , as the following year they never supported anyone again.

Posted 14th December 2025