News and Reviews: 3rd November 2012
01 Nov 2012.6.50pm to 10.30pm i was at The Stonewall Awards at The Victoria And Albert Museum,South Kensington,London SW7.Gok Wan hosted this annual awards celebrating the range of positive contributions made by individuals both gay and heterosexual and organisations to the lives of gay people in Britain.Over 500 folks in this stunning venue.
Complimentary Devaux champers all night along with canapes including oysters for an hour before the awards and different bowl food and desserts for an hour after the awards.
Ten awards given out.TV presenter Sue Perkins was a popular winner for "Entertainer Of The Year" and "Bigot Of The Year" went to Cardinal Keith O'Brien who is the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
Faces here included MP Dianne Abbott,Vanessa Feltz,Dr Christian Jessen,Jodie Harsh and music folks Holly Johnson ex Frankie Goes To Hollywood,Beverley Knight and the singer from The Feeling.
Holly Johnson was very ill a decade ago but looks much healthier these days.
He played a one off show at The Rewind Festival in Henley August 2011 but when asked about more gigs he said "it is all a bit tricky".
He said "even trying to do promo work for FGTH was difficult as places like Russia where FGTH were very popular would not let him in the country as he is HIV positive".
Always a nice event this one.
See www.stonewall.org.uk
Sad news earlier this week that Terry Callier, the Chicago soul and bluesman who died at 67 of cancer.
In the late 1990s Callier finally got his due when he was rediscovered in Britain by acid-jazz aficionados and brought to London to perform. He ended up tapping a gusher of inspired new material, starting with his 1998 release "TimePeace," and collaborating with Paul Weller and Beth Orton, among others.
I saw him a couple of times at The Jazz Cafe in the late 1990s.
31 Oct 2012.Suzi Quatro live at The Hippodrome Casino,Leicester Square,London.
This very nice lounge club with plush seats around tables holds just 200 punters.
I was just 14 when in 1973 i saw Suzi Quatro on Top Of The Pops playing bass and wearing a leather jumpsuit.Woooowwwww.
In her native Detroit in the 1960s Suzy was in all female bands The Pleasure Seekers at age just 14 then she was in Cradle.
In 1971 she moved to London where Mickie Most introduced Quatro to the songwriting and production team Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman.Following a support slot on a UK tour with Thin Lizzy and headliners Slade, her second single "Can the Can" (1973) was a number one hit throughout Europe and in Australia. It was followed up by three further hits: "48 Crash" (1973), "Daytona Demon" (1973), and "Devil Gate Drive" (1974) on RAK Records. "Can the Can", "48 Crash" and "Devil Gate Drive" each sold over one million copies.The 1970s were her heyday.
I saw her headline Hammersmith Odeon in 1978 and 1980.
Suzi went off the radar a bit in the 1980s when she got married and had children.
Now age 62 and still looking good Suzi and band were on stage for 95 mins.The main set of 80 mins was 50/50 music and chat as between songs Suzi gave a complete life story year by year from her early days in Detroit which included pictures on the big screen and some famous video clips from the 1970s.She played mainly cover songs that influenced her so we got Elvis Presley,Beatles etc.Suzi looked like she was really enjoying herself.
For the encores she changed into the famous leather jumpsuit and played three of her big hits
"Can The Can","Devil Gate Drive" and "If You Can't Give Me Love".An enjoyable show even though there was more chat than expected.
30 Oct 2012.I went to three events tonight.
First was 5.30pm to 6.30pm Vélez Wood Photography private view at TESTBED1 33 Parkgate Rd, Battersea, London SW11
Blood in My Eyes an exhibition which features previously unseen photographs of Bob Dylan taken during Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart’s filming of Dylan's video Blood In My Eyes in 1993.Its on from Oct 25 to Nov 8.Free admission.
Some nice photos and complimentary drinks here.
See www.velezwood.com
then
6.45pm to 8pm was The Spears Wealth Management Awards at Phillips De Pury Gallery,Victoria, London SW1.
Over 500 banker types here male and female for awards including Best Asset Management,Best Private Bank,Best Law Firm,Best Private Bank etc.
These are probably the only type of folks who can afford Rolling Stones tickets.
Having said that they normally have champers here but this year its only cocktails,wines and some nice canapes.
We depart as the awards begin.
See www.spearswms.com
then
8.15pm to 11.30pm.
An evening with Fabi Shoes at Locanda Ottoemezzo,
2 Thackery Street,Kensington,London W8.
Italian leather fashion designer showcases their range of top quality male shoes,female shoes and accessories at this very nice Italian restaurant just off Kensington High Street.
We had a a presentation in one room then everyone sat down for a complimentary multi plate feast from the Le Marche region in collaboration with 2 star Michelin chef Mauro Illiassi along with fully topped up presecco and wines all evening.
Around a dozen dishes.This is what we had.
The best food i have had for ages.
The staff were all fantastic too.
Loacker,foie gras and hazelnut.
Bread and butter anchovies.
Sea bass and tomato basil.
Red shrimp with lemon.
Cuttlefish tagliatella and Nori seaweed.
Goose sandwich.
Fried squid with tandori powder.
Mash potatoes and black truffle.
Risotto parmesan and wild pigeon.
Auntie Helenas Cappelletti.
Red snapper with chicken sauce.
Tiramisu Uliassi.
See www.fabiboutique.com
See www.locandaottoemezzo.co.uk
Also got a couple of decent goodie bags.
29 Oct 2012.Bryan Adams live at The Royal Albert Hall,London.
Only UK show as part of this years "Bare Bones" acoustic tour.Just Bryan and his guitar and a piano player used for some songs.On stage for two hours.It was pretty much a greatest hits set except for three or four lesser known tracks.
Bryan has played these acoustic tours between band tours for the past three or four years.
I have seen Bryan Adams play live around 20 times since 1985.A totally rammed sold out show full of his adoring female fans shouting out song requests after each song played which meant lots of banter between Bryan and the fans.
Every song has simple lyrics but they are all so catchy and everyone is clapping and singing along and then they rush to the front of stage for the encores.A really enjoyable show.
Full setlist played
Run to You....It's Only Love....Back to You....
Here I Am....I'm Ready....This Time....Do I Have to Say the Words?....Can't Stop This Thing We Started....If Ya Wanna Be Bad Ya Gotta Be Good....
Heat of the Night....When the Night Comes....
Not Romeo Not Juliet....(Everything I Do) I Do It for You....Cuts Like a Knife....18 til I Die....
Please Forgive Me....Summer of '69....Walk on By
....Heaven....When You're Gone...The Right Place
....I Can't Stop Loving You(Ray Charles cover)....
The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You....
Encore:....I Need Somebody....You've Been a Friend to Me....Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?....
I Still Miss You A Little Bit....Straight from the Heart....All for Love.
Reminds me of when i spent a week in Paris for The Stones 2003 tour where we ended up going to gigs and two Mick Jagger aftershow parties.
29 Oct 2012.The Rolling Stones played another gig in Paris.This time looks like it was mainly for bankers.Reminds me of the time i went to see The Eagles at Indigo a few years ago.Some 500 bankers all paid £1000 to be there.
For a full review and pictures type in Paris Rocker in Google or click on the link on the right of this website.
12 songs and on for around 75 mins.
Full setlist played...
It's only Rock N Roll
All Down The Line
You Got Me Rocking
Tumbling Dice
Miss You
You Cant Always Get What You Want
Doom And Gloom
Midnight Rambler
Start Me Up
Honky Tonk Women
Jumping Jack Flash
Brown Sugar
28 Oct 2012.Alice Cooper + Ugly Kid Joe + Duff McKagan's Loaded live at Wembley Arena,London.
Alice Cooper returns to the UK once again for his third Halloween Night of Fear tour, a now-annual institution of the macabre, celebration of gore and all out rock n roll fright fest.
Maybe he is playing the UK too often as the venue is only two thirds full.
On Tues 23 Oct 2012 Alice Cooper was at Wembley Arena to cast his handprints to celebrate playing the venue in each of the last five
decades.I saw both his shows there in 1975.
I get to the venue early at 6.30pm to see the promised zombies and freaks show in the foyer.
The foyer is all dressed in black curtains and there are giant skulls and spiders hanging and 40 or 50 fully made up freaks and zombies and goulish folks on stilts are walking about.It was fum watching them spook the punters coming in for 30 mins.Great to see the effort that was put in by all concerned.Lots of the crowd were dress in good halloween costumes as well.
I am in early so i get a great stalls standing place just 8 or 9 rows from stage left.
First band on is Duff McKagan's Loaded.Duff is of course ex Guns And Roses and he arrives on stage at the very un G n R time of 7.15pm.Just half a dozen songs played ending with G n R gem
"Its So Easy".I bet he is wishing Axl and Slash would kiss and make up as G n R original line up reunion would headline outdoor stadiums.
Next are Ugly Kid Joe who reformed a couple of years ago.They play a 40 mins set including a cover of "Cats In The Cradle" and "Everything About You" which were both early 1990s hits.Duff joined them for last song which was a cover of "Ace Of Spades".
Alice Cooper on stage for 95 mins with a rockin band that played and looked the part.Alice again delivered one of the best live shows of the year.There is no "Only Women Bleed" or guillotine but we have the snake,costume changes and other visual treats.Alice is so good at working the crowd.The newer songs sound great but the oldies always will rule.Tracks like "Hello Horray","No More Mr Nice Guy","I'm Eighteen","Under My Wheels" and the two classics at the end "Poison" and "Schools Out" with bubbles,streamers and giant balloons.In the middle he played a four song "Raise The Dead" tribute to Jim Morrison,Jimi Hendrix,John Lennon and Keith Moon.
Will be in my Top 10 gigs of the year for sure.
Full Alice Cooper setlist played...
Hello Hooray....House of Fire....No More Mr Nice Guy....I'll Bite Your Face Off....Be My Lover..
..Caffeine....Billion Dollar Babies....The Congregation....H