News and Reviews: 13th May 2018
Sunday 13 May 2018.BBC Radio 2 4pm to 5pm - Johnnie Walker Show with guest NILS LOFGREN.
A great interview with Nils with a mix of songs and stories including a great one on how
his guitars got stolen over Easter and how he got them back.
He starts a full UK tour tomorrow and promises to sign stuff after every show.
Check out the list below of the first four times i saw Nils live.
Nils Lofgren,Unicorn... New Victoria Theatre, London 09.05.1976
Nils Lofgren,Unicorn... New Victoria Theatre, London 10.05.1976
Nils Lofgren,Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers...Hammersmith Odeon, London 15.05.1977
Who,Stranglers,AC/DC,Nils Lofgren... Wembley Stadium, London 18.08.1979
Sunday 13 May 2018.
Happy Birthday to Stevie Wonder who is 68 today.
Saturday 12 May 2018.
Happy Birthday to KISS drummer Eric Singer who is 60 today.
Friday 11 May 2018.
NICKELBACK live at The 02 Arena, London.
Nickelback have said they will be playing tracks from all nine of their studio albums.
Nickelback are on a UK & European Tour to promote their 9th album 'Feed The Machine' from 2017.
Nickelback are one of the most commercially successful Canadian groups of all time
and their song "How You Remind Me" was a massive best-selling rock song all over the world.
They are one of those bands that are continually slagged off by critics and rock fans,
but doubt that worries them when they have sold over 50 million albums worldwide.
The video of 'How You Remind Me ' has been viewed over 350 million times on YouTube.
I have seen Nickelback a few times since 2002 when they headlined Shepherds Bush Empire
on the back of the success of 'How You Remind Me' when it became a mega hit.
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There are half a dozen unsold blocks upstairs in Level 4 but their loyal fans are here in force
even though their heyday period was a decade ago.
NICKELBACK arrive on stage at 8.50pm and play for two hours 10 mins.
I am floor standing half way back in front of the mixing desk.
They have a great stage production with three big screens and a barrage of lights.
The pyros and confetti have been left at home this time.
It was a perfect visual treat to look at when the lights were at full tilt.
Plenty of females here swooning over lead singer Chad who stills chats too much between songs with
some banal banter about getting drunk on Jägerbomb's as the stage hand gave him cups of it throughout the show.
Some songs plodded a bit but there were plenty of great rockin' tunes.
Twice they got fans on stage for some audience participation which was very entertaining.
For 'Rockstar' it was a male and female to sing the great lyrics to this excellent song.
The guy got himself noticed in the crowd by wearing a naff lime green t-shirt.
He actually looked like one of The Inbetweeners but did a good job.
Loads of big songs for the crowd to sing loudly along to.
Their anthem 'How You Remind Me' at the end of the main set was mega.
A really good show.
Full Nickelback setlist played tonight...
Feed the Machine
Woke Up This Morning
Photograph
Far Away
Something in Your Mouth
Someday
Lullaby
Figured You Out
Leader of Men
Million Miles an Hour
Rockstar (with two fans onstage helping out on vocals)
When We Stand Together
Side of a Bullet
Animals (with a male fan playing guitar)
Hero (Chad Kroeger song) (from the 2002 Spiderman film)
If Today Was Your Last Day
How You Remind Me
Encore:
Gotta Be Somebody
Burn It to the Ground
Friday 11 May 2018.
A new Rolling Stones tv advert is being shown on ITV to promote their upcoming tour.
It features the names of the big support acts they have recently announced.
There were also full page adverts in The Standard and Metro newspapers today.
They need to shift some more tickets as it starts within a couple of weeks.
Thursday 10 May 2018...6.30pm to 9.15pm...
FORTNUM & MASON Food & Drink Awards 2018 at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly, London W1.
Now in their sixth year, the annual Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards celebrate the very best writers, publishers, broadcasters, photographers and personalities working in food and drink today. An independent panel of professional judges, led by Ewan Venters, CEO of Fortnum & Mason, selects the winners from work published or broadcast during 2017.
I have been a few times before so i know it's a great event with a perfect mix of nice food & drinks
along with celebrities and goodie bags.
We are in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Room on the fourth floor of this historic store that dates back to 1707.
Must be at least 250 guests here and it's a nice buzzy atmosphere.
Claudia Winkleman hosted the awards from 7.15pm for around 30 mins.
Lots of celebrity chefs and other well known names including Piers Morgan, Jimmy Carr,Mary Berry,
Kelly Hoppen, Nadiya Hussain, Tom Parker Bowles, Rick Stein, Frank Cohen,Lisa Snowdon,
Jose Pizarro, Fergus Henderson, Nick Ferrari, Ronni Ancona, Rosemary Shrager,Stephen Webster,
Wilnelia Forsyth, Fay Ripley and no doubt a couple more.
I had my photo taken with Piers Morgan and as he is a big Arsenal fan i suggested to him
'how about John Lydon to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal'...he agreed with a big laugh.
A nice random sighting of a guest wearing a MEGADETH t-shirt in this posh venue needed investigating.
I had a chat with him and he was a shortlisted author Zeren Wilson from www.bittenandwritten.com
Complimentary Fortnum's champers, Gin & Tonics, wines and tasty canapés for all guests.
All guests got a goodie bag with half a dozen nice food items from the Fortnum & Mason store.
www.fortnumandmason.com/awards
Visit their website here for more info and the list of winners.
Wednesday 09 May 2018...6.30pm to 9.15pm...
VEUVE CLICQUOT Business Women Of The Year Awards at Claridge's, Brook Street, Mayfair , London W1.
Over 300 guests here in the ballroom of this famous five star hotel.
Lots of very smartly dressed females here as expected.
Erin O'Connor was one of the guests.
Honouring women impacting different aspects of business today.
Since 1972, the awards have honoured women impacting different aspects of business today and celebrates those who share the same qualities as Madame Clicquot, an original trailblazer: her enterprising spirit, her courage and the determination necessary to accomplish her business goals.
The flagship Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award is the longest running award for female business leaders and has recognised some of the UK’s most prolific female business leaders.
At 7.20pm BBC TV presenter Emily Maitlis hosted for the 30 mins awards presentation.
The winner of the main award...Liv Garfield, the FTSE 100's youngest female CEO, has won Veuve Clicquot's prestigious Business Woman Award. Liv is the 42-year-old chief executive of water company Severn Trent.
A nice surprise sighting here was Matt who is a massive Rolling Stones fan and collector.
Check The Stones fan website www.iorr.org for info on his ROLLING STONES MUSEUM in SE London
where you can view his £100,000 plus memorabilia collection.
He even mentioned that The Stones had reserved The Electric Ballroom for a club gig in May
but this is not now happening.
Complimentary Veuve Clicquot Rose champers before the awards then Veuve Clicquot 2006 Vintage
champers after the awards along with gin cocktails, lots of different sushi and canapés for all guests.
A very nice event.
www.veuveclicquotaward.com
Visit their website for a 50 mins video of highlights from the event.
Tuesday 08 May 2018...I went to two events tonight...
6pm to 7pm
Lyon & Turnbull Gallery - private view - 11/12 Pall Mall, London SW1.
This was for their 'Five Centuries of Old Masters ' sale.
Lyon & Turnball are based in Edinburgh & London and specialise in old
Scottish paintings which looked great here.
Complimentary prosecco for all guests.
www.lyonandturnbull.com
Visit their website here for more info.
then
7.15pm to 9.30pm
ROYAL ASCOT VILLAGE ENCLOSURE PREVIEW - Ham Yard Hotel, London W1.
Over 100 guests here on the rooftop terrace of this five star hotel.
A lovely sunny evening so the girls are all out in their very nice summery dresses.
Guests included Olivia Grant, Rosanna Falconer, Lady Sabrina Percy and Sarah Ann Macklin.
This event is to celebrate the fashion,the vibrant food scene and eclectic entertainment
during ROYAL ASCOT week in June at The Village Enclosure end of the course.
A pair of female djs are here on the decks.
Complimentary Bollinger champers, Ayala champers, Pimms, Rum Cocktails,
Gin Cocktails and canapés for all guests.
www.ascot.co.uk
Visit the ASCOT website here for more info and to buy tickets.
Tuesday 08 May 2018.
THE ROLLING STONES are to have a pop up store at Selfridges to coincide with their tour.
Selling ' No Filter' tour merchandise etc.
It will be there from 14 May to 03 June.
Sunday 06 May 2018.
Ellen's 80th Birthday Party at North Greenford United Football Club.
We are at the 80th birthday party of the mum of my best friend from secondary school - Billy.
A big family as there were five boys and three girls and now they are all grown up with partners and kids.
From 1973 to 1975 I would go around the house some days after school and at weekends.
The house was in Clematis Street, Shepherds Bush.
This was when we went to Christopher Wren School nearby.
Hemlock Road was the next street and another school friend called Ronnie Evans lived there.
One of his neighbours was called Wally Nightingale who was three years older.
His school mates were Steve Jones and Paul Cook who would all start a band together with Wally
with practise being done at Wally's parents house.
Later on Wally would be kicked out of the band to make way for a certain Johnny Rotten.
The band would start using a new name - THE SEX PISTOLS.
In 1976 word was coming out they were playing venues in Chelsea and The West End
and i was pretty impressed by that.
That would explain why i saw the band play three times in 1976 before their notorious Bill Grundy interview
on 01 Dec 1976 which rocketed the Sex Pistols to national infamy overnight, simply because of a few swear words.
The rest they say is history and the band would end up recording the greatest album of all time.
Wally would sadly die a drugs related death on 06 May 1996...aged just 40.
Oddly enough it happened just before The Sex Pistols 'Filthy Lucre' reunion tour of 1996.
I remember talking to members of the band about Wally's death when i saw them at
Le Zenith, Paris on 04 July 1996.
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Billy & myself have been good friends for over 45 years, in the same class at school,
going to gigs in the 1970s together, getting motorbikes together in the late 1970s,
both working on front stage security at Hammersmith Odeon all through the 1980s.
Still meet up with him and his brothers at odd gigs even to this day.
His mum Ellen is a total diamond of the old school , who just gets on with everything.
So many nice memories of her warm hospitality.
Like my mum, she must have made many thousands of cups of tea for everyone over the years.
Let's hope we have another party for her in ten years time when Ellen reaches 90.
Friday 04 May 2018.
BETH HART + DAVY WATSON live at The Royal Albert Hall, London.
American blues rocker Beth Hart announced this show 18 months ago back in Nov 2016
when i saw her play a sold out show at The Royal Festival Hall.
Beth Hart has released around a dozen albums over her career.
Her most recent album 'Black Coffee' is the third cover album recorded by Beth Hart
and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa, released on January 26, 2018.
With support from Davy Watson who is a singer, songwriter and musician from Belfast.
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Tonight is Beth Harts biggest ever show in London.
The corner balcony blocks are unsold but it is still a good 95% capacity.
DAVY WATSON arrived on stage at 7.30pm and played for 30 mins.
He performed half a dozen good songs that went down well with the crowd.
BETH HART arrived on stage at 8.30pm and played a nice long 2 hours 20 mins set.
Her show 18 months ago was great but tonight was even better.
Like the Royal Festival Hall show she sung the first song while walking through the crowd
by entering from the mixing desk end, quite an entrance.
She would do it again later on in the show.
Beth is rockin' a hot little black dress and heels and her tattoos are on full display.
It isn’t just her remarkable voice and emotive songs, let alone her vivacious stage presence that marks Beth Hart out as special, it’s much more than that. She’s a force of nature and a previously troubled soul who has dragged her self up by the bootstraps to channel all her experiences – both good and bad – into a catalogue of songs that range from the deeply autobiographical to imagined narratives, both well suited to her marvellous phrasing ability.
Beth sinks every ounce of herself into her breathtaking two-hour plus musical marathon.
She dedicates songs to her mum, sister and husband with tears in her eyes.
An ex drug addict who is still taking the medication, you can tell Beth was a wild child in the past.
Her band sounded great and the guitarist played some deft licks.
Beth's stunning vocals were great as she mixed belting it them out standing up or sat behind the piano.
Highlights included 'Bang Bang Boom Boom','As Good As It Gets', 'Spirit of God','Baddest Blues',
'The Ugliest House in the Street', 'Boogieman' , 'Take it easy on me', 'Leave the light on', 'My California'
and encores including 'Monkey Back', 'Picture in the Frame' and 'Caught out in The Rain'.
A great show.
The cameras were here to record it for a future DVD.
Thursday 03 May 2018...I went to two events tonight...
6pm to 6.45pm
MAI 68 : POSTERS FROM THE REVOLUTION - private view -
Lazinc Gallery, 29 Sackville Street, London W1.
On the fiftieth anniversary of the revolutionary student protests that kicked off the Mai 68 Paris riots,
this May Lazinc will present over fifty posters created and employed during the revolution.
Also here are films, imagery and memorabilia from the Mai 68 riots. The gallery will even be recreating a screen-printing room from one of the Atelier Populaire studios, showing the working space in which the posters were created.
They look simple but bold, a bit like the punk posters that would follow a decade later.
Performance artist Pandemonium was here in her full 7 foot tall Lady GaGa type latex outfit.
Classic tunes from the late 1960s were being played in the background.
Complimentary Peroni beers for all guests.
www.lazinc.com
Visit the LAZINC gallery here for more info.
then
7pm
RUMBLE : THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD - UK film premiere -
Curzon Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1.
Tonight was the Gala opening evening of the CANADA NOW weekend of films at this cinema.
The film is a feature documentary about the role of Native Americans in popular music history.
Featuring MARTIN SCORSESE ,QUINCY JONES ,STEVEN TYLER , STEVEN VAN ZANDT , IGGY POP , LINK WRAY , BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE , ROBBIE ROBERTSON , JESSE ED DAVIS , JIMI HENDRIX ,
GEORGE CLINTON , SLASH , RANDY CASTILLO AND MORE.
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Around 200 guests here for this very enjoyable and informative film...103 minutes long...
The films director and producer introduce the film and had a Q & A after the film was shown.
The film opens with a piece on the legendary guitarist Link Wray.
Link Wray (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) was a Native American Shawnee rock and roll guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist who became popular in the late 1950s.
Building on the distorted electric guitar sound of early records, his 1958 instrumental hit "Rumble" by Link Wray & His Ray Men popularized "the power chord, the major modus operandi of modern rock guitarists",facilitating the emergence of "punk and heavy rock".Rolling Stone placed Wray at No. 45 of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Check a YouTube clip where Jimmy Page is at home playing 'Rumble' on vinyl.
I saw Link Wray play a rare London gig at The Garage in 1997.
You kind of don't realise which musicians had Native American parents which included a great few minutes on
Randy Castillo who i saw play with Ozzy Osbourne a few times.
Randy Castillo (December 18, 1950 – March 26, 2002) was best known as Ozzy Osbourne's drummer during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, and later as drummer for Mötley Crüe, from 1999 to his death in 2002.
Also a nice few minutes on Redbone who had a classic track called 'Come and get your love'.
See YouTube for a nice video from 1974 on The Midnight Special where they are all dressed Native Indian.
Also a nice few minutes on Jimi Hendrix who was part Cherokee Native Indian.
A great film that could easily end up on BBC4 tv in the future.
then
9.15pm to 11.15pm was the after-party at The House of St Barnabas, at 1 Greek Street, Soho, London W1.
This venue is a Grade I Listed Georgian building in London notable for its rococo plasterwork interiors
and for other architectural features.
Complimentary prosecco, wines, beers and canapés for all the guests.
www.canadanow.co.uk
Visit their website here for full info on Canada Now 2018 films shown over this weekend.
Wednesday 02 May 2018...6.30pm to 11.30pm...
NAMCO FUNSCAPE - showcase - County Hall, Riverside Buildings,
Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1.
This venue is on the riverside, around 100 yards from The London Eye.
It is open to the general public as well as available to corporate groups.
Over 100 guests here in this massive space behind the small entrance.
Here you can you find six lanes of bowling, video games, pool tables, bumper cars,
table tennis tables, pinball machines, simulators and live sport on the big screen and a dj.
We had great fun trying out most of the activities to do and for the last hour we were ten pin bowling.
In the background we kept an eye on the mega Roma 4 Liverpool 2 football game on the big screen.
My friend won the main raffle prize of £250 Gordon Ramsey restaurant vouchers.
Lots of complimentary drinks and food here as it was a full bar except champers so
i pretty much stuck to Jack Daniels, Baileys and Disaronno amongst others.
Also lots of canapés, fish n chips and mini-burgers for all guests.
We had a fantastic evening here.
www.namco.co.uk
Visit the NAMCO website here for more info.
Wednesday 02 May 2018.
I was in Paris for four nights.
The pros and cons of being at two different types of hotel.
Two nights at a four star hotel in a Central area of Paris - Millennium Hotel Paris Opera - Boulevard Haussmann -
They upgraded us to a junior suite which was very palatial.
It is situated in one of the main areas for shopping and entertainment.
The Grand Rex cinema/concert venue is nearby.
My friend in Paris said some of the bands that play there stay at this hotel.
See the PARIS ROCKER link on the right of this page for his gig reviews in Paris.
then two nights in a three star hotel on the outskirts of East Paris - Hotel Reseda - Avenue du General de Gaulle - Bagnolet
You could certainly call this place 'a small room for a small price'.
The 76 bus took just 35 mins to The Louvre area.
Also near the hotel was Gallieni (Parc de Bagnolet)...a station on Paris Métro Line 3.
It will be my first time back there since 2003 when i saw two Rolling Stones shows
including one which was this same venue when it was called The Bercy Arena.
I suppose the main reason has been how sterling has dipped so badly compared to the Euro.
Thanks to Eurostar we were Business Premier going out and Standard Premier coming back.
A very nice three course meal designed by Raymond Blanc and drinks each way.
From April - Eurostar trains are going to Amsterdam.
www.eurostar.com
Visit the Eurostar website here for more info and to buy tickets.
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Saturday 28 April 2018.
ARCADE FIRE live at Accor Hotels Arena, Paris, France.
Will be an 'in the round ' stage production like the recent UK shows earlier on the tour.
Arcade Fire are on a UK and European tour to promote their recent album from 2017.
'Everything Now' is the fifth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire.
I saw them play Earls Court Arena in 2014 on their previous UK tour.
Check out this nice video on YouTube - Arcade Fire & David Bowie - Wake Up | HQ | Fashion Rocks 2005.
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A big crowd here as this venue is pretty much the Paris version of The 02 Arena.
ARCADE FIRE were on stage from 9.15pm and played for around 2 hours 10 mins.
Concerts seem to be allowed to finish later in France or maybe just that it was a Saturday night.
The band enter through the crowd like boxers to their 'in the round' boxing ring type stage.
There are several members on stage and other members come and go.
They all swop sides of the stage during the show and the drummers kit rotates.
There are four massive screens above each side of the stage along with lots of lights and two glitter balls.
It was a top notch indie pop disco extravaganza.
A few newer mid-tempo songs sagged a bit but there were many joyous big tunes played.
Gems including 'No Cars Go ' , 'The Suburbs' and 'Ready to Start' were all great.
The final song of their anthem 'Wake Up' was totally mega.
It was a visually great show by a passionate band who really did pull out all the stops.
Full setlist played tonight...
Tape intro - Everything Now (Continued) (instrumental version with boxing intro)
Everything Now (with Patrick Bebey)
Rebellion (Lies)
Here Comes the Night Time (with Patrick Bebey) (Haitian dancers on stage)
Haïti (with Patrick Bebey) (Haitian dancers on stage)
No Cars Go
Electric Blue
Put Your Money on Me
Neon Bible
My Body Is a Cage
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
The Suburbs
The Suburbs (Continued)
Ready to Start (Damian Taylor Remix outro)
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Reflektor
Afterlife
Creature Comfort
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) (with 'I Give You Power' snippet)
Encore:
We Don't Deserve Love
The Coffee Cola Song (Francis Bebey cover) (with Patrick Bebey)
Everything Now (Continued) (with Patrick Bebey) (with Preservation Hall Jazz Band)
Wake Up (with Patrick Bebey) (with Preservation Hall Jazz Band and dancers)
Friday 27 April 2018.
BBC4 tv 9pm - JEFF BECK : Still on the Run
For many, he is the UK’s greatest ever guitarist and a maverick musical trailblazer. This profile begins by looking at Beck’s formative years in Surrey and teenage friendship with Jimmy Page, before continuing through to success with The Yardbirds and his current album and sell-out live shows. Rock luminaries who’ve played alongside Beck such as Page, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Batten, Beth Hart, Joe Perry and Slash pay testament to his ever-evolving guitar style and enduring influence.
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This was a very enjoyable 90 mins documentary on this guitar legend.
Showed highlights from his 50 year career.
Shows footage of when he played six shows over five evenings at Ronnie Scott's club in London
where he was joined by Eric Clapton...Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were both in the crowd.
The clip is also up on YouTube.
Also shows Jeff in his garage still tinkering around with his collection of Hot Rod cars & motorbikes.
It will get a DVD release on 18 May...the DVD will have have extra 15 mins of footage.
Jeff plays The Royal Hospital, Chelsea on Friday 15 June.
Friday 27 April 2018.
Happy Birthday to ex KISS guitar legend ACE FREHLEY who is 67 today.
It is always quite good fun seeing audience participation with bands on stage.
Check this one out by searching on YouTube.
Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench - Kiss Guy - Austin, TX. 4-18-18 (Yayo Sanchez)
Thursday 26 April 2018.
THE BOOTLEG BEATLES live at The Royal Albert Hall, London.
The worlds most famous Beatles tribute band return to play this iconic venue.
They are now in their 36th year.
The Bootleg Beatles have become an institution in their own right, with their note-perfect recreation of hits
from every era of the world’s most famous songbook.
Every tiny detail is meticulously covered, from costumes to authentic period instruments;
from Liverpudlian banter to their inflection-perfect vocal mimicry.
I have seen them several times since 1996.
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It is pretty full here tonight, maybe 95 % of tickets sold.
The band were on stage for 2 hours 20 mins over two sets of 65 mins and 75 mins.
The band members certainly look and play like the original Fab Four.
We have a big screen showing Beatles footage and other footage from the 1960s.
A few costume changed throughout the show.
Must have been around 30 timeless Beatles classics played throughout the evening.
Early songs played included ''She Loves You' and 'Can't Buy Me Love'.
Half way through the first set they were joined by a sixteen member brass & string section for
Sgt Pepper songs and they were there in the second half as well.
Each member of the band were dressed as the Beatles appeared on the colourful Sgt Pepper album cover.
Some real ‘goosebumps’ moment was ‘A Day In The Life’ where the rising crescendo of the orchestra to the song’s climax was stunning. The band were having so much fun, as was the audience singing along to the album title track along with 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’, a rousing ‘Getting Better’ and ‘When I'm Sixty-Four' – an age much of the night’s audience had already passed but they still knew how to enjoy themselves.
They ended the set with a perfect pose of the Sgt Pepper album cover which included the members
of the brass & string section wearing paper masks of celebrity guests that featured on the album cover.
Strange to think that for such a classic album the original band never performed it live.
The Sgt Pepper album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.
Each member of The Bootleg Beatles played their part well by cracking cheeky jokes throughout the show.
Ringo managed to draw Thomas the Tank engine during the course of the evening.
During the second set the crowd got up more often for some dancing.
Gems played included 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' ,'Here Comes The Sun' 'Yesterday' ,'Hey Jude',
'Carry That Weight', 'Lady Madonna' and many more.
A great show.
Wednesday 25 April 2018.
G3 featuring Joe Satriani, John Petrucci & Uli Jon Roth live at Hammersmith Apollo, London.
Three leading rock guitarists are on a European Tour.
I first saw Joe Satriani in 1990 at Hammersmith Odeon.
Joe Satriani was the first act I saw at this venue in Feb 1993 under its new Hammersmith Apollo name.
I saw Uli Jon Roth at Hammersmith Odeon in 1983 and 1985.
I have seen a G3 show before in 2004....G3 Joe Satriani + Steve Vai + Robert Fripp ,Royal Albert Hall.
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Lots of empty seats upstairs as maybe only two thirds sold up there.
There is a big screen used by all three acts with pre-recorded images but oddly enough live footage
of the show was only used during the last 30 mins for the G3 Jam session.
Lots of guitar solo wizardry as expected with just a few songs having vocals during the evening.
Lots of nice lights used by all three acts.
ULI JON ROTH - ex Scorpions.
Uli & band arrived on stage at 7.30pm and played for around 40 mins.
Full setlist played tonight...
Sky Overture
Sun in My Hand (Scorpions song)
We'll Burn the Sky (Scorpions song)
Fly to the Rainbow (Scorpions song)
The Sails of Charon (Scorpions song)
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JOHN PETRUCCI - founding member of Dream Theater and still playing with them.
John Petrucci & band arrived on stage at 8.25pm and played for around 45 mins.
His band include current Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini.
Full setlist played tonight...
Wrath of the Amazons (Rupert Gregson-Williams cover)
Jaws of Life
The Happy Song
Damage Control
Glassy-Eyed Zombies
Glasgow Kiss
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JOE SATRIANI - before his solo career , he was a guitar instructor , with students including Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett.
Joe Satriani & band arrived on stage at 9.25pm and played for around 50 mins.
Joe is more of a showman than the other two guitarists.
G3 Jam - at 10.20pm all three members playing extending versions of three classic rock covers for 30 mins.
Full setlist played tonight...
Energy
Catbot
Satch Boogie
Cherry Blossoms
Thunder High on the Mountain
Super Funky Badass
Circles
Always With Me, Always With You
Summer Song
Encore : G3 Jam
Highway Star (Deep Purple song) (with John Petrucci) (also with Uli Jon Roth)
All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover) (with Uli Jon Roth) (also with John Petrucci)
Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover) (with Uli Jon Roth & John Petrucci)
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A very enjoyable evening.
Wednesday 25 April 2018.
Happy Birthday to ex Marillion singer and solo artist Fish who is 60 today.
Happy Birthday to acting legend Al Pacino who is 78 today.
Tuesday 24 April 2018...I went to two events tonight...
6pm to 6.30pm
BOOM - ART & INDUSTRY IN 1960s ITALY - private view - Tornabuoniart , 46 Albemarle Street, London W1.
Taking as a starting point Vittorio De Sica’s 1963 film Il boom, Flavia Frigeri’s exhibition explores the relationship between post-war Italian art and the economic miracle in the 1960s. The show focuses on how artists envisioned, represented and reacted to the boom, through the works of Carla Accardi, Franco Angeli, Mariana Apollonio, Alighiero Boetti, Alberto Burri, Mario Ceroli, Gianni Colombo, Dadamaino, Tano Fes- ta, Lucio Fontana, Piero Gilardi, Pino Pascali, Francesco Lo Savio, Sergio Lombar- do, Mimmo Rotella and Mario Schifano. In order to highlight the link between art and industry, iconic design objects such as the Olivetti 'Valentine' typewriter designed by Ettore Sottsass will also be on display.
Complimentary prosecco for all guests.
www.tornabuoniart.com
Visit their website here for more info.
then
6.45pm to 9.15pm
PINK LADY FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR - The Mall Galleries, Pall Mall, London SW1.
A big crowd of at least 250 guests are here.
The world's leading awards recognising the art and diversity of food photography with a top prize of £5000.
They get thousands of entries from around the world.
There are over 150 images on display showcasing from more than 20 categories.
At 7.45pm host Prue Leith hosted the awards that went on for around an hour.
Prue was responsible for the infamous moment in 2017 when the Bake Off tv presenter
went into 'panic mode' after naming the winner on Twitter hours before final was broadcast.
Guests here included Pierre Koffmann who is a French-born professional chef who until recently
had a nice restaurant in Knightsbridge.
The photos will be on display for a couple of weeks at the gallery and are all for sale.
Complimentary Taittenger champers, wines and tasty canapés for all guests.
Monday 23 April 2018...I went to two events tonight...
7pm to 9.15pm
Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds - private view - Sotheby's , King Street, St James's, London SW1.
Around 200 guests here at this well known gallery.
Viscount Linley was here .He is a furniture maker with his own store and is the son of Princess Margaret
and Antony Armstrong-Jones, and the nephew of the Queen.
Lots of oriental carpets and rugs are hanging on all the walls and other items too.
In the main room there is a quartet playing music from Iran,Persian, Arabic Kurdish etc.
Complimentary Taittinger champers, Gin cocktails, wines and tasty canapés for all guests.
All guests got a goodie bag of a box of dates & chocolates from BATEEL who are exclusively
available in Selfridges Ground Floor, Food Hall.
www.christies.com
Visit their website here for more info on the auction on 26 April 2018.
then
9.30pm to 10.30pm
TRADER VICS - 55th anniversary , Hilton Hotel, Park Lane,Mayfair, London W1.
Trader Vic's celebrate their 55th anniversary as the bar in this famous five star hotel.
Trader Vic's are offering their signature 'London Sour' cocktail that was created for the
opening event of Trader Vic’s London back in 1963.
Available throughout April for only 55p instead of the usual £11.
(Please note that this offer is limited to only one cocktail per person per night).
Where can you get a quality cocktail in Mayfair for just 55p???
We had a couple of the very nice 55p drinks each...proper freshly made with a free GB flag in it.
Well worth popping into if you are in the area.
Available from 5pm each evening.
www.tradervicslondon.com
Visit their website here for more info.
Monday 23 April 2018.
My review of The Joe Corre 'Ash from Chaos' exhibition from last week is now up on
The Sex Pistols website along with several nice photos.
www.sex-pistols.net
Visit the website here to check out the photos.
Monday 23 April 2018.
Punk rock guitar legend JOHNNY THUNDERS sadly died today in 1991 - 27 year ago...
I saw him live 18 times with the first at The Roxy Club in 1977 and included a gig on home turf in 1979
when he played at Max's Kansas City in New York.
Sunday 22 April 2018...6pm to 9pm...
My band had our fourth rehearsal in North Acton tonight.
Just the three of us this time but good fun.
Saturday 21 April 2018.
In my review of Friday nights Chas & Dave show i mentioned that they had a much bigger
stage production than they usually have and that there was a huge circular light rig above them
like David Gilmour uses and a massive wraparound screen behind them.
There was an explanation for that.
Basically they were using the production that was in situ for The Queen's 92nd birthday concert
at The Royal Albert Hall the following evening that was shown live on BBC1 tv.
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