News and Reviews: 16th February 2005

15 Feb 2005 . Elle Style Awards 2005 , Old Spitalfields Market , London . Every now and again the website gets invited to stuff that is more an event than a gig . This was a massive evening for this top selling mag with a top totty guest list from the worlds of fashion , film and music. Over 50 well known names in the 500 here including models Helena Christensen ,Rachel Hunter , film stars Cate Blanchett , Daniel Craig , pop stars Kylie Minogue , Danni Minogue , Louise Redknapp, Rachel Stevens , Will Young , Jamelia , Estelle , comedy duo Little Brittain were here with other tv and radio faces like Cat Deeley , Jo Whiley and Sara Cox . The event was hosted by Dermot Oleary . We are in the media area as they arrive with 30 photographers snapping away . 9pm Everyone sits down to a 3 course meal .10pm After each award the winner comes into media area and its a bit surreal chatting to the likes of Cate Blanchett , Kylie Minogue and Rachel Hunter on a one to one but great fun. 11pm one of the sponsors of the event AUDI have laid a fleet of cars on to take everyone to the aftershow party even though its less than 5 mins away at 2 Rooms in Brick Lane . There is about 1000 here with a few of the celebs from earlier and waiters are dishing out the champers all night . Some great DJ sounds and plenty of dancing and stuff until after 2am .Must have cost a fortune to put on but it was a pukka glam event ....... The Download Festival on June 10, 11, 12 promises to be a great weekend of rock .For up to date ticket info and bands check out their website on www.downloadfestival.co.uk...... Scottish rock legends Nazareth tour the UK this week and next .The London show has been postponed to August however they will play Croydon Ashcroft on Friday 18 Feb. More info on www.nazarethdirect.co.uk....... 11 Feb 2005 . Snoop Dogg , Hammersmith Apollo , London. Snoops first London show for around 10 years was the hottest hip hop ticket in ages and touts are doing good business . The atmosphere inside was great . Snoop breezed on wearing an England football shirt and what did this bad boy rapper do first ? he asked the crowd to switch their camera phones on and hold them in the air .What a naff start .By the way can somebody ban camera phones at concerts pleeeeease . Opener " Murder Was The Case " was superb as were most of the great tracks from his "Doggystyle " album that were played tonight. Hovering like Bez around the back and side of the stage doing funny little dances without introduction was my mate from the BRIT awards .Yes it was Snoop Doggs dad . From the stoned smile on his face it looks like he has been sharing his sons wacky backy .There was also a drummer on stage as well .For the last two songs Snoop was joined by Pharrell Williams for recent superb tunes "Drop It Like Its Hot " and " Lets Get Blown " which went down great but overall like many hip hop shows it was had average songs as well . After only 70 mins it was all over . At the end a couple of members of the band asked if any of the ladieeez wanted to party with the band .A hundred put their hands up with a dozen chosen .Bearing in mind Snoop is currently being sued regards another rape charge it still amazes me how being in a band makes people forget about your bad points.......... 09 Feb 2005 . BRIT AWARDS , Earls Court Arena , London. Still the biggest and best of the awards shows .The scale of the stage and catering is immense . No wonder it has taken a week to put it all together . This is how my day went . We turn up at the venue at the same time as model Jordan who was followed by Robbie Williams on the red carpet for the hordes of photographers . We get a red carpet as well but separate to the artistes. 5.30pm to 6.30pm champagne reception then 6.30pm to 7.30pm its a nice three course dinner at your table with loads of free booze and a spare box of booze on the floor for each table. There are 300 tables of 10 so 3000 are all fed together .500 pit standing are let in at 7pm. This year we have been given platinum table tickets but our table is a bit too far from the main action for us . Awards are on from 7.40pm to 11.10pm (over 3 hours) . There are 12 acts playing Scissor Sisters , Franz Ferdinand , Natasha Bedingfield With Daniel Bedingfield , The Streets , Green Day , Joss Stone , Robbie Williams and Joss Stone ,Jamelia With Lemar , Gwen Stefani , Snoop Dogg With Pharrell , they all played a song each with best being Scissor Sisters "Take Your Mama ", Franz Ferdinand "Take Me Out " and Green Day "American Idiot " .Bob Geldof And The Boomtown Rats end up playing two songs at the end 'I Dont Like Mondays " and " Rat Trap " . Halfway through the three hours plus event after Joss Stone we manage to get into the main VIP front table award winners area and sit down between those lovely girls from Girls Aloud and the boys from Snow Patrol . A fantastic view with a real buzz as most celebs are standing and mingling . Chris Evans guest soccer stat Gazza is on the next table with Billy Piper . I was having a chat to rap DJ Tim Westwood and he introduced me to this old black guy smoking a joint who was Snoop Doggs Dad . From Robbie Williams onwards we are in the middle of it all. Hats off to Scissor Sisters for winning the most awards with three when everyone thought Franz Ferdinand would walk off with the most awards .Great to see Siouxsie Soiux present them with one of their awards too. Other winners inc Keane and Joss Stone with two each. Other good bits included the visably shocked look on Robbie Williams face when his old band mates from Take That Gary Barlow and Howard Donald took the stage to present him with his award but on closer inspection it was the Little Britain duo dressed up as them for a bit of fun. The awards finished quite late but there is always a few aftershow parties going but even though we had invites for The Sanctuary Records bash at The Embassy Club the huge event at the Earls Court looked and was much more fun. There was a 70s disco , a mini funfair with dodgem cars and other fairground attractions and a karoke . After a few drinks the karoke could not be resisted so we got up to do Bon Jovi "Livin On A Prayer " and Sex Pistols " God Save The Queen " also doing some karoke was recent X Factor winner Steve doing a neat version of Luther Vandross "Never Too Much " . A bit more dodgy dancing and drunk driving on the dodgems and then we staggered out at after 2am . The BRITS was the usual mix of great , good and crap but overall it was a fantastic evening ......... 06 Feb and 07 Feb 2005 . Green Day , Hammersmith Apollo , London. This was a great example of a band making an effort as we got two different shows . The Sunday show was the usual set with Billie Joe and his giant water pistols stint and the fun bit in the middle where they get 3 members of the crowd up on stage to play drums , bass and guitar for a couple of mins and again the guitarist got to keep the guitar then the following night Billie Joe said as it was the last night in London they would play track by track the " American Idiot " album then do the other stuff which meant no water pistols or band from the crowd bits but we did get 3 or 4 extra songs . Green Day are flying at the moment .A UK tour that sold out in hours and two massive open air shows at Milton Keynes Bowl in June 05 . Their brand of pop punk is easily outselling the likes of Blink 182 , Sum 41 etc and fans love live wire singer Billie Joes on stage passion. They have got a few pretty average songs but they have a some great corkers like " American Idiot " " Basket Case " "Minority" "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams " "When I Come Around " and a stunning finale with Billie Joe and just his guitar singing " Time Of Your Life " where he was more or less drowned out by all the crowd singing it . Entertaining show with a good mix of tunes , comedy , pyrotechnics ,crowd participation , confetti and giant water pistols....... 05 Feb 2005 .Rammstein + Apocalyptica , Brixton Academy, London. Caught some of the Finnish support band who had four celloists and a drummer for some metal cover versions . The crowd loved them and their version of " Enter Sandman " rocked. Anyway had to see Rammstein again for a second time . This time watched it from the front circle and still you felt the heat from all the stage fire stunts . The kids are singing along and its visually another mad superb show .This is what we want . Bands who do not make an effort should be dragged along to a Rammstein show to be shown how its done ....... 04 Feb 2005. Thin Lizzy , Shepherds Bush Empire ,London. Even though the legend that is Phil Lynott died over 15 years ago Lizzy are now name checked non stop by The Darkness and last years Greatest Hits album got into the UK Top 5 so there is still plenty of interest in them. This line feat Scott Gorham (long time Lizzy member ) and John Sykes (short term Lizzy member ) .The set had the typical Lizzy set list and although John Sykes did his best on vocals and the guitars sounded fab without Lynotts stage presence they just sound like a glorified Thin Lizzy tribute band . Best tunes were "Cowboy Song/Boys Are Back In Town " and the last encore " Rosalie " . A Friday night out with your mates and a couple beers and this lot makes a decent night but its nothing special ...... 03 Feb 2005 . Rammstein , Brixton Academy , London . Who would have thought that a rock band singing totally in German would ever sell out three nights at Brixton?? Well based on a reputation for amazing stage shows thats what Rammstein have done. Chrome and black everywhere for the very impressive stage production. There are loads of lights , fireworks , explosions and tons of fire coming from the numerous fire cannons and members of the band who wear fire breathing masks on their faces as well as robotic arm and leg attachments that omit fire during nearly every song. Their industrial goth metal had some great chugging riffery but a whole 1 hour 40 mins of it did give me a bit of a headache but visually you will not get many better shows than this ."Reise Reise" " Feuer Frei" " Du Hast " "Rammstein" and " Amerika " were the songs that stood out. The keyboard player was a geeky fella doing some very dodgy comedy dancing which the crowd loved . For the encore the bass player surfed over the heads of the crowd in a rubber dinghy ( honest) . The only English words said all night were " Thank You " at the very end .Great show ..... Rock legends Motorhead are to play a one off show at Hammersmith Apollo on 16 June 2005 . This is a special 30th anniversary show at the venue they have played so often over the years . They will be bringing out the " Bomber " rig as well and past Motorhead members and other special guests are promised on the night .

Posted 16th February 2005