Saturday 15 October 2022.

Friday 14 October 2022...3.30pm to 5pm... BATTERSEA POWER STATION - official opening day - London SW8. I spent five great years (1993 to 1998) working in Nine Elms and used to drive past Battersea Power Staion all the time when the site was unloved , and there was nothing in the area, so quite keen to see how things have finally come together. The space was hired out for several special events over the years. I saw Morrisssey and The Prodigy play gigs here in 1997, and i saw Jungle and Alice Cooper play at special invite only launch events. After a £9bn investment by Malaysia-backed developers and more than a decade of restoration, the doors to the almost century-old decommissioned power station opened on Friday for the first time in 40 years. The space has been transformed into a glitzy shopping centre of 250 stores, alongside mostly luxury flats, office spaces and an upcoming cinema and ice rink. After the grand opening, a five-day free festival of live music & entertainment will take place on the site. It is nice and brand new but so many expensive flats have taken the soul out of the area. Plenty of pricey food trucks but you won't find a McDonalds or KFC here. Lots of the stores are similiar to Westfield, White City....no Poundland stores here... There are circus performers dotted all around the area, and a DJ and stage area. It was my first first visit to the new specially built BPS tube station ,think Canary Wharf station. In a way , the current layout of stores & eateries is like Westfield, White City within four chimneys. The location is right next to the river, and there is a pontoon to catch a boat up the river. There is a playground for kids, and plenty of open space, well worth a visit. then I bumped into tv presenter JOSIE GIBSON walking along by The River Thames. Her lovely Bristolian banter for ITV This Morning cheers me up when writing reviews in the morning. She told me she had been at The National TV Awards at The 02 Arena , the night before. I took a selfie with her. then Friday 14 October 2022. ROXY MUSIC live at The 02 Arena. ROXY MUSIC play three just UK dates following their September tour of North America. Their first shows for over a decade in 2011. The reviews from the North American tour have been great. Roxy Music are playing a 50th anniversary tour to celebrate the 1972 release of their debut album. Roxy Music had four number one albums in the UK, and several Top 10 hit singles, including a number one with "Jealous Guy" in 1981. Looks like the setlist will feature tracks from all their eight studio albums - 1972 to 1982. Bryan Ferry will be aged 77 when they play these shows. Roxy Music still have four original members in their line-up. I have seen Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry solo several times each in the past. I first saw ROXY MUSIC in 1979 headlining Hammersmith Odeon. I first saw BRYAN FERRY in 1977 headlining The Royal Albert Hall. Support comes from Nilufer Yanya, who is a 27 year old female singer-songwriter. Roxy Music are hotly tipped to play the Legends slot at Glastonbury Festival June 2023. ------------------- Needless to say I was really looking forward to this show. I end up avoiding the unknown support act, and wonder how on earth did she get this nice support gig. Some expensive tickets prices, but we still have a nice full house tonight. Lots of cool older folks here in tonight, in smart threads. Our seats are Block D on the floor near the mixing desks. ROXY MUSIC arrived on stage at 8.50pm and played for 1 hour 40 mins. Thirteen musicians on stage including three backing vocals. A massive screen across the rear is mixing arty pre-recorded images and live footage. Bryan Ferry glides on stage and looks amazing for his 77 years of age. He has three backing vocalists to help him out with any tricky vocal parts. Phil Manzernera plays some nifty guitar bits, and great to see sax player Andy Mackay upfront on "Tara". Certainly not an obvious greatest hits set, as the first half of the set had some deep cut tracks for the hardcore, but the second half had most of the big hits that folks know. So many great songs including "Oh Yeah" had everyone swaying along. Roxy smooth gems followed including "Dance Away", "More Than This" and "Avalon" , then some livelier classics "Love Is The Drug", "Virginia Plain" and "Do The Strand". Needless to say it was a fantastic show. Full ROXY MUSIC setlist played tonight... Re-Make/Re-Model Out of the Blue The Bogus Man (Short version) Ladytron While My Heart Is Still Beating Oh Yeah If There Is Something In Every Dream Home a Heartache Tara The Main Thing My Only Love To Turn You On Dance Away More Than This Avalon (with band introductions at the end) Love Is the Drug Editions of You Virginia Plain Jealous Guy ( John Lennon cover) Do the Strand then I was at the ROXY MUSIC aftershow party from 10.45pm to 11.45pm. As it was just the one big London arena show, there must be at least 200 guests here. A pay bar. The crowd seemed more family and friends related , as they was nobody from all the bands that Roxy Music have influenced...like the Punk and New Romantic bands. All the four original members of Roxy Music turn up. Odd sighting was Cheap Trick guitarist RiCK NIELSON talking to Phil Manzernera. Odd because Cheap Trick cancelled their UK tour planned for this month , which was due to include a show at Shepherds Bush Empire on 06 October 2022. Jewellery designer STEPHEN WEBSTER is here...Bryan Ferry has performed at his store launches. I left early to get the tube back, but most were still here.

Posted 15th October 2022