Tuesday 08 November 2022.

Tuesday 08 November 2022...I went to two events tonight... 2.45pm to 6.15pm WORLD TRAVEL MARKET 2022 is held at Excel, East London. This was Day 2 of the 3 days here for this event, and my first time at this years event. Over 100 countries are showcasing why we should visit them in the future. A massive event as there must be a few thousand visiting Excel every day. Some countries have stunning stands with huge digital screens and staff in national costumes. Many countries are hosting hospitality sessions for an hour throughout the day. We stopped off at... Peru - Pisco Sour drinks and Peruvian food. Philippines - Tropical cocktails and Pineapple cakes. Press / Buyers Club - Gin & Tonics, wines, beers, canapes. Paris - Pannier champers and macaroons. Nice woman on Bateaux Mouches (boat trips along The Seine) gave me her card , to use for two free trips when i am next in Paris. Zimbabwe - wines and a great live four piece band playing South African rhythms. A nice afternoon, and it certainly makes me look into going overseas in Jan 2023. then... PETER FRAMPTON live at The Royal Albert Hall. Rock legend Peter Frampton , now aged 72, is playing his farewell UK tour due to ill-health. The current edition of Classic Rock has a multi-page article on Peter Frampton. Back in 2019, Frampton announced his retirement from touring after revealing that he had been diagnosed with a degenerative muscle disease called Inclusion-Body Myositis, which will eventually hamper his ability to play the guitar. His classic live album "Frampton Comes Alive" from 1976, eventually spent a total of 10 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot in America.It was the best-selling album of 1976 in USA selling over 8 million copies in the US and becoming one of the best-selling live albums to date, with estimated sales of 11 million worldwide. I have seen him a few times live, with the first back in 1974 when he was a support act. Uriah Heep + Peter Frampton Hammersmith Odeon, London 27.10.1974 Peter Frampton was still a support act and " Show Me The Way " would take off mega over a year later from this gig. Peter Frampton,Gary Wright Wembley Arena, London 22.10.1976 his double live album was now huge. Support comes from rock band CARDINAL BLACK who I have seen twice before, and whose singer has a fantastic powerful and soulful rock voice. ---------- Very nice to see the venue at full capacity tonight. I had a perfect view tonight, right of stage in Block M ,row 4, sitting next to rock journo Dave Ling. CARDINAL BLACK arrived on stage at 7.30pm and played for 35 mins. The band feature Tom Hollister on vocals and Chris Buck on guitar who really are both top notch. They were recommended to Peter Frampton by his friend, and was suitably impressed to book them. Tom has an incredible vocal style that always wins over the crowd they are playing to. With a mix of soul, rock, gospel and blues, it has hints of legends like Joe Cocker. The crowd gave them a deserved standing ovation. PETER FRAMPTON & BAND arrived on stage at 8.30pm and played for a nice long 2 hours 25 mins. We have a video montage of Peter Framptons career on the big screen at the start. Peter needs help as arrives on stage to a standing ovation, then remains seated for the show. There is clearly a lot of love for him, on this emotional farewell London show. It certainly reminded me of when i saw Phil Collins at this same venue a few years ago, who also had to sit down for the entire show due to his health issues. There are cameras all around , so look out for that release in the future. Pretty much every song had a nice story about how it came about, as Peter smiled throughout. Pretty much every song got a standing ovation, from this mainly older crowd. Those classic songs from his "Frampton Comes Alive" double live album were a highlight. His guitar playing is still great. Big cheers from the crowd , every time Frampton's signature effect, the talkbox was used. At the very end, Peter said "Never Say Never" about touring the UK again, so we can only hope he can. A great show. Full PETER FRAMPTON setlist played tonight... Video intro on the big screen of Peter Framptons career highlights... Baby (Somethin's Happening) Lying Lines on My Face Show Me the Way The Lodger It's a Plain Shame Georgia (On My Mind) (Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra cover) All I Wanna Be (Is by Your Side) Breaking All the Rules Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover) (instrumental version)o (I'll Give You) Money Baby, I Love Your Way Do You Feel Like We Do Encore: Four Day Creep (Ida Cox cover) I Don't Need No Doctor (Nickolas Ashford cover) While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles cover) ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Monday 07 November 2022 ROBBIE WILLIAMS live at The Royal Albert Hall. Robbie plays the second of two sold out pronto shows at this iconic venue. Robbie Williams has announced that he will perform two special shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall this November which will be filmed for a major scene in the upcoming Robbie Williams film, ‘Better Man’. The concerts will take place on 6th and 7th November for two sensational nights of music at the iconic venue, where Robbie will perform a mixture of swing classics and some of his biggest hits. I have seen Robbie with Take That a few times and several times as a solo artist , including two of his three massive Knebworth shows in 2003. ------------------- The shows are a glamourous black tie event, so the men have their dickie bows on display, and the women are wearing their finiest gowns and outfits...the venue is rammed solid sold out. There is hospitality everywhere tonight, with this well heeled crowd. ROBBIE WILLIAMS was on stage for 2 hours 15 mins over two sets of 60 mins and 75 mins. Robbie was backed by a band (including Guy Chambers), brass section and three female backing vocals. A stunning opening of "Let Me Entertain You" with his six female dancers was fantastic. 32 years into his musical career – and 25 years since going solo – there’s rarely been a better time to be Robbie Williams. Sober, happily settled and soon to be the subject of a Netflix docuseries as well as a cinematic biopic entitled Better Man, last month the 48-year-old singer scored his 14th UK number one album with reorchestrated greatest hits compilation XXV, smashing Elvis Presley’s record. A heavyweight set strewn with now-classic pop singles, plus a running commentary of his "32 year musical odyssey , from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows" that oscillated between the usual tongue-in-cheek silliness and glimpses of startling sincerity. Even though it was a black tie crowd, they were standing from the start and ready to dance & party. They were also very complient , when the film director shot two lots of crowd scenes for the film. Not the usual thing that happens at a gig, but everyone really enjoyed playing their part. Robbie was flirting and shaking hands with his adoring female fans throughout the show. Thankfully only three swing songs were in the set. He mentioned he has sold 87 million albums as a solo artist. So many big solo hits and Take That hits combined with Robbie's cheeky stage banter between every song, and a crowd up for a good time , made the show a fantastic evening. A totally excellent show. Full ROBBIE WILLIAMS setlist played tonight... FIRST SET Intro video The National Anthem of Robbie Let Me Entertain You Land of 1000 Dances (Chris Kenner cover) Strong Everything Changes (Take That song) Don't Look Back in Anger (Oasis cover) The Flood (Take That song) Better Man Candy (Robbie threw out some t-shirts) Kids SECOND SET Two playbacks of "My Way" without Robbie to film crowd scenes for the film. Puttin' On the Ritz (Irving Berlin cover) Creep (Radiohead cover) (swing version) Ain't That a Kick in the Head (Dean Martin cover) Love My Life Go Gentle Feel Rock DJ She's the One (World Party cover) Angels My Way (Claude François cover) My Way reprise where Robbie sung it from the floor seating area , for the film.

Posted 8th November 2022