Monday 16 January 2023.

Monday 16 January 2023. BRIXTON ACADEMY enquiry today about their live music license. Looks like the venue will remain closed for at least another three months, until 17 April at least. This means there are 44 shows not happening at that venue during that period. No doubt, many of the shows will move to the similiar sized Hammersmith Apollo if it is available. A whistleblower has told the BBC that the front door security staff took bribes to let people in. This was certainly one of the reasons for the crush inside, as i know the regular touts at that venue, and they mentioned to me many times over the years , that it certainly went on. The street ticket tout has been badly hit by the fact that most gig tickets are now on phones, so you rarely see touts outside venues like Hammersmith Apollo and Shepherds Bush Empire. However, you would always find touts at Brixton Academy as they had their own ways to get folks in. The tout would takes the cash and tell the punter to go to a certain security guard or two on the doors, who would pretend to scan a ticket , and security would share the spoils later with the touts. The whistleblower also said that security staff would let in local drug dealers , for a backhander. --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Sunday 15 January 2023. WRONG JOVI live at THE THEATRE ROYAL, WINDSOR. Lovely 600 capacity theatre has a week of top notch tribute acts in their cosy all seated venue. Wrong Jovi are widely considered to be the best Bon Jovi tribute band in the world by those that see them. So much so, that even the former Bon Jovi guitarist, Richie Sambora, has personally thanked the band for their hard work and unforgettable performances. In their many years of touring, the band have performed across the world and featured on the BBC prime-time TV show, ‘Even Better Than The Real Thing’. Performing a set of Bon Jovi’s biggest songs, live favourites and rarities, the band ensure that there is something for the casual follower and even the most die hard of Bon Jovi fans. They were even voted ‘Tribute Artist of the Year’ at the 2022 National Entertainment Awards. I have seen the real Bon Jovi over 30 times , with the first times in 1984 when they twice supported KISS. Also in New Jersey, USA in 2000 and most recent at Wembley Stadium in 2019. www.wrongjovi.com - Visit their website here for tour dates. ----------- Always nice to be at this historic theatre every now and then. It is mainly used for theatre shows, but has a week of live music every so often. The real Bon Jovi attract plenty of female fans, and they have turned out in force tonight. A nice long show of around 2 hours 10 mins over two sets of 60 mins and 70 mins. You have to be fairly confident to call yourself a Jon Bon Jovi lookalike but he looks the part , acts and sings like Jon Bon Jovi, and the women scream when he wiggles his bum. The real Bon Jovi have lost Richie Sambora , but he is here tonight, playing some nifty guitar, including the voice box, and wearing the trademark cowboy hat. It was pretty much a greatest hits set, along with a few less known tracks. They open up with a couple of biggies "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "Raise Your Hands" so it is not long before folks are leaving their seats, to dance in the side aisles. Final encore was "Livin' On A Prayer" with the entire crowd up dancing and singing loudly along. Richie Sambora was now shirtless, and playing the guitar with his teeth. A nice ending to a really good show. Setlist included... You Give Love A Bad Name Raise Your Hands Born To Be My Baby Runaway Blaze of Glory ( Jon Bon Jovi solo track) In These Arms It's My Life Bed of Roses Have a Nice Day Lay Your Hands On Me Someday I'll Be Saturday Night I'll Be There For You Always Bad Medicine Encore : Wanted Dead or Alive Keep The Faith Livin' On A Prayer ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- Saturday 14 January 2023. DANCE GAVIN DANCE live at Shepherds Bush Empire. Dance Gavin Dance are on tour to promote their tenth studio album. Their last four albums have all gone in the USA Top 20 charts. The American post-hardcore rock band Dance Gavin Dance was formed in Sacramento, California in 2005. ------------ Level 3 is half empty tonight, but otherwise the venue is pretty full. A younger rock crowd, who probably read Kerrang rather than Classic Rock Tonight we have three North American bands from the post-hardcore scene over there. Up first we have EIDOLA from 7.30pm for 30 mins....EIDOLA is from Salt Lake City, Utah, formed in 2011. The band have released four studio albums. The vocals were too rough for me, but they had a great guitarist who couldn't keep still, and darted around the stage non-stop. RAIN CITY DRIVE arrived on stage at 8.15pm tor their 45 mins set. RCD is an American post-hardcore band from Sacramento, California, United States, formed in 2014 under the name Slaves....they released albums under Slaves but like the UK Slaves they thought it best to change the band's name as many found it offensive. They were a bit better as the vocals were a bit clearer. DANCE GAVIN DANCE arrived on stage at 9.20pm and played for 60 mins. Seemed a very short set for a band with a few successful albums back in North America. Lots of moshing in the front stalls, and around 20 crowd surfers. Dance Gavin Dance have two male vocalists, one that has the powerful voice for high notes, and the other who has the rough vocals of hardcore. The crowd knew all the songs, but it was a bit too hardcore for me. Decent enough i suppose. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- Friday 13 January 2023. Love him or loathe him, PRINCE HARRY'S book is doing big business. Prince Harry’s memoir ' Spare' has sold over 1.4 million English-language copies in all formats in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada on its first day of release, and is already in its second run, publisher Penguin Random House announced Wednesday, just one day after the controversial and explosive tell-all memoir was released.

Posted 13th January 2023