Thursday 18 May 2023.

Thursday 18 May 2023. MIKE + THE MECHANICS live at The Royal Albert Hall. A prestigious London show on their massive UK Tour. For this tour they will be joined by Nic Collins (son of Phil) on drums who will be aged just 22 when he plays here, but has already performed with Phil Collins and Genesis on their tours. Expect three or four Genesis songs in the setlist. I have seen them live several times before. --------- Pretty full tonight , as must be at least 95% sold and its an older crowd as expected. A couple of music legends are in the house tonight. JOHN GIDDINGS who is booking agent for tonights band, Genesis, Iggy Pop, Blondie and many more. TONY SMITH who is the long time manager of Genesis and the band members solo projects. The show is on for 2 hours 5 mins over two sets of 50 mins and 75 mins. For those that don't know , the band have two top notch male singers - one black and one white. Tim Howar and Andrew Roachford ( had a hit single many years ago with his superb track 'Cuddly Toy') . The sound is perfect and they have a nice stage with lots of lights and stripped lighting poles. A perfect setlist as it was their greatest hits along with a few Genesis classics and a superb extended version of the Roachford gem 'Cuddly Toy'. Soooo many great songs , including the stunning 'The Living Years'. The crowd got up for a dance a few songs from the end of this totally excellent show. Full MIKE + THE MECHANICS setlist played tonight... FIRST SET Get Up Play A Beggar on a Beach of Gold Another Cup of Coffee Are You Ready Try to Save Me Jesus He Knows Me (Genesis cover) Let Me Fly The Best Is Yet to Come Silent Running SECOND SET Wonder (acoustic) Invisible Touch (Genesis cover) (acoustic) Don't Know What Came Over Me (acoustic) Nobody's Perfect (acoustic) Everybody Gets a Second Chance (acoustic) Follow You Follow Me (Genesis cover) (acoustic) I Can't Dance (Genesis cover) Cuddly Toy (Roachford cover) (extended version) The Living Years All I Need Is a Miracle (crowd all up and dancing from this song onwards) Over My Shoulder Encore: Word of Mouth (including band introductions and Solos) ------------------------------ ------------------------------ Thursday 18 May 2023. KISS farewell UK tour is coming up soon , but maybe increasing ticket prices lots compared to previous tours is starting to backfire....first there was 20% off all shows and then Birmingham now has a buy one get one free from Ticketmaster...and now rumours that the opening show at Plymouth Football Ground will be cancelled due to poor ticket sales. ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Wednesday 17 May 2023.....I went to two events tonight.... 6.15pm to 8.15pm HANDEL HENDRIX HOUSE - reopening launch party - 25 Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1. Handel & Hendrix in London is a museum in Mayfair, London, dedicated to the lives and works of the German-born British baroque composer George Frideric Handel and the American rock singer-guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who lived at 25 and 23 Brook Street respectively. The building has undergone a £3m refurbishment. The ground floor is reproduced on Handels life there 300 years ago. The top flat is where Jimi Hendrix stayed in the late 1960s. The entire flat is full of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia. We were told the mirror in the bedroom, was there when Jimi was there. Everything else is faithfully reproduced from original photos. We have the books and records Jimi liked at the time. A full list of all the gigs he played. A full list of his recording output. A full list of all his tv appearances and radio interviews. There are videos of Jimi on stage and being interviewed, and classic photo images. We had a nice chat with Paul Endacott who runs www.musicheritage.london tours. At 7.55pm a trio played a few Jimi Hendrix tracks live. Complimentary Pommery champers, wines, beers and canapes for all the guests. All guests got a goodie bag on departure. then 8.30pm to 9.30pm. MONTE CARLO - book launch party - Maison Assouline, 196a Piccadilly, London W1. The 296-page coffee table book, written by writer and journalist Ségolene Cazenave Manara is now available for £100. ‘Monte-Carlo’ is the latest release in Assouline’s travel from home collection and pays tribute the ultra-luxurious principality of Monaco. Written by Monaco based writer and journalist Ségolene Cazenave Manara, ‘Monte-Carlo’ is a stunning 296-page collectible that you’ll repeatedly take pleasure flicking through. Its contents are an accurate representation of the treasure trove of glitz and glamour that extends across the two-mile coastline along the Mediterranean Sea. Around 100 guests here who have been asked to dress 'Monte Carlo' for this event, so we have several guys in black bow ties and many women are in glamourous dresses. There were a couple of fun casino tables being used, which was a nice touch. Complimentary Belvedere Vodka Martinis for all the guests here.

Posted 17th May 2023