Ray's Gigs

Daily news and reviews of gigs bars clubs restaurants product launches films theatre fashion shows books art galleries hotels competitions interesting places to visit ...and much more!

Sunday 25 June 2023.

Sunday 25th June 2023. ELTON JOHN @ GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL on BBC tv....should be an emotional watch... Elton John plays his last UK show on his mammoth 330 plus date world tour. Elton has said this special show will be different to his recent arena shows in Europe. He has said there will be three or four surprise guests on stage with him. Elton has hinted he will play odd shows in the future, just not full tours. I have seen Elton John over 40 times since 1973. Elton loved playing multi-date shows at Hammersmith Odeon in the 1970s and 1980s. My first shows seeing him were two times there in 1973 and four times there in 1974. My most recent time seeing him, was at one of his ten 02 Arena shows earlier this year. So sad that many of our music legends we grew up with are retiring...or dying. I have been to Glastonbury Festival three times...1994 and 1997 and 2000. 1994 highlights included Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Bjork, Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash. 1997 highlights included Sting, Beck, Echo & The Bunnymen, Nick Lowe, Van Morrison. 2000 highlights included David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys, Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Moby, Willie Nelson. ----------- BBC1 showed all of the excellent two hour set....soooo many great songs. Paul McCartney was watching it from side of stage. It will be up on BBC iPlayer for 30 days to view after the show. Many other shows will be also up on BBC iPlayer including 40 mins of GENERATION SEX. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- Saturday 24 June 2023.o THE HIGH KINGS live at Shepherds Bush Empire. The High Kings is an Irish folk group formed in Dublin in 2008. The band consists of Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Darren Holden, and Paul O'Brien. A few of their albums have gone Top 10, back home in Ireland. This is the last night of their UK tour, that is celebrating their 15th anniversary as a band. They are gradually playing bigger London venues on each tour. First it was Bush Hall, then Union Chapel, now Shepherds Bush Empire. ------- All levels are open tonight, and it is stalls seated....maybe 800 or 900 folks here... No surprise it is a mainly Irish crowd ranging from ages 25 to 70. THE HIGH KINGS are on stage for 2 hours 5 mins over two sets of 55 mins and 70 mins. The four members are lined up across the front of the stage. There is no drums but one member has a neat foot pedal , that when he stamps his heel, it creates the bass drum sound. Lots of well known Irish songs in the setlist, that the crowd sing along to. Some songs are laid back , and some songs are lively , with the crowd up and dancing. All four members take it in turn for lead vocals, and lots of nice harmonies. Amazingly they said that their single 'The Streets of Kinsale ' from the current album , features non other than original Journey vocalist STEVE PERRY. My parents were both from the Galway area, so I knew many of the songs. An enjoyable show. Full setlist played tonight by THE HIGH KINGS.... The Irish Rover (Joseph M. Crofts cover) The Moonshiner (The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem cover) Oh Maggie The Lonesome Boatman (The Fureys cover) Grace Star of the County Down Rocky Road to Dublin (D.K. Gavan cover) The Streets of Kinsale Go Lassie Go The Town I Loved So Well The Streets of London (Ralph McTell cover) Chasing Rainbows Connemara Bay 1845 Whiskey in the Jar ([traditional] cover) The Black Velvet Band ([traditional] cover) Spanish Lady And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle cover) Dirty Old Town ( The Pogues cover ) Encore : Ride On (Jimmy MacCarthy cover) The Parting Glass ([traditional] cover) -------------------------------- -------------------------------- Saturday 24 June 2023. Happy Birthday to MICK FLEETWOOD who is 76 today. See my Facebook page for a nice photo of us together. ---------------------------- ---------------------------- Friday 23 June 2023. For all the reviews the past week, i have put videos and photos on my Facebook page, along with the review you see here. Tonight was my first night indoors in for the first time in 25 days...yes 25 days...since May 27 and May 28. Watched a bit of Glasto on BBC tv. Some good bands...but can someone please get rid of all the presenters, and their totally dumb cringe interviews, and just focus on the loads of acts playing on the many stages. -------------------------------- -------------------------------- Thursday 22 June 2023...6.45pm to 9.45pm.... TOZI - 10th anniversary party - 8 Gillingham Street, Victoria, London SW1. TOZI is a vibrant Italian restaurant and bar specializing in Venetian cicchetti (small plates) and classic Italian cocktails. Inspired by the casual dining ethos of the Veneto region, TOZI puts the emphasis on quality, seasonal ingredients, sourced where possible from the best Italian producers. It has an all-day menu. TOZI is Venetian slang for ' a group of friends'. The restaurant & bar is near The Victoria Apollo , where i saw some great bands play in the 1970s when it was called The New Victoria. Leo Sayer New Victoria Theatre, London 11.10.1975 Baker Gurvitz Army New Victoria Theatre, London 02.11.1975 John Cale,Nasty Pop New Victoria Theatre, London 20.11.1975 Alex Harvey Band,Blast Furnace New Victoria Theatre, London 24.12.1975 Thin Lizzy,Graham Parker New Victoria Theatre, London 04.04.1976 Nils Lofgren,Unicorn New Victoria Theatre, London 09.05.1976 Nils Lofgren,Unicorn New Victoria Theatre, London 10.05.1976 Electric Light Orchestra,Steve Gibbons Band New Victoria Theatre, London 20.06.1976 Todd Rundgren New Victoria Theatre, London 01.02.1077 Lou Reed New Victoria Theatre, London 27.04.1977 Judas Priest,Magnum New Victoria Theatre, London 22.05.1977 I know the area well , as in the 1980s Victoria, Vauxhall and Pimlico was where my daytime job was. Around 150 guests here, and it is mainly a lively Italian crowd. A couple of friends turned up , straight from Ascot Royal Enclosure , still in full attire. We had a band playing two sets of 30 mins...mixing cover songs and Italian classics. The female singer had a great voice, and had a great 1960s Italian singer look. Complimentary Prosecco, Negronis, Aperol Spritz, wines, beers, small plates and canapes. At 9pm we had the speech and the huge anniversary cake was cut...so had a couple of yummy slices. www.tozirestaurant.co.uk - Visit their website here. ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Wednesday 21 June 2023...7.30pm to 10.15pm... VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM SUMMER PARTY , South Kensington , London SW7. The V & A hosts its annual summer outside garden party for around 700/800 guests. This year it coincides with the opening of its DIVA exhibition. Guests here included... DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY DAME JOAN COLLINS JOHN MADEJSKI ERIN O'CONNOR PAM HOGG JULIEN MACDONALD GEORGE OSBORNE HARRY HILL DAVID MITCHELL OLLY ALEXANDER KELLY HOPPEN TRINNY WOODALL LADY VICTORIA HERVEY EMMA WEYMOUTH EMILY MAITLIS RACHEL JOHNSON LADY AMELIA WINDSOR CLARA AMFO KIMBERLEY WALSH NICOLA ROBERTS GRAYSON PERRY DAME ZANDRA RHODES DAVID DOWNTON NICKY HASLAM PETER YORK ALAN EDWARDS JACKIE ST CLAIR and Husband Carl ( last month they hired out Eric Clapton & band to play an hour's set at The River Cafe in Hammersmith for Carl's 70th birthday) Lots of models and other women in stunning outfits. We had a quick look at the exhibition for around 15 mins. A DJ was playing tunes by the water , before the main act. They usually have a cool up and coming new act play a few songs but tonight's act is the girl trio SUGABABES who arrive on stage at 8.50pm for a five song hits set , to backing tapes. They perform in front of 50 disco mirror balls. Freak Like Me (see video on my Facebook page) Red Dress Hole In The Head Overload Round Round Complimentary Justerini & Brooks champers, three different cocktails, wines, bowl food , canapes, desserts.