Tuesday 31 October 2023.

Tuesday 31 October 2023. I went to two events tonight. 6.45pm to 9pm. BURMA TO MYNAMAR - private view - British Museum, London WC2. Over 200 guests here in their stunning reception area. A casually dressed GRAYSON PERRY is here. From influential superpower to repressive regime, Myanmar – also known as Burma – has seen dramatic fluctuations in fortune over the past 1,500 years. Experiencing decades of civil war and now ruled again by a military dictatorship, Myanmar is an isolated figure on the world stage today, and its story is relatively little known in the West. However, the extraordinary artistic output of its peoples, over more than a millennium of cultural and political change, attests to its pivotal role at the crossroads of Asia. Complimentary wines and canapes for all guests. At 7.20pm we had a speech and a poetry reading. It is on until 11 Feb 2024...general tickets are £16. then 9.15pm to 11.30pm. KING LEAR - press night / VIP after-party - Browns, St Martin's Lane, London WC2. Over 200 guests here at this venue, including SIR DEREK JACOBI and later on KENNETH BRANAGH. Branagh sets his Lear in the pre modern era, the stage dominated by a rugged stone circle that nods to Stonehenge, the cast, swathed in furs and sackcloth and clutching sticks, dressed out like extras from Game of Thrones. A slowly moving planet bears down from above like some malign cosmic harbinger, yet this remains a firmly earthbound Lear, its energy muscular, rugged and decidedly testosterone-fuelled, the territorial blood-lusting at its core (there’s a lot of roaring and fighting with sticks) uncannily suited to the primordial factionalism of our age. It is on until 09 Dec 2023 at The Wyndham's Theatre. Lots of complimentary drinks and food including Moet champers, prosecco, wines, beers and trays of cheeseburgers with fries, pork belly, smoked salmon and cream cheese and other canapes. ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- Monday 30 October 2023. JAMES live at Shepherds Bush Empire. James play an intimate show for the 15th birthday of Absolute Radio. I have seen James around a dozen times since 1994 , when they supported Peter Gabriel at Glastonbury. They have played this venue a couple of times in the past. James have sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Just a few months ago in the summer they headlined to 20,000 in Crystal Palace Park. Support comes from Scottish indie-rockers...SNUTS. They have had two albums out and the first reached number one and the second got to number four. ---------- A totally sold out show tonight. Around 150 guest list folks up on Level 1 and Level 2 including legendary live music booking agent JOHN GIDDINGS who looks after James, isle of Wight Festival, Iggy Pop, Blondie , Generation Sex and more. There are several cameras filming the event , including a boom camera swinging out from Level 1. Most of the crowd are aged 40 to 65. Lots of equipment and horizontal lights on stage. THE SNUTS arrived on stage at 7.45pm for 30 mins. They played a good set of indie-rock guitar tunes. Absolute Radio love playing these type of bands. JAMES arrived on stage at 8.50pm for their 95 mins. James had nine band members on stage tonight, Including three guitars, percussion, sax and violin . Their joyous and enterprising 95 mins performance dips into almost every part of their long career, including little-known tracks early on as well as big hitters later, showing how the band like to stretch themselves, by changing the setlist around nightly. Singer Tim Booth is doing his great stage dance movements and walks through the stalls crowd during a superb ' Come Home'. Their biggest hit ' Sit Down ' is as great as ever. Lots of other hits played....a top notch show. Full JAMES setlist played ...,. Sound Ring the Bells Curse Curse Walk Like Yolu Interrogation Tomorrow (restarted as in wrong key) Come Home She's a Star (Acoustic) Johnny Yen (audience request) All Good Boys Sit Down Beautiful Beaches Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) Sometimes (Lester Piggott) Laid

Posted 31st October 2023