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Saturday 09 December 2023.
Saturday 09 December
THE WONDER STUFF live at Shepherds Bush Empire.
The band scored one UK number 1 single, their release of "Dizzy" with comedian Vic Reeves, four x Top 10 single hits, and three top-10 albums in the UK.
I have seen them live a couple of times live, including at this same venue in Dec 2019.
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The show is not sold out but all levels look pretty full.
A middle aged crowd here of folks in their 40s and 50s.
NIGEL CLARK ( singer with Dodgy) is tonight's support act from
7.45pm to 8.30pm....just him and his guitar.
Dodgy are an English rock band formed in Hounslow in 1990. The band rose to prominence during the Britpop era of the 1990s. They are best known for their hits "Staying Out for the Summer", "If You're Thinking of Me", and "Good Enough".Good Enough was their biggest hit, reaching No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart in 1996.
His set included good versions of the three hits above.
WONDER STUFF arrived on stage at 7.50pm for their 1 hour 50 mins show over two sets of 60 mins and 50 mins.
Wonder Stuff have a nice big sound that feature twin guitars and a female violin player.
The Wonder Stuff have been around for a while. Apart from a little break between 1994 and 2000, they’ve been a mainstay of the British music scene for almost forty years. They’ve had to endure two deaths and frequent line-up changes, with seventeen musicians at one point or another being able to claim to have played for the Stourbridge outfit. Miles Hunt is the only person who has been a continuous presence in the band over the years.
Fans of their album ' Construction for the Modern Idiot ' are in for a treat as The Wonder Stuff hit the road to gig across the country in 2023 to transport fans back to 1993 as they play the album in its entirety. Then they played a second set of hits, classics and rarities from their extensive 37-year catalogue.
The second half was louder and livelier , with a great atmosphere amongst this Saturday night drinking crowd.
Their number one hit cover ' Dizzy' was played during the encore of this really good show.
SECOND SET - THE HITS
Ooh She Said
No, for the 13th Time
Mission Drive
Caught in My Shadow
The Size of a Cow
Golden Green
Don't Let Me Down, Gently
Here Comes Everyone
A Wish Away
Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More
Encore :
Dizzy (cover )
Unbearable
Ten Trenches Deep
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Friday 08 December 2023.
ALiCE PHOEBE LOU live at The Forum.
Berlin-based, South African singer-songwriter, Alice Phoebe Lou, brings her ethereal indie-folk to UK shores. Expect tracks from her five studio records, two live records and two EPs.
Tonight is the last night of her European Tour before she heads to South Africa.
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The circle is half empty , but must be 1500 out of 2000 tix sold.
Three quarters of the crowd are females.
LOVING arrived on stage at 8.05pm for their 40 mins set.
Five geeky looking chaps played some mellow tunes.
All or some of them , also double up as the headliners backing band
ALICE PHOEBE LOU arrived on stage at 9.10pm for her 1 hour 50 mins set.
A long show as Alice had plenty of stage chat between songs
A laid back mellow and dreamy indie - folk sound.
Halfway through Alice sings a few songs on her own.
This is when her fans want to give her notes and letters etc.
One girl gets on stage ...she talks to Alice then asks her girlfriend to marry her...her partner refused to come up on stage ..so we don't know if it was a yes or no.
Alice said that was the second marriage proposal on this tour.
Alice kicked of her shoes for the last few songs and danced more as the songs were louder and livelier.
The two song encore got folks dancing in the circle.
A good show.