If you like Springsteen you will like this film, if you don’t, you wont. It certainly lacks the crossover appeal of Dylan’s “Complete Unknown”.
I have been a fan since Born to Run, fifty years. Essentially this is the story of the making of the album “Nebraska” one of his less accessible and more obscure releases.
Jeremy White is convincing and compelling as Bruce. Odessa Young is hot as love interest Fay. Steve Cooper tries a little too hard while directing to make this left field. A film about depression is likely to be depressing- not a good tag line for a a big budget movie.
I bought this on release, and loved it. I still do.
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As stand alone interpretations of songs it is hit and miss, as an insight into what influenced Bowie it is essential and invaluable.
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Contemporaneously two factors were at play. Firstly, He was in an absurdly creative personal phase with new product being produced with mesmerising speed and regularity. Secondly, Bryan Ferry released his own covers album, “These Foolish Things” which was artistically more daring.
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Ferry’s choice spanned several decades from 1930s standards such as the title track through 1950s Elvis Presley to Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. They were not crowd pleasers, they were simply his choice, playful, thoughtful and daringly pitting Lesley Gore against Bob Dylan, seeing pop as a continuum. Ferry succeeded in becoming an auteur in way that Bowie does not attempt.
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Frankly, David’s selection has less depth ,but his picks of songs that he listened to, and influenced him are no less relevant or significant. Ken Scott has been quoted as suggesting that originally Bowie’s London Boys was going to be rerecorded and the verses split between each cover song.
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The result is a Mod styled farewell to the 60’s ( there are two Who compositions).The Kinks “Where have all the Good Times Gone?” has genuine poignancy, “Anyway, Anyhow Anywhere “ reprises Mod defiance perfectly showcasing Woodmansey replacement Dunbar’s skills impressively.
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My personal favourite is Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play” a plaintiff ,fey, rearrangement which captures Syd’s wackiness perfectly.
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Bowie had an ear for a hit single, and “Sorrow” fits the bill perfectly, ironically a song that Bryan Ferry could easily have chosen for himself. He subsequently covered Ferry/ Roxy’s sublime “If there Is Something” with Tin machine.
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Intriguingly Bowie also recorded Springsteen’s “It’s Hard to be a Saint in the City”. A nod to the extended narrative style which he had previously explored in “Width..”, Cygnet Committee” and Bewlay Bros” and was to do again with “Sweet Thing” but omitted it from the final album. His Rolling Stones cover “Let’s spend the Night Together, oddly appears on the next album “Aladdin Sane”.
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If all this gives the impression of a significant, but rag bag, collection that is probably because it is. The amphetamine speed “Rosalyn” gives the origin for “ Hang onto Yourself”. The arrangement of “Sorrow” begats “Absolute beginners”
If you want to know what was on David’s turntable at Haddon hall, Pin Up’s is essential listening, but it looks back, and gives no indication of what is to come.
It is to Todd’s credit that he elected to play an intimate 1340 seater music hall, inevitably sold out, to provide his fans with an opportunity to enjoy his show close up
Rundgren bestrides the rock and pop era as a musical polymath, musician, singer, producer and arranger. As that era draws inexorably to a close he finished the show poignantly with “Last Ride” and “Fade Away”
The show was both a testament to why he has been so successful – and why he hasn’t. It featured bewildering array of great songs in various styles all of which combined both to delight and frustrate as the changes of style and tempo produced a jarring rhythm and vibe.
I am not your typical Todd head. I had only seen him before live once, but had followed his career as a producer and musician since the early 70’s. Apart from “Love is the Answer” I have no particular favourites nor setlist expectations. I could take the evening as Ifound it. By contrast many around me had travelled many miles ( Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and Scandinavia)
The only other time I have seen him live was in 1979 at Knebworth This was the setlist then:
So how did it go? It was an anthology, rather than greatest hits, set, which suited me fine. Individually there were some great songs, but collectively it hung together a little awkwardly. I knew every song, so familiarity was not a problem, but songs sat against each other with little obvious connection. If individually they were your personal favourites, then fine, otherwise it was sometime a challenging listen. the slow funk of “I think you know” is sluggish, and it took the more melodious, if predictable, “Secret Society” to engage the audience. “Weakness” was ponderous. “Stood up ” was lightweight as was “lost Horizon”. It took a blistering “Buffalo Grass” ( with trademark guitar hero guitar solos) to ignite the band before the highlight of the evening, the glorious, smouldering, waltz time ballad, “Beloved infidel”, which is amongst his finest compositions.
In an odd gear change we then slipped into the formulaic “hit me like a train” which sounded like an Aerosmith rocker, over Keith Richard’s “Honky Tonk women” riff. the irony of a Rolling Stones indebted Aerosmith copy was rich. Then another gear change, “Wouldnt You like to know” was pure Doobie bros circa “Black water” with beautiful acoustic guitar and harmonies. Continuing the high, Todd then slipped into “Sweet” which not only sounded like Hall and Oats, it sounded as though they were singing and performing it too! Sublime nonetheless, pure soul, and funk.
Another gear change – the rocker “woman’s world” which sounds as though it should be sung by a woman- Pat Benatar maybe. A little too Ame]rican formulaic for my tastes. Would love to see Ted Nugent perform this- not least because it has a “Cat scratch fever” guitar break. Gear Change. “Afterlife” was delicate, doleful, and wistful and very Steely Dan
Gear change. “Going Down with the ship” is a novelty song in the way that 10cc’s “Dreadlock holiday” is . i hated it on record. But live it is zany, ridiculous and great fun. It is a performance song- Kid Creole and the Coconuts would love it. and we all did the hand movements…
Gear change- an acapella “Honest work” which featured four of the harmonising band members. Outstanding and wonderful in equal measure
Gear Change. “Rock Love” rocked and should have closed the show. “God said” was routine but enjoyable, “Fascist Christ” limped along as a rappy piece of nonsense.
Gear Change. “Hawking” was a ponderous ballad, beautifully arranged as a “Hall and oats” number , complete with sax solo, and completely out of place. “Worldwide epiphany” is another formula rocker, it isn’t an epiphany and was an inadequate set closer.
The greatest his segue encore satisfied those that wanted to hear them- i felt they added little to the evening.
How About a Little Fanfare?
I Think You Know
Secret Society
Weakness
Stood Up
Lost Horizon
Buffalo Grass
Beloved Infidel
Hit Me Like a Train
Wouldn’t You Like to Know
Sweet
Kindness
Woman’s World
Afterlife
Down With the Ship
Honest Work
Rock Love
God Said
Fascist Christ
Hawking
Worldwide Epiphany
Encore:
I Saw the Light / Can We Still Be Friends / Hello It’s Me
After fifty years gig going this was my first proper folk gig apart from Barry McGuire in the eve of Destruction era and Lindisfarne who I would describe as folk rock
The Hub is a superb venue only 20 minutes drive from where I live but the gig failed to take off for me. Sold out, the audience was almost entirely 70 years old plus, the music largely dreary. I quickly remembered why I do not go to folk concerts.
Billy Mitchell looked ridiculously youthful and energetic, Bob was similarly engaged both sang well. The music was dreary, the audience loved it, I didn’t.
Obviously Lady Eleanor was excellent, Galway Shawl was touching, and that’s about it
A welcome revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s 1994 play, the first part of a trilogy of Things That Go Bump. The 2002 play Snake in the Grass ,and Life and Beth, being parts two and three. The inspiration for the play came from the stage adaptation of The Woman in Black. This is not populist Ayckbourn, and marks his move towards more contemporary themes rather than social realism. Sutton Arts lay before us a Halloween spine chiller- thriller which explores suicide and Psychic claims
We are introduced to Julia Lukin, a nineteen-year-old brilliant musician who committed suicide twelve years earlier, who haunts the three men closest to her, through both the supernatural and in their memories. Special effects are largely eschewed in favour of good acting and a tense script – but rest assure of some delicious spooky surprises and moments, courtesy of David Ashton and his team on lighting and sound. the lights flicker and things go bump…
the set pre show- it was a full house
This is a ghost story, about three men, and their relationships to Julia, a gifted musician who took her life aged nineteen in which the conventions of the ghost story format are challenged.
The tale features:
Joe Lukin, ( David Stone) Julia’s father, who has never let his daughter go, convinced there are unanswered questions about her death.
Andy Rollinson, ( Alan Groucott) Julia’s student boyfriend, now married with a family.
Ken Chase, ( Ian Eaton) an unassuming, nervous, mysterious man who offers his services as a psychic to Joe.
There are also two voice parts in the play: one of Julia (or, more accurately, an actress imitating her voice speaking words the real Julia would probably never have said), and a sombre male voice talking about her death.
The entire play takes place in the Julia Lukin Music Centre, an uneasy mixture between a public music facility and shrine from Joe to his daughter. The room in question is Julia’s ( improbably tidy ) room as a student , now with a walkway installed for public viewing.
In a format used only the second time in a full-length Ayckbourn play, Haunting Julia was written as a ‘real-time’ play (Absent Friends being the first), with a single continuous scene running throughout the whole play. It was intended that the entire play would be performed without an interval to maximise the tension, but this is amateur theatre, and bar takings matter , so some mid show relief is provided!
Leah Fennell is outstanding as the voice of Julia, whose parents push her to achieve things on their behalf, bringing character to a person who never appears on stage, articulating mystery and grief.
The play is set twelve years after the death of musician Julia . To a modern day audience the sceptres of Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse are invoked. Her father, who still cannot come to terms with her death, has turned her student bed-sitting room into a museum which the public can visit – for himself it is a shrine to her memory .
The production team at Sutton invariably produce good sets. This one is no exception. With Martin Groves and his team working their magic once again.The single bed with the teddy bear on the pillow might at first seem to be a child’s bedroom, but the roped-off barrier around the bed soon suggests something else – and this barrier becomes essential to the themes of the play. They can build brick walls too!
This is a long play that has to be carried by just three actors. Luckily all three are capable of meeting the challenge of portraying their part in the events leading to Julia’s death.
David Stone as Julia’s father Joe, not only conveys his own pain but also helps us realise how oppressive he may have been as a parent to a gifted, but unhappy daughter. Garrulous, truculent, loquacious, opinionated and arrogant , yet also vulnerable, and frightened that he may have been at fault. As a fellow grumpy old man I enjoyed his performance enormously.
Alan Groucott gives a pleasingly nuanced performance as Andy, Julia’s former student boyfriend whose exact relationship with her unravels in unsettling style .
Ian Eaton excels as Ken Chase, the volunteer psychic who turns out to have had more to do with Julia than he is at first willing to reveal. Is he a conman, a crank, or a genuine visionary? Ian keeps us guessing.
This is veteran Director Claire Armstrong-Mills’ first Ayckbourn production, a real stunner . She was bold and brave to take on this tricky three hander. It was well worth waiting for. Sleep well everyone!
This is a terrific hybrid of the jukebox musical genre featuring a band, the Kinks, who were at the heart of the 1960’s Great British musical invasion, and their inspiration, Ray Davies. Their story is driven by the compelling sub plot of warring brothers Ray and David Davies offering fortuitous synchronicity with the current Oasis revival. What are the odds on an Oasis musical in twenty years time?
I saw the Kinks live at the tail end of their career in the 1990’s and have seen Ray Davies perform solo on several occasions. The sound and delivery is authentic and a joy. Ray has written the story as well as the songs and lyrics. Shoehorning the band’s story, his own story, and a significant slice of British musical history into a single show is a gargantuan task- but one which he achieves with remarkable success in a tale full of not only great songs, but considerable wry humour. Social commentary and self- deprecating gags abound.
Joe Penhall is credited with having written the book. He throws every dramatic device into the creative pot and somehow emerges triumphantly. Success, failure, hope betrayal, nostalgia, confrontation, duplicity, camaraderie and treachery all exist cheek by jowl over an eight year period. America is satisfyingly lampooned, satirising both the McCarthyite political, and immigration, excesses.
A large ensemble cast, at one point I counted eighteen on stage, abound with zip and energy. Danny Horn is physically very similar to Ray, and a consummate singer and musician on stage, Oliver Hoare has a ball as zany and troubled David. Tam Williams and Joseph Richardson as oily managers Grenville Collins and Robert Wave, are a memorable posh comedy double act counterpointing the visceral tension between the brothers and amongst the band.
The music itself is brash, and pleasingly loud- “You’ve really Got me “ is reprised numerous times. However , the musical highlights arrive unexpectedly. Lisa Wright as Ray’s wife Rasa duets beautifully on “I Go to Sleep”. The band and managers deliver an astonishing acapella version of the sublime “Days”
The running time is two and three quarter hours including interval, and still does not seem enough with “Autumn Almanac” and “Come dancing” cruelly omitted in favour of a slew of hits. The finale of “Waterloo Sunset”, a rocking sing a long “Lola” and hits mega mix , is exhilarating and delightfully exhausting. The hair, wigs, make up and costuming are a visual time tunnel cornucopia. Anyone who likes mini skirts will not be disappointed with a show which wildly exceeded my expectations, and was awarded a richly deserved standing ovation
This “Sunny Afternoon” continues at the Alex until Saturday the 25th before further dates nationwide.
I first saw Elvis on the Bunch of Stiffs tour in 1977, forty seven years ago. Forty seven years prior to 1977 lies 1930. A time before the establishment of the Weimar Republic and Adolf Hitler in Germany, George Vth was King, Hebert Hoover was American president, and the newly written hit songs of the day were Minnie the Moocher and Putting on the Ritz. 1977 is a long time ago.
Radio Costello are a Birmingham based tribute band to Elvis Costello, the first serious attempt that I am aware of. Certainly the first I have seen. There are pros and cons to such a venture. On the release of his debut album in 1977 he claimed to have written hundreds of songs, by 1986, nine years later he had released eleven albums. That is an extraordinary repertoire – with dozens to follow. Furthermore, each album came with diverse styles and arrangements, together with verbose, multi layered lyrics. There are easier artists to pay homage to.
The venue is extraordinary, a church has been on the site for over 900 years, the existing building is over 150 years old, revered English wordsmith Samuel Johnson was baptised there. The acoustics are superb. Outside, 475 years ago , is a plaque to those who were burned at the stake in the reign of Queen Mary.
There are some who are disdainful of tribute bands. They are wrong to be so. Tribute bands are a contemporary reinterpretation in the style of the original act. No-one goes to a Beethoven concert and complains : “ it was rubbish, Beethoven was neither playing nor conducting”.
Tom Bradshaw features as Elvis, physically similar, but not slavishly so, Boris Brain delivers an astonishingly faithful keyboard sound. The drums and bass authentic and relentless and fluid respectively.
One of the challenges for an Elvis tribute is that only two songs were big mainstream hits, Olivers army” in the Uk, selling half a million, and Veronica in America, No 19 on Billboard. But there are numerous associated musical gems, amongst them his cover of “Good year for the Roses” and “Shipbuilding” covered by Robert Wyatt, and Alison covered by Linda Ronstadt, beyond that there are numerous cult classics which appear in the set.
Overall, including interval, they played for two and a quarter hours over two halves. My personal highlights were Clubland and King Horse, fan favourites included Watching the Detective and Whats so Funny About Peace Love and Understanding.
A rewarding night, from a superb accomplished band whom I not only unreservedly recommend ,but whom I will also be going to see again when I next have the opportunity.
I have always been a massive rats fan and was there for their first full UK tour in 77. Thy were the best live band around when punk broke – and that includes The Jam and the Clash.
Their star waned as the seventies closed, they were unable to keep producing high quality songs at a time when new bands were breaking who could do just that.
Ironically their musical high water mark- “Mondays” was also their nemesis. It was wholly atypical of their material. It alienated their die hard punk fans and set a benchmark for their new fan base which they could not possibly emulate.
Geldof is 74 years old now. Although there are peers who are older frontmen ( Iggy pop, Jagger) this tour will surely be his last hurrah
The unbilled support act London based “The Horn” offered ostensibly indy fare, but really harked back to Simple Minds and Duran Duran. They were politely received.
I love Bob, but he can border on the preposterous, and the documentary celebrating the Rats past fifty years was preposterous. It is fifty years since their inception, they have not had fifty years of success. The snippets from the early years merely serving to emphasise what is gone. A few bars of the magnificent Born to be Wild inspired Mary of the Fourth Form teased and tormented in equal measure, but is impossible to play live now in The Jeffry Epstein. Prine Andrew/ Jimmy Savile era.
Symphony Hall is acoustically one of the finest auditoria in the world- but the dialogue was muffled- no excuse for whoever was in charge of sound.
Those sound issue persisted. The chiming piano intro to the opening “Rat trap” was lost in a sludge of guitars. As the show unfolded matters did not improve.
Opening with Rat Trap was bold- sometimes Springsteen would open with Born to Run. When opening with your biggest song works, it sets a high water mark which does not recede. When it doesn’t- you have blown your best song.
Eva Braun, is a routine rocker, Like Clockwork, an irritating novelty song, the energy dipped.Never mind, next up was Neon Heart a great rocker, it fell flat.
Bob then decided that he would stretch out the routine rocker “She’s Gonna do you in” from four to ten minutes courtesy of a blues harmonica solo. Only three people are allowed harmonica solos, Neil young ( Heart of Gold), Bob Dylan ( Blowing in the Wind) and Stevie Wonder ( Isn’t she Lovely). And that is it. There is a reason for this. They are rubbish. Bob proved the point.
“Mondays” was good- with a poignant Gaza monlogue. Close as You’ll ever be was ruined by a poor arrangement. “f*** the world” was embarrassing, fine if you are 14 not when you are 74 and certainly not sing along material. Modern was very good- and the show should have ended there.
Rat Trap
(I Never Loved) Eva Braun
Like Clockwork
Neon Heart
(She’s Gonna) Do You In
Monster Monkeys
Someone’s Looking at You
I Don’t Like Mondays
Whole World
Close as You’ll Ever Be
When the Night Comes
She’s So Modern
Banana Republic
Diamond Smiles
The Boomtown Rats
The truth is that without Johnny Fingers and Gerry Cott who are both pursuing other musical projects the band is shorn of its original musical dynamism with Garry Roberts sadly now dead. It’s over- but thanks for some great memories Bob
Autumn is here. Its becoming cold- surely a cue for some old style Hollywood glitz?
If you like song and dance, particularly tap dance, then this is your show. Visually it is a sparkling, frothy fizzy cocktail of mistaken identity and razzle dazzle.
The story is merely a loose framework for episodic spectacle, showcasing some of the best of Irving Berlin’s timeless melodies, namely: “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” and “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”.
Stephen Ridley’s musical direction is impeccable
The choreography is immaculate, featuring dazzling solo dance and stunning unison tap dancing from this wonderfully talented cast.
With great songs, you need great dance, the sparkling choreography, the syncopation in full cast tap dancing numbers is flawless, courtesy of Kathleen Marshall on a superb, memorable set, design by Peter McKintosh. It features revolving Art Deco clock-like motifs , incorporating frantic scene changes from bedrooms to bars, hotels to aircraft. Tim Mitchell’s Lighting adds a glamourous veneer. The band , complete with boisterous horns, is a delight. Costumes by Yvonne Milnes and Peter McKintosh are shimmering and sharp.
My recollection of the story is, based on the 1935 RKO motion picture where Astaire and Rogers set a defining standard with impossible precision and effortless chemistry, blurring the distinction between acting and dancing.
It would be unreasonable to ask for that to be replicated. It isn’t, instead we are offeresomething different. Phillip Attmore ( Jerry Travers) is a convincing tap dancer, supple but sharp, opposite him plays Dale Tremont (Amara Okereke). Okereke is visually great with strong vocals, but their romance never convinces mainly because scene after scene is stolen by the comic sub plot characters.
Producer Horace (James Hume) and his wife Madge (Sally Ann Triplett) are at the centre of the comedy, Triplett ids brilliant as Madge and dominates every time she appears on stage with Hume her hapless foil. Belly laughs on a mis week matinee ar difficult to come by but Triplett succeeded time and time again channelling a combination of Lucille ball and Mrs Slocombe. Their partners in crime are almost as hilarious. Horace’s manservant, Bates (James Clyde) is witheringly dry, and a fine looking woman in drag. Alex Gibson-Giorgio’s gloriously outrageous chef Beddini is superb.
You cannot beat Astaire and Rodgers. This production does not aim to. The triumphant “Putting on the Ritz” sis impossible to surpass, instead the ensemble deliver the remaining classics with enthusiasm and verve- and that is enough.
This show excels at farce and is hugely enjoyable for it, a celebration of the diversity and allure of musical theatre. Richard Pitts direction breathes life and humour into a libretto which is now ninety years old- and is still funny. Quite an achievement. Continues on nationwide tour.
Hitherto The Great Gatsby has been defined by the original F Scott Fitzgerald novel and the 2013 Baz Luhrmann film. For this production which debuted earlier in the year at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Elizabeth Newman has adapted the original story for stage ,Sarah Brigham directs the results.
Director Brigham wrestles with the a story which shows how wonderful bring rich is, but interspersed with some sad and bad moments. Ivan Stott recreates Jazz Age music showtunes without the awkward bit of attempting to write lyrics to match Fitzgerald’s original prose. The Jazz Age ,with its gangsters and bootleggers , as presented here by Brigham , lacks the sinister edge of Weimar Berlin, whilst eschewing the glossy froth of Luhrmann its character dependent upon the quality of the lead performances
The story is set in 1922, the year that began with the publication of Ulysses and ended with The Waste Land. Its brevity and acuity is legendary, sensibly, those attributes are to be seen in this new script.
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was first published exactly 100 years ago. Never at any point during the 1925 book’s near century in copyright did Fitzgerald or his Estate allow a musical adaptation .However the copyright expired in America two years ago and now there are two US musical adaptations : Florence Welch’s Gatsby and one directed by Marc Bruni and this.
The film is a blueprint for the portrayal of glamour, excess and Jazz Age opulence. Jen McGinley’s sumptuous set succeeds in shrinking that grand vision onto the Derby stage without losing any of the vibrancy of the period. The stage is split featuring two grand staircases with a connecting balcony from which the music is played.
The film is a blueprint for the portrayal of glamour, excess and Jazz Age opulence. Jen McGinley’s imposing set succeeds in shrinking that grand vision onto the Derby stage without losing any of the vibrancy of the period. The stage is split featuring two grand staircases with a connecting balcony from which the music is played.
Oraine Johnson swaggers and strolls as Jay Gatsby, dancing with style, panache and confidence, suspended between chasing the future and longing for the past: the present means nothing to him. His downfall movingly unfolds.
Fiona Wood and April Nerissa Hudson excel with their vocals. Wood is excellent as the long suffering upwardly mobile wife to lothario husband Tom (Tyler Collins). David Rankine as writer and narrator Nick is the vehicle through which events unfold, he does a seamless job drawing events together.
Although the rags to riches story is the nub of proceedings, contemporaneously we have the Epstein story omnipresent as a cautionary tale of entitled bacchanalian excess and the trial of Sean Diddy Combs’ decadence as an unspoken backdrop.
Wisely, Newman’s adaptation does not attempt to redraft Fitzgerald’s masterpiece as a musical rather than novel, nor does she seek to explore the dark underbelly of the source of all this wealth . Instead she offers a glittering musical romance underpinned by the Tragedy of careless people.
The finale elevates the production onto another level bringing together the holy trinity of Newman’s fluid words, Brigham’s sharp direction, and David Rankine’s outstanding performance as Nick. His closing soliloquys bring the pathos of Shakespearean Tragedy at its best into the auditorium.
A hugely enjoyable evening. Runs until October 25th
Garyswordz 