Thursday 22 October 2015

Echo and the Bunnymen - Wakefield 16/10/15 "magnificently powerful"

The fact that warehouse 23 was packed is testament to two facts. Wakefield has been criminally starved of genuine headline names for many years, this venue and others such as Unity House are beginning to remedy this. Secondly, Ian McCulloch and co have tread an admirable line between retro and relevant, punters can be safe in the knowledge that for every People Are Strange there is a Villers Terrace..

In fact it was a trio of ‘hits’ from that first album Crocodiles that opened the show – the title track – Rescue and aforementioned Villers Terrace. The later nicely segued into Roadhouse Blues with a touch of Jean Genie added for good measure. Those unmistakable rich tones of McCulloch sounding rich and full which added a different but no less enjoyable tone to those early songs.

On stage there was little in the way of interaction, but those familiar with the Bunnymen expected nothing less. The dry ice and lighting was in full effect giving the impression of  a Sisters of Mercy show, I was at their gig earlier in the week and I couldn’t see them either…

Seven Seas must be the only song ever to include the words kissing the tortoise shell, it’s a classic and was met with some relief by the casual observers amongst us, it was a powerful song then and it retains that, Will Sergeants guitar driving the chorus while beer flew across the room as the swimming motion from the video is recalled and attempted.

People Are Strange could quite easily be seen as one of those quirky hits that a band would rather forget – not quite Bowies Laughing Gnome but you get the idea. Clearly no such thoughts as its delivered straight and true and memories of Kiefer Sutherland before he grew up into Jack Bauer come flooding back.

Constantinople is for me the stand out track on last year’s excellent Meteorites album, it’s one of two tracks, together with the title track to get a run out tonight, live they sound fresh and loud and would have been a good advert if only Mac had identify their provenance.

A run of sure file solid gold hits closes the show, Never Stop, the sublime Bring On the Dancing Horses  and the gloriously extended Killing Moon get a run before The Cutter (my personal favourite) has me grinning, singing, shouting, jumping and pointing, all at the same time.. its magnificently powerful, urgent and benefits from guitars over the originals sitars.

1997 surprise comeback hit Nothing Lasts Forever is still a classic and so fitting of that time, tonight it lends itself to include elements of both Walk on the Wild Side and less predictably, In the Midnight Hour.  Lips Like Sugar closes  the set.

Echo and the Bunnymen left a warehouse full of satisfied punters if the roar of approval was anything to go by, its true it was a near faultless set and virtually career spanning. Wakefield may be genuine headline band starved but tonight it got what it wanted and much more. Echo and the Bunnymen still relevant in 2015, I never would have guessed that 30 years ago at Glastonbury..

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Inside No9 Gets Third Series

The BBC has today confirmed that the award-winning Inside No 9, written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, is set to return for a third series.
The first series of Inside No 9 was garlanded with praise and won two major prizes at the Banff World Media Festival and another from the Royal Television Society. It was also nominated for a BAFTA award for its screenplays, as well as for two British Comedy Awards. The second series made a similar impact with widespread acclaim.

Guest stars in previous films have included Gemma Arterton, Denis Lawson, Sheridan Smith, Timothy West, Anna Chancellor, David Warner, Alison Steadman, Tamsin Greig, Jane Horrocks, Jack Whitehall and many others and the third series promises to raise the bar ever higher.

The anthology format continues as before, each film being set in a different location, the style and tone changing each week, combining a different mix of horror, thriller, drama and comedy, always aiming to surprise, delight, unnerve and amuse in equal measure. With ambitious production values and screenplays that tell original stories in ways which most sitcom and drama series do not attempt, the third series will continue to celebrate the craft of the stand-alone comedy drama.

Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, says: “Reece and Steve's grasp of story-telling and comic inventiveness slices the top of your head off. This return will continue to enthral and surprise audiences with some ideas that may even make you want to sleep with the light on.”

Kim Shillinglaw, Controller, BBC Two and BBC Four, says: “BBC Two should be the place where creatives can do their best, most signature work and I’m delighted that Steve and Reece are returning with another series of Inside No 9; their deliciously dark, grown up humour is just what I want to see on the channel. “

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith say: “We (are thrilled to have the chance to explore six more number 9s. Every story is a labour of love, so we will do our best to ensure the viewers are once again moved to tears of laughter and terror. (If you can get tears of terror.)”

Yet again, the doors of a number of different No 9s open, and once you’re Inside No9... anything can happen.

Monday 19 October 2015

Teletubbies Return!! Fearne Cotton (voice of a voice trumpet) Interview

Fearne Cotton is being the voice of a Voice Trumpet in the new Teletubbies and we caught up with her late last week and she told us all about being part of a returning phenomenon

How does it feel to be back doing kids’ TV?
It's really nice to be back doing children's TV. First time round I was a kid, now I'm a mum, I understand the language of kids' TV and how you talk to younger children. I watch a lot of kids' TV, probably more than I ever have, so I feel like this is the best time I probably could have done a show like this.

Which TV shows did you watch when you were growing up?
Being a kid of the '80s, there were some big shows like Button Moon, which I loved. A bit of Rainbow as well. A bit later on, stuff like Art Attack, anything that you could get involved with. I think we were quite lucky, because kids' TV started to get really good in the '80s, and it's just got better and better. Button Moon's got to be my favourite though.

What made you want to be one of the voices on the new Teletubbies?
Weirdly, I’ve always wanted to do a voice for something, whether it be a cartoon or a kids' show. I think it seems like the ultimate fun thing to do, and because I do radio, which is the power of using your voice and the words you're saying, I get a bit of a nerdy kick out of that. That's the sort of thing that I feel really comfortable doing, so this is a complete dream. I think being a mum is an added bonus because I watch a lot of kids' TV, and it'll be wonderful to see my own children watching something that I've been a part of for the first time. Everything about it was an instant decision. There was no deliberation period. It was like, 'Do you want to do it?' 'Yes.' Done.

How do you think your children will react to hearing you on Teletubbies?
I'm not sure how the kids will take to hearing me on a show that they're watching. I think for my stepchildren, who are a bit older, it'll just be hilarious, and they will just think it’s the funniest thing ever. I think for my son, who's just over two, and for the new baby watching, I'll have to explain it, and they probably won't believe me for a little while, until they're old enough to go, 'Was that really you doing the Teletubbies?' I will really enjoy being part of that, and I think it's a real landmark moment for me. It's really exciting and it is a new chapter for me, work-wise, and a new chapter in my life as well, so it all definitely fits.

Are you excited to be part of such a global phenomenon?
It's so exciting being part of something this big! It was at the forefront of kids' TV, and I imagine that this will be exactly the same. The fact it’s an international brand and reaches children from all parts of the globe is so exciting. I've never been part of anything that's been that big globally, so I'm thrilled.

How have people reacted to you featuring in Teletubbies?
Some people are massively excited – myself included - and think it's the coolest thing that I've done. Then some are puzzled, going from doing Radio 1 straight into Teletubbies is quite different ends of the extreme, but for me it's the perfect match where I'm at in life, and being a mum. I've always wanted to voice an animation or a cartoon or a kids' show, so it ticks all the boxes for me. My favourite reaction was my stepdaughter who is just like, 'Why are you doing that?' I think when she watches it, she's going to think it is brilliant and love it, and love the cute factor and the whole concept of it. I think she's finding it quite weird that her step-mum is going to be on Teletubbies. It's freaking her out slightly.

How do you prepare for a role like this?
I think I'm pretty well rehearsed for this role, just in life in general, because I spend so many hours of my day watching kids' TV. You end up watching it in a different realm to the way that your kids are watching it. They're just enjoying the vibrant colours and stimulation of the show. I'm watching it from a TV perspective and thinking, 'Who's voiced that bit, and why have they done that? Oh, that's good, that's clever. So I feel quite well-prepared in that way, and also doing a lot of radio, you get used to your voice being the only thing in existence for people to grab hold of. You can't rely on facial expressions or your physical side. It's all about the voice, so that's something I have to think about every single morning of my working life.

What can viewers expect from the new series of Teletubbies?
I think viewers are going to go absolutely crazy for new Teletubbies. Obviously historically it's an iconic brand; people know it and love it, so you're going to get exactly what you want from Teletubbies, but 2015-style. I think the brilliant thing about Teletubbies is it's instantly so visually gorgeous. The colours are there, the characters are very animated, and it's all about play. It's all about getting involved in play and having that interactive element. So there's going to be some brilliant new surprises, like the Tubby Custard Ride, which will be chaotic and fun for kids to watch, lots of custard going everywhere, and also the Tubby Phone.

What do you voice in in the new Teletubbies?
I'll be voicing a number of the Voice Trumpets that pop up during the show, to encourage the Teletubbies to play. There are lots of nice surprises and lots of things arrive in Teletubbyland, one of them being a magical envelope which has a voice, and that voice is me.

Who’s your favourite Teletubby?
I'd probably go with Po. Po's the cutest, right? Actually, you know what's funny? When I first got my cat twelve years ago from an animal sanctuary she was called Tinky Winky! Because I worked in kids' TV, I was like, 'This cannot stick around,' so I changed her name to Tallulah. It might be time to call her Tinky Winky again and reverse the name process, if she doesn't mind.

Thursday 15 October 2015

Fargo Series 2 starts this week on Channel 4

Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire, Spider-Man, Melancholia) and Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad) star in this new series set in 1979, 30 years previous to the events of the first series. Dunst plays Peggy Blomquist, a small town beautician with big city dreams who is trying to figure out who she really is and what she really wants as she struggles with traditional societal expectations. Her husband Ed, played by Plemons, a butcher's assistant who wants to be supportive of his wife’s self-discovery, even if he doesn’t quite understand it.

They are joined by Patrick Wilson (Insidious, Young Adult) who stars as Lou Solverson, previously seen in the first series, a clean-cut Minnesota State Patrolman, four years back from Vietnam, where he served in the Navy. Ted Danson (Cheers, Saving Private Ryan, 3 Men and a Baby) plays Hank Larsson, the Sheriff of Rock County, Minnesota. An unflappable WWII vet who embodies a certain cowboy poetry, Hank is Lou’s father-in-law.

Jean Smart (24, Frasier) will play Floyd Gerhardt, the matriarch of the Gerhardt crime family. She’s stood by her husband’s side for 40 years, but now that he’s at death’s door she thinks it’s her turn to run things…

CorporatePortalThe all-new “true crime” case travels back to 1979 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota, where a young State Police Officer Lou Solverson (Wilson) investigates a case involving a local crime gang and a major Mob syndicate. Helping him piece things together is his father-in-law, Sheriff Hank Larsson (Danson).

The investigation will lead them to a colorful cast of characters that includes Karl Weathers (Nick Offerman – Parks and Recreation, 22 Jump Street), the town lawyer of Luverne, Minnesota: he’s a Korean War vet and a flowery drunk blessed with the gift of gab and the eloquence of a true con artist. Three-time Emmy-winner Brad Garrett (Finding Nemo, Everybody Loves Raymond) will play Joe Bulo, the front man for the northern expansion of a Kansas City crime syndicate. The new face of corporate crime, Joe’s bringing a Walmart mentality to small town America. His number two is Mike Milliga (Bokeem Woodbine – Ray, Total Recall, The Rock). Part enforcer, part detective, Mike is always smiling – but the joke is usually on you.

Bulo and his crew have their sights set on the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, currently led by matriarch Floyd Gerhardt (Smart). With her husband at death’s door, Floyd takes over the family business, frustrating her eldest son, Dodd Gerhardt (Jeffrey Donovan – Burn Notice, Hitch). An impatient hothead with a cruel streak to match his ambitions, Dodd can’t wait for both his parents to die so he can take over and expand their business from kingdom to empire. Bear Gerhardt (Angus Sampson – Insidious, Mad Max: Fury Road) is the middle son, an intimidatingly large man who, although inarticulate, is the most decent of his clan. Rye Gerhardt (Kieran Culkin – Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, Igby Goes Down), the youngest of the Gerhardt clan, views himself as a big shot, but in reality he’s just a small dog who barks big.

Episode 1 of series 2 FARGO, Waiting for Dutch debuts on Channel 4, 19 Oct 2015, 22:00

James Martin announces first tour - details..

JAMES MARTIN ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER UK TOUR 
‘PLATES, MATES AND AUTOMOBILES’

Tickets on sale Friday 16 October at 9am FROM Livenation.co.uk

Displaying James M low res.jpgTop chef and TV personality James Martin today announced his very first UK tour.  Kicking off in Glasgow on 22 February 2016, he will visit 25 venues across the UK including London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo with his interactive live show.  

The tour marks 20 years since James first graced TV screens, winning the hearts of the nation. His show will be a fast-paced, interactive and high tech extravaganza. Packed with James’ signature cooking demonstrations, full of surprises and not to mention some very special guests, audiences across the country will be thrilled as this multi media production is brought live to the big stage. 

James been cooking told us "I've on TV for 20 years now and I felt it was time to do something I’ve never done before that was truly special.  I’m so excited to be heading out on my first ever tour, doing what I do best but on the big stage.  I can’t wait to get out there and visit so many great parts of the UK, this show is going to be super cool.  I’m pulling out my favourite recipes and mixing in plenty of surprises and special guests in what I hope is going to be feast of a live show.  Hope to see you there!”

James Martin began catering college at 16 and went on to open his first restaurant at the extraordinary age of just 22 years old.  His television career started in 1996 and he’s rarely been off the screen since. James has become a true household favourite, presenting and taking part in some of the nation’s most loved programmes.  His Saturday morning TV show currently attracts viewers in excess of 3.5 million viewers every week.   

James is also the author of 15 best-selling and award winning cookbooks as well as being a car and motorbike enthusiast.  In honour of his cooking roots as a pastry chef, James’ new recipe book, Sweet, is out now.  

James Martin: ‘Plates, Mates And Automobiles’
A cooking, talking, speed extravaganza! 
Live Tour 2016

Full Tour Dates:
February
Mon 22 GLASGOW, Royal Concert Hall
Tues 23 EDINBURGH, Usher Hall
Wed 24 NEWCASTLE, City Hall
Sat 27 HARROGATE, International Centre
Sun 28 YORK , Barbican

March
Tues 1 BRIDLINGTON, Spa Royal Hall
Wed 2 GRIMSBY, Auditorium
Thurs 3 BLACKPOOL, Opera House
Sat 5 NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
Sun 6 SHEFFIELD, City Hall
Mon 7 SOUTHPORT, Theatre
Tues 8 BRADFORD, St George’s Hall
Wed 9 PRESTON, Guildhall
Thurs 10 BIRMINGHAM, Symphony Hall
Sat 12 LIVERPOOL, Philharmonic Hall
Sun 13 MANCHESTER, Opera House
Mon 14 BLACKBURN, King Georges Hall
Tues 15 LLANDUDNO, Venue Cymru
Wed 16 STOKE, Victoria Hall
Thurs 17 CROYDON, Fairfield Halls
Sat 19 BATH , Forum
Sun 20 BOURNEMOUTH Pavillion
Mon 21 LONDON, Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
Tues 22 BRIGHTON, Centre
Wed 23 PORTSMOUTH, Guildhall

*Ticket booking fees apply

http://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/james-martin-tickets

www.jamesmartinchef.co.uk 

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Lets Rock Leeds Line Up Revealed!

**TICKETS FOR LET'S ROCK LEEDS! 2016 ARE NOW ON SALE**

After a hugely successful 2015, Lets Rock returns with an even stronger line up....take a look at this...

We are excited to announce that the line-up for Saturday 18th June 2016 is as follows:

BILLY OCEAN
BillyOceanBilly Ocean is the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced, one who has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime. He has collected a pile of Gold and Platinum records across the world and hit the number one spot worldwide on pop charts including the USA, Australia, Germany, Holland, and the UK. Billy has achieved extraordinary success as both an artist and a songwriter.

Billy got his first break when he signed to GTO records, for whom his second single was the Motown-ish Love Really Hurts Without You,which reached No. 2 in the UK charts and No. 12 in the US.

Two top twenty singles followed; Love on Delivery and Stop Me, then Red Light Spells Danger became a smash in both the UK and the US.Billy changed record labels and his move to Jive Records provided instant success, with the million selling American number one single Caribbean Queen (for which Billy won a Grammy for best R&B Vocal), followed by Loverboy, and Suddenly, which became the first of Billy’s killer ballads. The Album from which these singles came from spent a year in the US Charts selling double platinum (triple in Canada).


Billy also performed on the American half of Live Aid, making 1985 a truly incredible year for him.1986 wasn’t bad either, opening with When the Going gets Tough (the tough gets going), the theme song to the Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner/Danny Devito movie Jewel of the Nile. Billy then launched the Love Zone album, which went straight to No. 2 in the UK charts, staying in the top 40 for six months. In the US, there was a No. 1 single with There’ll be Sad Songs (to make you cry). More Hits were to follow with the now classic Get Outta my Dreams; Get into my Car, giving Billy yet another US No. 1 hit.

JASON DONOVAN
JasonDonovanJason Donovan came into our lives in the late 80s as Scott Robinson on the hit Australian series, ‘Neighbours’. Throughout 1988/89 he had several hits and his album ‘Ten Good Reasons’ was the best-selling album of 1989. Since that time, he has rarely been away from stage or screen including leading stage roles in ‘Joseph’, ‘The Rocky Horror Show’,‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, ‘Priscilla’ and ‘The Sound of Music’. In the two years since we saw him make the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ final, he completed the ‘Strictly Live UK and Ireland Tour’, released an album, was interviewed by Piers Morgan for his ITV1 ‘Life Stories’ series, and was a mentor/judge with former Spice Girl, Melanie Chisholm, Dawn French and Andrew Lloyd Webber for the ITV1 musical talent show ‘Superstar’. In the winter of 2012, Jason was delighted to return to Jeff Wayne’s War Of The Worlds – The New Generation, in the role of Parson Nathaniel.

SOUL II SOUL
Founded by Jazzie B and featuring a changing roster of other musicians – notably Penny Ford, Nellee Hooper, Simon Law, Phillip 'Daddae' Harvey and Caron Wheeler – Soul II Soul's experiments in music-making of their own resulted in the dub plate "Fairplay," which secured them a recording contract with Virgin Records.

SoulIISoulTheir first singles in 1988 failed to make the UK Top 40, but the group went on to commercial success in 1989 with the singles "Keep on Movin'" and "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)", which topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks, and was the fifth best-selling single in the UK that year. Both tracks, which featured Wheeler on vocals, were taken from their debut album Club Classics Vol. One which reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. In July 1989, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Soul II Soul had to pull out of their scheduled live appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops programme, following a dispute with the programme's producer.[3]

Their follow-up album, Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade, yielded two Top 10 hits, "Get a Life" and "A Dream's a Dream", the latter featuring vocals by Victoria Wilson James. This album also reached number 1, and was certified platinum by the BPI, and reached the Top 30 in the US where it was certified gold. In April 1990, Soul II Soul got three US Soul Train awards.[4] The band had one more Top 10 in 1992 with "Joy", taken from their third album Vol. III: Just Right, which itself peaked at number 3 and was certified gold by the BPI. The group then virtually disbanded for some years, but reformed for various live dates in the 2000s.

JIMMY SOMERVILLE
JimmySomervilleThe unmistakable voice of Bronski Beat and The Communards, featured on massive hits such as ‘Smalltown Boy’ and ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ – it can be none other than Jimmy Somerville.
Bronski Beat not only introduced the world to Jimmy’s unique voice, their debut smash hit ‘Smalltown Boy’ tackled pertinent social issues with it’s lyric addressing the isolation and rejection felt by a provincial gay youth forced into leaving town. Although not the first pop song to deal with this topic, Bronski Beat’s chart friendly early 80’s electronic dance sound and the everyday ordinariness and honesty of the three performers, made ‘Smalltown Boy’ the biggest record about gay issues there’d ever been.

Jimmy’s next band The Communards enjoyed a string of hits from their two hit albums ‘Communards’ (1986) and ‘Red’ (1987). One moment the Communards were hurtling to the number one spot – a position they held for weeks in the UK in 1986 – with their energetic, hedonistic cover version of the Philly soul classic ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, the next stunning audiences into silent awe with their touching lament for a loved one lost to AIDS, ‘For A Friend’.


1989 saw Jimmy embark on a solo career with 5 more hit singles and two albums; ‘Read My Lips’ (1989) and ‘The Singles Collection’ (1990). These included a stirring cover of Sylvester’s disco anthem ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’.

CHINA CRISIS
ChinaCrisisWhen “Christian” made UK #12 in early 1983, this brought them to national prominence. The album peaked at#21 in the UK Albums Chart. During this period the band toured supporting Simple Minds 


Adding to their line-up, a second album, Working With Fire & Steel: Possible Pop Songs – Volume 2 was released in November 19’83. This was regarded as a more consistent effort, with tracks including “Tragedy and Mystery” (released as a single six months earlier), “Hanna Hanna” and the title track, “Working With Fire & Steel”, which became a hit single in Australia. ‘The album was a Top 20 success in the UK, and China Crisis spent 1984 and 1985 making their biggest chart run, beginning with their only UK Top 10 hit single, “Wishful Thinking”, which peaked at #9.

ChesneyCHESNEY HAWKES
In 2001 Chesney embarked on a ‘mini’ tour with his four piece band. Initially intended to take in five dates, the touring has never stopped. Headlining at universities, colleges, and clubs continues unabated and performances have now passed the 1,200 date mark during this period. Further appearances at festivals and radio promoted open air summer road shows, together with events abroad, have brought the combined ‘live’ audience to which he has performed to close to 2 million. In 2014, Chesney joined Ant and Dec for 12 dates on their nationwide ‘Takeaway’ tour and in April 2015 Chesney performed to an audience of 12,000 at the NEC to mark the 10th Anniversary of Rock Choir.

CUTTING CREW
CuttingCrewFormed in 1985, the Grammy nominated rock band will always be remembered for their classic songs “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” and “I’ve Been in Love Before” (number 1 and 9 in USA). Original singer and writer Nick van Eede performs every gig now with his amazing guitarist, Gareth Moulton. The past few years have brought appearances/duetting with Chaka Khan, Roger Hodgson of Supertramp, Greg Lake, Jack Bruce & Midge Ure. Plus concert tours of Germany and USA with ABC, Berlin and Wang Chung. Their great live show has reached the hearts of audiences across the world

JOHNNY HATES JAZZ
JohnnyHatesJazzIn 1987, as the era of Electronic Pop and New Romantics was reaching its culmination, Anglo-American band Johnny Hates Jazz were catapulted to fame with the release of their single ‘Shattered Dreams’ on Virgin Records. It became a top 5 hit worldwide, reaching number 2 in the USA and Japan, and has since been played over 3 million times on American radio alone.

‘Shattered Dreams’ was followed by other hits including ‘I Don’t Want To Be A Hero’, ‘Turn Back The Clock’ and ‘Heart Of Gold’. Their album ‘Turn Back The Clock’ entered the UK charts at number 1, going double-platinum and selling 4 million copies in the process. It is arguably one of the definitive albums of the 1980’s, and is one of only two debut albums released by Virgin Records that immediately went to the top of the charts upon its release — the other being ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ by The Sex Pistols.


The band went their separate ways shortly afterwards, deciding to focus on other musical projects instead. In fact, over the next 20 years, they completely lost contact with one and other. Then, in 2009, original members Clark Datchler and Mike Nocito decided to come back together to write, record and produce a brand new Johnny Hates Jazz album for the modern era. At the same time, they began to perform at festivals in Europe and Asia.

TOYAH
ToyahFrom punk princess to high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an award‐winning rock legend as well as a much loved actress and music composer. Toyah’s band gained critical success with the debut single Victims of the Riddle (no.1 in the independent charts) and six track EP Sheep Farming in Barnet. Her first album, The Blue Meaning, became a Top 40 hit. A TV Documentary “Toyah”, an accompanying live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! – as well as hit singles It’s A Mystery, I Want to Be Free, Brave New World and Be Proud, Be Loud, Be Heard plus the platinum albums Anthem and The Changeling ‐ confirmed her status as one of the most significant talents of the Eighties. In 1982 she won the Best Female Singer at the Rock & Pop Awards.

KATRINA
KatrinaKatrina Leskanich is the lead singer from the Grammy nominated band, Katrina & The Waves. The band got their first break in 1984 when The Bangles covered their song, ‘Going Down to Liverpool’.

In 1985 ‘Walking on Sunshine’ was a top ten hit all around the globe and has since featured in countless advertisements and films including, High Fidelity, Secret of My Success, American Psycho and Walking on Sunshine and it’s been covered by Dolly Parton and was a mash up with Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ sung by the Glee cast. Follow up hits were, ‘Do You Want Crying’ (US Top 40), ‘Sun Street’ (UK Top 30), ‘That’s The Way’ (US #16). Katrina also sang back up vocals on ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglio and has recorded songs with Eric Burdon and Rick Wakeman.


In 1997 Katrina and the Waves’ ‘Love Shine A Light’ won the Eurovision Song Contest with the largest ever margin, followed by an unprecedented four consecutive appearances on Top Of The Pops and a No. 3 in the UK Charts.

MODERN ROMANCE
ModernRomanceThe band released "Everybody Salsa" in summer 1981, which reached the UK Top 20. They followed this later in the year with similarly themed "Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey", which reached the UK Top 10. Despite these two hits, the band's debut album, Adventures in Clubland, was not a success. However, in the US they scored a number 2 hit on the Billboard Dance chart with "Can You Move", a mostly rap variation of "Everybody Salsa". After further UK Top 40 hits with "Queen of the Rapping Scene" and a cover of the 1955 hit "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White", Geoffrey departed the band in 1982 to pursue solo projects.


Michael J. Mullins took over the mantle of lead vocalist, and their next release saw the band reach their highest UK chart position with "Best Years of Our Lives" in late 1982. Further hits followed in 1983: "High Life" (UK No. 8), "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" (UK No. 14), and the ballad "Walking in the Rain" (UK No. 7).  Both "Best Years Of Our Lives" and "Walking In The Rain" earned Silver discs

OWEN PAUL
OwenPaulOwen Paul, the Scottish singer, producer and co-writer of the 1986 UK and European smash summer hit (My Favourite Waste Of Time) has done many things in the twenty or so years since he first came to musical prominence. He has played a leading role in a major musical theatre production, toured the UK and Europe with Phil Collins as one of ‘ Mike and the Mechanics ‘ as well as being their vocal arranger on their last album ‘ Rewired ‘, and Owen has even been harassed by Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne in the infamous ” noisy neighbours ” episode on MTV’s record breaking show ‘ The Osbournes ‘.

Buy Tickets

Let's Rock Leeds!
Temple Newsam, Leeds

Saturday 18th June 2016
Gates at 11:00, Show starts: 12:00

Age restriction: All Ages Event
Please note that maximum order quantities apply per person/card/household.


Adult (13+)
Tickets £49.50 (inc. booking fee)
Child (3-12yrs) £23.10 (inc. booking fee)
Family (2 adults + 2 children) £123.20 (inc. booking fee)
VIP Ticket £148.50 (inc. booking fee)

To book, please visit Lets Rock Leeds / Gigantic HERE