Tina Turner has better legs, and Mick Jagger’s got more experience electrifying the crowds. Still, when it comes to singing septuagenarians, it’s hard to top (what remains of) Monty Python as the Brit comedy troupe’s surviving members reunite for a blissfully profane mix of their most popular songs and sketches. Doubling the 8,000-seat capacity of their 1982 Hollywood Bowl concert, the O2-set mega-show demonstrates the group’s massive popular impact as fans who’ve memorized every word enthusiastically sing along, roaring with approval the instant they recognize each classic bit. Clearly, they’re cult figures no more — and everybody expects the Spanish Inquisition.
Dedicated to the late Graham Chapman, the evening opens with a newly animated segment in which the one-time King Arthur’s head is punted off into the cosmos — a deliciously irreverent touch, and yet a missed opportunity all the same. In theory, they could have rewritten the Marilyn Monroe sketch featured on the “Holy Grail” soundtrack, in which the dead actress’ corpse is exhumed to appear in one last film. “But surely Miss Monroe was cremated?” asks an incredulous interviewer. Yes, agrees the director, but her cremated remains are always onscreen: in the ashtray, in the fire grate, in the vacuum cleaner.
“Monty Python Live (Mostly)” is more respectful than that — but only just barely, as the “One Down, Five to Go” subtitle suggests. Though the show tries to forge on without Chapman, the sixth Python is sorely missed. Still, since they can’t very well write his characters out of key sketches, that logistical challenge provides a rare opportunity for the ensemble’s offscreen expat, Terry Gilliam, and its resident bombshell, Carol Cleveland, to expand their involvement with the group. Gilliam takes over Gumby flower-arranging duties, for example, while Cleveland has the honor of playing Chapman’s stand-in during the “Spam” song.
It’s remarkable how easily the rest of the gang manages to reprise their old roles, especially considering the vastly different paths each has taken in the 30-odd years since they last toured. These days, they don’t need makeup to play the four old Yorkshiremen one-upping each other about the hardship of their respective youths, while the addition of facial hair makes their cross-dressing characters that much funnier.
With Python, the fourth wall has always been a porous barrier at best, and this show proves as self-aware as anything they’ve done. The instant the six cast members appear on stage, they soak up the arena’s love, posing as the words “Photo Opportunity” flash on the screen behind them (not that the cameraphones ever go away). No subject is too sacred for satire, least of all their own egos. In the exploding penguin sketch, two mustachioed pepperpots tease poor Michael Palin for the travel docs that have kept him busy for the past quarter century.
Scaling the production to suit the enormous venue, director Eric Idle (the musical one) has expanded various songs to accommodate a company of 20 or so backup dancers, including a club-ready remix of “Nudge Nudge Wink Wink” that takes the routine to pervy new heights. At times, Terry Jones is clearly reading his lines (which many in the audience know by heart), and John Cleese — who can scarcely keep a straight face at times — clearly isn’t as spry as he once was. In Cleese’s case, rather than do without his “Ministry of Silly Walks,” the show delegates it to the dancers, who deliver an imaginatively choreographed version of this most slapstick of Python pantomimes.
At their age, the costume changes aren’t quite as brisk, though three jumbo screens keep the audience laughing during the downtime with reruns of Gilliam’s best animations and other vintage sketches — plus a couple new ones. Never once does the evening fall back on the series’ trademark “and now for something completely different” catchphrase (a key precursor to such sketch shows as “Robot Chicken,” which have honed bits to Vine length). Instead, Idle has gone to great lengths to weave a semi-logical flow between seemingly unrelated segments, Frankensteining thematically similar elements together to create the evening’s program.
Just as earlier Python pics allowed them to get away with bits too bawdy for British broadcast standards, the stage format lends itself to some of the group’s bluer material. Here, transgressions begin with the instrumental overture, which has the crowd singing “Sit on My Face” before the curtain comes up, and extend straight through to the tarted-up Busby Berkeley-style finale, “Christmas in Heaven,” wherein the chorus girls’ costumes have been altered to expose their breasts.
“The Penis Song” expands to include bonus vagina and bottom verses, while “Every Sperm Is Sacred” climaxes with two giant phallic cannons shooting bubbles out over the rows closest to the stage. It’s not every day that you see an Oscar nominee passing loud and painful gas, barfing into his hat and sheepishly dumping its contents on his head, the way the good-sported Gilliam does in Chapman’s stead, but that’s the sort of shameless physical comedy Monty Python likes to mix with songs about philosophers and life’s Big Questions.
As sacrilegious and politically incorrect as ever, the show features an elaborate version of “I Like Chinese” that might start a war if it were being sung for the first time and so many assaults on organized religion it’s a wonder lightning doesn’t strike the stage. Shudder to imagine what anyone who doesn’t already know Monty Python’s shtick might make of such a spectacle, which has been blown up to such garishly exaggerated levels that Baz Luhrmann would approve.
Who among these guys would have thought when they were spinning all this silliness 40 years ago that it might scale so well from the small screen to a venue as overwhelming as the O2? And yet, thanks to those giant video monitors and all the Python love under that dome, “The Lumberjack Song” feels as epic as “The Sound of Music,” and that hotly-anticipated Spanish Inquisition sketch could rival the climax of “The Phantom of the Opera.” While it would have been amazing to see more fresh material written for the occasion, this concert is something of a last hurrah for these legends, and in that regard, the only thing the show lacks — apart from Chapman’s ashes hidden in every scene, perhaps — is 16,000 comfy chairs.
After last year's storming of the Isle of Wight Festival stage an exhilarated Bob Geldof said "It's weird. I'd forgotten how powerful a band The Rats are!" Others hadn't. What was only meant to be a brief "re-grouping" turned into a triumphant sell out UK tour, a block-booked 2014 Festival season and now the announcement of 'Ratlife' the second half of The Boomtown Rats' second coming. Taking in the towns missed out on their first jaunt and returning - literally by public demand - to the country's major cities so thoroughly re-Ratted six months ago.
Beyond nostalgia both press and audience agreed that those many classic Ratsongs had indeed stood the test of time morphing from the radical, upstart transgressive rage of the mid-70's into tunes for the ages with a tragic contemporary resonance. The audience, ranging from the Rats' contemporaries to the newer, younger curious crowd wondering what the fuss had been about, immediately recognised the timeless frustrations and rage of the Now embodied in the Rats' tunes and performance.
Age had indeed not withered them, but made them more potent. At a time of cookie cutter anodyne musical drivel the visceral Shock of the Old from its original purveyors is one of contemporary music's great treats and revelations.
Formed in 1975 in Dublin The Boomtown Rats exploded out of Ireland in '76 and their fast, loud, furious music and their fast, loud, furious attitude meant they became part of the burgeoning punk scene. Singer Bob Geldof's defiant motormouth arrogance and flagrant disrespect for authority endeared him and his band to every youth who felt weighed down by the heavy handed blandishments of church and state. In the UK The Boomtown Rats first toured with the Ramones and Talking Heads rocking and mocking the status quo alongside the Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Jam and The Stranglers. They became one of the biggest bands of the late 70s/80s with a string of top ten hits and platinum albums, earning them Brit Awards, Ivor Novellos and Grammy Awards. Making history as the first Irish band to have a UK no 1 hit with 'Rat Trap', they went on to top the charts in 32 Countries with 'I Don't Like Mondays' and racked up six era-defining albums.
Tour dates:
OCT
18th - WOLVERHAMPTON, Wulfrun Hall
19th - NEWCASTLE, O2 Academy
20th - GLASGOW, O2 ABC
22nd - SHEFFIELD, O2 Academy
23rd - LIVERPOOL, O2 Academy
25th - MANCHESTER, Ritz
26th - LINCOLN, Engine Shed
28th - LEAMINGTON, SPA Assembly
29th - BRISTOL, O2 Academy
31st - PORTSMOUTH, Pyramids Centre
NOV
1st - OXFORD, O2 Academy
3rd - CAMBRIDGE, The Junction
4th - LEICESTER, O2 Academy
6th - BOURNEMOUTH, O2 Academy
7th - LONDON, The Forum
MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.boomtownrats.co.uk/
Updated 1/7/14 Presale
Tickets for the Tuesday 2 December show go on sale this Friday, priced from £60.00, but you have the chance to buy your tickets from 9.00am Thursday 3 July by clicking here.
Think of iconic albums, ones that have transcended generations, The Who live at Leeds is right up there in status as Sgt Peppers, having been cited by several music critics as the best live rock recording of all time.
Realising that their live show stood in equal importance to the rock-opera format of Tommy, the group had a desire to release a live album from concerts recorded earlier on the 1969 US tour. However, Townshend balked at the prospect of listening to all the accumulated recordings to decide which would make the best album
Two shows were consequently scheduled, one at the University of Leeds and the other in Hull, for the express purpose of recording and releasing a live album. The shows were performed on 14 and 15 February 1970 at Leeds and Hull, respectively, but technical problems with the recordings from the Hull gig — the bass guitar had not been recorded on some of the songs — made it all the more necessary for the show from the 14th to be released as the album.
Thirty-six years later they were back to do it all over again. Only louder and we were there…
The 2006 gig itself was among the most magnificent I have ever seen, ending with a terrifying Won’t Get Fooled Again amid beams of blinding white light, Townshend leaping and slashing and windmilling those mighty power chords from his guitar, Daltrey whirling and snatching his flying microphone..
Roger Daltrey (left), and Pete Townshend of The WhoAnd now Leeds is privileged to have a third bite of the cherry as The Who return to Leeds, this time in its, neigh the country’s finest arena, the First Direct Arena Leeds o Tuesday 2nd December. At a packed press conference Roger Daltrey said “This is the beginning of the long goodbye”, make of that what you will. Guitarist Pete Townsend confirms the Who hits 50 tour as one of hits, picks, mixes and misses, so expect to hear My Generation, Won’t Get Fooled again, Who Are You, Baba O’Riley, Pinball Wizard, I can’t Explain and many more…
The band have sold over 100 million records since forming in 1964. As they entered their 50th year the band continued to win rave reviews for their live performances of Quadrophenia. Although as Townsend points out, “for 13 years since 1964 the band didn’t exist so we are really only 37”
Tickets for the show are on sale Friday 4 July 10am £60 and up. To book www.firstdirectarena.com, phone 0844 248 1585 or in person from the box office situated in the Trinity Leeds Customer Services Lounge. This is part of a small tour but would you really want to see The Who anywhere else other than Live At Leeds?
The Libertines reunited over the weekend for a high energy show in Glasgow, as warm up for their massive reunion show at Hyde Park next weekend. The band, Pete Doherty, Carl Barat, bass player Josh Hassall and drummer Gary Powell, played to a packed crowd at the Barrowlands, performing a greatest hits set from the band's turbulent time together.
Keeping on stage chat to a minimum, the Londoners ripped through a 25 song set which included just about every Libertines single. The band opened with the raucous 'Horrorshow,' before hurtling into 'Vertigo' and fan favorite 'What Became of the Likely Lads?'
Doherty told the crowd, "Well we're a band from England, we're called The Libertines. We played up here years ago - I don't think any of you were born to be honest."
As well as the London gig, the group is scheduled to play at the Benicassim festival in Spain over the summer (14), as well as dates in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany through until October (14).
The Libertines split in 2004 but reunited in 2010 for shows at the U.K.'s Reading and Leeds festivals.
"We make our full live return with the first of two shows in Glasgow, warming up for the big one in Hyde Park next Saturday," said the statement on the band's Facebook page, before the first Scottish show. "We've been on quite a journey getting to this point, and where we go from here - who knows. What's a safe bet though, is that the next few weeks are going to be truly memorable. The first show in Scotland with all four of us in ten years... and then our biggest ever headline performance in London. Incredible."
Watch Dont Look Back Into The Sun Live at Glasgow....
The full Libertines Glasgow set was as followed:
Horrorshow'
'The Delaney'
'Vertigo'
'What Became Of The Likely Lads'
'The Saga'
'Last Post On The Bugle'
'The Ha Ha Wall'
'Don't Look Back Into The Sun'
'The Boy Looked At Johnny'
'Death On The Stairs'
'Boys In The Band'
'Campaign Of Hate'
'Begging'
'Time For Heroes'
'Love On The Dole'
'Music When The Lights Go Out'
'What A Waster'
'Radio America'
'Up The Bracket'
'The Good Old Days'
'What Katie Did'
'France'
'I Get Along'
'Can't Stand Me Now'
'Tell The King'
Like comfort food, this movie has very little nutritional value, but it does go down smoothly. This is one of those shamelessly delicious-looking films that makes our mouths water at the tasty dishes that are lovingly created on-camera. And it also has an array of deeply likeable characters, witty cameos and sparkling dialogue to keep us smiling. So who cares that nothing unexpected happens from start to finish? This is a movie we sit back and enjoy without worrying about the appearance of a plot twist.
The title character is Carl (played by writer-director Jon Favreau), the chef at a top Los Angeles restaurant that is stuck in a rut because the owner (Dustin Hoffman) refuses to change anything on the menu. When a snooty food critic (Oliver Platt) criticises Carl for his tired and predictable cuisine, Carl's reaction sparks an angry Twitter war. In a fit of anger, Carl quits his job then hatches a plan to get back to his roots while bonding with Percy (Emjay Anthony), his pre-teen son with spicy ex-wife Inez (Sofia Vergara). So Carl and his sidekick Martin (John Leguizamo) take Percy to Miami to refurbish food truck and drive back to California, along the way building a reputation and perfecting their Latin-infused menu.
Since a complex plot would just be distracting, this film coasts on the charisma of its likeable cast, throwing in lively side roles for the likes of Scarlett Johansson as a restaurant colleague, Bobby Cannavale as a fellow chef and most memorably Robert Downey Jr. as Inez's hilariously nutty ex. Everyone is relaxed and effortlessly funny, which makes the interaction feel amusing and never remotely forced. While this is easily Favreau's most assured work as a director (that's including the first two Iron Man movies), this is also his most generous performance too. He infuses the whole film with easy-going charm.
Audience members who haven't eaten before seeing this film will be ravenous within minutes. The flavours on screen look mouth-wateringly tasty, and Favreau is clearly enjoying himself as he takes us on a cross-country trip from Cuban specialties in Florida to deep-fried wonders in Louisiana, Texas barbecues and Mexican-fusion dishes in California. This is a film about the joys of cooking rather than of eating, specifically how preparing food brings people together in the kitchen. So even if Carl's Luddite ignorance of social media feels utterly contrived, it makes sense that this provides an opening for Percy to get involved in the family business. And once we see what they're whipping up in the kitchen, we might even believe that Carl could attract women like Vergara and Johansson.
Watch the trailer
If you go down to the woods…
Forest Live takes place June - July every Summer. An eclectic mix of acts perform in seven spectacular forest locations around the country as part of the annual concert series arranged by the Forestry Commission.
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| Credit: Paul Cox |
Woodland clearings are temporarily transformed into a concert arena creating a safe and relaxed atmosphere for gig-goers.
Forest Live is an independent programme organised by the Forestry Commission bringing music to new audiences without commercial branding or sponsorship. Forest Live in the Yorkshire takes place in Dalby Forest near Pickering and this year’s acts are:
James Blunt with support: Gavin James, & opener, Rupert Stroud - 26 June;
Paul Weller with support: The Rails & opener The Merrylees - 27 June;
Deacon Blue with support: Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire & opener Galia Arad - 28 June.
Income generated from ticket sales is spent on improving the forests for both people and wildlife. Further info from: www.forestry.gov.uk/music and tel 03000 680400.
The BBC has today announced plans for this year’s coverage of the world’s most iconic festival, Glastonbury.
The BBC will again be bringing audiences more of the music they love from over 100 acts - delivering the biggest, broadest and best moments from Worthy Farm.
Bob Shennan, Controller BBC Radio 2, 6 Music, Asian Network and Director, BBC Music says: “Glastonbury is one of the world’s most famous music festivals and once again the BBC will be providing audiences with a magical weekend of coverage, in a way that only the BBC can.”
The BBC’s unrivalled coverage across TV, Radio and online – which starts on Friday 27 June - will be fronted by some of the UK’s best-loved and most trusted presenters - including Chris Evans, Jo Whiley, Fearne Cotton, Dermot O’Leary, Huw Stephens, Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq, Greg James, Stuart Maconie, Pete Tong, Cerys Matthews, Mark Radcliffe, Gemma Cairney, Annie Mac, ToddlaT, MistaJam, DJ Target, Yasser and Alex Jones to name but a few. Each will be on hand to guide the audience through the magic of Glastonbury as we capture the most memorable moments as they happen.
The BBC will broadcast over 250 hours of Radio, TV, Red Button and online streaming, with coverage from six key music stages including the BBC Introducing Stage, reflecting the range and breadth of acts – from the biggest headliners to new and emerging talent. Past performers on the BBC Introducing Stage have included Ed Sheeran, Jake Bugg and Tom Odell.
BBC TV
The BBC will be broadcasting 30 hours of coverage across BBC One (The One Show), BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four.
On BBC One, The One Show will kick-off the BBC’s TV coverage of the festival on Friday 27 June (7pm-8pm) with further coverage on BBC Two (10pm-10.30pm and 11pm-2am), BBC Three (7pm-10pm and 11pm-12midnight) and BBC Four (8pm-10pm).
The One Show, coming live from Worthy Farm, will see presenters Chris Evans, Alex Jones and Fearne Cotton give the audience at home a whistle-stop introduction to the festival and will be joined by special guests.
BBC Two will be the home of the big headliners from Glastonbury, broadcasting some of the biggest acts and moments from across the weekend, with programmes presented by Mark Radcliffe, Lauren Laverne and Jo Whiley. Programme highlights across the weekend will include performances by the Pyramid Stage headliners Arcade Fire, Metallica and Kasabian.
BBC Three will provide a younger perspective on the festival. Presenters Greg James, Gemma Cairney and Jen Long will be on hand to bring Glastonbury to the BBC Three audience - including performances from acts including Rudimental, Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen, Haim and Sam Smith.
Across the weekend, BBC Four will also show performance highlights from some of the classic acts performing at the festival.
BBC Radio
This year, the BBC will be broadcasting over 50 hours of coverage across BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music – with some of the networks’ biggest names coming live from the festival.
Radio 1 and 1Xtra’s coverage will be fronted by Fearne Cotton, Huw Stephens, Pete Tong, Annie Mac, MistaJam, Charlie Sloth, ToddlaT, DJ Target, Robbo Ranx and Seani B.
Over on Radio 2, Chris Evans, Jo Whiley and Dermot O’Leary will be bringing the best of the festival to its audience. On Friday 27 June, The Chris Evans Breakfast Show (7am–10am) will broadcast from different locations of the site including Worthy Farmhouse and the Pyramid Stage.
Radio 6 Music will be exploring the alternative side to Glastonbury and broadcasting the sets of the three main headliner acts – Arcade Fire, Metallica and Kasabian from the Pyramid Stage. Lauren Laverne, Cerys Matthews, Steve Lamacq, and Stuart Maconie will be on hand to take the best of Worthy Farm to the 6 Music audience.
Backstage in the BBC compound, the BBC Music Teepee will see artists perform special sets for the audience at home.
Digital
Following last year’s unprecedented digital output, this year’s BBC Glastonbury offering will once again give the most comprehensive digital coverage ever - whenever and wherever audiences are, at home or on-the-go. In 2013, a record 1.5 million unique browsers accessed the BBC’s digital Glastonbury coverage, with over 6m viewers on the BBC’s Red Button over the weekend and 42 per cent of total traffic across the weekend coming from mobiles and tablets.
In addition to the TV and radio coverage, six stages – Pyramid, Other, John Peel, West Holts, Park and BBC Introducing will be streamed live across four screens via PC, mobile, tablet and connected TV.
A wealth of content will be available at bbc.co.uk/glastonbury offering an immersive live festival experience like no other, as well as more information about the line-up, acts and stages with photo galleries and interviews. The BBC Glastonbury live blog will guide the audience to the BBC’s best moments in Pilton, giving them access to behind-the-scenes moments that even ticket holders can’t experience.
Personalising the festival experience, the audience will be able to tune in live or for catch-up whenever and wherever it suits them. BBC iPlayer Radio will be the place for all music on the go with a dedicated button in the mobile app for iOS and Android devices. People will be able to follow their favourite presenters on BBC Playlister and create their own Glastonbury playlist with their choice of the best tracks from the festival.
BBC iPlayer will bring audiences performance highlights from over 100 artists for 30 days after the event, as well as all the action from BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four.
On TV, additional Red Button streams will offer more content and highlights from the festival, and the BBC’s Connected Red Button service available on Virgin Media’s TiVo service and a range of recent Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic Smart TVs, which will bring viewers all the live streams and on-demand video seamlessly to their TV.
BBC Introducing
Earlier this week, Radio 1 presenter Huw Stephens exclusively announced the line-up for this year’s BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury. New and emerging acts from across the country will be given the chance to perform at the world’s most iconic music festival. The full line-up can be found at bbc.co.uk/glastonbury.
Since its launch in 2007, BBC Introducing has kick-started the career of many artists. With over 250,000 tracks uploaded to the BBC Introducing website and over 500 acts performing for BBC Introducing at major UK festivals, BBC Introducing provides a network dedicated to supporting the hottest new musical talent from across the UK. It gives up and coming artists broadcast opportunities on BBC Radio, Television and Online alongside opportunities to perform at major festivals. Big name artists including Florence and The Machine, Jake Bugg, Rizzle Kicks, Wretch 32 and George Ezra all received BBC Introducing support at the start of their careers.
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