Review: The Lumineers - Cleopatra "Second album Crisis?"

Propelled by the commercial success of the ultimately annoying 'Ho Hey', The Lumineers self-titled debut album was a top ten success in multiple territories, with sales in the US alone topping 1.3 million units.  Anticipation is high for the quintet's second effort, with their busy touring schedule for the next six months featuring many sold out shows, such as all of the UK dates.

But all too often when a band makes a commercial breakthrough, the desire to capitalise on it leads to a second-rate batch of material or evidently desperate attempts to repeat the tricks that got them noticed.  To that end, the four year wait for 'Cleopatra' is evidence of a different approach - and there's certainly no contrived recreation of their best known hit.  They do, however, continue what they know and create - this is no MGMT second album crisis - warming indie folk.  'Sleep On The Floor' is a slow, stirring opener which will have you convinced that starting over again is the greatest idea, while 'Ophelia' has an urgent piano melody that'll lodge itself in your mind.  The title track tries a little too enthusiastically to raise the tempo, while 'Angela' proves an almost alluring acoustic cut.  A couple of the latter tracks, namely 'Long Way From Home' and 'Sick In The Head' see any momentum curtailed, but 'My Eyes' is a reminder before the record ends of what The Lumineers are capable of when they dont try too hard.

Lets Rock Leeds - Exclusive Discount Tickets Here!

Lets Rock Leeds returns on 18th June 2016.

As if the stella line up doesnt do it, our exclusive discounted tickets should make you dig out those ra-ra skirts and Frankie Say tshirts!

The line up at Temple Newsham includes

BILLY OCEAN / JASON DONOVAN / SOUL II SOUL / JIMMY SOMERVILLE / TOYAH / CHESNEY HAWKES / MODERN ROMANCE / CHINA CRISIS / CUTTING CREW / JOHNNY HATES JAZZ / KATRINA / OWEN PAUL

We can exclusively offer tickets at the following all fee inclusive rates:
Adult (13+) £48.00  Normally £49.50 plus print at home fee
Child (3-12yrs) £22.50  Normally £23.10 plus print at home fee
Family (2 adults + 2 children)  £119.50   Normally £123.20 plus print at home fee
VIP £144.50  Normally £148.50 plus print at home fee.

Get a group together and save ££s, its the summer festival with all the bands and songs you remember...

Watch highlights of last years superb day here 

To make these savings or ask us anything about this offer, please email us or tweet us @jmyorks and we will get straight back to you. We have limited tickets at these prices, all ticket sales are handled securely by Lets Rock Leeds and tickets are sold with their express permission.

TV Preview: The People Next Door - Riveting!

In the early hours of the morning, a young, middle-class couple are interviewed by the police about an altercation with their neighbours. While they claim it’s their neighbours who are in the wrong, the police seem convinced that is they who have committed a crime. The story of how they ended up being interviewed by the police is revealed through a series of flashbacks to the ‘evidence’ they have recorded on CCTV cameras and other devices at their home.


The People Next Door, which premieres later this month on Channel 4, explores the story of young expectant parents Richard (Karl Davies – Happy Valley, Emmerdale) and Gemma (Joanna Horton – Fish Tank, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher,) who, upon purchasing their first home, had no idea they were moving in next door to the ‘neighbours from hell.’ The disturbing sounds they hear through the wall – arguments, screams, and what sounds like violence, soon become daily intrusions and they suspect a child is being mistreated.

After consulting friends, Gemma and Richard start an evidence blog to document the problems and they soon come to believe that one child in particular could be being abused. Whilst Richard is reluctant to get involved or cause trouble with the neighbours, Gemma is convinced they could be living next door to another Baby P case and they have a moral duty to investigate. Frustrated by the apparent lack of intervention by the authorities, they turn to increasingly elaborate forms of surveillance to find out what is happening behind closed doors. But is their increasingly intrusive invasion of their neighbours privacy really morally justified? Or are Richard and Gemma actually the ‘neighbours from hell’?

Channel 4 Head of Documentaries Nick Mirsky said, “The Raw team have created a tense, gripping drama that could play out behind the curtains of almost any home in Britain. The People Next Door is terrifying relatable – and speaks loudly to the increasing mistrust many Britons have about what might be happening on their own doorstep.”

Executive Producer Richard Bond told us, “We are delighted that Channel 4 have let us make another experimental drama and we hope the audience find it both riveting and thought provoking in equal measure"

We have seen the first three episode and we can assure you we do! 

London Has Fallen - Movie Review "more insulting than entertaining"

London Has Fallen Review

It didn't seem possible, but somehow this action movie is even more preposterous than its predecessor, 2013's over-serious Olympus Has Fallen. Gerard Butler is back as a Secret Service agent protecting US President Aaron Eckhart, this time in a Taken-style scenario in which they leave America only to be immediately thrown into the middle of a massive terrorist attack. But the script is so lazy that there isn't a moment when any of this is remotely believable.


Events are put into motion when the British prime minister dies of a heart attack and security services only have a few days to lock down London so that the world's leaders can arrive for the funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. Mike (Butler) flies in with his boss Lynn (Bassett) on Air Force One, accompanying President Asher (Eckhart) and a platoon of bodyguards. Then just before the funeral, a carefully orchestrated series of bombings and gun attacks take out five heads of state. Of course, Mike and Lynn get Asher out of the fray, but an army of bad guys led by terror mastermind Kamran (Waleed Zuaiter) pursue them across the city. Back in Washington, Vice President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) and the panicky cabinet (including Haley, Forster and Leo) watch all of this unfold on video screens and coordinates a counter-attack.

Even with four screenwriters, the movie makes no real sense. And worse than that, the filmmakers never take advantage of the story's potential or the heavy-hitting cast. There's a line about how all of London's landmarks have been destroyed, but the on-screen destruction is limited to just one of Westminster Abbey's towers. The depiction of world leaders is laughably cliched. And the award-winning actors have nothing to do but stand there looking worried. By contrast, Butler charges around shooting and stabbing everybody who moves in a display of shockingly brutal machismo. Eckhart is more believably reluctant to join in and dispense some violence, but of course he does.

Both films in this series come from that appalling perspective (as in Taken) in which anyone who looks even vaguely shifty deserves to die in the most painful way possible. In this world, America is strong and right and everyone else is weak and useless. This is an especially odd approach for Iranian-born filmmaker Babak Najafi to take, although he does at least add a sense of global perspective. But it's all so straight-faced that it's more insulting than entertaining. That said, audiences who don't care about things like originality, credibility or meaning will probably enjoy the movie's fast pace and wanton death and destruction.

Bingley Music Does It Again - First Bands Announced

They've done it again, Quite how they do what they do at the price they do it for, well, other festivals must just shake their heads.

Already Bingley Music Live had announced the top move of on site camping which turns the heat up on those  other festivals, but tonight (Thursday 25 Feb) they have announced their first three headliners.


Friday sees the permanently brilliant Echo and The Bunnymen closing. Regular readers will know we saw them recently in a sold out show in Wakefield. The band continue to be in top form, are not afraid to visit their hits faithfully (despite having a rather spiffing new album) and will be sure to end the first night of BML on a real high

Saturday sees Tinie Tempah do his thang. We cant dress it up, he isnt our thang but we get that he is many other peoples so get yer dancing shoes out..

Sunday sees the return of Travis...slowly building up momentum after several years away, again some fine new music and a shed load of hits in that back catalogue. I predict a warm balmy night as they sing "Why Does IT Always Rain On Me".Its a fact that the weather at Bingley is always warm*, it never rains* and you are advised to wear factor 30 to be safe*


* Please note the facts stated as facts may not be actual facts.

They will join a host of very special guest artists each performing their favourite David Bowie track who will pay tribute to the music legend in what is due to be a very special festival…

For a limited time you can avail yourself of the cheapest tiered tickets (the earlier you but the cheaper they are, Installment purchases can also be done so you see, you are running out of reasons not to buy tickets now. Dont wait, as with the next wave of bands due to be announced soon, these tickets will fly, already sales are brisk.

Tickets here: http://bingleymusiclive.com/tickets/

Mattel Play - A world to feed your childs Imagination!

Update 19/2/16

New images of the fascinating Mattel Play attraction due to open in Liverpool this Easter

The three new images show parts of the Fireman Sam area (top) Bob the Builder (middle) and Thomas and Friends (bottom)

Please read on for more details and find out how you can keep in touch.

Mattel Play! is a brand new indoor activity attraction opening at the Albert Dock in Liverpool this Spring.

Ticking all the boxes for our two year old son, its based on the popular TV characters that he and most others of his age...and older know and love – Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam. The attraction encourages you to come along and inspire your child’s imagination with over 13,000 square feet of interactive adventure play across three uniquely themed zones. 

Once inside you don’t sit and watch, but instead it is your child’s creativity, physicality and natural curiosity that brings their favourite characters and stories to life even more than done at home!

The attraction is taking shape inside the former home of ITVs This Morning, and its hoped will be ready for the Easter Weekend, sure to be a hugely succeful launch!

The proposed Thomas and Friends Zone

Introductory pricing at £10 per child and £2 per accompanying adult makes this good value. We are told you will begin your adventure with Thomas as you explore the Island of Sodor from Knapford Station to Tidmouth Sheds and Farmer McColl’s farm. There will be life size engines including Thomas and Rosie for children to play on plus a farmyard and trains children can pedal around the track. There will also be the Sodor Docks and various other activities to get stuck into.Then grab your tool belt and hard hat and lose yourself in the adventures of Bob The Builder and Wendy as they construct projects using a foundation of determination and teamwork. You can visit Bob’s yard, go to Bob’s hub, meet Bob and go to Wendy’s workshop and do various interactive activities, plus there will be sand cranes and a large-scale Scoop to play on. Finally be transported to the Welsh village of Pontypandy where you can climb aboard Jupiter, explore the Ocean Rescue Centre and put fires out at sea, just like our heroes next door Fireman Sam and Penny! Visit the Pontypandy Fire Station and walk around Pontypandy shops and do various activities as if you were actually there and of course you get to meet Fireman Sam himself.Just dont be naughty like Norman!!

With free entry to the on-site café and retail area, as well as two themed party areas for your special celebrations and an interactive green screen experience, Mattel Play! is sure to be one of the most unique family attractions in Liverpool. We hope to bring you a sneak peak look at Mattel Play to fully report form an adults and childs view!

Stay in touch as opening day arrives....toot toot!

F: facebook.com/MPlayLiverpool

T: twitter.com/MPlayLiverpool

I: instagram.com/mattelplayliverpool/

Movie Review: Dads Army - clumsy and lacking

The beloved 1970s British sit-com gets the big screen treatment, although there's been very little attempt to do anything clever with it aside from A-list casting. There are some terrific gags in Hamish McColl's script, but director Oliver Parker (Johnny English Reborn) fails to find the comical potential in the material. So the film feels clumsy and muted, which is certainly not going to attract a new generation of fans to the premise.


It's 1944 in the small village of Walmington on the southern English coast, where the men who were unfit to serve in the regular army have volunteered for the Home Guard when they're not working their normal jobs. The platoon's captain is bank manager Mainwaring (Toby Jones), who leads a ragtag group of retirees (Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon and Bill Paterson) and younger army rejects (Daniel Mays and Blake Harrison) through a series of exercises along the seaside cliffs. They've been tipped off that there's a Nazi spy in the area, but they're all so smitten by the curvy visiting journalist Rose (Catherine Zeta-Jones) that they fail to notice that she's up to something nefarious.

The material is ripe for political-edged comedy, which the script touches on in between the relentless double entendre. And the cast is definitely up for it, delivering solid performances that bring out character details while playing up the goofy interaction between them. But Parker leaves them looking adrift on-screen, never cranking up either a sense of pace or a spark of life. Each set-piece falls utterly flat, starting with the movie's opening scene in which the gang is chased around afield by a supposedly angry bull. And everything that follows feels half-hearted, which means that the Carry On-style innuendo, physical slapstick and nutty action all fall flat.

The general nostalgia may keep the TV series' fans engaged, as will the terrific cast. Jones and Nighy have some amusing moments as the bickering senior officers, working class and frightfully posh, respectively. Gambon and Courtenay find some witty angles to their dopey characters, Mays is snappy as the wheeler-dealer Frazer, and Harrison has fun quoting famous movie scenes as the dim-witted Pike. And the women's auxiliary unit is a nice touch. Zeta-Jones is always enjoyable as a slinky seductress, but the filmmakers seem even less sure what to do with her character than the idiotic soldiers do. So neither the verbal jokes nor the crazy action mayhem hits a comical mark, and the more intriguing historical elements are just as bungled. In other words, there is a lot of potential in this project, but little of that ends up on-screen.