Shrek - Coming to a swamp near you this year!

Our show of the year last year hits the road this year and its one not to miss..


Producers of the rather fab SHREK THE MUSICAL today announced that the larger-than-life production will be heading to swamps across the country on its first ever tour of UK and Ireland, from July this year. 

Coming direct from London, where it was seen live on stage by nearly a million people, the (UK and Ireland) tour of the Drury Lane production of SHREK THE MUSICAL will be directed by Nigel Harman who starred as Lord Farquaad in the west end production, winning him the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. 

Image from 2012 production

SHREK THE MUSICAL will open at the Grand Theatre in our lovely home city of Leeds on Wednesday 23rd July followed by dates in Bristol, Nottingham, Belfast, Dublin, Oxford, Manchester, Aberdeen, Canterbury, Newcastle, Glasgow and Sheffield with further venues still to be announced. 

Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer of DreamWorks told us "We are thrilled that Shrek and his fairy-tale friends will be heading out on tour across the UK and Ireland and delighted that our very own Nigel Harman will be directing Shrek on the road. It has been such a joy to bring this loved story to life and we can’t wait for families up and down the country to experience their beloved swamp-dwelling ogre, Princess Fiona, Donkey and all their pals live on stage, as so many have on Broadway and in the west end. 

Wednesday 23 July 2014 – Sunday 17 August 2014 
LEEDS GRAND THEATRE 

Image from 2012 production

www.leedsgrandtheatre.com 
0844 848 2700 

Tuesday 19 August 2014 - Sunday 7 September 2014 
BRISTOL HIPPODROME 
www.atgtickets.com/bristol 
0844 871 3012 

Wednesday 10 September 2014 - Sunday 28 September 2014 
NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL 
www.trch.co.uk 
0115 989 5555 

Wednesday 8 October 2014 – Sunday 19 October 2014 
BELFAST GRAND OPERA HOUSE 
www.goh.co.uk 
02890 241919 

Tuesday 21 October 2014 – Sunday 9 November 2014 
BORD GÁIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN 
www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie 
00 353 (0) 818 719 377 

Wednesday 12 November 2014 – Sunday 16 November 2014 
NEW THEATRE, OXFORD 
www.atgtickets.com/oxford 
0844 871 3020  

Tuesday 2 December 2014 - Sunday 11 January 2015 

Image from 2012 production

PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER 
www.atgtickets.com/manchester 
0844 871 3019 

Wednesday 21 January 2015 - Sunday 8 February 2015 
HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ABERDEEN 
www.boxofficeaberdeen.com 
01224 641 122 

Wednesday 11 February 2015 – Sunday 1 March 2015 
MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY 
www.marlowetheatre.com 
01227 787 787 

Wednesday 11 March 2015 - Sunday 29 March 2015 
NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL 
www.theatreroyal.co.uk 
0844 811 2121 

Wednesday 29 April 2015 – Sunday 17 May 2015 
KINGS THEATRE, GLASGOW 
www.atgtickets.com/glasgow 
0844 871 7648 

Wednesday 27 May 2015 - Sunday 7 June 2015 
LYCEUM THEATRE, SHEFFIELD 
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk 
0114 249 6000 

Further venues to be announced

Just Music 2013 Award Winners

As published in the 21st December issue of Just Music, these are the results of our 12th annual survey of our readers. Our readers are 75% UK, a further 15%  mainland Europe with the remainder split almost equally between Japan and the U.S.

We had an impressive 71% response, possibly down to very generous prizes being offered courtesy of Sony UK, Jessops, BMG-Europe and Ticketweb.

So...
Best Band: Arctic Monkeys
Best Solo: Ellie Goulding (intrestingly on 26% of respondents voted to this category)
Best New Act: China Rats

Best Live Act 2013: Arctic Monkeys
Best Comeback Live: Boomtown Rats

Best Album: David Bowie - The Next Day
Best Single: Daft Punk - Get Lucky (by a mile this one)

Best Live Venue: Leeds First Direct Arena
Best Festival: Glastonbury

Best TV: Breaking Bad 
Best Film: Django Unchained (although Gravity was very close)

The world would be better without: Justin Bieber - retaining the title for the third year, well done Justin.

Agree, disagree, any more categories we missed? Do let us know, we love an argument!

Just Music Launches its blog

Just Music today launches its blog.

Its not a replacement for the near 200,000 emails we send several times a month. Its more my blog, things that wouldn't normally go into either of our publications, thinks that need to go out now and cant wait. And just plain stupid rants cos thats what I am good at. Apparently.

It also means that we can more easily and quickly provide links back to our wonderful p.r. peeps with links for them on twitter. 

In the next few weeks we will be introducing you to to the JM and JF team as again we want people to know that the mags are not just me, a lot of hard work goes in to them.

We wish everyone a very Happy 2014, a year of big changes here at Just Music, but for you, make it what you want, whatever you want will rarely land in your lap, in the words of the Wedding Present, Go Out and Get Em Boy.

Review: Paul Heaton - Live -The Plug / Sheffield

Apologies for poor pic, I was rather "happy"

THE biggest surprise of this one off show was the generous helping of both the Housemartins and Beautiful South back catalogues. It was welcome too.

Part of the reason was the special guest appearance of the former ‘South’ singer, Jaqui Abbott, she of Rotterdam fame. And it was the same song that immediately followed her introduction on stage; the rendition was unsurprisingly sublime too. Heaton had already sung Old Red Eyes, the second number into his set. The bulk of the solo offering was from the most recent album Acid Country and a forthcoming collection of new songs which he regularly referred to as “Next year’s album”.

It was not billed as a Christmas show but it was conducted in a party mood. We Housemartins fans were damn near delirious with the inclusion of Happy Hour, Build, Me and the Farmer and Caravan of Love'. Heaton was clearly enjoying himself. By that time his enthusiasm may have been partly due to the bottle of water that he reached for after each number; its contents may well have been something other than water after all.  

The outstanding moment was the performance of the ‘South’ ballad Dumb featuring Abbott’s delightful counter harmony to Heaton’s main vocal line. He regularly confirmed that she would be heavily involved in ‘next year’s album’'. It was a subtle move to recruit his former bandmate, even her backing vocals made the sound of this group special. 

As the performance got closer to the curfew time, when the venue became a late night DJ event, he gave his thanks to everyone and in line with the celebratory mood, apologised for being drunk the last time he played the Plug. He said he was so upset about it that if he had been a band he would have split up from himself there and then. 

It was not clear if this show was a prelude to a tour, a seasonal celebration or just an opportunity to play live. At the end judging by the jovial atmosphere, it didn’t matter but it was an important reminder of the quality and uniqueness of Heaton’s songwriting.

Jesse J Summer Forest Gigs Announced

Jessie J has announced summer dates for 2014 as part of Forest Live, organised by the Forestry Commission, where concerts are performed in spectacular woodland locations around the country.

There hasn’t been a career in recent memory that has taken off so fast, so spectacularly and so all-consumingly as Jessie J’s. Highlights have included No 1 singles and two hugely successful albums that headed straight for the top with millions of sales worldwide, show-stopping performances in front of a global audience of billions at the London Olympics, a full-blown Saturday night prime-time TV career, extraordinary acts for charity that hit the headlines, Glastonbury festival and the Diamond Jubilee Concert. 

 

With Jessie’s multi-platinum debut, ‘Who You Are’, she achieved the accolade of being the first UK solo artist to have six top-ten hits off one album including two No 1 singles: ‘Price Tag’ and ‘Domino’. Success continues with the 2013 release of her second power-pop album ‘Alive’ featuring the hit singles ‘Wild’, ‘It's My Party’ and ‘Thunder’ alongside a sell-out UK arena tour. 

Forest Live is an independent programme organised by the Forestry Commission bringing music to new audiences without commercial branding or sponsorship. Income from the concerts is spent on improving the woodland for both people and wildlife.

Commenting on the concerts, Jessie J said, “I made my Forest Live debut this summer with just one show which I loved so it’s great to be taking in another four Forest Live dates next year…………….see you there.”

Jessie J plus guest will be performing:

Friday 13 June: Sherwood Pines Forest, nr Edwinstowe, Notts. 

Friday 20 June: Bedgebury Pinetum, nr Tunbridge Wells, Kent. 

Friday 27 June: Cannock Chase Forest, nr Rugeley, Staffs. -SOLD OUT

Saturday 5 July: Delamere Forest, Nr Northwich, Cheshire. - SOLD OUT

Tickets £42.90 (including £3.90 booking fee) go on sale at 9.00am Thursday 19 December from the Forestry Commission box office tel 03000 680400 or buy online at www.forestry.gov.uk/music.

Info

www.jessiejofficial.com

Live: Kaiser Chiefs - Leeds Arena

Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and Leonard Cohen have already played there to receptive sell- out audiences and positive reviews but we all know these were just a warm up for local boys The Kaiser Chiefs to properly open the new arena. By happy coincidence the gig fell on the same day as my lads birthday and what better way to celebrate.

Ricky Wilson and Co stood posturing on stage behind a back lit curtain and we were ready for business. The curtain dropped and they kicked off in style launching into Na Na Na Na Naa and continued belting out hit after hit all night. All the anthems were performed such as Ruby and I Predict a Riot as well as few new songs from their forthcoming album. Choice cuts seem to be the anthemic Coming Home and One More Last Song which I suspect will embed into my subcocncious.

Rick Wilson was his usual energetic self running around the stage and interacting with the crowd fantastically. By the second song he was off the stage and in the front of the crowd. Later on he sung one song from the middle of the crowd, infact two rows behind us in the 1st tier of seating.

The stage and arena was sparsely decorated with just a simple backdrop of the band’s name. This was however made up for by the excellent lighting. At one point a glitter ball was dropped from the middle of the arena and had spotlights shone on it throwing out atmospheric dappled light for a slower number. I also loved how the band were backlit projecting huge shadows of themselves onto the side wall.

After an hour and a half on stage and the obligatory encore they finished the night with Oh My God (mixed with a "Yorkshire" chant to rapturous applause. The local lads had shown how it’s done in Yorkshire with Ricky stating as he walked off stage “You can now consider your arena open”!

Madness Movie - Deluxe DVD Treatment

Salvo Music will release the Madness movie Take It Or Leave It on 7 October 2013, pairing the DVD with a 26-track soundtrack CD.


The film follows the origins of the band from the mid-to-late ’70s through various line-up changes, before they eventually find success. It dates from 1981 and was largely self-financed and directed by Stiff Records’ Dave Robinson.

Take It Or Leave It has been digitally restored and contains the commentary by Madness guitarist Chris Foreman and the film’s director found on the previous standalone DVD.

The accompanying CD soundtrack album features 26 songs including singles, B-sides and album tracks. Two non-Madness songs are included (Fats Domino’s I’m Walkin’ and The Four Tops’ Reach Out I’ll Be There), both of which can be heard in the film.