Virgin

The emotional impact of a certain alleged cardiac arrest takes a fair bit of Friday to sink in, although wellies don’t have anywhere near the same trouble. With groundsheets buried in gloop, Mr. Hudson & his soulful Library are right up against it on The Other Stage. That it’s still sheeting down come eleven raises the question of whether it’s Hudson or his affiliation with Mr. West that’s attracted such a colossal crowd. Kanye doesn’t show, despite lurking about backstage for the most part of the day, although Hudson delivers an awe-inspiring down-tempo set filled to bursting point with soothing steel drums and sublime vocal harmonies. Maybe the self-confessed Champion may have his eggs in the right basket this time, what with Supernova set to explode this summer. Whilst at least in the eyes, if not the hearts of many Jay-Z triumphed over adversity during his headline slot on the Pyramid Stage last year, Pharrell and his geek-chic N*E*R*D team take more like bricks than ducks to water as their vacuous rap’n’roll doesn’t power through technical glitches. From one set of international superstars to a somewhat more subdued bearded bunch, Fleet Foxes couldn’t look more at home if they were holed up in a log cabin down the back end of nowhere. They’re terrified and it shows, yet their superlative harmonic wonderment remains fortified in front of their biggest show to date and quite how White Winter Hymnal is yet to be included in every hymn book is a travesty.

Whilst the yanks provide many of the bricks to Eavis’ Pyramid over the weekend, over on The Other, the fruits of White Lies’ endless labours seem to have finally ripened, as their apocalyptic anthemia blasts out, soaking the throng in washes of majestic grandeur and crashing choruses. Their time is now. With a splattering of special guests smeared all over this year’s bill, they range from practically homecoming heroes Klaxons to the downright disappointment of Supergrass spin-off Hot Rats. However, The Park Stage truly puts the special back, airing a debut festival show from Jack White’s new venture, The Dead Weather. Fronted by sultry Kills woman Alison Mosshart and flanked by Raconteurs bandmates, White installs himself in the background, glaring out from behind a rather modest drum kit. Bashing it half to death, they’ve staked themselves out as quite possibly the coolest collective of all time. Their highly-anticipated dirty blues debut record may leave a fair bit to be desired but in the flesh, Hang You Up From the Heavens is utterly devastating.

From the devastating to the dishevelled, the newly crowned Princess of Red Light Pornographic Dance Fight Pop Lady Gaga looks about as out of place down on the farm as she does fully clothed and with twelve varieties of soft drink on the old rider and almost as many costume changes, she’s eclipsing the diva tendencies of La Roux and her ginger fluming fringe. Cavorting about on motorbikes and a clan of robotically choreographed muscled torsos, she slurs her way through the polished sleaze of Beautiful Dirty Rich and Poker Face as if Michael Eavis is paying special rates. Unquestionably the all-out show of the weekend. And to top it all off, a secret early morning masquerade show down in Shangri-La equipped with firework bras. Ideally imperfect. The Pyramid photo pit’s buzzing with bigger lenses than those aimed up Gaga’s numerous skimpy skirts come Neil Young as his cult Americana blasts out across the main arena bowl, rattling rib cages with giddy guitar solos whilst standing every last hair up on end. But it’s over on the Acoustic Stage that jaws are dropping the mud as Kinks man Ray Davies delivers unsung Glastonbury moment upon moment, firing off the likes of Sunny Afternoon and All Day And All Of The Night at will. Returning for no less than three encores in which Waterloo Sunset and Lola are unleashed on the baying throng, he makes as strong a claim as any to the most gifted songwriter on site all weekend long. A Well Respected Man indeed. And on that triumphant note, it’s off to get down and dirty all over again down in the gender-blurring murky clubs and dingy night boxes of the outer reaches of Shangri-La and Trash City. Lord help us.

Friday highlights at Glastonbury - after the rain, came the sun and then came the music. N*E*R*D’s Pharrell Williams, Little Boots, Hot Chip, Gabriella Cilmi and Lily Allen all paid their tribute to Michael Jackson. The Specials offered their take on the Glastonbury lineup and revealed no love loss for Lady GaGa - Terry Hall called her ‘gross’ and ‘obnoxious’. Lady GaGa herself seemed to prefer to chat her way through her set rather than sing, Jack White’s The Dead Weather played a surprise set and headliner Neil Young proved there’s life in the dog yet…

Glastonbury is on the horizon folks and it’s looking gigantic. This year Worthy Farm boasts more stages than you can shake a stick at and enough live entertainment for anyone to die happy. So, what sets shouldn’t you miss and which hidden (and less well-hidden) treasures are waiting? Here’s a list of 10 bands not to miss:

Mr Hudson (Other Stage – 10.50am Friday)

By now you will probably have heard of Mr. Ben Hudson because Kanye West has been shamelessly promoting him at his every turn. Sure, he may be on his record label but you don’t find Kanye generally peddling shit to the masses. Mr Hudson has an inspired voice and brings an electronic edge to his music. He has the potential and the hype to become not just a huge but a monster act so it’s worth nursing that Friday morning hangover at the Other Stage.

Hot 8 Brass Band (Jazz World stage – 3.50pm Friday)

So by 4 in the afternoon you’ll probably be wanting the sun to be out and some party music to set you in the right mood for the evening. Well, the Hot 8 Brass Band is here to answer your prayers with a heady mix of feel-good tunes and an inspired cover of ‘Sexual Healing’ in their back catalogue. Brass bands have never been so cool.

Lady GaGa (Other Stage – 8pm Friday)

Simply put this is a ‘marmite’ set. Our favourite finger-flicking pop star will either sink or swim on the 2^nd biggest stage at the festival. Something tells me that the weather and alcohol consumed beforehand will have a big bearing on whether Lady GaGa emerges from her set triumphant or tragic.

Neil Young (Main Stage – 10pm Friday)

When Michael Eavis booked Neil Young, people moaned that it was contradictory to his assertion he wants to bring the young people back to Glastonbury. Do you know what though – any young person who knows anything about music will have been influenced/listened to/heard of Neil Young. He wrote the book on guitar rock and Eavis clearly agrees, pencilling him in for a 2 and a quarter hour set. That should be enough time for classics like ‘Cortez the Killer’, ‘Rockin in the Free World’ and enough guitar solos to send your head dizzy. He may be 63 but wouldn’t you be bloody proud to be headlining the best festival in the world at that age?

Baddies (John Peel Stage – 12pm Saturday)

Here’s a band who readily admit playing Glastonbury is a life-long ambition. This set is likely to be abrupt, riotous and hectic if frontman Mike Webster’s chipped tooth is anything to go by from recent shows. You can still catch this band while they’re considered ‘new’ and ‘cool’ if you get down to the John Peel Stage early on Saturday or catch them on Sunday at the Dirty Boots stage if you like your gigs intimate.

Special Guests (Park Stage - 7.50pm Saturday)

A few weeks back Emily and Michael Eavis announced a very special guest will play the Park stage which even they’re scared to announce due to health and safety fears. Currently this 7.50pm spot remains unfilled and I’ve come up with 3 bands doing the rumour rounds.

• 1) Arctic Monkeys – Reading Festival might not like this but who cares. The Monkeys embark on a European tour a few days after Glastonbury so they should be in the right area.
• 2) Radiohead – yes they will headline again soon but a sneaky spot on the Park Stage might just remind Worthy Farm goers of their excellence and the band do have a soft spot for Eavis…
• 3) The Libertines – OK this is a bit outlandish but the forecast of a reunion show from messers Doherty and Barat is promising. Pete’s already on the bill so you don’t have to worry about him failing to show up and where better to roll out the old classics again?

Kasabian (Pyramid Stage – 8pm Saturday)

Kasabian are a band who raise their game for the big occasion. You only need to look back to their epic Other Stage headlining spot in 2005 to know they relish having all eyes on them. This penultimate spot should be no different, as Serge and the gang aim to blow Bruce Springsteen off the stage before he’s even arrived. Expect a combination of older tunes ‘L.S.F’ and ‘Empire’ mixed with newer, more experimental tracks like ‘Vlad the Impaler’. Should be epic.

Enter Shikari (Other Stage – 3.45pm Sunday)

On paper this shouldn’t work and that’s why it’ll be so bloody good. Enter Shikari will try to tame a gigantic field with their mix of dance, grime, metal and devastating techno. Vocalist Rou Reynolds will also do his best stage gymnastics throughout and probably end up vaulting off a stack of amps so even if you don’t like the music, don’t miss this.

Roots Manuva (Jazz World Stage – 7.15pm Sunday)

There are few more seminal UK hip-hop acts than Rodney Smith, a.k.a Roots Manuva. This set on the Jazz World stage has the ability to mesmerise your already fried brain. With enough special guests on his albums to compile a dictionary it may also be time for another surprise showing.

Blur (Main Stage – 9.50pm Sunday)

One of the biggest bands of British pop history reforms at the grandaddy of all festivals – how can this not be memorable? Even if Albarn and co. are out of tune and out of practice this will probably spank 95% of the other acts playing at Worthy Farm for the mere spectacle. But let’s be honest, they won’t be out of tune and they’ll presumably have 80,000 people hanging on to their every note so they can’t really lose.

• Photo courtesy of Geoftheref’s Photostream

In amongst Brit Awards shows with the added vocal spice of Lady GaGa and Brandon Flowers and ballet compositions, it’s a wonder impeccable pop duo Pet Shop Boys find time to squeeze in the odd arena show here and there yet ahead of tomorrow’s sold-out O2 Arena show, a further string of dates have been added to their spurious touring habits this winter. Following on from the resounding success brought about by latest record Yes, Tennant and Lowe strike while the iron’s hot, hauling their live extravaganza into arenas and exhibition halls the length of the UK before a well-earned Christmas break. Known for unique performances and bizarre stage set-ups, the Pandemonium tour looks as though it’ll be no exception. Divided into four distinct acts documenting their magnificent career thus far, choreographers, designers and producers have all been reeled in to create an unforgettable experience.

The tour calls at:

December 17 Glasgow SECC

December 18 Birmingham NIA

December 20 Manchester Evening News Arena

December 21 London O2 Arena

• Tickets are priced at £30 and are available now.
• Pet Shop Boys’ Myspace

Pet Shop Boys = legends. How chuffed was I to bag an interview with the enigmatic Mr Chris Lowe of foresaid duo who have kept electro-pop alive, well and kind of post-modern and ironic for over 25 years now? How on Earth have they managed that? After a storming comeback performance at an otherwise lacklustre Brit Awards this year in the UK, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have now unleashed a new album on the world, Yes, and they’re about to hit the road while also working on a ballet, naturally. Chris here talks me through pink wigs, Girls Aloud, crap music TV, Little Boots, Dusty Springfield, Tchaikovsky, Bay City Rollers and Bono’s make up habits - among other things…

Bob Fear: Your performance at this year’s Brit Awards was fantastic. Brilliant medley of your hits, bizarre dancers, pink wig, Brandon Flowers, Lady Gaga… you’ve come a long way since Neil famously said that he liked proving that you couldn’t cut it live…

Chris Lowe: The Brit Awards took 2 months of planning, we worked with a designer, choreographer, commissioned video projections, producer Stuart Price helped us put together the medley of songs, so it was quite a big team effort and it cost a fortune! So we decided that when we were going to play live we were going to put a lot of effort in to it - make the show interesting, right from the beginning right the way through to the end. I think one of our criticisms of going to concerts was that it was always great when the band came on but then it lulled in the middle until you get to the encores at the end. Whereas we always wanted to keep it interesting all the way through from the beginning. Also initially we couldn’t see how we could be a live act because the way we used to make records in the studio and the way we used to write songs – there was just the two of us putting layer upon layer of musical ideas on top of each other - so we didn’t see how we could replicate that music live.

Eventually we got offered to do some concerts in Japan and we thought we’d have a go, test the waters and if it was a disaster then no-one would really know about it! But even with that we got Derek Jarman involved and we used costumes, dancers and he made several films to be projected on these huge screens. We knew that we wanted to create something very theatrical and very visual from the beginning and since then we’ve become a live act and we’ve always bought people in to collaborate with. We’ve worked with architects like Zaha Hadid and we’ve always tried to keep it exciting and different and keep our own interest level going right the way through the show.

BF: So you have more big gigs lined up?

CL: We’ve sold out our 02 Arena and Manchester Apollo gigs in the UK and we’ve got some European dates this summer. We’re currently looking at dates now for a world tour starting after that and taking in Europe, North, Central and South America and then in the New Year we’re over to South East Asia and Australia. It’s funny, we never imagined ourselves touring and what we really didn’t imagine was becoming a festival act.

BF: It was brilliant to see you guys play the V Festivals in Australia in 2007…

CL: Yeah it was really great, it was the first year of V FestivaI in Australia and they were good people on the bill, the weather was good and it was the first time we’d got to go to Queensland!

BF: Your list of past collaborations is awesome. Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, Liza Minnelli, Robbie Williams, Boy George, Madonna, Tina Turner, Kylie, Elton John – and my personal faves: Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner for Electronic and Suede in ’96. Is there a particular one of these where you felt everything just clicked to make the perfect collaboration?

CL: It was amazing when Dusty Springfield walked in to the studio. We’d heard she was living in Los Angeles but we didn’t know what state her voice was in but she was an absolute hero of ours. We both think she’s the best singer that Britain’s produced and love the records she made, so when she came in to the studio and started to sing that really was a great moment - knowing that she could still be Dusty Springfield. I think Neil learnt a lot from her – the way that she sings and the way she develops the melody throughout the song so that it never repeats. So we learnt a lot from her and also we gave her the biggest hit she ever had in America with What Have I Done To Deserve This? So we bought her back really coz she wasn’t having such a great time in LA, so really it was great turning someone’s career around like that. So that was our greatest honour – working with Dusty Springfield.

BF: And lately you’ve been hanging around with Girls Aloud?

CL: Yeah, we were working with Xenomania on co-writing songs for our album and one of the songs we didn’t think was right for our album. Producer Brian Higgins said ‘Oh great, can I have it for Girls Aloud then?’ We were, of course, over the moon - having a song (The Loving Kind) that Girls Aloud were going to perform and even more so that it became a single, so it was fantastic. They were hanging around the studio while we were there and it was a great atmosphere - all these exciting people hanging around. We’ve always liked contemporary pop music and you certainly got the feeling that you were a part of it there working with Xenomania.

BF: So is there anyone different that you now aspire to work with?

CL: I think if we worked with anyone in the future we’d like to work with some young undiscovered artists. Some non-established people. But that’s just an idea – no plans as yet.

BF: We also interviewed Saint Etienne recently who talked about the resurgence of electro-pop and the crossover in to indie. Who on the current scene gets the Pet Shop Boys seal of approval?

CL: I’m very aware of Little Boots – specifically because she comes from my neck of the woods in Fleetwood! Lady GaGa particularly, MGMT… there’s loads. I think The Killers’ song Human is fantastic. People are dressing up again aren’t they? Which is always a good sign - and wearing make-up. I mean even Bono’s wearing eyeliner.

BF: You’ve certainly sported some outlandish costumes in the past, particularly since David Fielding designed your ’91 Performance tour. Are there any costumes that you look back on and wish you hadn’t worn?

CL: Wearing the costumes that David Fielding made was a fun thing to do. That was in the early 90s at the height of Madchester baggy so to dress in an orange jumpsuit with a pointy hat and row a boat through Battersea Park lake was quite a brave thing to do - or walk through Red Square in Moscow in some demented space cowboy outfit, it’s really amazing. I like dressing up, I don’t dress up in real life - I’m a jeans and t-shirt person, I never wear anything smart but I do like dressing up for videos and TV shows. The more outlandish the better really, I have no problem putting a pink wig on television, I don’t feel embarrassed, I just enjoy the dressing up process and also I enjoy the collaboration of working with a stylist, wig person and makeup artist to get a look together and it’s quite good fun presenting your music in the most exciting way you can.

BF: So Neil started out years ago writing for Smash Hits magazine, and now you’ve outlasted it! Did you ever foresee that…?

CL: Who’d have thought that? We’ve outlasted Top Of The Pops as well! I really miss both of those things. I think Smash Hits was great because I was a student and it worked for everyone, students as well as young girls - it had really good humour.

TOTP was great; you don’t get that now with MTV. All day long – you never see what the artists are really like, you never get that great moment where a new band or artist appears on the scene and you actually see them for the first time. So we miss both of those things.

BF: Is there anything as good around now?

CL: We look at Popjustice because Peter Robinson’s got that Smash Hits sensibility and he’s totally into pop and he’s so funny with it as well. So I think he’s the replacement for Smash Hits. There isn’t a replacement for Top Of The Pops - TV’s turned its back on pop music, and new music in particular. When they do it they do it like a Jools Holland thing and it’s very serious. What you really want is Bay City Rollers performing alongside Showaddywaddy with a load of screaming girls around them. There isn’t really a place for that on TV at the moment. Even the Album Chart Show is more serious. I’d bring back Shang-A-Lang!

BF: You’ve sold over 50 million records worldwide so far and congratulations on your new album, Yes. It’s just debuted at number four in the UK album charts. For anyone who hasn’t yet got a hold of it – what should they expect from this, your 10th ‘proper’ studio album?

CL: When we started writing songs for this album we realised we were writing a lot of really uplifting shiny pop songs and we thought that Xenomania would be the production team to get the best out of these songs. We really wanted to work with them because we loved what they’ve done with Girls Aloud so we approached them and they wanted to work with us. So the first half of this album is just one great pop song after another and then it gets a bit weirder towards the second half but still very uplifting. I think it’s very much of the time, it’s electronic pop music. I think it’s got a place in today’s pop landscape. We’re really happy with it. The songs came out effortlessly.

Coming with it is a special edition ‘Yes etc’ – on the second CD there’s dub mixes of every track plus one new track with Phil Oakey. So it’s worth getting the bonus CD - a good reason to get your hands on CDs while they still exist!

BF: So after your Outstanding Contribution award at the Brits - alongside your numerous other awards, stage shows, film scores - is there any ambition yet unfulfilled?

CL: Our ambition would probably be to have loads more hits!

We’re actually writing a ballet, we’ve written about a third of the music so far. So we’re really looking forward to doing that. What we’re trying to do is tell the story through dance and music whereas contemporary dance doesn’t really tell a story so we’re taking it back towards a more Tchaikovsky ballet - like Swan Lake but doing it with electronic music rather than an orchestra so its quite an old fashioned idea but it’s a very ambitious project. It’s going to involve quite a few people - dancers, set designers, we’re even going to try and bring magic in to it so it’s quite a big thing we’re attempting. The plan is that it’ll be on at Sadler’s Wells in 2011 and then go on a tour around 10 countries or so. We did a workshop for it before Christmas and the pas de deux, as they say, is rather good!

And if you’re going to ask – no, we’re not in it!

BF: Darn it, I’d have paid twice as much to see that…

http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

There’s something very Scooby Doo about The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. They come onstage looking like they have only the slightest of attention spans, dressed like over-zealous nine-year-olds let loose in a dress up box after consuming a few too many Panda Pops. It’s all very cutesy and exciting in a juvenile way, but by the end they have solved the mystery, which in this case is how to entertain a Shoreditch crowd just waiting to be disappointed.

They are blessed with a singer who exudes the necessary qualities of a pop frontwoman; bolshie, pretty, kooky and more than a little like Blondie, Mette Lindberg is a star in waiting. If Lady GaGa and Katy Perry can do it, give me strength, it’s an open market. Ms Lindberg nails the attitude of her tracks, a little warped, a touch of cabaret but always going somewhere.

Her Copenhagen accent is more pronounced in person and compliments the bouncy beats of opener Hero, a hint of ska and squeaky beats dominating. Once the focus of their visually startling stance dims though, it’s hard to find much going on. Sure, there’s a horn section and a solid if basic topless drummer, but it’s all a bit corny in the musical department, with Bad Fever and its ilk doing little but pass time.

Tracks with lines rhyming crazy/mad with hazy/sad are as annoying as they sound, while even Debbie Harry-aping Rapture dance moves cannot appease forever. There is a distinct lack of substance, the feeling that this would all be better off neatly packaged into three minute bursts rather than hour sets. However, in these little snippets, such as the iPod advert adorning Around The Bend, the audience is absolutely smitten.

The only other song competing in the catchiness stakes is The Sun Ain’t Shining No More, which begins with a smooth Motown feel that Lindberg cavorts over with glee. It’s a tad darker, less throwaway and nails what this band should really be doing. There’s potential here, hits to be hit, but the whole cheesy cartoon act needs to be toned down. They aren’t mad, crazy kids – but they have a few bright ideas and a top singer. We’ll be hearing a lot more from this group – it’s still up to them to decide whether it’s any good or not.

V Festival has once again almost completely sold out across both sites only hours after tickets went on sale. Tickets to Hylands Park, Chelmsford sold out in under two hours and only coach packages now remain. The last remaining tickets to Weston Park, Staffordshire are going fast from www.vfestival.com. Tickets went on sale at 10am last Friday.

Virgin Media’s V Festival 2009 has two of the biggest and best live acts on the planet headlining in Oasis and The Killers. They will be joined on the 22/23 August by artists such as Razorlight, Fatboy Slim, Keane, The Specials, Elbow, Lily Allen, Pendulum, The Tings Tings, MGMT, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga.

The line up so far:

OASIS  • THE KILLERS • RAZORLIGHT • SNOW PATROL • FATBOY SLIM • KEANE • THE SPECIALS • ELBOW • JAMES • LILY ALLEN • THE ENEMY • PENDULUM •  THE SCRIPT •  BIFFY CLYRO • THE TING TINGS •  PAOLO NUTINI • MGMT • KATY PERRY • THE WOMBATS • JAMES MORRISON • TAYLOR SWIFT • PETER DOHERTY • DIZZEE RASCAL • THE STREETS •  LADY GAGA • HAPPY MONDAYS • SEASICK STEVE • OCEAN COLOUR SCENE • ALESHA DIXON • BRITISH SEA POWER • THE SATURDAYS

Apparently, 2009 is set to be the year when music mixes spiky girls with sparkly beats and all are left bedazzled in a frenzy of gleaming gusto. Skinny indie boys will be looking on longingly, swapping their guitars for keyboards and their glum-rock for glitter. With this slightly concerning prognosis in mind, this week’s all-female, all-pop singles waltz into view:

Lady Gaga – Just Dance
Suddenly, she is everywhere, topping the charts as swiftly as she rose to the tips of critics’ lips and lists of 2009 tips. However, Yahoo is fighting the hype and gives 5/10 for this “back to the future” single. About.com predicted it would be “tearing up the radio” long ago, awarding an ample 6/10. Clash Music suggests that “it’s sure to make good on the barren singles field,” referring to the less-than spectacular start to the year for the charts. But can’t electro-pop be more interesting than this 5/10 fare?

MySpace / iTunes / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

Girls Aloud – The Loving Kind
Back with typical aplomb, the Girls Aloud juggernaut keeps thundering into Britain’s collective subconscious. They have roped in the Pet Shop Boys to pen this one, which Digital Spy lavishes with 10/10, noting the “sense of dancefloor euphoria totally at odds with the teary-eyed lyrics”. Even Angry Ape admits “the group proves there is “more to them than the lipgloss-coated anthems” and the Beat Review rewards “perfect vocals, instruments and melody” with another 10/10. It’s dazzling and dizzy and easy to bestow it 8/10.

MySpace / iTunes  / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

Pink – Sober
Hecto Pascal claims that this is “the type of song that can be put on repeat without getting annoying” – this is a questionable assessment, perhaps shown by the 4/10 it eventually receives. Pink is so irritating she must infuriate herself, as she does the users of RateYourMusic, with a score of 2/10 amid cries of “the opposite of originality”. Nevertheless, Unreality Music praises this “brooding tune” and it is at least less bothersome than So What, if more self-pitying. It gets a 3/10 and should count itself lucky.

MySpace  / iTunes  / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

Britney Spears - Circus
Back with a bang but she can’t really be bothered, Britney embraces the madness of her celebrity with Circus, which Billboard heralds as an “an electronic cyberpop landscape”. Female First proclaims Britney as “doing what she does best” and offers a positively glowing 8/10. Angry Ape describes it as “part club-pop, part synth-sex and not unlike what you’d expect from Timbaland”. It’s not as immediate as Womanizer but few tracks are: it’s just a messy, fussy slice of 7/10 fun.

MySpace / iTunes  / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

The season of giving ain’t over peoples. We have two copies of Lady GaGa’s debut album The Fame to giveaway, what makes these special is that they’re autographed. Yep, signed by Lady GaGa. This will be a week long contest so be sure to enter, details below. Also if you haven’t already checked out Killahbeez’s interview wtih Lady GaGa then have a read here.

Prize Details:

• Autographed copy of Lady GaGa’s album, The Fame
• 2 copies, 1 copy per winner

How To Enter:

• All you have to do to enter is comment over here. That’s it!
• Each comment counts as an entry, enter as many times as you want.
• Contest Closing Date: Monday January 12

Virgin favourite Lady Gaga leads everybody’s New Year lists ones to watch for 2009 here in the UK. But we’ve had our beady eyes and ears all over this electropop princess through 2008 already. She hit the top spot in Australia last year when our very own Leopard Lady from Brisbane declared her love and devotion. Then our Vancouver blogger David Thai had his say following the release of her album in Canada. Our intrepid New York editor Faith-Ann Young tracked Lady Gaga down when she played Perez Hilton’s showcase gig at the CMJ party.

Then the Lady herself played an exclusive Toronto gig in support of Virgin Mobile Canada’s RE*Generation program. They guys there shot a brilliant video diary during the day - culminating in a VIP view of the gig.

Now she’s finally atop the UK download charts where she truly belongs with the cracking Just Dance. Her debut album The Fame will at last be released here on 26 January. Check out the Lady Gaga MySpace for more details and check back here soon for more ones to watch in 2009…

• download Just Dance from Amazon
• download Just Dance from iTunes

Heard about Lady Gaga’s Toronto gig in support of Virgin Mobile Canada’s RE*Generation program? Well here’s a brilliant video diary the guys at Virgin Mobile shot during the day - culminating in a VIP view of the gig.

The RE*Generation program, introduced in the spring of 2008 in Canada, is Virgin Mobile and Virgin Unite’s effort to empower a generation to help its own by bringing together organizations that care about Canada’s at-risk and homeless youth and connecting them with people who want to help.

Electro-popster Lady GaGa performed at a benefit concert in Toronto last Sunday in support of Virgin Mobile Canada’s RE*Generation program. RE*Generation has raised $300,000 for Canadian programs that support at-risk and homeless youth.

The RE*Generation program, introduced in the spring of 2008 in Canada, is Virgin Mobile and Virgin Unite’s effort to empower a generation to help its own by bringing together organizations that care about Canada’s at-risk and homeless youth and connecting them with people who want to help.

“Youth homelessness is a serious issue in Canada and one that we can’t afford to ignore. There are tens of thousands of young people living on the streets in Canada. Many have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, violence and substance abuse, mental illness and family instability,” said Andrew Black, President and Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Mobile Canada. “Virgin Mobile and Virgin Unite want to help make a difference and we want to inspire our customers and other Canadians to do the same. RE*Generation gives them a place to direct that passion, connect with agencies so that they can make a difference and inspire everyone they know to make a change in the lives of youth that need it the most.”

Maybe it’s a Lady thing, but Leopard Lady can get behind everything Lady GaGa stands for and stems from!

Starting with her name taken in honour of Queen and their song Radio Ga Ga. Worthy.

Her style and it’s pivotal role in her performance and image. She actually wears the same designer as Roisin Murphy has been wearing, Martin Margiela. Striking creations that both women wear well in their own unique ways. Lady GaGa also makes some of her own ouchfits. Again, worthy.

Her performance inspired by great Glam Rock and in particular David Bowie. Hugely worthy.

She likes to dazzle her audience with strange new technology and fun props. She is into performance art. She loves glitter. All very worthy traits.

This is a woman who loves to dress up and has a killer voice with dance moves to match. What’s not to like?! She is touring the Globe as you read this. Check to see if you are in her vicinity by visiting her myspace http://www.myspace.com/ladygaga

Please Note: The youtube is an earlier film from Lady GaGa but it is a sensational introduction to her and her Haus of GaGa. Enjoy!

Lady Gaga, Yo Majesty, Sharon Jones and Semi Precious Weapons @ the Blogger’s private CMJ Party

This dude Perez Hilton (http://www.perezhilton.com) got famous in the United States from changing his name to mimic one of America’s dumbest, talentless starlets and then writing about American’s dumbest, talentless startlets. (Hey if you were born Mario Lavandeira, you may have changed your name as well). But in the meantime, the jester Perez Hilton has gotta pretty discerning taste in music and is known to make or break an artist’s career just by dropping one fated MP3 onto his mega-star blog.

So on Friday, everyone was all ears on who Perez had chosen to play at his showcase here in NYC. Let’s be clear: Perez doesn’t appear to judge musicians for their music. He’s a celebrity blogger for god sake! Simply, he likes artists who put on a grand show first and foremost, those who are Madonna or Prince style icons and entertainers, similar to how his website likes celebrities who bred good gossip, regardless of moral composition or even acting chops… But evidently, none of this matter; over a thousand industry kids and b-list celebrities (and a couple of kids who won free tickets on his blog) shuffled into Highline Ballroom in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District… to see what sort of musical meat Perez could pack.

First up? The always stellar Sharon Jones easily showed who was boss with an armful of soul and jazz songs, backed by her blues band The Dap Kings. She remained a lady, even though Perez had doused her band with an intro: “They’re about to get your pussies wet!” At the same time, at 52, she’s still a flirt and crowd-teaser, as she proceeded to invite every drag queen and naive girl in the audience (and trust me, there were many in the crowd) onstage and then hauling a cute boy onstage with whom to flirt.

Next up, Yo Majesty the lesbian rap duo that is fiery and fierce came on with two boy toys dressed in capes and kilts. While Sharon got the crowd grooving, the femme fatale MCs from Miami got the crowd feisty – jumping to and from either corner of the stage, hand-slapping and shouting out to all the chicks in the house.

Third, came the slightly atrocious, glam rock front Semi Precious Weapons. Their music is bloody awful (they actually have a song “her hair, her hair, her hair is on fire” which is a pathetic cover to “House Is On Fire” by The Blood Hound Gang.) But the lead singer is a effeminate faux rock character, the kind who paints himself with eyeliner, calls everyone bitches and thinks he’s prettier than every girl in the room. In other words, he’s god damn hilarious. And though you wanted to hate them, everyone seemed to laugh with fascination…..as though he fed their fetish for fake fabulousness.

Lastly, Lady Gaga. This is a chick who is a Perez favorite and about to invade your MTV any day now if she hasn’t already. Like Madonna or Britney Spears before her, she’s willing to do anything to get famous- especially if it involves cat suits, mild stripping, dance teams, and lip syncing. The chick came out in full space-ship suit and tights, with blond extensions, 10 backup dancers and a glowing crystal stick. She’s got a rock-solid body and attitude….(notice we did not comment on her musical skills). And the kids went WILD. If you like dance music, her song “Just Dance” will easily invade your head and burn off brain cells for a couple days. We warn you, just like you love to hate Perez Hilton or Paris Hilton before him, you’ll love to hate this blond chick with ambition.

Though we wish the line-up had been backwards, (who dares headline for Sharon Jones? A chick with blond extensions, a glowing crystal stick and 4 inch heels? Really?), between the free flowing, organic energy drinks (sponsored by Guru) and the “talent,” we were left dancing gleefully till way past bedtime… and bidding a kind thanks to the “icon” known as Perez Hilton.

Here’s the latest video from Lady GaGa. The video is for the song “Poker Face”, which is directed by Anthony Mandler, whom is also working on the new video for T.I.’s “Live Your Life”. Plot: GaGa attends party where the men and women are playing stripped poker, this is familiar as I actually worked for an online poker company at one point. The party gets buck wild as everybody loses at the poker game and has to strip down to their boxers and panties and the dancing commences. Lady GaGa: 1, Randoms: 0.

The debut album titled The Fame, is set to release on October 28th in the US. On a side note, this album is already available in Canada.