Tag Archives: stage


December 11th, 2008


Another reason to be cheerful this Christmas? The brilliant Ian Dury stage play will be returning to London in 2009 at the Leicester Square Theatre. Hit Me! The Life & Times Of Ian Dury will run from 6 January to 15 February. The play is described as a ‘warts-and-all portrait of the man who put the phrase “sex and drugs and rock and roll” into the national psyche’. It stars Jud Charlton - who has been nominated as Best Actor 2008 by The Stage - as the legend that is Ian Dury and is written and directed by Ken Campbell collaborator and community arts hero Jeff Merrifield. Focussing on key moments in Dury’s life - this evocative two-hander also features live performances of classics such as Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. What are you waiting for? Get yourselves over to hit-me.org for more info and tickets… and check out this video trailer.

Meanwhile the The Blockheads are on a bit of a tour at the moment, including the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in london on 21 December. Check out the tour dates on The Blockheads website.

Need some more ideas for Christmas? How about a promo of The Kinks’ CD boxset, The Clash book, CD & DVD or a place in the queue to see Blur’s comeback gig in Hyde Park next year?





August 27th, 2008


“Girls Aloud are like the radio crack cocaine of the pop world” Eleanor Conway

So if you are one of the many V Festival goers that were more interested in the surreal goings on in the midst of the white stilleto clad Essex countryside than the walk through the variants of traditional British music, then look no further. Here’s my memo:

ELEANOR’S MEMO: Battle of the Girls bands - The Girls V The Babes

Quiz:

Question: Who would win in a gangsta’ street fight between Girls Aloud or The Sugababes?

Answer: No contest. Harding could remove your left ear lobe with one chop of her Topshop card.

Right, with more changes than a teenager in a Primark changing room let’s discuss the Sugababes.

Sugababes discernibly have the edgier pop repertoire and the writing credits. Fact. However, they looked somewhat lost on the JJB stage last weekend at V Festival Chelmsford, even the three dancers on the back stage, subconsciously placed to beef up the area were lacking. The Babes’ set included ‘Round Round’, ‘Hole in the Head’, and ‘Freak Like Me’. The latter two, showcased newcomer Amelle as the star she could be, before she’s barely had time to learn her lyrics (they’re written on the back of her hand should anyone ask).

Girls Aloud played the main stage on the blistering Sunday afternoon, and their set included ‘Sexy no, no, no’, ‘Call the shots’, ‘Jump’ and ‘Love Machine’ of which Harding could well have been mistaken for a blond, white Grace Jones. The rest of the motley crew were bouncing between sharps, flats and notes that didn’t make my grade nine piano test, but that didn’t dampen V’s spirits. And to be honest, watching the spread of middle aged dads gravitating towards the stage, seeing Girls Aloud live is not really about vocal prowess, as any disciple of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman clan would attest to. Although Girls Aloud procured mixed reviews from V Festival goers, they somehow always look more cohesive on stage. Whether if it’s the carefully crafted superhero identities or the skin tight leather, I’ll leave that up for you to decide. All that can be said aloud is that the girls have come a long way, since their appearances on Popstars, a time when Nicola Roberts looked positively brunette.

While the Babes have the qualitative, meaty sound, Girls Aloud are like the radio crack cocaine of the pop world. One quick hit, you’re left mouthing the name, on the hunt for another. The Sugababes always profess of their writing involvement, while Girls Aloud are unashamedly written for by pop pimp writing team, ‘Xenomania’, (a cross between a photocopier and a Peter Andre single.) However one can’t help wonder whether Girls Aloud have got it right with the magic number of five, or if the Sugababes would do better to put an ad down the Hendon job centre and hope that Mutya isn’t doing ought.

If you found this post vaguely amusing/offensive/bland/rubbish (delete as appropriate) please vote………

Your humble servant. Love, Elle xxx

Disclaimer: I have neither taken or passed my Grade nine piano exam.




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