Tag Archives: London

Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Review. The Old Vic, London.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Elwyn, Leroy Osei-Bonsu, Beth Cooke, James Garnon, Danny Lee Wynter, Lloyd Everitt, Alan David, Trevor Laird, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Melody Grove, Penelope Beaumont, Peter Wright, Tim Barlow, Katherine Carlton.

 

There really is nothing quite like watching two of the most celebrated actors of their generation giving an audience an evening inside a theatre in which will be remembered for so long and for all the right reasons. When those two actors are the exquisite and commanding Vanessa Redgrave and one of the all-time greatest American actors in James Earl Jones and they are surrounded by a cast that just revelled in the performance, then The Old Vic was on to an absolute winner with their new stage production of Much Ado About Nothing.

Much Ado About Nothing, Theatre Review. The Old Vic, London. full post

(387 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

Metallica, Gig Review. o2 Arena, London.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 30th 2009.

For a time it looked as though the band that had spawned classic albums such as Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All and Ride the Lightning had reached a dead end, in the studio and on tour. So much so that even loyal fans and critics started questioning the band’s future when they released St. Anger in 2003.

With the release of Death Magnetic last year, all of that has been forgiven and forgotten. This album has transferred so well to the live show that the band have largely, (with a couple of exceptions) scrubbed clean the years 1993 to 2007 off their set list.

Metallica, Gig Review. o2 Arena, London. full post

(517 words, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

Thunder, Gig Review. Hammersmith Apollo, London.

Originally published by L.S.Media. July 14th 2009.

The tour has been billed as twenty years and out! A commemoration and a memorial for one of the most consistent rock acts of the last two decades deciding for the second and final time to bow out from recording and touring. The previous night had seen the band greeted with some incredible emotion by a pumped up Wolverhampton crowd. On the last night of the tour and with only an outside appearance at Sonasphere for their faithful fans to look forward to, the Hammersmith Apollo played host to the final indoors gig by this great British band.

Thunder, Gig Review. Hammersmith Apollo, London. full post

(445 words, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

It Bites, Gig Review. Islington Academy, London.

John Mitchell of It Bites. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 15th 2010.

One of the best progressive rock bands to come out of the 80’s made a welcome return to touring this month. It Bites only got back together a few years ago but on the back of the superb album The Tall Ships they have not kept still.

With a brand new live album out now, titled Live in Japan, the band came on stage at the Islington Academy to huge applause and genuine warmth from a very loyal following.

It Bites, Gig Review. Islington Academy, London. full post

(357 words, 1 image, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

Roger Waters, The Wall. Gig Review. o2 Arena, London.

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Originally published by L.S. Media. May 11th 2011.

L.S. Media Rating *****

The Wall is one of those seminal albums from the last 50 years that seems to have transcended the idea of music and theatre being a separate entity. Its main writer, Roger Waters and the guys that made up one of Britain’s most loved rock bands, Pink Floyd, are so ingrained in its effect on the national psyche that it continues to sell in massive numbers and fans of the band continue to hold onto copies of their vinyl and tape even in the face of downloads.

Roger Waters, The Wall. Gig Review. o2 Arena, London. full post

(653 words, 1 image, estimated 2:37 mins reading time)

Rush, Gig Review. o2 Arena, London.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. May 25th 2011.

Possibly Canada’s greatest export outside of tourist images of Niagara Falls, the seminal and influential progressive rock band Rush, arrived on British soil after a four year wait. Thrilling fans in Sheffield, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and all points in between, Rush finally arrived at the o2 Arena, London and continued the good work that has seen them rightly praised by critics and fans alike.

Rush, Gig Review. o2 Arena, London. full post

(488 words, 1 image, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

Yes, Prime Minister, Theatre Review. Apollo Theatre, London.

Cast: Simon Williams, Richard McCabe, Chris Larkin, Charlotte Lucas, Kevork Malikyan, Jonathon Coote, Michael Chadwick, Mark Extance, Sarah Baxendale.

Some comedies are created great, some achieve greatness and then there was the political satire that set the bar so high it had greatness thrust upon it and the sincerest kind of admiration that Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister deserved.

Yes, Prime Minister, Theatre Review. Apollo Theatre, London. full post

(405 words, 1 image, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

The Secret History Of Our Streets, Television Review. B.B.C.2.

L.S Media Rating ****

At the time of Charles Booth, London was the biggest and most populated city the world had ever seen. An ever changing metropolis that Charles Booth mapped with great care and dedication on how each street fared in its social standing, position, the type of people who lived there and needs.

The Secret History Of Our Streets, Television Review. B.B.C.2. full post

(427 words, 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)