Children in Need @ BBC TV Centre, 20th November 2009

Not really sure if this counts as a gig but as there was music and I was there, that’s good enough for me. I was lucky enough to get a spare ticket to the early evening session of Children in Need just the day before and it was very exciting to be in the same room as Sir Terry Wogan – the man is a living legend!!

Anyway, in terms of music there was actually quite a lot on offer. We had a quite turn from JLS who seemed to be singing live and seemed pretty good – the audience went a bit wild for them too. Actually, the audience probably went the most wild for John Barrowman singing and dancing around in his underwear, which was a bit more up my street too. The man can certainly sing and there’s not many guys that can jump around wearing only children in need boxers and songs without looking extremely unsexy, but he managed to pull it off. Westlife also performed and fair play to them, they can certainly sing live as well.

Taylor Swift sang Love Story, which sounded great, she has a fantastic voice. I have to say though that she is one of the thinnest people I have ever seen perform – I don’t know where she keeps her lungs, I can only assume that they are connected via see through tubes and kept somewhere back stage because there certainly isn’t enough space in her torso for them.

The newsreaders were up next, who sang a medley including Put A Ring On It, and were joined on stage by Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity. The newsreaders aren’t the best singers in the world it has to be said, but they sounded better in the studio than they did on the TV when I watched it back. Well done to them!

Unfortunately we were shuffled out when the news came on which was a shame as there were lots more bands to come, but watching it back it looks like most of them weren’t actually in the studio in London but joining from other concerts across the UK, so we didn’t do too badly. And they raised £20m for charity so I can’t really complain!

You can still donate to the 2009 Children In Need appeal here

Later with Jools Holland, 29th September 2009

Where the magic happens

I have been trying unsuccessfully to get tickets to see a recording of Later with Jools Holland for ages – they are so heavily over subscribed that they are like gold dust. However I struck the jackpot this time round thanks to a benevolent friend who couldn’t make it.

The reason that Later is so popular is because they have the best musicians on the show. And the reason that they need the best musicians is that they broadcast live, so they need to be right on the top of their games. A quick mention for the production staff at this point, who are fantastic and manage to do such a horrifically complicated job. Each evening they film Later they are actually producing two shows – a longer pre-recorded version that goes out at the weekend, and a half hour version that is broadcast live. All the bands are on their own stages at the same time around the edge of the studio, and the cameras move from on to the other pretty much seamlessly with Jools navigating his way through the middle. It’s like playing Russian Roulette with that bit – if it goes wrong then you’re completely sunk.

Anyway, the line up while I was there was:

Shakira
Gladys Knight
The Cribs
Mika
The XX
The Duke and The King

Which I reckon is pretty good value for money. Especially as it was free.

The star of the evening had to be Gladys Knight who sounds just amazing and is actual pop royalty. I really wish I had been able to see her on tour in the UK as she is just divine. The tone of her voice is just so rich and deep, and she is really economical with it. What I mean is that she only uses it to add to the song and the emotion she projects, rather than warbling all over the place just for the hell of it like some other singers I could mention. Mariah Carey please take note.



Shakira was also good but she was the one that needed the most retakes for the pre-recorded version, although to be fair I think they were more to do with the sound than her specifically. She seemed the most rehearsed and had more dance routines and props than everyone else put together. She was also the biggest diva – we were stood next to her stage and she spent the whole time she wasn’t singing fussing about her hair or her jewellery and getting members of her (rather large) entourage to fix them for her.

Mika was, as usual, utterly fab despite a slight sound issue on the live show. Also, he had manaed to secure some of the tickets for members of his fan club, which was just so nice. It caused a huge headache for the production staff though, as they were the only ones who hadn’t taken on board the dress code (dark colours) and were standing out like sore thumbs at the front of the audience.

I was interested to her The XX as lots has been written about them (NB this was when the band was still a four piece) and they seemed ok. Maybe they are just too cool for me (very likely) but they didn’t seem that special to me. I have to say that the same applies to The Cribs – not my kind of music I have to say.

But overall a brilliant evening and an interesting insight into how they actually put a show like that together. I must try and get tickets again!

If anyone ever has any spare tickets to see Later being recorded then please drop me a line!