Showing posts with label Paolo Nutini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paolo Nutini. Show all posts

Friday, 19 November 2010

TOM JONES' ALTAR STAGE INVASION FEATURING JO WHILEY'S MUM + PULP'S BEST. NEWS. EVER. + BRAINY AKALA + THE REVENGE OF D:REAM

TOM Jones set ageing pulses racing at Islington’s Union Chapel on Monday night as he headlined the first night of the magical Mencap Little Noise Sessions.

At Paolo Nutini’s gig the next night, my spies tell me Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley confessed her mum stormed the stage when the irresistible Mr Jones was playing – bear in mind the stage is an altar – these Jones fans are wild.


Here's Mr Jones with Green Green Grass of Home, his encore.
• My fave up-and-comers, quirky, Louis le Prince play cult venue The Lexington (Nov 24). If you’re looking for one new band to adopt, this is it.

• The Electric Ballroom’s got a mighty list of gigs on its way – Kele (Bloc Party) plays Friday, The Fall (Nov 23) and The Tallest Man on Earth (Nov 24).

• In case you’ve been living on another planet I’d like to point out that Pulp are reforming and headline Wireless next year – Best. News. Ever. My fave song’s Babies, what’s yours? PS 02 Academy Islington’s great club night Feeling Gloomy hosts Pulp’s Wireless launch party on Saturday – prizes, surprises and rare Pulp records played early.

• Akala’s sooo brainy and a good guy, not like those bad rappers you read about in the papers. He’s been teaching schoolkids hip-hop Shakespeare – check out his cerebral lyrical dexterity at the British Library (Nov 26).

• I’ve not been complimentary about D:Ream in the past and it seems they’re taking revenge. The checky-trousered dance act, which I hold personally responsible for the birth of Blair, (Tony, not the one-hit-wonder of Have Fun Go Mad obscurity), have managed to convince former keyboarder Brian Cox now a widely respected physicist to abandon sanity and reform – songs from new album “In Memory Of...” (I’d stop there) will be performed at 02 Academy Islington (Dec 1).

Saturday, 6 November 2010

THE FLOWERPOT'S DEMISE + LITTLE NOISE SECRETS + CHESNEY HAWKES SAY NO MORE

DESPITE management being “gutted” at shutting down, The Flowerpot’s final night on Sunday was one hell of a party. Shame Camden loses such an important venue in the year Mayor Jonathan Simpson has worked so hard to champion the borough’s musical heritage. Luckily they’re already working on a new home.


• Now’s the time to speculate on which special guests are going to pop up at the Union Chapel’s Mencap Little Noise Sessions. I’m thinking the Pet Shop Boys, who are playing the Big Noise Sessions, may just pop in on Hurts night (Nov 17). Or how about Kylie? She recently recorded a song with Hurts, is she due in the UK around then...Course I’m still hoping to see Paolo Nutini team up with Amy Winehouse. She’s played her fair share of secret gigs lately, so maybe she’ll joins our Scottish Italian darling on Nov 16.



• Atlanta soul artist Anthony David who played the Jazz Cafe last Thursday may have a brief insight into what it's like to be inside the President of the USA's mind. Apparently, he’s on Barak Obama’s iPod (a recommendation from the wife), as well as being cousins with Shawn Stockman of Boys II Men.

• My spies at the Camden Crawl launch party at the Bull and Gate last week have tipped Jon and Jehn as a defo must when planning your crawl route next year. Early bird tickets on sale now.

• Chesney Hawkes played The Luminaire last week – yes he is still going.

• The Constitution on St Pancras Way may be off the beaten track but hey, that’s where you find rough gems. Their sideline in decent gigs is a reasonably-guarded secret, see for yourself next time you're on the hunt for a good unsigned act,

Thursday, 14 October 2010

WHERE'S JOHNNY? DEPP'S STUNT DOUBLE KNOWS + LITTLE NOISE + BRAVO MOBO NOMINEES AKALA AND N-DUBS

EVER wondered what Johnny Depp’s stunt double does when not risking his life to save Hollywood’s most precious cheekbones?
Turns out Pirates of the Caribbean cast member Scott Sener is a musician. He supports Camden band Earth Prayer – fronted by Heidi Jo Hines, daughter of former Wings guitarist and Moody Blues founder member Denny Laine – at a free gig at Scars Studio, 20 Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, on Saturday.
Sener’s invited cast members so keep your eyes peeled for the genuine article – Mr Depp has been known to pop up at the odd underground gig – ask Babybird.

(Can't find a clip of Earth Prayer so here's Heidi Jo Hines on her lonesome).

 Fellow music lovers, it’s all happening. Once you’ve completed the three peaks challenge of Elton, Neil Diamond and Robert Plant at Electric Proms (Oct 28 – 30) – here’s what’s coming up.
• Regular readers will know this is my absolute fave series of gigs, Mencap Little Noise Sessions return to the Union Chapel (Nov 15 – 20) with Tom Jones, Paolo Nutini and Hurts latest headliners to be announced – my pick so far – Hurts. Be there.
• Can’t believe we’re talking about the Camden Crawl already but early bird tickets go on sale at the Bull and Gate launch gig (Oct 28) – The Chapman Family, DELS, Hook & the Twin, John & Jehn, Martyna Baker and the inevitable secret guest tba by Twitter of course!
• If you missed Tim Robbins at the Union Chapel, you can catch him supporting Paolo Nutini at the Q Awards gigs at HMV Forum (Oct 22).
Also playing are Jamiroquai (Oct 20), Chase and Status (Oct 22) and Mark Ronson & The Business INTL (+ Rose Elinor Dougal) (Oct 23).
• Bravo N-Dubz and Akala for Mobo nominations – find out if they won (Oct 20).

Sunday, 23 May 2010