Review Of 'The Next Day' by David Bowie

The Next Day is David Bowie's 27th studio album. Released on 11th March 2013, it's his first album since 2003, his first number one album since 1993, and is the fastest selling album of 2013 so far.

For the past decade, David Bowie has been out of the public eye, confined to the history books by some. However David Bowie the music legend is still very much alive and well - as proven by his shock announcement of a new single ('Where Are We Now?' on 8th January) and a new album.

Number 1 album in 14 countries and top of the iTunes chart in 64 countries, The Next Day is a stunning reminder that David Bowie still remains at the forefront of music.

The album is made up of mainly rock and pop songs, some with a fast pounding pace but others with a slower pace. The whole album flows and fits together nicely, making it a pleasant and relaxing listening experience. It's well worth the decade-long wait.

This is David Bowie back to his best but still keeping up with the modern age. Musically and lyrically, every single song on the album is a triumph. He's spent a decade analyzing himself and the world his music has created, in order to bring us a long album full of short songs that explain his current mindset.

Tracklist:

• The Next Day


• Dirty Boys


• The Stars (Are Out Tonight)


• Love Is Lost


• Where Are We Now?


• Valentine's Day


• If You Can See Me


• I'd Rather Be High


• Boss Of Me


• Dancing Out In Space


• How Does The Grass Grow?


• (You Will) Set The World On Fire


• You Feel So Lonely You Could Die


• Heat

Best Tracks: 'The Next Day', 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)' and '(You Will) Set The World On Fire'

Review Of Kaiser Chiefs - The Great Hall, Exeter 23rd February 2013

I went to see the Kaiser Chiefs at The Great Hall, Exeter on 23rd February. It was their Souvenir tour, and their support bands were This Many Boyfriends and Zulu Winter.

I'd never been to The Great Hall before, but I'd definitely recommend it as a venue. It was small enough to be still quite intimate, yet large enough to not be too crowded. The doors opened at 7pm and the lobby area was very well organized.

This Many Boyfriends were the first band of the night and they did a very good job of livening up the crowd. Their songs were really fantastic, and they were clearly a band who loved performing live. They class their genre as 'Noise Pop' and I definitely agree with this! It's Pop but with a Rock sound too. As I write, I'm listening to their recorded tracks on Soundcloud. I think This Many Boyfriends have massive potential to take the music business by storm, and good luck to them!

You can get more information on This Many Boyfriends here: www.thismanyboyfriends.com

Next on stage were Zulu Winter. Their genre of music is Indie Rock and they were really great. By this point, the crowd were really rocking and having a great night. I think that Zulu Winter are more of a festival band than a venue band, but that's not a criticism! Their songs were enjoyable and got everyone ready for the Kaiser Chiefs' arrival. Zulu Winter have already achieved so much in their short time as a band, and I'm sure they'll go far!

You can get more information on Zulu Winter here: www.zuluwinter.com

The Kaiser Chiefs burst onto the stage at around 9pm with the crowd pleaser 'Thank You Very Much'. By this point, the crowd had listened to some great music and were ready to rock out with the Kaiser Chiefs. The band played for a solid hour and a half, leaving the stage only briefly before returning for an encore. As the album 'Souvenir' contains the best of singles (so far!), the whole gig was full of crowd pleasers.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I'd only seen the Kaiser Chiefs on TV before, but I really enjoyed it! Ricky Wilson's voice was faultless. He carried the crowd through the classics 'Modern Way', 'Everyday I Love You Less And Less' and 'I Predict A Riot'.

Overall, I had a really great night out. I'd definitely go to see the Kaiser Chiefs again. The gig in Exeter was sold out and I can see why! They're a really impressive band, who can perform live and even sound better than the recorded tracks! I loved the support bands too! This Many Boyfriends and Zulu Winter will definitely be on my list of bands to go to see.

Setlist:

• Thank You Very Much


• Kinda Girl You Are


• Everything Is Average Nowadays


• Little Shocks


• Like It Too Much


• Good Days Bad Days


• Everyday I Love You Less And Less


• Born To Be A Dancer


• Modern Way


• Living Underground


• Heat Dies Down


• Love's Not A Competition (But I'm Winning)


• Never Miss A Beat


• Ruby


• I Predict A Riot


• The Angry Mob

Encore:

• Saying Goodbye


• No More Heroes (The Stranglers Cover)


• Oh My God

For more information on the Kaiser Chiefs, go to: www.kaiserchiefs.com

Review Of Nickelback - Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield 7th October 2012

I went to see Nickelback at Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield on 7th October. It was their Here And Now Tour and Daughtry were the support band.

My tickets for the arena were quite close to the stage, but were the highest tier. I had a sideways view of the stage, but it was definitely a great view! With the show's lighting display and big screens, it was easy to see the band. The venue itself was fantastic - it was easy to get to in Sheffield and the merchandise stands were large and well staffed.

The crowd was a mix of younger people and older people, and similar to the concerts of Gary Numan and The Damned, the fans were clearly into the rock and metal genre. Daughtry were the support band. Their style of music was very similar to Nickelback's and they got the arena rocking in no time.

When Nickelback came onto the stage, they were welcomed with massive cheers from the whole arena. Their stage design was very simple and plain which was great as it really showed off how great the musicians are. The songs were a great mix of styles and from all different albums too.

Overall, I think this gig was fantastic! I loved every minute of it. It was a really great rock gig and was so enjoyable! Next time Nickelback tour the UK, I'll be first in line at the box office! If you want to have a great night out with awesome rock music, then Nickelback are the band to see.

Setlist:

• This Means War
• Something In Your Mouth
• Bottoms Up
• Photograph
• Far Away
• Too Bad
• Animals
• Trying Not To Love You
• Rockstar
• Someday
• Lullaby
• This Afternoon
• When We Stand Together
• Figured You Out
• How You Remind Me

Encore:

• Gotta Be Somebody
• Burn It To The Ground

For more information on Nickelback, go to: www.nickelback.com

Review Of Lady Gaga - Twickenham Stadium, London 8th September 2012

I went to see Lady Gaga at Twickenham Stadium, London on 8th September. It was her Born This Way Ball tour and her support band were The Darkness.

My tickets for the show were in the highest tier of the stadium but I had a fantastic view of the stage. I was very impressed with Twickenham Stadium, as I'd never been there before. Both entry and exit were well organized, and the whole venue had very clear signage.

Surprisingly, the crowd was a really nice mix of age groups! I'd expected lots of younger people, but instead it was a great balance of younger and older people. It was so much fun spotting those in fancy dress before the show started!

The Darkness kicked things off with a lively, heavy rock set. They're definitely a stadium band as their sound was strong and loud. They really set things up for Lady Gaga's arrival.

When Lady Gaga arrived, the party began. The whole gig was one long party. She looked stunning in her different costumes and the dance routines were really well choreographed. The whole show was very well designed so that no matter where you were in the stadium, you felt part of the concert.

The setlist was a nice mix of her Born This Way album and the crowd favourites. I really had a great night at the gig. It's not the usual kind of gig that I'd go to, but it surpassed my expectations. It was just as wacky as you'd expect from Lady Gaga but it was also enjoyable and fun!

If Lady Gaga tours in the UK again, I'd definitely recommend going!

Setlist:

• Highway Unicorn
• Government Hooker
• Born This Way
• Bad Romance
• Judas
• Fashion Of His Love
• Just Dance
• Love Game
• Telephone
• Heavy Metal Lover
• Bad Kids
• Hair
• Princess Die
• Imagine
• You And I
• Electric Chapel
• Paparazzi
• Scheibe

Encore:

• The Edge Of Glory
• Marry The Night

For more information on Lady Gaga, go to: www.ladygaga.co.uk

The Hillywood Show Interview - July 2012

The Hillywood Show's Hilly and Hannah Hindi were kind enough to take time out of their busy schedule to answer some of my questions.

The Hillywood Show is the brainchild of internet celebrities, comedy sister duo Hilly and Hannah Hindi. Each parody features satire sketches, character impersonations and song and dance numbers. Big box office films have been parodied (such as Twilight & Harry Potter), alongside TV shows (The Vampire Diaries) and celebrities (Lady Gaga).

With over 6,000,000 viewers, The Hillywood Show continues to grow!

Who/what inspired you to start making YouTube videos?

Hilly began creating videos at the age of nine. Since then, we have just continued to create videos because we love it so much.

Why did you choose to make Twilight parodies?

Fans were telling us about Twilight before the movie was even released. So we checked out the film and then decided to create Twilight Parody.

Did you expect your parodies to be as successful as they have been?

No! Never! We are shocked at the dedication of our fans and we can't thank them enough.

After the success of both your Twilight and New Moon parodies, was it an automatic decision to 'Hillywood' Eclipse and Breaking Dawn Pt.1?

Yes, of course! The Twilight fans have been there for us since day one and we felt like they deserved  more parodies.


Have you got any plans yet for a Breaking Dawn Pt.2 Parody?

We hope we can create Breaking Dawn Parody Part 2. We are keeping our fingers crossed!

How do you decide which video you're going to do next?

We just decide what we really feel like creating or what we think the fans would enjoy.

You're working on an original single, what can we expect from the music video? Will Lady Gaga make an appearance?

Get ready to get up and dance! It's going to be an upbeat and fun video! Lady Gaga will not make an appearance, but Hilly + Hannah will be themselves this time!

What projects would you like to do in the future?

We really would like to create a Lord Of The Rings Parody!

What advice do you have for people who would like to make videos like you do?

The best thing is not to copy anything on the web, online or on television! This is the key! Doing something completely different will set you apart from everyone else.

What do you enjoy most about hosting at conventions?

It's great meeting our fans! It's so nice to see them in person.

Do you have a favourite out of all of your videos/parodies?

Breaking Dawn Parody for sure!

Which characters were the most fun to play?

Hilly really enjoyed Lady Gaga and Hannah enjoyed Mrs.Lovett.

How do you manage having a job, filming videos and hosting conventions?

It's very difficult and busy but we do it for our fans :-)

Thank you very much to Hilly and Hannah Hindi of The Hillywood Show!



For more information on The Hillywood Show, go to: www.thehillywoodshow.com  

Watch the videos at: www.youtube.com/JckSparrow

Buy the merchandise at: www.thehillywoodshop.com

Questions are all my own (Leanne Wells) and responses are completely Hilly and Hannah Hindi's.

Review Of Gary Numan - The Coal Exchange, Cardiff 2nd June

I went to see Gary Numan at The Coal Exchange, Cardiff on 2nd June. It was his Machine Music 2012 Tour and his support band were The Officers.

I've liked Gary Numan's older music ('Cars', 'Are 'Friends' Electric?', 'Down In The Park' etc.) for a long time, but haven't really looked into going to see him live. This year, however, I spotted that he was doing a tour and decided to go.

When I arrived at The Coal Exchange in Cardiff, I was surprised by how intimate the venue was. It looked quite big from the outside, but inside it was a good size. The stage was just high enough from the ground so that everyone had a good view no matter where they were stood.

The crowd were a nice mixture of young and old, which was really great to see. I had a great time t-shirt spotting before the show started. It was great to see so many different people at the same gig.

The Officers kicked the night off with a good rock/metal set. They livened the crowd up so that they were ready for Gary Numan's arrival.

At around 9pm, Gary Numan came onto the stage. He looked fantastic with his jet black hair and gothic make-up.

At the start of his performance, Gary didn't really seem to connect with the crowd. However, this could have been just nerves as he interacted well and was a lot more chatty as the performance continued.

He played a mixture of his older material and his newer songs. Fan-made music videos were projected onto a screen behind Numan and his band for each song. They were really good and it was a brilliant way for Gary to thank his fans for their continued support.

All the older material that was included was slowed down and majorly rocked up. 'Cars' and 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' (the Encore) were really rocked up. They were completely alternative versions to the originals and they were just fantastic.

Gary Numan can definitely still do it live! He was stunning and I'm so glad that I went to see him! If he does a tour next year, then I'll be there and so should you!

Setlist:

• Berserker
• Metal
• The Fall
• Bombers
• Crazier
• Call Out The Dogs
• Dominion Day
• This Wreckage
• Absolution
• That's Too Bad
• In A Dark Place
• Down In The Park
• Rip
• Love Needs No Disguise
• Warriors
• I Die You Die
• We Are Glass
• Healing

Encore:

• Cars
• Are 'Friends' Electric?

For more information on Gary Numan, go to: www.numan.co.uk

Review Of Black Sabbath - 02 Academy Birmingham 19th May

I went to see Black Sabbath on the 19th May at the 02 Academy Birmingham.

When the gig was announced on Sabbath's website, I could barely believe my eyes and knew it would be a challenge to get a ticket.

Luckily, I managed to get a ticket before the gig totally sold out.

At 6pm, I joined the long queue (around the block) to wait for the doors to open. As the doors opened at 6:30pm, the queue slowly moved forward and I got my event t-shirt on the way in.

There was a lot of standing around, for a good hour and a half before Black Sabbath finally came on. There was music being played by a DJ, but most people were buying merchandise and drinks as they waited. The vibe was good, but there was a lot of tension in the air. No one seemed to know what to expect from this one off performance.

Their entrance was announced by a mix of all of their best songs in one track. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler came onto the stage with buckets of energy. They all looked very happy to be back in their hometown of Birmingham.

Ozzy sang in time and in tune, which surprised me considering how he stutters when interviewed. He was energetic and interacted well with the other band members. My favourite Ozzy moment of the night was definitely when he poured water over himself and the audience.

Tony looked healthy and relaxed as he played. He was perfectly on time, a flawless performance, as Tony is well known for. He looked very pleased when the crowd chanted 'Tony' inbetween songs. The gig was Tony's first since being diagnosed with cancer, but he showed no signs of slowing down.

Geezer played very well. He seemed to be the relaxed, calming influence on the stage as Ozzy ran around. He seemed very absorbed in the music, but was definitely enjoying the excitement of the fans.

Tommy Clufetos was such a great drummer! He's Ozzy Osbourne's current drummer and was Bill Ward's replacement. It was sad that Bill Ward didn't play with the rest of the original band, but the show definitely didn't suffer because of his absence. I doubt Bill could have done as good a job as Tommy did.

The mosh pit was constant and almost furious. The crowd jumped throughout the two hours that the band were on stage. They seemed to be expressing their love of Sabbath at the same time as expressing their anger that such an intimate and brilliant gig could only last for one night!

Overall, I think that the whole band were fantastic! The song choices were great as they were just what the crowd wanted.

If you ever get the chance to see Black Sabbath then I definitely recommend that you go, you won't regret it!

Setlist:

• Into The Void
• Under The Sun
• Snowblind
• War Pigs
• Wheels Of Confusion
• Electric Funeral
• Black Sabbath
• The Wizard
• Behind The Wall Of Sleep
• N.I.B
• Fairies Wear Boots
• Tomorrow's Dream
• Sweat Leaf
• Symptom Of The Universe
• Drum Solo
• Iron Man
• Dirty Women
• Children Of The Grave

Encore:

• Paranoid

Band Members:

• Ozzy Osbourne
• Tony Iommi
• Geezer Butler
• Tommy Clufetos

For more information on Black Sabbath, go to: http://www.blacksabbath.com/