Barrioke - Review

Between The Bridges, London

*****

Shaun Williamson

When “Like A Baz Out Of Hell” is a show's Meatloaf (and Baz) inspired strapline, it becomes nigh-on inexcusable for this (Jonathan) Baz not to rock up at the latest London date on this event's hectically packed tour calendar.

But what IS Barrioke? Well, many years ago the actor Shaun Williamson played Barry in the TV soap opera EastEnders. Barry was a lovable rogue who, followers of the soap will recall, met an untimely end when he was pushed off a cliff by Janine, the femme fatale and love of his life.

However, while Barry from Albert Square may be sadly mourned, in a stroke of showbiz genius Williamson has exhumed the character from the vaults, to tour these islands delivering the classiest karaoke gig imaginable. Barry...Karaoke...Barrioke...geddit???

Back in 2004 Williamson took on Meatloaf’s mantle in Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes and as he opens the current show cosplaying the legendary American singer and belting out You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth he sets the evening off to a cracking start. For 90 minutes, and to audiences that can be up to a 1,000-strong, Williamson curates and comperes an evening of perfectly selected bangers that sees game volunteers lining up to sing their favourites, while the packed beer and cocktail-fuelled throng join in. Big screens ensure that everyone knows the words, with Barrioke proving the antithesis of a traditional West End show. At a typical musical, mobile phones and singing along are strictly forbidden (and rightly so). Here it is cameras at the ready and everyone singing along all evening - bliss!

More than just your ordinary karaoke gig, Williamson and his team know how to put together a playlist that keeps the joint jumping. A quiet word from the management suggested that my choice of a Barry (Manilow, that is) ballad may be too downbeat for the evening - so I swiftly switched to my reserve party piece of Tom Jones’s Delilah. Full disclosure, it is time for Jonathan Baz to declare an interest in this gig's five-star rating, for so it was, that when my name was called, I stepped up to the stage, Williamson’s manager Adele Seager videoing my every move, and sung my heart out with passion (if not, ahem, with talent).

Barry and Baz

Bright lights, a haze machine, and with the red sparkling jacketed Barry singing alongside, what’s not to love?? Readers, I tell you, it was one of my most enjoyable evenings on London’s South Bank in very many years!

The craic at Barrioke is off the scale. Just go!

For Barrioke tour dates click here

Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways - Review

Powers Auditorium, Youngstown

*****

Bob Dylan and his well-oiled machine are touring across the Midwest, sometimes playing a different city the next night nonstop with no breaks. An impressive feat for any band but with Dylan at nearly 84, it’s a feat that is more than noteworthy.

The performance was phoneless, which saw everyone have their phones locked away in pouches, which was fantastic although next time be sure to wear a watch if you’re planning on queuing for the bar and the start time is approaching. I bailed from the queue after the 10 min warning, to leave my plus-one with the vital task of bringing the refreshments. Luckily, she arrived just as the lights went down!

As the name of the tour suggests, without much pomp and ceremony, Bob and the band took to the stage and assumed their positions, standing ovations throughout as the crowd awaited the man they came to see. No introduction necessary, nor even an acknowledgement of the audience, (This is Dylan after all, and the tour is ‘Rough and Rowdy’. If you want cuddly acknowledgment from a legend, there’s always Taylor Swifts’s ‘Era’s Tour’)  just straight into it starting with his back to the audience as he and the band played ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,’ playing guitar with the band to get started, and once warmed up, turning around to sing and play the piano.

Unsurprisingly, the show consisted mainly of songs from the Rough And Rowdy Ways album. I was expecting maybe to hear one or two at most of the old songs but was pleasantly surprised by the various inclusions, all stripped and rearranged to suit the theme of the show. At one point I turned to my plus-one saying “you know this one”. She looked blank, to which I added ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’. The song was barely recognisable both in arrangement and Bob’s delivery, but honestly I loved every minute of it! If you came expecting what was recorded all those decades ago, you’d be misguided in your hopes and simultaneously disappointed. In such a case, however, may I perhaps recommend a movie with Timothée Chalamet, or if that doesn’t suit, perhaps build a time machine! 

What one sees at this show is a legend performing on his own terms, with a group of talented musicians, playing a selection in their chosen style much in line with Dylan’s album. And if you came with any other expectations, then I guess that’s your problem. Upon reading other reviews of the tour, I noted that they predominantly fell into one of three categories:

1. Seasoned Dylan fans who know exactly what to expect and are happy to pay their money.

2. Non seasoned Dylan fans, both young and old that came with the mindset to experience the music and see a legend perform live.

3. The type of fan that would have just as well rocked up to a John Lennon Concert in the 70s expecting ‘mop tops’ and A Hard Day’s Night… To quote the man “I’ve grown up a bit since then, obviously you haven’t.”

I fall into category 2, a lifelong fan, simply grateful for the opportunity to see the legend while he’s living, and luckily for everyone, it seemed that over 90% of the Powers Auditorium fell into groups 1 or 2. When traveling up to the venue a thought occurred, and this was later confirmed during the performance: This wasn’t just a show. It was part musical performance and part exhibition, in that (given this was my first time seeing the man,) you were seeing a sort of mythical creature, in the flesh, performing in a theatre in the middle of Youngstown, Ohio.

Another one of the rearranged versions, and a personal highlight for me was that of ‘Desolation Row,’ less folksy acoustic, more stripped back and gritty & bluesy with a punchy rhythmic muted strumming, much like a locomotive driving the song along. I didn’t notice what the song was until a few lines into the first verse, such was the rearrangement but when I (and other audience members) clocked on, it sent shivers and got a roaring crowd response.

Another moment which the crowd responded with a rapturous appreciation and love, was when Bob pulled out the harmonica towards the end of the set during Every Grain Of Sand. It was a beautiful and special moment, even had a couple dancing in the outer aisle by the exit. A moving number that as it reached its conclusion and the band finished playing, saw Dylan step up to centre stage, in front of the piano briefly, to receive the standing ovation from the grateful crowd. 

He then stepped back to the back of the stage in a line with his band, momentarily under the orange glow of the purposely designed minimalistic set lights; before abruptly cutting the lights, to show a blue lighted outlined silhouette of the players with Dylan in the centre amidst a black backdrop for just a few seconds. Then blackout, and just like that it was over. The players exited the stage with the same lack of razzle-dazzle that marked their entrance. No pomp, ceremony, nor encore, yet plenty of fanfare as the crowd gave their applause.

As the well-oiled albeit rough and rowdy machine packed up after another night on the road, the evening for Dylan and his band will have been one of countless stops across America. But to the folks present, it was without question a special night of music from a legend.

Rough and rowdy? Of course (I mean at 83 what would you expect). A night and performance to remember? Most certainly! The tour is shortly to join Willie Nelson for the Outlaw Music Festival, where both legends will both be out on the road again… 

5 Stars*                

*Unless you were stupid/misguided enough to be expecting an 83-year-old to be a Timothée Chalamet-esque Bob from yesteryear, performing all the hits. In which case, you probably left disappointed. Don’t worry though, I’m sure Chalamet will be streaming soon.

Reviewed by Josh Kemp

Man In The Mirror - Review

Golders Green Hippodrome, London

****

CJ

Man In The Mirror is a highly polished tribute act created around Michael Jackson’s greatest hits. Leading the show is CJ, a man whose vocals and dance work is impeccable and who effortlessly captures Jackson’s  high tenor genius. Visually CJ is equally stunning, with his moonwalk and perfectly nuanced interpretation of Jackson’s signature dance moves, breathtaking in their poise and accuracy.

All the big songs are there with CJ brilliantly supported by his 4 piece band of  Nic Southwood, Doug Jenkinson, Lewis Wheeler and Chris Davies. Similarly the choreography is pinpoint precision with Holly Harrison (CJ’s offstage wife) having drilled her three fellow dancers Becky Holden, Harriet Johnstone and Laura Summers into an evening of gorgeous routines.

More of a gig than a stage-show, with so many of the audience being word-perfect with the King of Pop’s lyrics there’s much impromptu audience contribution that only added to the fun factor for the packed crowd in the Golders Green Hippodrome. It says something for Jackson’s body of work that the Hippodrome audience was fabulously diverse spanning the spectra of age, race and sexualities – Michael Jackson would have been proud.

The acoustics were great with the sound perfectly balanced. On a show that is built for the road, lighting will always prove a challenge and it was a small frustration that for much of the show the dancers were not lit as well as they deserved. Clever CGI projections formed the show’s backdrop – but the filmed zombies as the visual accompaniment to Thriller were repetitive and clunky. The dancers’ hijabs in the final number also offered a brief bias to the evening that slightly jarred.

Man In The Mirror is a slick interpretation of Michael Jackson with CJ delivering an outstanding turn and his company proving equally talented. If you love the music you’ll adore the show.

On tour until 2026 - details here 

The James Bond Concert Spectacular - Review

O2, London

***

A evening that was definitely for James Bond fans played for one night only on the O2’s Indigo stage.

Q The Music - a tribute orchestra dedicated to performing the Bond classics, provided a sparkling delivery of the franchise’s unforgettable melodies with Kerry Schultz and Matt Walker on vocals. Some of the singing was glorious - GoldenEye, originally performed by Tina Turner was a spectacular cover, however the take on Skyfall, with its demands to replicate Adele’s original understated complex melancholy, failed to hit the spot.

David Zaritsky compered the night with perhaps more patter than was needed and while the music may have been magnificent the O2’s decaying fabric - allowing smells from the adjoining lavatories to permeate the auditorium - detracted from what really should have been a sparkling evening and left some in the audience shaken, not stirred.

Q The Music know their tunes and with perhaps just a quantum of solace added to their programme, this evening could yet prove an all time high.

The Music of Ennio Morricone - Review

National Concert Hall, Dublin

****

Conducted by Anthony Gabriele

Anthony Gabriele and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Accomplished conductor Anthony Gabriele took to the podium of Dublin’s National Concert Hall to conduct the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in an evening of The Music of Ennio Morricone. The concert marked the first occasion that both orchestra and conductor had performed Morricone’s work and the event proved sublime.

The great scores were all acknowledged, with the Main Theme from The Untouchables getting proceedings underway, with Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly following soon after – that film’s iconic Main Theme leading into Ecstasy of Gold with an exquisite soprano contribution from Muirgen O’Mahony. The choral backdrop to the piece came from the Mornington Singers’ ensemble who had been well rehearsed by their chorus master Orla Flanagan. O’Mahony was also to shine magnificently with her vocal work in the Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in the West and in Deborah’s Theme from Once Upon a Time in America, both movies again of course directed by Leone. If there was but one small flaw in the evening, it was in the sound design supporting the choir. Sat aloft in the hall’s gallery, the 30-strong singing company sometimes needed more amplification to be heard in balance against the strong music emanating from the orchestra below them.  

Maestro Gabriele’s passion for the works that he was conducting was almost tangible. Between occasional numbers he spoke reverentially yet knowingly of Morricone’s work, referencing the quintessential quality found throughout the composer’s work, that of l’italianità. 

The first half of the evening went on to include the rarely heard theme from La Califfa, a piece that highlighted some gorgeous oboe work from James Hulme. Morricone’s only competitively-won Oscar was earned in 2016 for his score for Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight and it was that movie’s stunning L’Ultima Diligenza di Red Rock that led into the interval.

The second half of the show kicked off with the Main Theme followed by the Love Theme from Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso – allowing the orchestra’s Leader and solo violinist Mia Cooper to offer up an enchanting take on Morricone’s haunting melodies. Chi Mai from Le Professionnel (but forever associated in these isles with the BBC’s Life & Times of David Lloyd George) was to be included in the following selections, together with two of Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns, A Fistful of Dynamite and A Fistful of Dollars adding to the evening’s delight.

Two numbers from Roland Joffe’s The Mission, sparklingly introduced by Gabriele led towards the concert’s conclusion as James Hulme was again fabulous with Gabriel’s Oboe, as flautist Silvija Ščerbavičiūtė excelled in The Falls.

All credit to Gabriele, the orchestra and the singers – their performances were a marvellous tribute to the work of Ennio Morricone.

Photo credit: Chris Mason

Mandy Patinkin Live In Concert - Review

Lyric Theatre, London

*****

Mandy Patinkin

Here for a brief 8-gig London residency, Mandy Patinkin Live in Concert is a 90-minute audience with one of musical theatre’s most gifted and versatile performers.

Accompanied by the equally talented Adam Ben-David on piano, Patinkin took his audience on a whirl around the American Songbook that included a delicious detour through Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody too.

The evening’s setlist was an ingenious series of segues that saw numbers from writers including Loesser, Sondheim and Rodgers and Hammerstein fused into medleys that Patinkin’s perfectly weighted baritone delivered deliciously.

Patinkin’s interpretations and acting through song was on point throughout - not least in Marc Anthony Thompson's heartbreaking composition My Mom and a thrilling Soliloquy from Carousel. His partnership with Ben-David is clearly well grounded, the musical synergy between singer and pianist being one of complete connection and the evening's penultimate number Being Alive proving sensational.

In a gig peppered with anecdotes, Patinkin spoke in equal measure of both his glittering Broadway career and his deeply valued Jewish heritage. Nothing however could have prepared the audience for Patinkin’s encore that he introduced simply as a song with a tragic background, written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. While such a build-up may well have led the packed Lyric Theatre to not unreasonably expect Somewhere Over The Rainbow, to hear the Homeland star perform the song in Yiddish, a mournful yet brave and proud celebration of his Jewish identity, was a moment in theatre that will live forever. Unmissable.

In concert until 19th November

Photo credit: Joan Marcus

The Sweet Caroline Ultimate Tribute Event - Review

Adelphi Theatre, London

****

Gary Ryan

The Sweet Caroline Ultimate Tribute event, from the creators of Fastlove and The Magic of Motown, takes one on a musical journey that bridges generations through music and is a tribute to Neil Diamond, a man who with more than 130 million records sold worldwide, now marks the 50th anniversary of his career.

Simply staged, with only a few lighting changes during the show, Gary Ryan and his band deliver an exceptional take on a selection of Diamond’s classic numbers. The evening’s first act is mainly based on Diamond's early career and solo albums and is a fascinating trip back in time. One is transported to the 1960s and 70s with songs like "I’m A Believer", crossing through different music styles that range from country with songs like "Cracklin' Rosie" to reggae with songs like "Red Red Wine". Throughout, Ryan shares personal anecdotes about his relationship with Neil Diamond's music.

The show however lacks a little structure and occasionally the performances seemed flat. Perhaps if the evening's visual components were enhanced - maybe some well imagined projections - it may add to a greater audience connection?

The music though is flawless. The second half proving a treat with Diamond’s classics including "Forever in Blue Jeans" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," before concluding with "Sweet Caroline" and "I Am... I Said" the perfect way to wrap up the performance.

Reviewed by Ana Gonzalez

Ennio Morricone The Official Concert Celebration - Recensione

O2 Arena, Londra

 

*****

Diretto da Andrea Morricone

Curato da Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone

È raro che l'imponente O2 Arena di Londra ospiti una serata intima. Ma così è stato il mese scorso quando The Official Concert Celebration dell'opera di Ennio Morricone é arrivato all’arena per un unica serata completamente sold out. Per chi scrive, il concerto ha avuto un'intensità particolare poiché nel 2019 avevo intervistato il leggendario compositore nella sua casa romana. Sotto la direzione del figlio di Morricone, Andrea, una selezione di estratti da alcune tra le oltre 500 partiture che il Maestro ha scritto è stata eseguita dalla Flanders Philharmonic Orchestra, con il programma in gran parte ideato e curato dallo stesso Morricone prima della sua triste scomparsa nel luglio 2020.

L'intimità della serata si è definita attraverso una serie di canali: in primo luogo, la musica stessa, con Andrea che ha offerto una conoscenza profonda e impeccabile del lavoro di suo padre. Compositore lui stesso, era chiaro mentre le varie colonne sonore riempivano la serata, che Andrea era immerso nella musica di suo padre.

Andrea Morricone

In secondo luogo, le clip dei film proiettati sopra l'orchestra. Per chi ha familiarità con il lavoro di Morricone, è sempre una gioia speciale rivisitare un vecchio classico. I film sono pietre miliari culturali, ciascuno bloccato nell'era della sua uscita individuale, senza età e congelato nel tempo mentre noi, il pubblico, viaggiamo attraverso la nostra mortalità. E quindi, sia che si guardi l'estratto dal relativamente recente “The Hateful Eight” di Quentin Tarantino, vincitore dell'Oscar, o gli estratti molto più maturi tratti dalla filmografia di Sergio Leone, ogni clip avrà innescato ricordi e ricordi unici e personali in tutto il pubblico.

Il terzo aspetto intimo della serata è derivato dai contributi filmati che sono stati riprodotti tra i pezzi. Da alcune riflessioni rivelatrici e a volte auto ironiche dello stesso Morricone, fino ai contributi di alcuni dei grandi registi ancora in vita per i quali ha composto. I commenti fatti sono stati calorosi, rispettosi e così profondamente pieni di amore e ammirazione per un uomo la cui carriera è durata 60 anni. Giuseppe Tornatore, Tarantino e Roland Joffé hanno tutti parlato con riverenza dello stile e del talento di Morricone. Ma è stato probabilmente Jeremy Irons, una delle star di The Mission di Joffè, a parlare in modo più franco, descrivendo le colonne sonore di Morricone come aventi un effetto edificante sui film sottostanti, che si collocano accanto a Shakespeare per il loro posto nel pantheon della grande arte. 

E poi, ovviamente, c'era il programma della serata. Aprendo con estratti da Gli intoccabili, è stato subito ricordato il genio di Morricone nello scrivere melodie squisite che potevano accompagnare la violenza più brutale sullo schermo. Robert De Niro nel ruolo di protagonista è passato da Gli intoccabili a C'era una volta in America, dove il tema di Deborah e il tema principale sono stati accompagnati da una potente serie di clip del film. A seguire, The Legend Of 1900, il primo dei cenni della serata al regista Tornatore.

Un estratto dell'intervista con il Maestro lo ha visto parlare del suo approccio strutturale alla composizione, che collega musicalmente partiture diverse come The Sicilian Clan e Metti Una Sera a Cena, la seconda con alcuni deliziosi assolo al basso di Nanni Civitenga.

Nanni Civitenga

Dopodichè Il lavoro di Sergio Leone è tornato protagonista fino all'intervallo con un affascinante spiegazione filmata di Ennio Morricone del suo semplice uso di tre note per l'armonica, che ha introdotto “L’uomo dell’Armonica” da C'era una volta il West, malinconicamente e magnificamente eseguita di Daan Wilms all'armonica solista. Quel film, insieme a Il buono, il brutto e il cattivo, ha stuzzicato il pubblico prima dell'intervallo, con il soprano straordinariamente struggente Vittoriana De Amicis che è salita sul palco per Jills Theme, prima di concludere il primo tempo con un'“L’Estasi dell'oro" veramente estatica.

Vittoriana De Amicis

L'orchestra è tornata a suonare l'omaggio di Andrea Morricone a suo padre, Theme For Ennio, che con un Hauser pre-registrato al violoncello è stato un magnifico omaggio al lavoro di suo padre. Poi alcune parole filmate di Tarantino e si è passati direttamente a The Last Stagecoach To Red Rock da The Hateful Eight, un brano musicale quasi sinfonico nella sua lunghezza e bellezza. Davvero non li scrivono più così!

Ciò che è stato particolarmente toccante nei filmati riprodotti durante la riproduzione di questa melodia, è stata l'inclusione del filmato del Maestro stesso che dirige la colonna sonora negli studi di Abbey Road di Londra. A vederlo sullo schermo, bacchetta in mano, era come se non fosse mai morto.

Leandro Piccioni e Hauser

A seguire Cinema Paradiso - dove il toccante tema d'amore del film era stato scritto da Andrea - e Chi Mai. Quest'ultimo occupa un posto speciale nel cuore degli inglesi dai tempi in cui la BBC era ancora in grado di produrre un buon dramma e nel 1981 acquistò la melodia (originariamente scritto per il film di Jerzy Kawalerowicz Maddalena) come tema per The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George. In questa forma raggiunse poi il numero 2 della UK Singles Chart.

Ci sono altri solisti che meritano di essere menzionati per il loro contributo a questa serata. Il primo violino Anna Buevich, che è stata meravigliosa durante tutto il concerto ed in particolare durante i suoi “a solo” nel "La Classe Operaia Va in Paradiso”. Leandro Piccioni al pianoforte, Rocco Zifarelli è stato magnifico alla chitarra, mentre Massimo D'Agostino è stato un tour de force di energia alla batteria. Un cenno anche al direttore del coro del tour Stefano Cucci che per questo concerto londinese dirigeva il Crouch End Festival Chorus, un ensemble locale che ha fatto un lavoro di prima classe nel fornire il supporto vocale necessario ai pezzi del Maestro.

Rocco Zifarelli

Un'intervista filmata con Roland Joffe ha segnalato che The Mission sarebbe stato il prossimo brano, con l'ennesima apparizione di De Niro sopra l'orchestra. L'oboe di Gabriel è stato squisito come sempre, con The Falls e poi On Earth As It Is In Heaven che hanno fatto venire la pelle d’oca al pubblico dell'arena.

L'incantevole Miss De Amicis è tornata per uno scoppiettante bis di Ecstasy Of Gold e mentre la folla chiedeva di più, Andrea ha alzato la bacchetta per l'ultima volta, per riprendere On Earth As It Is In Heaven, solo che questa volta era suonato mentre un montaggio di immagini del Maestro da neonato a novantenne, riempiva lo schermo. Raramente un brano musicale è stato intitolato in modo così appropriato per il momento, e in tutto l'O2 lacrime sono state versate per la bellezza e il genio della musica di Ennio Morricone.

Con sincera gratitudine a Nanni Civitenga per la traduzion

Clicca qui per leggere la mia intervista del 2019 ad Ennio Morricone.

Attualmente in Tour in Europa

Photo: Hanout Photography

Handel's Messiah The Live Experience - Review

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London

*

The production's dancers, orchestra, choir and projection

He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy. 

Or to be specific Gregory Batsleer the Artistic Director of Classical Everywhere and conductor of tonight’s Messiah is a very naughty boy. He has taken Handel’s work, a piece of exquisite beauty that to be fair is performed by his musicians to a fabulous standard and wrapped it in the mediocrity of migraine-inducing projections and pretentious dance and poetic add-ones.

The English Chamber Orchestra and London Symphony Chorus, together with the evening’s four soloists are all magnificent and beyond criticism. However, in a ridiculously self-indulgent programme note, Batsleer takes it upon himself to make classical music respond “to the times in which we live”. If this production is an interpretation of making music respond to the present day then Batsleer needs to take a long hard look at himself.

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane may be a work of architectural magnificence, and after Andrew Lloyd-Webbers magnificent refurbishment, a comfortable venue too, but its acoustics do not lend themselves to major choral presentations. And quite why Martina Laird and Arthur Darvill were rolled out, complete with Mad Max costumes, to spout obscure blank verse that they hadn’t even been able to memorise (unlike the magnificent soloists) is a modern Mystery tale,

And then there was Tom Jackson Greaves’ choreography, funnelled into a narrow gap between the on-stage orchestra and Drury Lane’s pit. The movement was clearly precisely rehearsed and delivered by talented dancers, but it bore no apparent relevance to Messiah and together with the ghastly projections, served not to complement but to distract from Handel’s genius.

The evening’s musical money-shot was duly delivered with aplomb, as half of the audience rose (almost akin to a pantomime singalong slot) as the other half scratched their heads in bewilderment, to salute the famed Hallelujah Chorus.

This production sees one of the canon’s most magnificent works reduced to a pound-shop opera. A Christmas turkey.

Ennio Morricone - The Official Concert Celebration - Review

O2, London

*****

Conducted by Andrea Morricone

Curated by Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone

It is rare that London’s massive O2 Arena hosts an evening of intimacy. But so it was last month when The Official Concert Celebration of the work of Ennio Morricone played for one night to a full house. For this writer, the evening held a particular poignancy as in 2019 I had interviewed the legendary composer at his home in Rome. Under the baton of Morricone’s son Andrea, a selection of extracts from just a few of the 500+ scores that the Maestro had penned were played by the Flanders Philharmonic Orchestra, the programme having been largely devised and curated by Morricone himself prior to his sad passing in July 2020.

The evening’s intimacy came via a number of channels: Firstly, the music itself, with Andrea offering a profound and flawless understanding of his father’s work. A composer himself, it was clear as the various soundtracks filled the evening, that Andrea was immersed in his father’s music. 

Andrea Morricone

Secondly – the clips of the movies that were screened above the orchestra. For those familiar with Morricone’s work, it is always a special joy to revisit an old favourite. Films are cultural milestones, each locked into the] era of its individual release, ageless and frozen in time while we the audience journey through our mortality. And so whether one watched the extract from Quentin Tarantino’s relatively recent Oscar winner The Hateful Eight, or the far more mature extracts taken from Sergio Leone’s filmography, each and every clip will have triggered unique and personal memories and recollections across the audience.

The third aspect of intimacy came from the filmed contributions that were played between the pieces. Ranging from some revealing, and at times self-deprecating reflections from Morricone himself, through to contributions from some of the great directors who are still alive for whom he composed. The comments made were warm, respectful and so deeply full of love and admiration for a man whose career spanned 60 years. Guiseppe Tornatore, Tarantino and Roland Joffe all spoke with a revered insight into Morricone’s style and flair. But it was probably Jeremy Irons, one of the stars of Joffe’s The Mission, who spoke most frankly when describing Morricone’s scores as having an  uplifting effect on the underlying movies, that rank alongside Shakespeare for their place in the pantheon of great art.

And then, of course, there was the evening’s programme. Opening with extracts from The Untouchables, one was immediately reminded of Morricone’s genius in writing exquisite melodies that could accompany the most brutal on-screen violence. Robert De Niro in a starring role segued from The Untouchables to Once Upon A Time In America, where Deborah’s Theme and the Main Theme played to a powerful string of clips from the movie. Up next was The Legend Of 1900, the first of the evening’s nods to director Tornatore.

An interview extract with the Maestro saw him speaking of his structural approach to composition, that musically links scores as diverse as The Sicilian Clan and Metti Una Sera A Cena, the former featuring some delicious solo work on bass guitar from Nanni Civitenga.

Nanni Civitenga

The work of Sergio Leone returned in the lead up to the interval with a fascinating filmed explanation from Ennio Morricone of his simple use of three notes for the harmonica, which naturally led into Harmonica from Once Upon A Time In The West, mournfully and beautifully delivered by Daan Wilms on solo harmonica. That movie, together with The Good,The Bad and The Ugly teased the audience in the run up to the interval, with the stunningly heartbreaking soprano Vittoriana De Amicis taking the stage for Jills Theme, before wrapping up the first half with a truly ecstatic Ecstasy Of Gold.

Vittoriana De Amicis

The orchestra returned to play Andrea Morricone’s tribute to his dad, Theme For Ennio, which with a prerecorded Hauser on cello was a magnificent tribute to his father’s work. Then a few filmed words from Tarantino and we were straight into The Last Stagecoach To Red Rock from The Hateful Eight, a piece of music almost symphonic in its length and beauty. They truly don’t write ‘em like that any more!

What was particularly touching about the film clips played while this tune played out, was the inclusion of film of the Maestro himself conducting the score at London’s Abbey Road studios. To see him on screen, baton in hand, was as if he had never died. 

Leandro Piccioni with Hauser on screen

Cinema Paradiso – where the film’s touching Love Theme had been penned by Andrea – and Chi Mai were up next, with the latter holding a special place in British hearts from back in the day when the BBC made good drama and in 1981 bought the tune (originally penned for Jerzy Kawalerowicz’s movie Maddalena) as the theme for The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George, where it then went on to reach No.2 on the UK Singles Chart.

There are other soloists who demand a mention for their contribution to the evening. Leader of the strings Anna Buevich was outstanding throughout, particularly in her solo work during The Working Class Goes To Heaven. Leandro Piccioni on piano, Rocco Zifarelli was magnificent on guitar, while Massimo D’Agostino was a tour-de force of energy on drums. A nod too to the tour’s choir conductor Stefano Cucci who for this London gig was conducting the Crouch End Festival Chorus, a local ensemble who have first-class form in providing the Maestro’s vocal backing.

Rocco Ziffarelli

A filmed interview with Roland Joffe signalled that The Mission was up next, with yet another appearance from De Niro above the orchestra. Gabriel’s Oboe was as exquisite as ever, with The Falls and then On Earth As It Is In Heaven tingling spines across the arena.

The enchanting Miss De Amicis returned for a cracking encore of the Ecstasy Of Gold and as the crowd called out for more, Andrea lifted his baton for the final time, to reprise On Earth As It Is In Heaven, only this time played as a montage of the Maestro, from baby to nonagenarian, filled the screen. Rarely has a piece of music been so aptly titled for the moment, as throughout the O2 tears were shed at the beauty and the genius of the music of Ennio Morricone.

Click here to read my 2019 interview with Ennio Morricone

Currently touring across Europe

Photo credit: Hanout Photography

Tubular Bells 50th Anniversary - Review

Royal Albert Hall, London

****

For one night only and under the baton of Simon Dobson, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra marked the 50th anniversary of the release of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells. In some ways any orchestral performance of Oldfield’s groundbreaking album will always be ersatz, as back in the 1970s it was the composer himself who played every instrument in the work layering the recording together over weeks, track by track. When one considers that this was in pre-digital times, with Oldfield only having access to multi-track analogue recording equipment, this makes his original album all the more remarkable. Dobson however is a gifted musician with an intimate understanding of Oldfield’s work. His arrangements of the two Tubular Bells pieces, together with a collection of Oldfield’s other lesser-known recordings, make for an evening of fine music.

The concert initially comprises the first parts of both the Ommadawn and the Hergest Ridge albums with the music and perfectly hazed lighting plots creating an atmosphere of wonderfully mellifluous melody. Moonlight Shadow, Oldfield’s chart-topping single concludes the pre-interval proceedings with Ella Shaw powerfully delivering the vocal honours.

The second half kicks off with the hallmark opening bars of Tubular Bells, the 15/8 time melody that was to define not only The Exorcist's score but also lay the foundations of Richard Branson’s Virgin Records fortune. The RPCO are augmented by featured soloists throughout the performance, with Pete Callard’s Lead Guitar work particularly stunning through many of Tubular Bells’ challenging riffs.

Tubular Bells of course requires a charismatic Master of Ceremonies. Oldfield’s original MC, Vivian Stanshall set the bar high (it was Stanshall’s distinct pronunciation of “tubular bells” that prompted Oldfield to name the album thus) and there are few finer voices than that of Brian Blessed to provide the wry bombast that the role demands. Proud of his 86 years, Blessed bestrides the stage like a colossus through Part One of Tubular Bells, with his Caveman in  Part Two proving an equal delight.

If there is one criticism of the gig it is of the video projections that are (sometimes dimly) shone onto a screen above the orchestra. Ranging in style from what looks like a Lloyds Bank black horse advert through to what could be a Microsoft screensaver based on the Tubular Bells 50 logo, the imagery is tacky. The Royal Albert Hall is one of London’s grandest venues and while the players magnificently fill the space with their music, the video work proves to be an uninspiring detraction, dwarfed by the hall’s imposing grandeur. If projections are to be used going forward they should be grander and LED based or not used at all. A waggish suggestion, overheard on leaving the venue, was that maybe scenes from The Exorcist could be shown!

 

The whole affair is wrapped up with Dobson’s energetic arrangement of the Hornpipe – sending the audience out into an autumnal Kensington with feet tapping, hands clapping and grinning at the evening's wave of nostalgia that has flooded over them.

Ray Gelato and his Giants - Review

Pizza Express, Dean Street, London

****

A packed Dean Street Pizza Express enjoyed Ray Gelato and his Giants perform a two-hour set that criss-crossed the Atlantic with its content in a glorious celebration of the power of music to entertain. An old-school bandleader, Gelato led from the front switching effortlessly between vocals and sax throughout the gig with his six fellow musicians (three on wind, a bass, piano-player and drums) delivering classy support.

The energy fizzed from the moment Gelato opened proceedings with a speeded up When You’re Smiling. Up tempo and uplifting, feet tapped and faces grinned as the band delivered immaculately rehearsed takes on American Songbook classics that ranged from Louis Jourdan to the Rat Pack. Memorable moments from the evening included Gelato’s saxophone take on Sinatra’s Angel Eyes and his outstanding lead in Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Elsewhere, drummer Ed Richardson’s sensational three-minute (!) riff in Nat King Cole’s L-O-V-E had to be seen to be believed.

A witty songwriter himself, it was a joy to hear Gelato’s self-penned gems Bar Italia and My Last Meatball played live - maybe next time he’ll treat us to some gangsta with Who Stole Ronnie’s Pickle?

This is London music as it should be. On for two more sold-out evenings, but well worth trying for returns.

Performing until 14th June

Philharmonia At The Movies - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial - Review

Royal Festival Hall, London

*****

Composed by John Williams

Conducted by Anthony Gabriele

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg’s genius in narrating a story through film, is unsurpassed. His envisioning of a plot’s evolution told through either grand scenic presentations or just the subtlest glance of a protagonist, holds us spellbound. And no more so is Spielberg’s craft evident than in his 1982 blockbuster E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, that told of an alien creature (E.T.) left behind in California when its spaceship had to hurriedly flee Earth to avoid capture, the movie then exploring the bond that evolved between E.T. and the young boy Elliott who found and befriended the creature.

The story is genius in itself – in a concept first explored by Spielberg in the 1977 movie Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, his aliens are friendly. They come in peace, with the theme of the 1982 picture being a child’s and E.T.’s innocent love for each other. And so, with a combination of stunning performances, ingenious special effects – all the more so when one recalls that this was before the time of today’s ubiquitous CGI -  and gorgeous photography, Spielberg’s story was told.

But there was a further component, critical to the hallmarking of this movie as worthy of the pantheon and that was its score. And in Spielberg’s wonderfully well-established partnership with composer John Williams, so was a symphonic accompaniment achieved that not only enhanced the arc of the story, it served to tell parts of the story too such is Williams’ talent.

Last week, under the baton of Anthony Gabriele and for one night only, London’s Philharmonia Orchestra played William’s score live alongside the movie being screened. Gabriele is a master of synchronising an orchestra’s live performance to the unforgiving fixed demands of a movie screening and his coaxing the aural beauty of the Philharmonia’s talent, opened up new layers of nuance to this wonderful fable.

No plot discussions here – most people know the tale, how it develops and how it ends. But when one recalls the movie’s unforgettable scene of Elliott, with E.T. in his bicycle basket, flying (cycling) in silhouette past the moon – an image that now defines Spielberg’s own production company Amblin Entertainment – it is Williams’ Flying theme that we hear. And to hear that glorious melody played live as Elliott dreamily pedals across the screen is just exquisite.

The Philharmonia are of course world-class, and their delivery of William’s score was flawless. To name individual performers is invidious – they are all masters (and indeed many are Professors of their chosen instrument) but amidst such a plethora of perfection, to be able to glance down from the screen and observe harpist Heidi Krutzen adding to the film’s gorgeous sensitivities or in contrast Antoine Siguré’s menacing work on the timpani was sublime. And of course, during Flying, it was Zsolt-Tihamer Visontay and Emily Davis whose violin sections were chiefly responsible for making the audience’s spirits soar.

This combination of a classic film, projected over the heads of the players and instruments of one of the finest orchestras around and all helmed under Gabriele’s masterful baton, created an evening that that was simply out of this world!

Lucie Jones Live at The Adelphi - Review

Adelphi Theatre, London

****

Lucie Jones

Having captured the public’s attention back in 2009’s X Factor series, Lucie Jones this week played her first solo gig (with guests), impressively packing out London’s Adelphi Theatre.

That same stage has seen Jones play the title role in Waitress for the past 7 months and in a sassy touch the singer opened her set with that show’s well-known "sugar, butter, flour" motif from What’s Inside, segueing into a powerful performance of Funny Girl’s Don’t Rain on My Parade’. A bold choice of an opening number with an even bolder lyric tinkering to “Hey The Adelphi, here I am” receiving a rousing cheer from the adoring crowd. 

Throughout the evening the audience were treated to various anecdotal moments from Jones’ early life and career, highlighting her down to earth nature. Her natural charisma and warmth giving an almost cabaret-style intimacy to the vast venue. 

Providing the musical accompaniment was Freddie Tapner’s 22 piece London Musical Theatre Orchestra. Jones and Tapner have worked together on numerous occasions, their synergy and tightness evident from start to finish. 

In occasional support were John Owen-Jones and Marisha Wallace, the latter having played Waitress’ supporting role of Becky alongside Jones’ Jenna. Rent’s female duet Take Me Or Leave Me was performed with all the tricks, flicks and flair that you would expect from these two West End leading ladies. Equally impressive was a beautiful rendition of ‘The Prayer’ sung alongside Owen-Jones, with these two Welsh singers demonstrating a beautiful handling of the Italian lyrics with soaring melodies and pitch-perfect harmonies sung so tenderly one could have heard a pin drop.

Other stand-out songs were Gimme Gimme from Thoroughly Modern Millie, Lucie’s original song from her 2017 Eurovision entry I Will Never Give Up On You and Into The Unknown from Frozen 2. It is just a shame that the gig was for one-night only as Jones will have no trouble filling out the Adelphi again!

Reviewed by Sophie Kale

Maria Friedman: From The Heart - Review

Queen Elizabeth Hall, London


***

Maria Friedman

Maria Friedman’s new one woman show is titled From The Heart and thank heavens for that, as during this evening’s gig at a packed Queen Elizabeth Hall it appeared that her songs were emanating from anywhere but her usually sensational voice. 

One of the most gifted musical theatre performers of her generation, Friedman battled a singing problem throughout the evening and while her acting through song was flawless, her vocals were scratched and strained. If ever there was a night for stepping back from the microphone, this was it, With a set list including numbers as massive as Sondheim's Being Alive, Losing My Mind, Send In The Clowns and even The Beach Boys’ God Only Knows, there was nowhere to hide her fractured pipes.

To be fair, there were occasional moments of sublime talent. Theo Jamieson’s piano accompaniment was perfect throughout and in a recent nod to her Golde in Fiddler On The Roof, Darius Luke Thompson, that show’s eponymous fiddler, popped up for a virtuoso violin take on the show’s key melodies that was breathtaking in its genius.

As an encore, Friedman reprised her comic take on West Side Story’s Officer Krupke, a number that this blog last reviewed at her Pheasantry cabaret some 6 years ago. Back then she was brilliant and hilarious - here, the shtick was clumsy. 

We all know Friedman is way better than tonight’s performance - Fane Productions should ensure that she is well rested before the show is aired again.

Photo credit: Danny Kaan