<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
   <title>Seatwave HQ</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/" />
   <link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/atom.xml" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://2</id>
   <updated>2008-05-11T15:11:07Z</updated>
   <subtitle>Reviews and news from the event-obsessed Seatwave mob. </subtitle>
   <generator uri="http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/">Movable Type 3.36</generator>

<entry>
   <title>Jonathan Richman at Shepherds Bush Empire 9th May review</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200805/jonathan_richman_at_shepherds.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://2.2598</id>
   
   <published>2008-05-11T15:00:39Z</published>
   <updated>2008-05-11T15:11:07Z</updated>
   
   <summary>So last friday saw Jonathan Richman hit London after an absense of god knows how long. Now I&apos;d call my self a casual fan - not a huge one but into his big hits from his Berkeley days so went...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[So last friday saw Jonathan Richman hit London after an absense of god knows how long. Now I'd call my self a casual fan - not a huge one but into his big hits from his Berkeley days so went to gig expecting a bright and breezy evening of fun and uplifting Richman entertainment.

Whilst the performance was loads of fun - he's someone that you HAVE to see live - an entertainer quite like no other - man - those dance moves!!! - bit like the maccarena meets mad lizzy - certainly unique!

he started bang on time so we missed the first ten minutes and had to squeeze ourselves into a backed top level of the bush - Richman packs a crowd- London showed out in force for this one...

As the show went on it became clear he wouldnt be doing any of his hits - which was a shame.. but perhaps somes up the Richman state of mind these days...He belted out "lesbian bar" which went down well (with moves of course..) but the other slightly recognisable hits where covered in French or Spanish....odd..

<img alt="n752730561_2913930_7378.jpg" src="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/n752730561_2913930_7378.jpg" width="300" height="250" />


The show seems to end before it really got going, think the audience got just over an hour but I guess they can be grateful for a begrudging encore - of which he did the song he had just sung again - hmf!!!

All in all great fun and an incredible entertainer - but come on - woudl giving the fans what they really wanted have been so tough?

]]>
      
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>chris rock @ hammersmith apollo 10th jan</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200801/chris_rock_hammersmith_apollo.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://2.2161</id>
   
   <published>2008-01-12T14:17:02Z</published>
   <updated>2008-02-25T17:20:03Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Had the pleasure of seeing a real master of his craft. Chris Rock on his second date of his sold out UK tour. Unbelievable to think that someone of his stature hadnt toured in the UK before, but this was...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Comedy" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[Had the pleasure of seeing a real master of his craft. Chris Rock on his second date of his sold out UK tour. Unbelievable to think that someone of his stature hadnt toured in the UK before, but this was his first trip over the pond.

The Hammersmith apollo was a good choice of venue and it was packed, so packed people with circle seats chose to stand in the back of the stalls and get closer to the Rock.

We bailed on the support and entered a few minutes before he was due to come on. With little pomp he strolled on and then just started his routine... 

He's an incredible talent and you get the feel that hes just telling jokes to a room full of his pals and he could have gone all night.

His subject matter was as you'd expect, politics, race, interacial relationships, sex, sports, the UK, the US, Bush etc  - no one was safe!

He has a nack of timing and story telling thats probably un paralled and is one of the only comics that I'd make the effort and pay top money to see.

Standup comedy isnt really my thing, being sat next to people that laugh at EVERYTHING with no quality control filter can be annoying... and i must admit when it went past an hour i was ready to leave but i cant take anything away from the Rock - you should really take the chance to check him out whilst hes here.

An excellent show and a true all time great.

Go see Chris Rock today!

Fancy seeing Chris Rock on the continent  - find cheap ferry tickets at <a href="http://www.ferrycheap.com">ferrycheap.com</a>]]>
      
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>Arsenal v West Ham</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200801/arsenal_v_west_ham.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://2.2141</id>
   
   <published>2008-01-08T12:36:05Z</published>
   <updated>2008-02-08T11:59:54Z</updated>
   
   <summary> Review by Bob Meijer A Football match on new year’s day, now that’s a first for me. I was lucky enough to get some decent tickets to go and see Arsenal play West Ham United at the Emirates- the...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Sports" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   <category term="669" label="Arsenal" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="668" label="Football" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="49" label="review" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="1520" label="West Ham" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="Arsenal_bob.jpg" src="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/Arsenal_bob.jpg" width="425" height="119" />

<strong>Review by Bob Meijer</strong>

A Football match on new year’s day, now that’s a first for me. I was lucky enough to get some decent tickets to go and see Arsenal play West Ham United at the Emirates- the day after.. I was worried that the alcohol remained in my blood stream might cause a bit of glitch in getting there in time for kick-off but fortunately I was able to get up just in time for the rough journey on the (strangely quiet) tube to the Emirates. 

It was such good timing, and my mate is a massive football nut from Amsterdam, and I hadn’t really had a chance to go and see an Arsenal match with him before. When I presented him with a ticket to go and see the best playing team in England on new year’s day, his hung-over face turned into what seemed a kid on Christmas Eve. 

We arrived just in time for the kick-off, managed to get a drink (coke.. ugh) and sat down. Now these were seats, right in the middle of the pitch, so we had a perfect view on Cesc and Emmanuel, who were without a doubt the best ones on the pitch. Being Dutch as we are we were hoping for van Persie to make an appearance but we also knew was injured, we settled for these lot. And van Persie was hardly missed, to be fair, West Ham probably crossed the midfield three or four times, and were actually quite effective. Nevertheless the second minute goal by Eduardo depressed West Ham and Adebayor’s odd goal half way through the match blew all hopes. 

We left 5 minutes before the end, as we’re used in the Amsterdam Arena, to beat traffic, but we weren’t the only ones. My mate had to catch his flight back to Amsterdam soon and I was home within 15 minutes, and he made his plane in time too. 

Brilliant hung-over day at the Emirates, timing was perfect, we won and are back on top of the league. What a new year’s day!    



<strong><a href="http://www.seatwave.com/football-tickets/category">Buy your Football tickets now!</a></strong>

Find out more about football here at <a href="http://www.fans-zone.co.uk">fans zone</a>

get the latest football odds with football data - <a href="http://www.football-data.co.uk/">click here</a> 

Want some golf news as well then check out <a href="http://www.golf-finder.net/">golf finder</a>: ]]>
      
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>REVIEW: High School Musical on Ice</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200801/disneys_high_school_musical_on.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://2.2126</id>
   
   <published>2008-01-02T14:41:15Z</published>
   <updated>2008-01-02T14:43:01Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Disney&apos;s High School Musical On Ice O2 Arena 27th December 2007 Review by Joe Cohen After reviewing Zeppelin, Prince and Cold War Kids in 2007 I finally show my true colours. As a Christmas present for my daughters I nabbed...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Theatre" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   <category term="1503" label="High School Musical on Ice" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="disneys-high-school-musical---the-ice-tour_001183_MainPicture.jpg" src="http://theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com/img/disneys-high-school-musical---the-ice-tour_001183_MainPicture.jpg" width="200" height="165" /><strong><a href="http://www.seatwave.com/disneys-high-school-musical--the-ice-tour-tickets/season">Disney's High School Musical On Ice </a>
O2 Arena 
27th December 2007</strong>

<strong>Review by Joe Cohen</strong>

After reviewing Zeppelin, Prince and Cold War Kids in 2007 I finally show my true colours.
 
As a Christmas present for my daughters I nabbed three tickets for High School Musical on Ice (Second row of the floor, thanks Seatwave).  We made our way out to North Greenwich, tube is by far the best way from anywhere, for the 11am performance during the in-between days.  After some brief confusion about where the seats actually were (the configuration was actually ON the ice so the staff wasn’t totally sure at first) and a debate on whether this would be HSM I or HSM II, we got settled into our seats for the show.
]]>
      <![CDATA[The performance started right on time and from the first second it was clear this was a top-notch, highly-produced performance.  I can barely skate at all so to watch others sing, dance, play basketball, jump, debate and gush while skating is a truly humbling experience.  And these performers do it well.  Well choreographed dancing combined with the songs everyone under 17 knew by heart is just the trick to shake off the post Christmas blues.  I have to hand it to the producers who re-create every musical number in the shows minus any dialogue and in this way the pace is F1 fast.  Set one 45 minutes, intermission 20 minutes, set two 45 minutes…done.  A parent’s dream.

The girls were enraptured the entire time, bet settled as HSM I was act one and HSM II was set two, and didn’t even mind that it took me 25 minutes to get drinks and nachos.  The only negative comment I can make is that the O2 staff closed 70% of the concession stands so getting anything was a total disaster.   

Having now been to Lazy Town, Bear and the Big Blue House and The Gruffalo in the past twelve months I highly recommend HSMoI to any parents who are required to provide live entertainment to augment the regular TV schedule.

<a href="http://www.seatwave.com/disneys-high-school-musical--the-ice-tour-tickets/season">See Disney's High School Musical On Ice.</a>
]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>Arsenal vs Chelsea @ Emirates Dec 16th</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200712/arsenal_vs_chelsea_emirates_de.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.2102</id>
   
   <published>2007-12-16T22:16:50Z</published>
   <updated>2008-04-10T10:05:46Z</updated>
   
   <summary>This Sunday saw Chelsea rolling into Islington to take on the Gooners. On paper, it looked like a draw and I went expecting just that. As a &quot;neutral&quot; - hate them both, it was good to see Cesc back in...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Sports" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[This Sunday saw Chelsea rolling into Islington to take on the Gooners. On paper, it looked like a draw and I went expecting just that.

As a "neutral" - hate them both, it was good to see Cesc back in the line up and Van Persie on the bench so I expected a good competitive match.

The first half was dull at best, both teams nulified each other and it was dull (and freezing!) stuff.  Before kick off they had run out of pies (cant u believe that??) so we snuck out 5 mins before half time so unfortunately missed the only goal of the game. An unusual Petr Cech error led to a William Gallas goal from a corner.

It was the first time I'd seen Shevchenko aka Sh*tchenko live and man was he bad... he missed a sitter and cart horsed around for the whole game, havent seen a performance up front (one sweet free kick apart) since Andy Booth had his loan spell at Spurs back in the late nineties.

Arsenal should have scored more, but in the end they deserved the win. 

Ashley Cole got the treatment and it was good to hear some noise from the usually quiet gunner fans.

A fun freezing match, few more goals would have been nice but great to be there.

Fancy your sports a little different?

Get <a href="http://www.shortporch.com/baseball_tickets.asp">Baseball Tickets</a> on ShortPorch.com com, your source for purchasing Major League Baseball Tickets at low rates

Looking for a hotel when going out in london - click <a href="http://www.cornthiahotels.com/">here</a>]]>
      
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>Review: Kanye West Live at O2 - 22nd November</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200711/review_kanye_west_live_at_o2_2.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.2026</id>
   
   <published>2007-11-23T23:43:48Z</published>
   <updated>2008-01-09T11:58:49Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Kanye West, Hip Hop&apos;s undisputed number one bod hit the UK on the 22nd November to what would be his biggest UK show ever. The experience will rank right up there with one of the gigs I think I&apos;ll remember...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[Kanye West, Hip Hop's undisputed number one bod hit the UK on the 22nd November to what would be his biggest UK show ever. 

The experience will rank right up there with one of the gigs I think I'll remember for a number of reasons....

Now lets go back to when this gig was announced... I must admit I was Kanye'd out..... i couldnt be bothered anymore.... so I couldnt even see myself going.... then "Graduation" came out...... amidst one of the most hyped release schedules in Hip Hop history...

Now this is hard to explain... those of you that have heard it I'm sure u will agree... "Graduation" is a good album, not a great album - probably his weakest so far....... but something about that LP made me play it 10x more than I've played his previous 2..... and i dont know why... theres some real crap on there..... alongside some of his best work... - "Champion", "Flashing lights", "I wonder".......but something about it.... made me sign back for Mr West and make missing him live when he hit the UK a non - option.

Now im sure u all know by know but Kanyes Moms passed a week b4 the gig - which surely meant he wouldnt come (for those that dont know....Hip hop artists have allways cancelled gigs in the UK at the drop of a dime...).....but some how he made it... he put his Moms in the ground 24 hours earlier ...but here he was....

I must admit to having Corking seats for this one... which makes an O2 experience soooo much better.. I dont think i could stomach the altitude of the upper tier.. but seats in the lower tier next to the stage......one word... WOW!........

The whole floor was standing which was great to see and was packed by show time....

Estelle provided the token UK support - minimal love given. minimal love deserved....

Common was on road and does was Common does.. sweated a lot, shouted a lot and did the Common thing..... DJ Dummy didnt do his "it takes 2 " which was a huge relief... I dont want to hate on Common to much.... his last 2 lps (thanks to his "little brother") have been amazing but he continues to grate.....

Mr West came on late ish.... and launched his Glow in the Dark show...

Now at this point its worth mentioning that from this point this was no longer a Hip Hop concert..... its just gone beyond that....

Full band. 4 piece string section, 4 costume changes, lights and lazer show...video screens... this was like watchin a daft punk show...

He exploded on stage with so much energy it was incredible and blasted through all the hits from Graduation - practially in order... which was a cool concept...

The set was spliced with his hits through the tracks from graduation - a nice concept and one that backs up his faith of Graduation being his most complete work so far.....

he is an amazing performer and can only go on from here...

How he managed this performance following his mothers death..... who knows... especially... during his performance of "hey mama"....

incredible, If u havent seen Kanye West yet you have to...

want to check out some hip hop if you are stateside...try the CT movement click here <a href="http://www.ctmovement.com">http://www.ctmovement.com</a>

Like some graffiti? then check out <a href="http://www.bombingscience.com">bombing science</a>]]>
      
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>Ray Lamontagne @ Royal Albert Hall 5-11-07 Review</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200711/ray_lamontagne_royal_albert_ha.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1521</id>
   
   <published>2007-11-06T10:02:42Z</published>
   <updated>2007-11-06T10:10:45Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Bonfire night down at the Royal Albert Hall - but where there fireworks? My brother and I took our dad to see Ray Lamontagne, cant admit to being to aware of his work (saw him on Jools Holland once..) but...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      Bonfire night down at the Royal Albert Hall - but where there fireworks?

My brother and I took our dad to see Ray Lamontagne, cant admit to being to aware of his work (saw him on Jools Holland once..) but Dad is a big fan and was chuffed at the thought of going.

After grubbing some grub at Whole foods on High Street Ken (this makes any gig at the RAH SOOO much better - you have to make it your pre RAH stop..) we hit the Hall but were annoyingly early, Ray wasnt on till 9, so skulked around in the bar till then.

We had cracking seats - in the stalls 5 rows back so perfect view of Ray and the band.

Now to describe the gig as high octane would be incorrect - the set is very down to earth and levelled with four excellent musicians providing a great soundtrack.

The sound of the RAH complemented Ray very well, an excellent voice and guitar - very soothing monday evening gig.

One of the only songs I really knew &quot;trouble&quot; went down well as well as quite a few other Ray faves. He&apos;s naturally a very shy guy, even a few pissed hecklers couldnt get him to say much between songs.

I really think Ray is going to blow up and go global, the crowd wasnt what i expected, much &quot;trendier&quot; than I thought - i think with shows like this Ray is going to continue to pick up fans around the world.

A recommended gig from me. JH
      
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>REVIEW: Leo Gandelman</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200711/review_leo_gandelman.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1518</id>
   
   <published>2007-11-05T11:57:33Z</published>
   <updated>2007-11-05T14:44:14Z</updated>
   
   <summary>1st Brazilian Music Festival Bolivar Hall Leo Gandelman 3rd November 2007 Review by Paco Leo Gandelman is probably one of the best (if not the best) Brazilian Jazz Saxophonists. He brings us a bridge between the traditional (MPB), and the...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="leo_gandelman.jpg" src="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/img/leo_gandelman.jpg" width="200" height="175" /><strong>1st Brazilian Music Festival
Bolivar Hall
<a href="http://www.leogandelman.com.br">Leo Gandelman</a>
3rd November 2007

Review by Paco</strong>

Leo Gandelman is probably one of the best (if not the best) Brazilian Jazz Saxophonists. He brings us a bridge between the traditional (MPB), and the best Brazilian Jazz composers, he is invention and atmosphere, in a very versatile and inventive way. He also has absolute and unlimited control of his instrument.

His new album, “Bossa Rara” is really promising and revisits the traditional Brazilian Popular Music (MPB), inspired by some of the best Brazilian Jazz composers (Ari Barroso, Vinicius de Moraes …amongst others). The two streams are miscellaneous by nature, which in essence have never strived for any kind of purity, but instead have become stronger due to the assimilation of different rhythms. On stage, he delighted us with freshness and unlimited energy, a pleasure for him… a pleasure for us. 
]]>
      <![CDATA[<strong>The band: </strong>

<strong>Allen Pontes (drums):</strong> A young and talented drummer… keep an eye on him. At just 22 years old the best still to come. 

<strong>David Feldman (keyboards): </strong>Based in Israel and New York, classic background, versatile, marvellous, sensitive and efficient, another talented young pianist to track.

<strong>Alberto Continentino (bass): </strong>Versatile and talented, another young Brazilian diamond. Everybody wants him, (Caetano Veloso between others) his talent has no limits.
All three indicate good health and future for Brazilian Jazz…talent, passion and tradition.

<strong>Support band</strong>
<strong>Tereza Pineschi & Pedro Lima </strong>

<strong>Tereza Pineschi </strong>is an experimental and versatile singer, her exquisite and sweet voice allows her to interpret a wide-ranging Brazilian “classic” repertoire. She is pure Samba.

<strong>Pedro Lima </strong>is an excellent Brazilian percussionist, pure samba tradition, formed at Samba schools of Rio de Janeiro. He played with prestigious Brazilian Popular Music groups. 

<strong>THE VERDICT: </strong>A great night at Bolivar hall.


<strong>Did you see Leo Gandelman live? Tell us what you thought of the master of music in our comments section.</strong>

<strong>Bossa Rara is released on November 5th 2007.</strong> For more information, please see <a href="http://www.leogandelman.com.br">Leo Gandelman's official site.</a> Please keep your eye out for our animated interview with Leo.]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>GIG REVIEW: Craig David</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/gig_review_craig_david.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1479</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-23T12:30:52Z</published>
   <updated>2007-10-23T12:31:29Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Craig David Ronnie Scott&apos;s Thursday October 19th, 2007 Review by Katie Spain I was never much of a Craig David fan when he hit the big time back in 2001. The whole RnB scene was always been something I dipped...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="craigdavid.jpg" src="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/img/craigdavid.jpg" width="200" height="165" /><strong><a href="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/2007/10/special_feature_craig_david.php">Craig David</a>
<a href="http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/">Ronnie Scott's</a>
Thursday October 19th, 2007</strong>

<strong>Review by Katie Spain</strong>

I was never much of a Craig David fan when he hit the big time back in 2001. The whole RnB scene was always been something I dipped into on a night out with the girls or when I didn't have a choice in it. These days, you can't escape it... a trip out clothes shopping in London is like a change-room crash course in RnB history.

Sure, I sang along when the British-singer/songwriter crooned out ‘Walkin’ Away’ and ‘What’s Your Flava’ but I didn’t buy the album. I may have been wary about the constant name dropping during tunes (yes, we know you’re Craig David) but openly admired the cock-sure swagger in the lyrics of ‘Seven Days’. In my youthful eyes, "We were makin’ love by Wednesday" was a leap of erotic fast-moving fervour. Then I hit Uni and reality struck home... seven days is a bloody long time for some.
]]>
      <![CDATA[Either way, I missed the Craig David wave... I also missed the whole Bo Selecta phase (come on, I wasn’t even in the country). So, I was unphased when I agreed to interview and see Craig David live in the space of a week. You know what; without realising how it happened, I think I’m now a fan. Thursday night at Ronnie Scott’s was without a doubt one of the best live performances I’ve ever seen in my little gig-going life. Here’s why:

Ronnie Scott's is a special venue at the best of times. Jazz greats have performed at the Frith Street venue since 1965 and one glance at the walls reveals its vast musical history. Framed black and white photographs capture moments in time... and tonight we're due for another treat. We won't be taking any photos of Mr David - it's strictly prohibited. Not that we mind, we're too busy ordering fine red wine and taking in our surroundings.

I've bought my cameraman mate (and genuine Craig David fan) along. During our chat with Craig earlier in the week we were told to expect spontaneity between him, the crowd and the band - so our expectations are high. The environment is certainly intimate. We're closer to the stage than we'll probably ever get to Sir David and the competition winners in the front rows can barely contain their bladders (and heaving cleavage). The breast brigade is out in force. Work it baby… maybe they’ll nab the singer in a mere seven minutes. 

Craig appears on stage in sunglasses; mark one in my book of intolerances. To his credit, he makes a joke of it after opening to his new single <strong>Hot Stuff</strong> (sampled from David Bowie’s <strong>Let’s Dance</strong>). This is the first glimpse we see into a character who is more than happy to take the p*** out of himself. And good on him – it's a refreshing dry spell in an ego-soaked industry. 

As we down what must be one of the best cheese boards in London (it goes with the Jazz daaahling) we’re treated to a smashing, Funk, Jazz, and Cuban beat-packed set by the Southampton-born voice. The guy can sing (but you knew that already didn’t you). This is Craig David at his best – stripped down, backed by a six-piece backing band, including his original drummer Frankie Tontoh. Feet tap from the outset as the smooth mover pulls out all the stops.
 
The mix of old and new is spot on. Either this wine has gone to my head or the notes I’ve written on my notebook are true. “Craig’s rich vocals dance around the brass section with the grace of two dolphins playing”. I don’t know if you’ve witnesses such a spectacle… I have (and it’s beautiful) but come on! Do you fancy another glass of red reviewer?

<strong>Six of One</strong> is pure Soul, and the rapid rap on <strong>This Is The Girl</strong>, leaves us gob-smacked. It’s with ease that he glides into a duet with upcoming talent Rita Ora. She is seduction and Soul in a sixteen-year old package; Pity about the screechy sound system. 

We’re dipped into the honey-pot of 2-Step Garage for a moment with <strong>Just A Reminder</strong> and <strong>Rise and Fall</strong>. The cleavage in the front row bounces along to the exotic beat of <strong>Trust Me</strong>. Manicured hands fan flushed faces as <strong>Walking Away</strong> hits our ears. Even my heart melts (it’s made of stone you know).

An encore worthy of a place in Ronnie Scott’s ‘Hall Of Fame’ features the acoustic <strong>Seven Days</strong>, and <strong>Fill Me In</strong>. Two espresso martinis later and we’re dancing in the aisles. Craig eclipses us as <strong>Hot Stuff </strong>fills the air again and rather than overkill, it’s the perfect end to a smashingly fine evening. Bowie would be proud. One lucky lady dances on stage as I twirl between two gay men and simultaneously raise my glace (and my respect) towards a man destined for a second round in the limelight. 

Our night should (but doesn’t end there) but that’s a story for another time. As we totter into the Soho night and pass the crowd lining up for Craig's second gig of the night, we all agree on one thing; when the bling has gone and the sunglasses are lowered, raw talent speaks for itself.


<strong>“Hot Stuff” is due for release on November 5th, followed by his brand new album “Trust Me” on November 12th.</strong>

<strong><a href="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/2007/10/special_feature_craig_david.php">Check out our pre-Ronnie Scott's interview with Craig David.</a></strong>

<a href="http://www.seatwave.de/craig-david-tickets/saison">Craig David tickets.</a>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/craigdavid">Craig David MySpace</a>
<a href="http://www.craigdavid.com/">Official Craig David site</a>]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>REVIEW: Swimming With Sharks</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/review_swimming_with_sharks.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1477</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-22T14:52:03Z</published>
   <updated>2007-10-22T14:55:54Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Swimming With Sharks Vaudeville Theatre Review by Katie Spain You&apos;ve got to hand it to Christian Slater. His hair may be edging towards the rear of his scalp but the man still has it. &quot;What is &apos;it&apos;?&quot; You may ask......</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Theatre" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="slater.jpg" src="http://theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com/img/slater.jpg" width="150" height="200" /><strong><a href="http://www.seatwave.com/swimming-with-sharks-tickets/season">Swimming With Sharks</a>
Vaudeville Theatre</strong>
 
<strong>Review by Katie Spain</strong>
 
You've got to hand it to <strong>Christian Slater</strong>. His hair may be edging towards the rear of his scalp but the man still has it. "What is 'it'?" You may ask... well, looks, charisma, arrogance, talent, volume, and legions of fans for starters.
 
The last time I saw Mr Slater was on stage in London's West End, I was up there with him (refereeing a match of verbal volleyball between the star and his young female fans). He and cast mates Alex Kingston, Rebecca Grant, Lizzie Roper and co had just finished another night of <strong>'One flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' </strong>and joined me on stage for a Q&A session. Christian has a stage presence as big as the 'A' in front of his 'list'. He's cock-sure, loud and powerful - just like his latest character.
 
"My bath mat means more to me than you do".
 
Slater's current West End role is that of Buddy Ackerman, a high-flying film producer in the heart of Hollywood. If the name sounds familiar, you've probably seen the screen hit 'Swimming With Sharks'. I haven't had the pleasure, so walk into the Vaudeville Theatre with few expectations. My only hopes ride on Slater's jaw-droppingly fine performance in Cuckoo's Nest. It's a hard one to beat.
 ]]>
      <![CDATA[The theatre isn't full tonight (far from it) - and although it's a preview we're a tad surprised. After all, Christian's face is all over London. Maybe the billboards plastered with a semi-clad Billie Piper overpower Christian's mug. At least we get a clear view of the stage. The set is simple - the city office is all sleek lines, white couches and black tiles. The setting alternates between a top floor business hub, to a pumping nightclub and inner city apartments. Frosted windows give privacy when he needs it "oooooh-aaaaah, that's the spot daaarling".
 
Christian is ruthless. He slips his character on like a well worn, steel-studded glove. "You're happy, I hate that - get off the phone!". One liners such as this one come thick and fast. We've all experienced a boss from hell - and Buddy Ackerman is just that. He makes horror movies full of blood and guts and his eye is on the cash at the end of the film reel. When he finds himself competing for a promotion within the company, he is forced to follow the moral path. Or so it seems.
 
It takes a special actor to rival the stage presence of Mr Slater and Matt Smith steps up to the task well. He plays the role of Guy - a young film buff hired as Buddy's assistant. His stumbling, nervous first days are endearing but his transformation in the second half is less convincing. Helen Baxendale's portrayal of Guy's producer girlfriend also falls short of the mark. Somehow, the pieces just don't quite fit.
 
This is, however an entertaining evening of theatre. Men will love the story-line and women will love... well, Christian. Film lovers will miss the impact of screen shots but enjoy the up-to-date references to the entertainment industry. A twist or two keeps us guessing until the end but if you've seen the flick, you won't have the same luxury.
 
After the show we walk out onto The Strand and notice a commotion on the street. It's not the fans waiting for Slater... nope, the crowd is milling on the front steps of the Adelphi Theatre where 'Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat' is showing. I haven't seen such a commotion since Daniel Radcliffe waved his magic wand in Equus. Either Lee Mead has overtaken the popularity stakes of an A-lister or the Queen mother herself is inside. 
 
If a hard-hitting, expletive-packed drama is what you're after - it's time to swim with the sharks. If singing, dancing and all-round happiness is the prescription your doctor had advised, it's Joseph all the way.
 
<strong>VERDICT: See it – Christian Slater’s dialogue and stage prowess is worth it alone.</strong> 

<a href="http://www.seatwave.com/swimming-with-sharks-tickets/season">Swimming With Sharks on Seatwave</a>
]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>REVIEW: Just Jack</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/review_just_jack.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1454</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-17T15:12:26Z</published>
   <updated>2007-10-17T15:20:57Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Just Jack Shepherd&apos;s Bush Empire Tuesday 16th October - Review by Katie Spain “Noooooooooo… I hate you! I want to see Just Jack. I can’t get back innnnnnn!” The woman sitting on the front steps of the Shepherd’s Bush Empire...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   <category term="1180" label="Just Jack" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="49" label="review" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="justjack.jpg" src="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/img/justjack.jpg" width="200" height="165" /><strong><a href="http://www.seatwave.com/just-jack-tickets/season">Just Jack</a>
<a href="http://www.seatwave.com/shepherds-bush-empire-tickets/venue">Shepherd's Bush Empire</a>
Tuesday 16th October</strong>

<strong>- Review by Katie Spain</strong>

“Noooooooooo… I hate you! I want to see Just Jack. I can’t get back innnnnnn!”

The woman sitting on the front steps of the Shepherd’s Bush Empire is screaming down the phone, tears streaming down her drunken face. We can only assume she’s been evicted for disorderly behaviour and the prospect of missing the UK artist has lit the flaming sambuca inside her.

It’s a mixed crowd at the Empire tonight – then again, the people roaming the streets of Shepherd’s bush usually are. The streets reek of booze… but that’s what you get when there’s a Walkabout nearby. A few of the people around us aren’t overly familiar with Just Jack’s repertoire – join the club. We all know the addictively catchy <strong>Starz In Their Eyes</strong> but we’re hazy on the rest.
]]>
      <![CDATA[After catching their opening set at this year’s <a href="http://www.seatwave.com/v-festival-2007-tickets/season">V-Festival</a>, I was blown away. Top weather, top tunes and a set that whipped the crowd with more force than a high-powered hand mixer. The starry-eyed Jack Allsopp formed new fans that day and the venue is full of them; fresh blood waiting to hear THAT tune. The rest seem to be hard core fans, singing along word for word to the good, the slow and the fabulously fast.

Before I go too far, it’s important to explain the lack of visual details in this review. We arrive late and find ourselves wedged between the bar, some pill popping psychopaths and what must be the ‘All Arrogant Basketball Team’. Honestly, a short arse like me would struggle seeing over an Oompa Loompa, let alont this forest of hairy limbs. I am doomed.

A wall of flashing lights backs the group and what we can see is blocked by outstretched hands. Luckily, Just Jack's performance is geared towards the ears and the feet. You hear the beats and you dance to them, it’s as simple as that. As he rips into the <strong>Paradise Lost and Found</strong>, Jack urges the balcony crowd to stand up. “Oh, you already are!”. Not bad for the third song in. By the time <strong>Glory Days</strong> hits our ears, we’re in full swing.

His backing vocalist’s vocals serve up moments of pure sweet, clear brilliance. Jack’s lyrics seem simple at first glance but there’s a story in every tune. It’s straight forward and you know what, that's just the way the way we want it. The lack of angst-packed ditties is refreshing. The music invites us to dance and be happy. We oblige.

In amongst the high points, there are a couple of songs that fall short of the catchy whirlwind and flutter past, just out of reach. My companion likens it to a rollercoaster – she’s right. At least we get some breathing time. But, the highs outweigh the lows – I’m sure the bug-eyed lady behind us would agree. We look away as her assets bounce out of her top for the third time. Someone should have told her Just Jack requires full frontal support. 

<strong>No Time</strong> is groover magic, a twanging bass line gets bums wiggling and faces smiling. This is happiness in a jar… bottle it Jack and you’ll rake in more than all the celeb perfumes put together. A group of men on the top balcony cheat death as they pull dance moves dangerously close to the barrier. I can’t see the stage but the view of the revellers is priceless. <strong>Goth In The Disco</strong> is quite simply fantastic. Release it.

He’s a likeable character, this chap from North London. When he talks it’s to tell us the name of a song and to thank the crowd with continued and genuine gratitude. It’s been a big year for him and on the last night of his tour, he seems primed for the next chapter. “I’ll see you in about a year… I get to go off and write new stuff now”. Bring it on –  may the year fly by with the pace of a greyhound.

<strong>Starz In Their Eyes</strong> was always going to be as crowd pleaser and ends a short but well executed set. The punters emerge smiling, happy and with… well, stars in their peepers.  As the sweaty bodies disperse and head out into the London night, the air fills with the out of tune chorus of <em>“Now why’d you wanna go and put…”</em>

You know the rest.


<strong>Did you see Just Jack in action? Tell us all about it in the comments section.</strong>]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>REVIEW: IRB Wales vs. Australia</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/review_irb_wales_vs_australia.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1453</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-17T15:11:12Z</published>
   <updated>2008-01-09T11:54:34Z</updated>
   
   <summary>Wales vs. Australia IRB Rugby World Cup Cardiff, 15 September 2007 Review by Nick Howard After contemplating going to this game for months, luckily I was able to buy my tickets through Seatwave after a last minute decision to go....</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
   
   <category term="1166" label="IRB" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="49" label="review" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<strong>Wales  vs. Australia
IRB Rugby World Cup
Cardiff, 15 September 2007</strong>

<strong>Review by Nick Howard</strong>

After contemplating going to this game for months, luckily I was able to buy my tickets through Seatwave after a last minute decision to go. The same could not be said for accommodation and the closest we were able to find was an hour away in Bath.

So game day we got into Cardiff before lunch to have a look around and pick up some essential match paraphernalia before the game. And after a quick pint at one of the local pubs, we waded our way through the sea of Red and Gold towards Millennium stadium for the 2pm kickoff. We made it to our seats just before the players entered the ground for the national anthems.
]]>
      <![CDATA[So the game started with Australia kicking off with a mighty kick down the ground into Welsh territory. Australia then swamped the Welshmen who subsequently conceded a penalty. A sterling penalty kick, pardon the pun, by the captain followed giving first blood to the Wallabies.

Tries by Giteau (converted) , Mortlock and Latham (converted) in the 16th, 30th and 40th minutes respectively  plus a drop goal from Barnes in the 23rd minute, put Australia in a commanding position leading Wales 25-3 at half time. The only score for Wales in the first half was from Stephen Jones who kicked a penalty in the 7th minute.

The second half was a considerably different scenario with Australia only scoring another 7 points to Wales’ 17. The Welsh points came from 2 converted tries from Jonathon Thomas in the 45th and Shane Williams in the 76th plus a penalty kick from Hook in the 54th.  Australia’s only points for the half points came from a converted Latham try in the 60th minute.

The first half was a fantastic show from the Wallabies and it was shame they lost their focus in the second half, and were lucky they didn’t concede.  Anyway, all in all it was a great game and great day after leaving the stadium having watched the victorious Aussies.

Looking for a hotel in Cardiff - then try <a href="http://www.cardiffairporthotels.com/">here</a>]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>Album Review: White Chalk - PJ Harvey</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/album_review_white_chalk_pj_ha.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1446</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-15T14:30:32Z</published>
   <updated>2007-10-15T14:31:42Z</updated>
   
   <summary> - Zarina Raja I went to see Control last week which was painfully bleak and tragic. Then, I downloaded the new Radiohead album which only furthered my misery (but in a good way!) and now I am listening to...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   <category term="1173" label="White Chalk PJ Harvey" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="whitechalkbig.bmp" src="http://dead_disco.seatwaveblogs.com/img/whitechalkbig.bmp" width="200" height="200" />

<strong>- Zarina Raja</strong>

I went to see <a href="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/2007/10/film_review_control.php">Control</a> last week which was painfully bleak and tragic. Then, I downloaded the new <a href="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/2007/10/album_review_in_rainbows_radio.php">Radiohead </a>album which only furthered my misery (but in a good way!) and now I am listening to <a href="http://www.seatwave.com/pj-harvey-tickets/season">PJ Harvey’s </a><strong>White Chalk</strong>, which has torn me away from a feeling of pleasant angst and pushed me towards well, just sheer misery. But, wow…

White Chalk is Polly’s most haunting album so far, even the art work on the album cover is eerie - a Victorian looking PJ with a pale face, painted by a disturbingly blank expression that longs to be read. It is the kind of album that you may expect to hear seeping under the doorway of a creaky old house, infested with child ghosts and a spinster pianist. 

White Chalk is a quiet album that slithers its way to the back of your mind, prodding and awakening your hidden, bleak imagery until it manifests itself at front of your thoughts. This album makes you want to stop in your tracks (and collapse to the floor) whilst the world spins on without you. PJ Harvey’s ghostly presence wafts towards you from every angle, soft and poignant, and masked in a trembling sadness, and quite possibly regret and guilt.
]]>
      <![CDATA[You need to be lying down in the dark to feel the full intensity of this album. If you want to wallow in your pain and misery, then this is the album to do it to. Musically, the album is graceful and beautiful, but terrifyingly dark. All the songs, titled under the same glum theme, <strong>The Devil</strong>, <strong>Dear Darkness</strong>, <strong>Silence</strong>, <strong>Grow Grow Grow</strong>, <strong>Under Ether</strong>… allow PJ fans to peek into her quite obviously broken heart. Abortion is a prominent theme that lurks beneath the murky surface of White Chalk, ‘<em>Oh, something metal tearing my stomach out. If you think ill of me, can you forgive me?’</em> How horrifyingly blunt but gaspingly effective? <em>‘I lay on the bed, waste down undress. I look up at the ceiling and feel happiness. The woman beside me is holding my hand…something inside me, unborn and unblessed, disappears in the ether, this world to the next.’</em> I think somewhere there is a feminist message, maybe don’t think badly of me for what I have done, I have the right…but then you stumble across the line <em>‘scratch my palms, there is blood on my hands’ </em>which pushes us in to Macbeth territory which quite frankly, after listening to White Chalk, I am too emotionally drained to pursue. 

Despite White Chalk’s gloomy subject matter, this is an incredibly absorbing piece of music, which is feeding off of PJ’s melancholy. It is brimming with hopelessness and torment, but is addictive and strangely calming. 

<strong>What did you think of White Chalk? Please leave your own thoughts below.</strong>]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>The Go! Team</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/the_go_team.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1430</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-12T12:15:37Z</published>
   <updated>2007-10-12T12:16:38Z</updated>
   
   <summary> - Zarina Raja No other band suits their name more then The Go! Team. Their performance at the Astoria was exactly that – it was all Go! Go! Go! The Go! Team were the headlining act for the NME...</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
         <category term="Music Reviews" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category" />
   
   <category term="1128" label="The Go! Team" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="the_go_team.jpg" src="http://dead_disco.seatwaveblogs.com/img/the_go_team.jpg" width="200" height="200" />

<strong> - Zarina Raja</strong>

No other band suits their name more then <a href="http://www.seatwave.com/the-go-team-tickets/season">The Go! Team</a>. Their performance at the Astoria was exactly that – it was all Go! Go! Go! The Go! Team were the headlining act for the <strong>NME Fresher’s Tour</strong>, supported by Operator Please and <a href="http://www.seatwave.com/the-satin-peaches-tickets/season">The Satin Peaches</a>. 

A tantalizing fusion of light and colour exploded onto the stage along side The Go! Team. The band jiggled and jumped, and pumped and sweated to the music. The gig kind of resembled that of an aerobics class with an athletic looking <strong>Ninja</strong> (lead vocals), all legs and toned arms, leading the class and spitting out vocals. She bounced around the centre of the stage, flinging herself about to the music, dressed in hot pants, stripy leg warmers and a vest top. From a distance, Ninja could have easily been mistaken for one of the 118 team, and although that is not a good thing, the look worked for her. 

A whooping crowd bobbed about to The Go! Team, punching their fists into the air and singing back to Ninja. The Go! Team slip into the indie genre, but also merge pop and hip hop to create a juxtaposing set of party anthems. They are a wildly energetic band, literally working out on stage and gulping down water as if they were at the gym. The Go! Team interacted with the crowd too, making fans feel appreciated by the band and garnished their performance with personality and intimacy.]]>
      <![CDATA[A wide screen filled the back wall of the stage, casting a flurry of visuals that were all impressively timed to the beat of music, or the tone of a song – a calm early morning sky or the hectic, horizon of a fast paced city at night.

At various times, Ninja would disappear from the stage - probably to neck a can of red bull. She was replaced by either a short instrumental session (allowing the spotlight to settle on the rest of the band) or another band member taking on vocals.

On the whole, the gig was a crashing array of shouty vocals, backed by splintering guitars and synchronised dance moves. The Go! Team put on a great show, they didn’t just stand there, idly plucking strings and trudging through the set. Instead, they were hyped up, enthused and motivated. Songs from the old and new album were played, both receiving a massively warm reception.

The only thing that let the performance down was the terrible sound system in the Astoria. The support band sounded detached from their music because of this and The Go! Team’s lyrics were swallowed up, forcing some of the tracks roll into one. As a Go! Team fan, this did not affect my opinion of them. Luckily, visually, they are a stimulating band to watch anyway, even with a rickety sound system staining all their songs. 

Get involved with The GO! Team by checking out their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thegoteam">MySpace</a>.

What did you think of the NME Fresher's Tour? Leave us a comment below.]]>
   </content>
</entry>
<entry>
   <title>REVIEW: The Satin Peaches</title>
   <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/200710/review_the_satin_peaches.php" />
   <id>tag:hq.seatwaveblogs.com,2007://2.1420</id>
   
   <published>2007-10-10T15:01:40Z</published>
   <updated>2007-10-10T15:08:36Z</updated>
   
   <summary>The Satin Peaches NME Freshers Tour 07 The Astoria London - 9th October 2007 - Katie Spain I have to peel peaches before I eat them; the ‘cactus’ fluff that coats their skin makes me hack my little lungs up....</summary>
   <author>
      <name>Seatwave</name>
      
   </author>
   
   <category term="1137" label="NME" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="49" label="review" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   <category term="1092" label="The Satin Peaches" scheme="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag" />
   
   <content type="html" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://hq.seatwaveblogs.com/">
      <![CDATA[<img alt="Satin_peaches_use.jpg" src="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/Satin_peaches_use.jpg" width="200" height="183" /><strong><a href="http://www.seatwave.com/the-satin-peaches-tickets/season">The Satin Peaches</a>
<a href="http://www.seatwave.com/nme-freshers-tour-07-tickets/season">NME Freshers Tour 07</a>
<a href="http://www.seatwave.com/astoria-tickets/venue">The Astoria</a>
London - 9th October 2007

- Katie Spain</strong>

I have to peel peaches before I eat them; the ‘cactus’ fluff that coats their skin makes me hack my little lungs up. With all the genetic engineering these days, you’d think someone would come up with a peach covered by a satin-smooth exterior.  Maybe Detroit’s ‘The Satin Peaches’ had the same idea. Probably not… but after last night’s NME Freshers gig I don’t really care about the origin of their name – all I know is, the band sounds good.

You’d expect a ‘Freshers’ gig to be full of well, freshers – especially one held at the Astoria. After passing through the military forces safe-guarding the venue last night, we climbed the stairs to the nether regions (and seated area). It was here we found the ‘elderly’ music-going citizens (is early 30s ‘old’ these days?). By the looks of things, a fair few music industry bods did the same. Hey, you can’t have an NME event without a decent industry turn out.
]]>
      <![CDATA[To my great disappointment we once again missed Aussie livewires Operator Please. One day I will see my fellow Australians live. The sadness dispersed as soon as The Satin Peaches raised the bar well above our bobbing heads. From our high vantage point we could see all; there’s nothing like the sight of a packed crowd bathed in red lights and sweat. If God was a Rock fan, this’d be his kinda view. 

First thing’s first – The Satin Peaches band blew the headline act out of the water. Fellow music buff Zarina may disagree (read her <a href="http://backstagepass.seatwaveblogs.com/2007/10/gig_review_the_go_team.php">The Go! Team review</a> to find out). It’s all down to taste but the mix of Rock, Pop and post Punk passion hit my NME-spot head on.

Listen to their tracks via your headphones and you’ll get crisp Detroit spun sounds. Stand amongst the live experience and you get a frontman with a fire in his belly and a band that fits like well worn jeans; tight enough to move freely yet loose enough for fresh sounds to work their way into all the right places.

Singer George Morris cuts a mesmerizing figure; he looks like the (delightfully hot) love child of Ozzy Osborne and Eddie Vedder. Luckily, his vocal sound doesn’t match the look. Vocally, there are hints of Placebo’s Brian Molko in the mix but this lad has the rasping layers of Garage Rock thrown in. On stage he’s a man of few words but when the tunes say it all who needs mindless banter?

George, Aaron Nelson and Ryan Wiese flicked between guitar, bass, piano and vocals, let down by sound levels that didn’t do them justice. Sort it out Astoria – we should expect the best from an evening with NME.  Drummer Jeremy Smith lashes out at his kit – head down, sweat pouring off his shirtless back. It’s a ferocious pace and his mates don’t skip a beat. As the band powered through their short set, I stood, Guinness held high and vowed to track this neat package down when they return to London.  In an intimate setting, with better sound support, The Satin Peaches could be mind blowing. Don't give them a few more years... I'm talking right now. 

Forget the age old ‘cherry on top’, this band are just what the music industry needs on its shiny fruit platter. Freshly picked (and peeled) – of course.  

<a href="http://www.thesatinpeaches.com/">The Satin Peaches official site</a>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/thesatinpeaches">The Satin Peaches MySpace</a>
]]>
   </content>
</entry>

</feed>