Will Steps Comeback Show Be A 'Tragedy' Or Will It Cause A 'Chain Reaction' Of 90s Kids Reliving Their Childhood?

The 90s super group Steps comeback tour hits Glasgow this Friday and I for one cannot wait. Unfortunately I do not have tickets for the show this week but I do have tickets for their show in Glasgow's Braehead Arena later this month! :)

Steps 'The Ultimate Tour' kicked off in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Monday the 2nd of April and will see the band play 29 shows in arena's across the UK. The tour is Steps first since reforming after splitting up 10 years ago. The band have (thankfully for many 90s kids like myself) managed to put their differences behind them to get back on stage to perform many of their greatest hits. The tour has been very well received by the British public, so much so that more dates were added due to the huge demand for tickets. This didn't surprise me in the slightest as for most people around my age (I'm 19) Steps were part of their childhood. I remember when I was 7 being so excited to go see my very first concert and Steps certainly didn't disappoint. In fact I loved them so much I went to see them again the next year. So when it was announced that Steps were going to be hitting the road again there was no doubt that me and many of my friends would be buying tickets! I'm sure that Friday night, and when I attended on April the 23th, the arena will be full of late teens and 20 somethings have a ball singing along to their favourite childhood anthems!

The tour will see Steps resurrect and revamp some of their classics such as Tragedy, Better The Devil You Know and  5,6,7,8 (and don't anyone reading this try to pretend that you don't know the dance cause we all do!). The band will also work some newer songs into their set list when each band member performs their solo. Lee will perform a mash up of Rihanna's S&M and Maroon 5's Move Like Jagger, Faye will give her rendition of One Night Only and Claire: I Surrender. Lisa will also be mashing songs together: Heaven, Beautiful People and Lately, whilst H will take on Journey's anthem Don't Stop Believing.

   

Below is Steps Performing 'One For Sorrow' on their opening night in Belfast.

Unfortunately the Glasgow dates are now sold out, however fear not you can still relived Steps glory days as  'The Ultimate Tour' is accompanied by an album of Steps greatest hits: 'The Ultimate Collection.' You can download the album HERE to listen to before the show so you can remind yourself of the lyrics and practice your dance moves! Or if you, like me, embarrassing still have your Steps greatest hits album from before the band split in the 90s just turn it up in the car and remind yourself why you loved the band so much the first time round!

So people of Scotland get you devil horns ready and get ready to act like a child again for one night only and please let me know just how good Friday night's show is!

Will the UK 'Turn Up' Chris Brown's Music Or Will Their New Rey Of Sunshine Be #1 By Next Sunday?

So what's new in the world of music this week...

Chris Brown - Turn Up The Music   Download Link

@chrisbrown

Well the biggest news of the week is that Chris Brown has finally scored his first UK number 1 single with 'Turn Up The Music.' The controversial singer has had songs in the UK charts since 2005 when he was just 16! His first single 'Run It' almost topped the charts on release, peaking at number 2 but 7 years later he has finally make it to the top of the charts. Personally I'm not surprised Chris got to number 1, actually I was more surprised to find out that it was the first time.

Clearly people have forgiven and forgotten that he was charged with domestic violence for beating up his then girlfriend Rihanna. I don't understand how people can get over something like that so easily, even now when I think of Chris Brown it's one of the first things that comes to my mind. However since his popularity seems to be ever increasing I felt compelled to actually listen to his latest single. My feelings about the guy aside, his single is actually well worth a listen. It's definitely not the most influential or thought provoking song in the world but it's catchy. The songs beat is great and I have not doubt it will be a club smash!! The video for 'Turn Up The Music' is also a must watch as it sees Chris pay homage to his hero Michael Jackson.

Well respected songwriter and producer Harvey Mason Jr. (who has penned songs for Britney Spears, Beyonce & Mary J. Blige)  said recently that he believes and that many other people believe Chris Brown to be:

"the ultimate artist.  He's kinda this generation's Michael Jackson, if you will."

I don't think Chris is even close to Michael Jackson's level of talent, however he definitely is one of the best artists of his genre.

Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans - Release date 08/04/2012

@LanaDelRey

I think I may be one of the only people in the world right now who is not completely in love Lana Del Rey. I just don't understand her appeal and despite my best efforts (and the insane number of times I heard her first 2 singles on the radio) her music still fails to interest me. That being said, her new single 'Blue Jeans' is being released this coming Sunday so I thought in the interest of diplomacy I would give it a listen (whilst trying my best be to forgot all my previous opinions of Lana). From the opening line "Blue Jeans, White Shirt walked into a room you know you made my eyes burn" the song is so distinctly Lana Del Rey with its somber vocals and depressing melody. 

Despite my best efforts to be impartial I didn't enjoy Lana Del Rey's latest offering. The song for me was verging on boring and I still fail to agree with the rest of the world about the quality of Lana's vocal talents. So in the end I remain (maybe alone?) well and truly out of Lana Del Rey's ever growing fan club.

So Chris Brown made it to number 1 on the 1st of April but will new pop sensation (by the rest of the world's standards anyway) Lana Del Rey have knocked him off his perch come this time next week??

Oh and please comment if you are also not a member of the Lana Del Rey appreciation society that is the rest of the planet!!

    

Will The London Olympics Have Us All Racing To Gigs All Around The Country?

This summer the world's top athletes and millions of exited spectators will descend on London for the biggest sporting spectacle of the year. But will the world's top music acts be following closely behind...?

Coca Cola Present 5 Torch Relay Concerts

The Olympic Torch Relay will see the famous Olympic Flame be carried from Land's End on a tour of the UK for 70 days, ending at the Olympic Stadium in London. As part of the journey Coca Cola are hosting a series of music gigs in; Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham and finally London's Hyde Park the day before the Olympic Opening Ceremony. I'm going to go into a bit of detail about who will be performing at the gigs in London (because it's the biggest event) and Glasgow (because it's where I live and lets face it it's the only one I would actually consider going to). But if you will like to know who will be gracing the stage at the other 3 events check out BBC.co.uk. 

London, 26th July 2012, Hyde Park      

• Headline act: Dizzee Rascal
• The Wanted
• You Me At Six
• Eliza Doolittle
• Mark Ronson etc.

Glasgow, 8th June 2012, George Square

• Emeli Sandé
• Eliza Doolittle
• General Fiasco etc.

                                                                                     Watch Video above to see when the

                                                                                       Olympic Flame will be near you!

Tickets for the Glasgow gig are FREE and chosen by ballot! If you want to have a chance of attending SIGN UP HERE by 10pm April 11th.

Personal I think the line ups lack a bit of (in the words of Simon Cowell) "star quality." Considering the 2012 Olympics is meant to be the biggest event in the UK and one of the biggest events in the world this year, the line up is underwhelming to say the least. The acts attending the Hyde Park gig are much better than the other 4 (which is reflected in the fact that you have to pay £15 at ticket whereas the other 4 gigs tickets are free and chosen by ballot). However the weaker link up in the other 4 cities is not doing much for the argument that the Olympics is about all of the UK and not just London. All in all I think the Olympic organisers could have signed up a few more notable acts in order to make these concerts a greater success! (I actually think the concerta are a great way to get the whole country involved, if they had better, more appealing acts.)

Closing Ceremony Concert

There will also be a concert held in London's Hyde Park on the last day of the Olympics to coincide with the Closing Ceremony. Blur have been announced as the headline act for the gig and will be supported by New Order and The Specials. There will also be screens set up in Hyde Park for attendees to enjoy the Closing Ceremony itself. I think it's a good idea to stream the Ceremony into the park because it will provide it with more of a sense of actually being part of the Olympics and will make the concert more special for ticket holders. I will reserve judgement on the line up for now. I do think Blur are a good choice to headline the show, however I just hope Olympic organisers get other popular (and preferably British) acts involved.

Whose Voice Called Louder to the British Public?

This is a little follow up to my last post about new BBC TV show The Voice vs the new series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent. If you missed either show you can catch up online, click here to check out The Voice or if Britain's Got Talent is more you thing click here.

I said I was super looking forward to watching The Voice on Saturday night and thankfully it lived up to, and maybe even surpassed, my expectations. The show was slick and well edited, seamlessly linking between various contestants. I liked how at the beginning of the show they explained the format of the show and how it would progress (because personally despite getting the general idea about "blind auditions" I had not a clue about the next stages of the show). The show showcased a variety of acts and unlike other music talent shows on TV (X Factor and the like) it did not contain any "bad" acts or ones only there to be laughed at. The contestants that did not progress were kindly told they were good but were just lacking that special something in their voice. I like this because I didn't feel like the contestants were being make fun of and they were allowed to leave with their dignity in tact.

I think the main reason I enjoyed the show however is down to the 4 coaches. The comically dynamic between Sir Tom (the voice) Jones, Jessie J, Will.I.Am and Danny (from The Script) O'Donoghue made the show entertaining and enjoyable. Sir Tom's anecdote about his escapades in the 1960's with Elvis were hilarious. And not to be outdone by Sir Tom's stories, Will.I.Am chose to tell his own about time spend with Michael Jackson (complete with impression).

 For me Will.I.Am was the surprise out of the 4 coaches, I did not expect him to be so funny (and for lack of better way to describe him) playful! Jessie J's personality translated well on screen and she even ended up in tears after a heart felt story from one contestant. And last but most certainly not least Danny 'Script' who was charismatic, funny and adorable with his over the top excitement and clear love for music. The 4 coaches also kicked the show of with a rendition of the Black Eyed Peas hit 'I Got A Feeling' which showcased all of their vocal talents. Overall I very much enjoyed The Voice and will definitely be watching (recording) it again next weekend!

As for Britain's Got Talent the show followed it's same time tested formula and although it did contain some talented acts it was a little predictable and boring. The one positive I can see from the show is new judge David Walliams, who is funny, genuine and clearly excited to be a part of the show. However even David's humour was not enough to get me excited about the next episode and I will not be tuning in again next week. (I actually found the interview between judges Simon Cowell and David Walliams later that night on The Jonathan Ross Show more entertaining that BGT itself! Here's the link if you want to see the interview.)

But more importantly for both shows, who won the battle for the highest audience numbers....

Well during the 20 minute overlap of both shows The Voice had an audience of 8.9million compared with BGT's 6.71million. Since both shows aired The Voice has also be looked up online 60% more than BGT(according to Yahoo).

The image >>>>>>>>>>>>> shows the results of a poll conducted by entertainment news website Digital Spy. The results of the poll show I'm not alone in my praise for The Voice as the show won with an overwhelming majority.

So The Voice most definitely did shout louder than Britain's Got Talent but will it be able to keep it up next weekend once it's novelty factor has worn off...???

Will New TV show The Voice shout louder than Britain's Got Talent?

       VS



This coming Saturday is the launch date for BBC One's new prodigy The Voice. The Voice is a new spin on a TV singing competition. Contestant's must audition for the 4 judges without actually coming face to face with them. Confused?? I was a little to start with as well. This is how it works. Judges will be seated with their backs to auditionees and if they like what they hear they press a big button in front of them and spin round to get a look at the person singing. Once the button is pressed the judge also becomes the auditionees coach. If more than one judge presses their button the power shifts to the auditionee who must then chose which judge they wish to be coached by. Simple!

It's not just the new format that's got the British public intrigued, the 4 world famous judges (or coaches as they wish to be known) are creating lots of buzz. Welsh star Sir Tom Jones, new sensation Jessie J, American artist will.i.am and The Script's charismatic front man Danny O'Donoghue all come with the talent and success which should stand them in good stead for finding new talent.

However not to be easily out done ITV have brought the launch of this years Britain's Got Talent forward to compete with The Voice. BGT is now entering it's 6th series and has this year gone through a bit of a revamp. With Simon Cowell back in his judging seat, the return of Amanda Holden after pregnancy and new judges: British comedian David Walliams and fresh from her Strictly Come Dancing judging role Alesha Dixon, BGT is doing it's best to create a judging panel which can compete with The Voice's big names. However I think BGT have missed this mark by a mile. Having Simon back will give the show back some of the credibility it lost in his absence but the other 3 judges cannot compete with the star power boasted by The Voice 'coaches.'

I think the BBC have wisely chosen The Voice judges and by adopting an already successful format (the show ran for the first time in the US in 2011, it achieved huge ratings and positive reviews) the show is sure to do well. As for the battle between The Voice and Britain's Got Talent it's hard to say which way the public will go but personally my vote goes to The Voice. For the first time in years I am actually looking forward to watching a TV music contest and I hope The Voice does not disappoint!

Which channel will you be watching (or recording)  this Saturday??

D Day For X Contestants

It's release date for 3 X tv show contestants today. With new singles from 2008 X factor winner Alexandra Burke and 2008 American Idol runner up Adam Lambert and the release of the 2011 X Factor runner up  Marcus Collins' debut album. Who will climb highest up the charts this week?

Alexandra Burke      Download Single
@alexandramusic
Alexandra's "Elephant" ft Erick Morillo is her attempt at a club hit. Unfortunately the song fails to hit this mark! Alexandra's voice is way too auto-tuned and the song is completely all over the place. So the real elephant in the room is Alexandra's cliched attempt at originality! Despite this the song so far seems to be doing quite well in the charts and looks on course to finish in the top 5 at the end of the week.


         
Adam Lambert     Download Single
@adamlambert
Adam is still relatively unknown in the UK and does not recieve the airplay he deserves so hopefully his new single "Better Than I Know Myself" will gain him a bit more time on the radio. The single is the first from Adam's second album "Trespassing" which will be released later this spring. The new single and video tells the story of the light and dark side in every person and every relationship and showcases Adam's killer voice perfectly! Adam hits the stage in the UK this July with Queen so go check out his latest single and get to know him a little better before everyone else does this summer!

Marcus Collins      Buy Album

@marcuscollinsuk

Marcus' self title debut album holds no suprises. The album is packed fully of soul songs that don't have much depth and at times are a little bit boring. The most notable song on the album is "Feel Like I Feel" which was written by Marcus' X Factor mentor Gary Barlow. Despite Gary's song writing talents (this is actually painful for me to write bad things about Gary barlow) the song sounds like a cheesy 90s pop song, and not in a good way! Marcus debut single from the album was a cover of White Strips "Seven Nation Army" which has been quite successful in the UK charts.

Florence's Machine Stops In Glasgow

Tomorrow night award winning artist Florence and the Machine hits the stage in Glasgow's SECC. Florence is flying high just now on the back of the huge success of her latest album Ceremonials. The album peaked at number 1 in the UK and has sold over half a million copies in Britain alone. Impressive! If you want to add to these figures check out  Amazon.co.uk .

Florence is right in the middle of a world wide tour that stops in Glasgow for one night only. The tours other stops include many North American dates and lots of other European ones too. The Glasgow stop comes on the back of 3 nights in Alexandra palace in London, which recieved fave reviews from fans...˅˅˅˅˅

           Follow Florence on Twitter

                      @flo_tweet

Like Florence Facebook Page

     florenceandthemachine

The show will be packed full of songs from Florence's new album as well as some old fan favourites from her debut album Lungs..>>>>>>>>>

The event is now sold out but if your are lucky enough to have your tickets already I hope you enjoy the show. And remember to film plenty of videos for Youtube, so the rest of us can catch a glimpse of the Florence in Scotland!