The Killers - Battle Born Tour - 27th October - AECC

There was much anticipation for the return of The Killers to Aberdeen and they certainly didn't disappoint. The Las Vegas band first descended on Aberdeen during their Day and Age tour back in 2009. After a two year break and one solo album later from Brandon Flowers The Killers are well and truly back and ready to cement themselves as one of the biggest and best bands ever to tread the stages of the world.

From the opening riffs of "Human" the crowd were clearly in it for the long haul, belting back every lyric just as hard as Flowers could throw them out. Classic's such as "When you were young" , "Jenny was a friend of mine" and the infamous "Mr Brightside" were played with unimaginable energy. From the floor to the rafters the AECC was on fire with pure electricity as the Aberdeen fans threw themselves into every song.


A large selection from their new album "Battle Born" such as; "Runaways","The way it was" and "Miss Atomic Bomb" also pleased the crowd. It was easy to see as the band went through their catalogue worth of songs just how much they have grown since they started way back in 2003. As the band have grown in confidence so too has their song writing. Tracks from their recent album are both melodically and lyrically brilliant, each song with it's separate meaning and energy.

Brandon Flowers - The Killers

As the night wound down and the band said their goodbyes there was no doubt of an encore, and what an encore it was. The entire room stopped in awe as the band started to play "Be Still" a track off the new album which tells of never giving in and standing up strong, which reduced more one person to tears. The band then belted out yet more classics ending the night on a high. Along with superb visuals such as fire works and an array of pyrotechnics this was definitely one of the best shows every to grace the North East of Scotland.

The skills of the musicians themselves have to be applauded; Ronnie Vannucci, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer and of course Flowers himself quite honestly couldn't have put any more effort in though they tried. Each song was played with more power and emotion than the last.


We can only hope that The Killers carry on writing the classics that everyone knows they are capable of and will once again venture back to Aberdeen. There is no question the fans will be waiting...

Bad Blogger....

It would seem I have for the past however months completely forgotten about my blog, something  I vowed would never happen!

I do though have reasons:

Number one..College became ridiculously busy after the New Year and took over any spare second I ever had.

Number two.. Learning to drive. I started learning at the begining of March and I'm pleased to say I passed in the begining of July.

Number three..I got a job! Yes, after finally finishing college it was time to get a job, of which I am still currently in.

Now that I have layed out my excuses I am vowing to an early New Years resolution. I will be blogging on this, that and everything on a more regular basis. Starting tonight with a review of The Killers Battle Born Tour, although, it's bound to be a bit biased considering I'm possibly one of their biggest fans...

Just say yes - Snow Patrol Fallen Empire Tour

Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre - 30/01/2012

I must admit I feel a bit guilty about my thoughts before going to this concert but I can un-shamefully say I am now a fully-fledged Snow Patrol fan. Like anybody, I knew the classic’s and the no. 1’s but it’s not until you hear them played all together in their glory that you really discover just how melodically and lyrically genius this band are.

My own photo

The Dundee born band started the night off with “I’ll Never Let Go” and “Take Back This City”, much to the crowd’s delight. They then belted out old favourites such as “Chocolate” and “Crack The Shutters”; along with artistically brilliant lighting effects the room exploded with excitement and admiration. There were poignant moments and more than one wet eye when the ultimate Snow Patrol Song, “Chasing Cars” was belted into the AECC and hit the rafters with both force and tenderness.

The band debuted some of their new tracks off the Fallen Empires album such as “In The End” and “This Isn’t Everything You Are” which matched the brilliance of their past singles and received much love from the North East crowd. The crowd sang along in unison to the command of Gary Lightbody and his crew of dashing musicians; swaying and clapping along to the great hits this really did feel like a gig of a life time.



My own photo

The night of stunning entertainment was finished off with the greatly loved “You’re All I Have” before the band returned for an encore. The band played “Lifening” and “Open Your Eyes” before finishing of the night with “Just Say Yes”.

Not only are they great musicians, Snow Patrol seem to be genuinely decent down to earth men who don’t take their fame for granted and know exactly who put them in their fortunate situation, something not very common nowadays.



My own photo

This mix of new and old really shows how Snow Patrol has progressed through the years and how the albums have gotten better with their maturity. For anyone who has had any preconceptions about this band, put them to one side, they mean nothing once you see this band in the flesh. Like me you will realise what an idiot you are and just how great this band is at putting on a brilliantly energetic yet touching performance. To sum this all up, just go and seem them, you won’t regret it.

Give it a second listen

Lady Gaga - The Remix – Various Artists – 2011

I

t’s treading on tricky ground when a group of different artists from different backgrounds take a much loved album from an insanely loved lady and completely turn it on its head. Artists from Goldfapp to Foster the People have all taken a Gaga song and given it their own unique twist.

It took me a while to get into this, as a Gaga fan (I’m no little Monster I feel I should add) you know the songs, what they represent and just how much they are loved all over the world. This album is made up of 14 tracks from the “Born this Way” album, some I would say, after a listen or two match the brilliance of the original and some just belong in some cheap, tacky nightclub.

Tracks such as “Judas” by Hurts Remix, “Yoü And I” by Metronomy Remix and “Marry the Night” remixed by The Weeknd & Illangelo Remix have all taken the Queen of Pop’s music and given it a darker sort of vibe. All three artists have surprisingly done the songs justice. The use of bass, echoing, distortion and things alike have all transformed these songs into a genre that even Gaga haters might enjoy.

Some tracks have, believe it or not have even been remixed to make them sound even more “Poppy” than they were to begin with. The German orientated track “Scheiβe” remixed by Guena LG Club Remix wouldn’t sound out of place on a David Guetta album.

(Image from Google)

Although some tracks are a triumphant success others I feel have just completely degraded the songs and their meanings. “The Edge of Glory” by Sultan & Ned has destroyed the song that the singer originally wrote about her Grandfather. The song starts of “OK” I suppose but it just features far too much Synth to the point where it sounds as though it could be on a cheap “beats” album you can pick up for a quid at a supermarket.

 I would however recommend this album if you are into something a bit different, a bit alternative. As a student it’s a good album to do revision or course work to and an even better album to go jogging to or indeed whatever floats your boat. It’s a good album but that is all it is, give it a listen once and you might as well forget about it but listen to it again and you might just surprise yourself.

The Best…

“Born This Way” – Twin Shadow Remix
Twin Shadow Remix have done what I feel a remix should do, take a song do something unique and completely different from the original track but still be able to recognise the song fully (if that can make any sense to you). This track leaves the original structure of the song, lyrics wise but changes it up by adding different beats, effects and bass. Just what a remix track ought to be like.

 The Worst…

“Judas” – Goldrapp
Surprisingly the worst comes from the much loved electronic artist Goldfrapp. Unfortunately I just don’t get this song. It shares some of the same darkness that some of the other’s do but it just sounds confused from the word get go. It’s not that there’s a male singing it instead of the Gaga herself, it’s just that the singer sounds drunk. There is a constant bass beat in the background which drones on throughout the song which itself never really seems to go anywhere. Just a bit boring I’m afraid.

Bravo Sherlock, good one Holmes...

BBC One and BBC One HD - "Sherlock"

It's tricky business bringing the old to the new and even more difficult when it is one of Britain's much loved characters.

 In summer 2010 Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat produced for the BBC the modern, updated version of the infamous Sherlock Holmes and his Doctor side kick. It instantly took off with even a younger audience becoming intrigued with an old time favourite.

Benedict Cumberbatch took on the role of Sherlock, a classic role once depicted by Jeremy Brett in the 1984 series. Living up to such high expectations is no easy feat for any actor but he seems to have done the character more than justice, just as Martin Freeman has playing the dashing Dr Watson. However, has the second series lived up to the first one?

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Homles (Image from Google)

 It wouldn't take Sherlock Holmes to answer that.  We're only two thirds of the way through the series and already the viewing figures have completely shattered those of 2010 with the audience totalling in at over 9 million viewers, not included those that will have recorded it.

Why do we love it so much? Easy, Cumberbatch brings a bit of extravagance to the character. He isn't just some "toff pot" wearing a deer hunter’s hat, smoking a pipe and playing the violin; he is all those things and more. The way he expresses the thought process of Sherlock is exciting and new, at times arrogant but that's why we love it. Sherlock is a man who is sure of himself and has every reason to be.

Martin Freeman as Dr Watson (Image from Google)

 It gives us an insight into things we never before would have even thought about. The mere sight of a stain on someone’s clothes or the colour of their fingernail can tell an entire story and more. This is Inspector Morse but for every generation, up to date storylines, exciting acting and brilliant editing has catapulted BBC's Sherlock into prime time, must watch T.V.

Let's just hope there's a season 3 as the two actors will no doubt accent into stardom with the release of "The Hobbit" in December 2012.

Review: Lee Evans ROADRUNNER tour October 2011 (Better late than never)

Lee Evans marathon tour of UK arenas brought him to a rather windy Aberdeen on the 18th of October (See, it was that windy, I even remember over a month later.)

A mass audience crammed into the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre to watch the master of large scale comedy at his best. He may be nearing the big 50 but the man has more energy than a three year old and a bag of skittles. Not one moment did he stand in one spot and if he did he was moving just about every other part of his body.

As for his microphone technique, he can make just about any sound under the sun and beyond with just his mic and his body which completely maximizes his performance. However it is the content of his comedy that has earned him a life time of faithful fans. Lee Evans is one of only a handful (if you are lucky) of comics who can make a room laugh without offending anyone. His tales of real life situations make him believable, and one of us. He doesn't come across as an ego maniac who has more money than sense. He is a Father and a Husband who shares all the same experiences most working class people have.

Evans shared tales of family life, being on the road, growing older and basic life. This is why people love him and continue to do so, each and every one of us can relate to him. I'm only eighteen and even I can relate to his family life!

I have been a huge fan of Lee Evans since I first watched a DVD of his years ago, and since I have found utterly brilliant and knew that one day I had to see him in life. Even his laugh can send a room in stitches, and the amount of sweat he pours out just echoes his enthusiasm and passion for what he does.

At the end of the gig, after he sand a beautiful song about life (by the way he is a brilliant musician also) he said a speech to the crowed sharing his love for Aberdeen and its people, good move Evans. I then decided that I had to meet this man, a man who has everything but yet remains humble and very shy. When shaking his hand and hearing him say thank you for coming to his show I realised just how down to earth he really is, if he could say thank you to every individual who came, he probably would.

In previous interviews he has stated how he doesn't believe what he does is a "job", how wrong he is. His job is to make people laugh in a way that is innocent, to make people feel happy when the country seems to be in an utterly miserable state and to let us know that it isn't just our family who does that "thing" we are indeed normal. He certainly fills that criteria.

In short, if you ever get to see this man go and do it, you won't regret it. Trust me. Oh and you'll see me there.

Until the next time, Bronwen.


(p.s I am reading Lee Evans autobiography and will post a review as soon as I have finished, in the mean time it's bloody brilliant, buy it.)

Finally, she's gone.

I'm not one of these people who rants on their Facebook every Sunday night about the latest X Factor result, but with Janet Devlin, enough's enough.

Yes her first audition was really rather good but she just became too predictable and as for forgetting her lyrics not once but twice? Bye bye Janet. But let's not be sour, best of luck to her and all that jazz...

And who was best this week? I have to say that Amelia is really starting to impress, compared to some of the horrors that were in previously, the girl can sing. Amelia's cover of "China in you hand" has to be one of the best performances of the series and she can mould into any genre of music, no mean feet.

Until next week.