Posts with the label concert
Showing posts with label concert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label concert. Show all posts

Saturday 22 April 2017

An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele, Shoreditch Town Hall | Review


An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele
Shoreditch Town Hall
Reviewed on Friday April 21st 2017 by Olivia Mitchell
★★

I, like so many others, went through a huge, and I mean huge Glee phase. I had all the merchandise, all the dvds, cds, posters, the lot! Seeing my Facebook 'on this day' I think it was all I ever thought about. Every day a status memory pops up saying something along the lines of "watching Glee... love it so much! Rachel woo! xx" so I was pretty deep in the obsession, and yes, I used to put kisses after my status'!

Anyway, Glee was my life so in turn, Lea Michele was too. Lea as Rachel Berry was everything I wanted to be, yes she was over the top and a demanding diva but beneath it all she was a hardworking talented individual who knew what she wanted. She motivated me to work and improve myself and added even more to my musical theatre obsession. Needless to say when last week Lea announced she would be coming to the UK to do a London concert, my 13 year old self came right back. My excitement levels were through the roof and I booked to see her at the Shoreditch Town Hall straight away!

So there's my little background story, now lets get on to the review of the actual concert. Honestly, Lea could have sung the phone book and I would have been happy but she did so much more than that and created a really beautiful night and performance. One of the key factors in the concert being so warm and welcoming was the fact that you knew everyone in the room was feeling the same. We were all (I'm assuming) Glee fans back in the day and were shocked and excited to finally see Lea over in the UK so a lovely, excited, contented buzz filled the room from the get go.

The concert included a taster of the upcoming album Places which is released on Friday April 28th as well as some songs from Michele's first album Louder and a medley of songs from Glee. Each number seemed well thought out and there were lovely introductions given to each one about what the song means to Lea or a little anecdote about the writing process.

Lea has a grace and elegance that makes everything look so effortless. She is sophisticated and simple whilst being rough and vulnerable at the same time. For me personally, Lea has always been such an icon that I never really thought of as a real person. I know it sounds crazy but I'm sure (at least I hope) some of you know what I mean! Lea has always been this idol of talent, beauty and creativity that I never imagined I'd see in real life, so seeing her close up, in the flesh on stage was kind of weird and didn't feel real. I also found it hilarious every time she swore not only because it accompanied a funny story but because it made her seem so normal and genuine. 

Each song was performed wonderfully along with the fabulous band who were impeccable and sleek with Misty Boyce providing the main back up vocals effortlessly and wonderfully. Particular stand-out tracks for me were 'My Man' and 'Battlefield' which are two of my favourite songs anyway but they were done so well I even felt emotional listening.

The tracks from Lea's upcoming album Places were exciting and beautiful and I'm sure the whole album will be exquisite. Lea has such a stunning tone to her voice that soars easily and adds warmth to every note which comes out of her mouth. At just over an hour, I would have liked  the concert to be a bit longer but with only a weeks notice and I'm assuming a lot of jet lag, it was understandable that it wasn't overly long. 

The Shoreditch Town Hall was the perfect venue for this intimate concert, creating an impressive setting whilst still feeling warm and personal. Overall it was a radiant night and I only hope that Lea will come back to the UK soon to do further performances and show off more of her impressive vocal talents and stage presence.

Lea Michele's album PLACES is released April 28th 2017

Photo credit: Andrew Timms

An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele, Shoreditch Town Hall | Review

Saturday 22 April 2017

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Goldstone Live, Hippodrome Casino | Review


Goldstone Live
Hippodrome Casino
Reviewed on Sunday 2nd April 2017 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★

Goldstone Live brings a group of stunning ladies with glorious voices together in their global entertainment company which provides sparkling entertainment for a number of various private events. This was Goldstone's first ever public event and it did not disappoint. 

With it's 54 Below vibes, the Hippodrome Casino was the perfect venue for this retro, glitzy evening. The audience were seated at tables with food and drink flowing which combined with the golden goody bags adorning the place and the warm lighting created an intimate atmosphere.

The stage is small but the whole thing was used to it's full extent with dances and sequins covering every tiny inch. The buzzing atmosphere of anticipation was prevalent from when the audience entered the venue and it certainly went up and up with every high energy performance!

The Goldstone trio Aimie Atkinson, Helen Kurup and Vicky Hoyles opened the show with a fabulous rendition of 'One Night Only' from the current West End hit, Dreamgirls and things only went up from there. The theme of the night was definitely glamour, with a level of glitz I can only dream of! The night was made up of three sets of varying styles and genres but each one was lively and full of energy. The girls put their own Goldstone spin on on every songs; performing pieces from artists such as  The Supremes, Beyonce and  Nicki Minaj. Their repertoire had something for everyone and I found myself dancing and singing along all night and just enjoying a truly wonderful evening of entertainment.

Along with the 'official' Goldstone girls, the night included some special guests who all fit in perfectly with soaring voices, stunning outfits and glorious personalities. Jodie Steele was a particular standout of the night but it was the overall high caliber of performance which made the night so enjoyable. There were no weak links and everyone gave it their all to create an outstanding evening of entertainment.

I can't review this concert without mentioning the little In The Heights reunion at the end where Gabriela Garcia, Stephanie Rojas, Aimie Atkinson, Genesis Lynea and Sarah Naudi performed a sizzling rendition of 'Lady Marmalade' which really brought the house down and exuded glee! 

The show closed in proper Goldstone style with golden dresses as far as the eye could see and an outstanding performance of 'Proud Mary' which I was tired just watching! Overall this was a perfect Sunday evening full of talent, glamour and endearing personalities and I hope one of many more public events put on by these crazily adept ladies! Congratulations to everyone involved for a magnificent performance and true embodiment of girl power!

For more information about Goldstone Live visit: http://www.goldstonelive.com

Goldstone Live, Hippodrome Casino | Review

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Saturday 17 September 2016

Something Wonderful, Royal Festival Hall | Review


Something Wonderful
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre
Reviewed on Thursday 15th September 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★

Last night the Royal Festival Hall played host to a wonderful exploration and celebration of the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein in a fabulous one of concert featuring some of the West Ends best performers. Emma Kingston, Louise Dearman, Michael Xavier and Ryan O'Gorman fabulously performed songs from one of the best musical theatre partnerships of all time, treating us to some of their well known songs as well as some hidden gems.

Something Wonderful, Royal Festival Hall | Review

Saturday 17 September 2016

Friday 1 July 2016

Jeremy Jordan, Hippodrome Casino | Review

You know when you build something up so much in your head that it can't possibly live up to expectations? Last night was not one of those times. Yes I had built this concert up to a ridiculous level in my mind but the incredible Jeremy Jordan smashed every expectation and went above and beyond what I thought was humanly possible.

You may know him as the heart throb of tv from hits Smash and Supergirl or from his leading Broadway roles in Newsies and Bonnie and Clyde or maybe you're just hearing his name for the first time now.

Whichever it is, all you need to know is that Jeremy is one of the best, if not the best male singer; with a hilarious stage presence, magnetic personality and absolutely stunning voice, he's really the definition of the whole package.

Last night I got to witness this package all wrapped in a bow at the last of Jeremy's first ever London concerts, the fastest selling performances the Hippodrome Casino has ever seen! There's something really special about watching performers in these sort of venues because they're so intimate and you just know that every single person is there to support who their watching. The whole room was buzzing before Jeremy came on stage and the excitement could be felt all around, it didn't feel like there could be more joy but when Jeremy stepped on stage the whole room went crazy.

Jeremy opened the show with a hilarious parody of Everything's Coming Up Roses called Everyone's Come To See Me, starting the night on a high which only went up. Jeremy continued performing a mix of all his best songs as well as some originals which will be on his upcoming album, including a beautiful song written for his wife called Memories of Loving You. His infectious personality combined with his killer vocals made an unforgettable evening with jokes and anecdotes creating a wonderful relaxed evening. Jeremy's partner in crime for the night was his hilarious Musical Director Benjamin Rauhala who not only played magnificently but had everyone in hysterics throughout!

There's no way I can pick a favourite part of the concert because I was literally in love with every second of it but I couldn't write this post without mentioning the incredible cover of Take me or Leave Me which Jeremy and his beautiful wife sung (couple goals right!?) and also his medley of song requests. This truly showed off Jeremy's talent, singing clips of songs form Cats to Celine Dion all note perfect and just stunning. 

The amazing thing about Jeremy is not just his personality and talent but the way he connects with each song and makes the audience feel like they're experiencing every moment personally. Jeremy is an absolute star and deserves so so so much praise. For anyone reading this I advise you to watch all of the videos you can find of Jeremy, watch everything he's in and buy his album when it comes out! And Jeremy, if by any crazy twist of fate you're reading this, then I want to say thank you for an absolutely brilliant night and please please please come back to London very soon!

5 stars!

Jeremy Jordan, Hippodrome Casino | Review

Friday 1 July 2016

Thursday 30 June 2016

Eugenius: Concert Premiere Performance, London Palladium | Review



Last night saw the premiere concert performance of a brilliant new musical that goes by the name of Eugenius at the London Palladium.

With a book, music and lyrics by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins, Eugenius tells the love story of Janey and Eugene. 

Janey is head over heels in love with Eugene but has been placed firmly in the friend-zone, replaced by Eugene's love for comic books. A love so great that he even writes his own and somehow gets thrown into the crazy world of Hollywood. With plot twists and hysterically witty dialogue, Eugenius is set to be the new hit musical! Oh, and it's all based on 80's music! As I'm 19 I wouldn't say the music is nostalgic for me but I know my parents would adore it! It's certainly catchy and the 80's vibe has you dancing in your seat! The stellar cast were absolutely wonderful, with Amy Lennox stealing the show for me with her stunning voice. This is sure a cast to watch out for!

If you're not a fan of the typical musical then this is definitely for you. I found myself laughing out loud from the very start to the very end and the upbeat atmosphere was infectious. Me and many others around me were humming the songs on the train all the way home!

This musical is bound to become a cult classic and pave the way for a whole wave of new musicals. If you want a hilarious, positive, fun night out that celebrates the geeks in us all then this will be the show for you! There are no set plans for when/where Eugenius will open, but if the huge standing ovation at the concert is anything to go by then it will be no time until you can witness the brilliance for yourself! In the mean time, head to http://www.eugeniusthemusical.com/home/4592270352 to learn more about the show and hear some music sneak peeks!

*Thank you to London Theatre Direct for providing me with tickets to this show.

Eugenius: Concert Premiere Performance, London Palladium | Review

Thursday 30 June 2016

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Samantha Barks Tour, Churchill Theatre | Review

Source: https://twitter.com/TheAlexEllison/status/742769269935616001
If you read this blog regularly or follow me on social media, you'll know that I am a huge Samantha Barks fan. Samantha is a singer and actress most well known for her role as Eponine in Les Miserables' West End cast, 25th anniversary concert cast and film cast. 

She has also starred in a number of shows such as City of Angels, Chicago, Cabaret and Oliver and has been working on a number of  films recently which are set to be released soon and has just released her self titled album under United Music. 

Samantha Barks Tour, Churchill Theatre | Review

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Sunday 3 April 2016

Samantha Barks, St. James Studio | Review

It has been 20 hours since Samantha Barks stepped on the St. James Studio stage and I am still buzzing. I have been a fan of Sam since she was first on 'I'd Do Anything' and since then I have followed her career and been lucky enough to see her perform several times but this was a very different experience to anything else I've watched Samantha in previously.

Samantha Barks, St. James Studio | Review

Sunday 3 April 2016

Saturday 27 February 2016

Tori Kelly, O2 Academy Brixton | Review


So this blog post has really been four years in the making. After years of being a fan but never being able to go to a concert for various reasons, yesterday it finally happened, I got to witness the incredible Tori Kelly in action and I don't think I'll ever get  over how amazing it was.

To set the scene, the crowd was already buzzing from Samm Henshaw's amazing opening act when Tori came onto the huge stage of the Brixton Academy, and that buzz stayed from the moment the queen stepped on stage to the moment we left the theatre.  Tori's voice filled the whole place and her flawless technique and stage presence made me unable to take my eyes off of her. Everything seemed so natural, from the way Ms Kelly moved around the stage, to the way she used her pauses between songs to relish in the moment.

The set list for this concert was absolute perfection, with Tori belting nearly every song from her album, plus some of her older songs, such as the fan favourite 'Dear No One' and a brilliant cover medley, featuring PYT (with THAT riff of dreams included!) Tori hit every note with ease and her vocal ability and prowess was shown numerous times, with unblemished riffs, sultry low notes and etherial high notes.


I think its always been Tori's realness that has made people fall for her and that was truly the case last night. Tori somehow managed to make a huge venue feel intimate and managed to connect with everyone in the audience as if she were only singing to them. Not only that, but the whole concert felt like a party with friends, everyone there had a common love, admiration and support for  Tori so for me at least, it really felt like we were just proud to be watching someone we love on stage. You could really see how happy Tori was on stage and that happiness really translated to the audience.


The thing which baffles me about this curly-haired beauty, is how she can be both angelic with her R&B vibes but also have such swagger that if she started rapping it would be completely normal and no one would bat an eyelash. This is just testament to how talented Tori is, and I hope she gets every success in the future, because that talent, kindness and humble personality, deserves incredible things (just like it deserved the Grammy that was robbed from it...! In my opinion at least!) 

If you ever get the chance to see Tori in concert, please take it! I guarantee you'll leave feeling uplifted and in awe. One day it would be amazing if I could work with Tori and maybe sometime I will (it's on my bucket list to sing with her so fingers crossed!) But whether I get to or not, Tori has truly influenced my life and I'm so appreciative that she is there to be somebody for me to look up to and aspire to.

"Don't quit your daydream"

Tori Kelly, O2 Academy Brixton | Review

Saturday 27 February 2016

Monday 1 February 2016

Lucie Jones, Waterloo East | Review



The Waterloo East theatre was host to an incredible one night only cabaret from Lucie Jones last night and I'm sorry to rub it in your faces but you missed an epic night if you weren't there!

Lucie entered the stage in a sparkling silver dress and immediately belted out the Annie classic, Tomorrow, wowing the crowd from the get go.

After a number of hilarious anecdotes, we got to the X Factor days when Lucie introduced Anton Stephans who belted out a beautiful song and Lucie (along with some audience participation) performed Sweet Child of Mine.

As the night continued, Lucie sung songs that had been prominent throughout her amazing career such as Somebody To Love, Bring Him Home and an acoustic version of Poker Face (complete with unexpected harmonies!!)

Samantha Barks was another guest who joined Lucie on stage to sing an acoustic version of Justin Bieber's Sorry, which I NEED to be released as a single!! Samantha then sung a soulful jazz number, which was, of course, absolutely stunning! Danyl Johnson was the final guest, who, with a belt-tastic duet of Bridge Over Troubled Water made me fall a little bit in love!

A personal favourite of the evening was the hilarious Musical Theatre Boys song which had me in extremely ugly hysterics! Lucie's bubbly personality had the whole audience laughing throughout and by the end of the night it really felt as if we had all bonded during this intimate performance. The closing number With You left everybody speechless and was a fantastic end to a fantastic night.

Lucie is truly a force to be reckoned with, she's not only got the pipes to sing anything and everything, but her magnetic personality and natural personality, along with stunning sparkly dresses, make her a performer you just can't help but love.

If you want to witness the hurricane of amazingness that is Lucie Jones, you can watch her in the upcoming performances of Legally Blonde at the Leicester Curve!

Lucie Jones, Waterloo East | Review

Monday 1 February 2016

Friday 23 October 2015

Dogfight in Concert, St James Theatre | Review

October 11th saw the reunion of the cast of the critically acclaimed Dogfight 2014 Southwark Playhouse run. This magical concert took place at the St James theatre in Victoria and it was certainly a perfect homecoming.

A number of the cast reprised their roles: Jamie Muscato, Laura Jane Matthewson, Cellen Chugg Jones, Nicholas Corre, Joshua Dowen, Ciaran Joyce, Amanda Minihan, Rebecca Trehearn and Samuel J. Weir, all of whom you could tell from their high energy, emotive performances and their beaming smiles in the curtain call, absolutely loved getting back into the Dogfight world.

Dogfight in Concert, St James Theatre | Review

Friday 23 October 2015