Paul McCartney: Out There Tour, Liverpool Echo Arena 28th May 2015

 

On Thursday 28th May 2015, one of my biggest dreams came true. After years of waiting I finally got to see one my musical inspirations live in concert. Yes, I got to see the Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney at The Echo Arena in his hometown of Liverpool.

After spending the day exploring Liverpool with my family, Mum and I joined the quickly growing line outside the arena filled with the lucky fans who'd managed to bag tickets for the Liverpool show. Bagging tickets for Paul's Liverpool gig felt like I'd won one of Willie Wonka's golden tickets, tickets were so badly sought after and I still can't believe I actually managed to get hold of them! Once the venue doors were finally opened the arena quickly began to fill up and I could feel my excitement growing and growing.

The view from our seats were amazing! We were so close to the stage it was unbelievable-I couldn't have asked for better seats! Usually, accessible seating in venues are quite far back and often the bands are like little dots in the horizon. This however, would put a lot of other venues I've visited to shame.

Paul didn't arrive on stage until around half past eight but in the meantime they played a soundtrack of songs spanning through Paul's entire career including music from The Beatles, Wings and his solo work. Video footage and photographs of Paul as a child up until the present day alongside his friends and family were projected onto the screen at either side of the stage.

At around half past eight the lights dimmed into darkness and the music was brought to a halt. People began to stand up in what looked like a Mexican wave motion. Seconds later the man himself, Sir Paul McCartney appeared from the wings of the stage as the room erupted in roars of excitement. Everywhere I looked people held their "Welcome Home Paul" signs that we'd been given by the stewards when entering the venue, high above their heads. It must have been quite something witnessing such a sight from the stage.

Before long the first song "Eight Days a Week" began to fill the room, marking the first of many classics the audience would hear through he course of the evening. Now, I could easily have written a brief summary of each song played during the show but considering that it was a 40 song set list spanning over 3 hours I think I'll mainly discuss the highlights. Otherwise, we'd be here all day.

Paul and his band performed a bunch of songs from Paul's lengthy career including music from his time in The Beatles, Wings and of course songs from his solo work. Towards the end of the Wings song "Let Me Roll It" the tune changed as they burst into Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady (love that song!). This lead onto Paul telling us the about Jimi playing "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band" at one his gigs just days after the album's release. Jimi's guitar apparently went out of tune to which he peered into the audience and shouted "is Eric there?". Yes, he was looking for Eric Clapton. So it turns out Eric was there right enough and basically told Jimi to tune the guitar himself. 
 

 

 A song or two later Paul took to one of the two pianos they had that evening to perform a song called "My Valentine" which he wrote for his wife Nancy who happened to be somewhere amongst the audience. Unfortunately, I didn't see her. He also dedicated "Maybe I'm Amazed" to his first wife Linda who unfortunately passed away back in 1997. Throughout the song a combination of photographs and video footage of Paul and his children were used to create a moving picture effect. It's such a beautiful song and my goodness did Paul hit some impressive notes during it!

"Hope for the Future" one of Paul's latest releases, which was written for a video game named Destiny was also performed. I have to say I really like that song, it's quite eerie but at the same time very powerful. I'm so glad I actually got to hear it performed live!

Paul stepped out onto an extended part of the stage to perform one of Mum's favourites "Blackbird". Slowly the stage began to rise up into air and stopped when Paul was at the same height as those seated in the second tier of the arena. Usually, I spend a lot of time watching concert footage on YouTube before attending gigs yet somehow I'd missed the footage of "Blackbird" so it was a nice surprise.

Paul's colourful "Lady Madonna" piano (I'm pretty sure that's what it's nicknamed-but don't hold me on that!) was brought out onto centre stage as Paul performed yet another handful of songs including newer releases such as "New" (funnily enough) which could easily have made it's way onto one of The Beatle's albums back in the 60s. I was so excited to actually hear "New" live, I remember hearing it for the very first time just minutes after its release.

He also performed a song named "Queenie Eye" which was also featured on his "New" album released back in 2013. The song is absolute genius! Only Paul McCartney could write a song about a game he used to play as child with his friends in the streets of Liverpool. Again, I was absolutely delighted to hear this song live after hearing it so many times on the album. I have to say the colourful piano really brought Paul's childhood memories of a game he evidently loved alive, even to someone live me from a completely different generation.

"Altogether Now" from the Yellow Submarine film/album was dedicated to the "kids" in the audience although it looked like the adults seemed to be enjoying it just as much! It was a very fun and light hearted performance that put a smile on everyone's faces.

After a selection of yet more Beatles classics including "Lovely Rita", "Eleanor Rigby" and "The Benefit of Mr Kite", Paul pulled an ukulele out of what seemed like nowhere. He told the audience that he discovered his love for the instrument (the ukulele) thanks to George Harrison. Apparently, they'd spend hours visiting each others homes contently jamming on their ukuleles together. In tribute to George he began to play "Something" which was pretty special. The audience as you can imagine were ecstatic! There obliviously were a lot of big Beatles fans in the house and as soon as there was even mention of one of Paul's legendary bandmates, the room erupted in roars. I'm sure it brought back a few memories for Paul of the audiences back in the 60s, we certainly didn't hold back that evening!

There was back to back hits including one of my very favourite Beatles songs "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" which I hoped would be a part of the evening's setlist. I'd been pretty loud and excitable all evening anyway but as I heard those cheery chords on the piano, I was on a complete and utter high. I was belting out the words just as loud as the band and of course I was dancing around in my wheelchair like there was no tomorrow.

A couple of women sitting along from us caught my eye on a couple occasions, I'd obliviously been entertaining them with my enthusiasm and excitement-it can't be helped! You'll probably be bored sick of me saying this but "I'd waited such a long time for this" so I was going to make the most of every, single second! Funnily enough, when we arrived back at the hotel later that evening the same two women were right in front of us in the queue for the lift. So much for going somewhere, letting loose and thinking that I'd never see these people again-typical!
 

 

 "Live and Let Die" which was written for one of the James Bond films, was absolutely amazing live! Despite the fact that I already knew what was coming, I jumped out my skin when massive flames came shouting up from the stage. I seriously, don't think I ever seen as much stage fireworks and flames. The heat up there on stage must have been extremely oppressive, particularly for Paul's guitarist and bassist who were constantly on the move. They actually looked more tired than Paul who just kept going and showed no signs of exhaustion whatsoever! 

My favourite part of the entire show came next and that part just so happened to be arguably one of The Beatle's most famous songs "Hey Jude". Hearing that song live was such a magical moment. It was one of those moments that you had to pinch yourself to check you weren't dreaming. Thankfully, I wasn't; I was well and truly there!

The atmosphere in that room was out of this world, everyone was singing along proving just how powerful music can be. That song has played such a big role in music history and I'm so glad I can say I've hear it sung live. After probably the best eight minutes of live music I've ever heard the song came to an end (I wish it went on forever!) and Paul and his band came to the centre of the stage and bowed for the audience. The stage lights turned off leaving the room in darkness as the crowd went into a frenzy of cheers and roars, before long everyone was singing "Hey Jude" louder than they had minutes before. I can honestly say I have NEVER seen anything like this before and I've seen some of the biggest names in music over the past few years.
 

 

 Where Mum and I were seated, we could see figures standing in the doorway leading to the dressings. I'm guessing it was Paul and the band-it must have been quite something standing there listening to a room filled with thousands of people singing the lyrics to a song you wrote. This continued for a further few minutes before Paul reappeared waving the British flag in the air much to the crowd's delight.

He treated the audience to two encores, the first consisted of "Hi Hi Hi", "Another Girl" a song by The Beatles that had it's live debut earlier last month which was followed by "Can't Buy Me Love". He dedicated this to a couple that he invited up on stage after reading a sign the gentlemen had brought asking Paul if he could propose to his girlfriend on stage. What a story to tell the grandkids!

Sitting down at his piano for the final time that evening, Paul told the audience that the next couple of the songs would be the final few songs of the evening

 and that it was time to head home. Let's just say I didn't ever think I'd see 12,000 argue with Paul McCartney-it was like going to a pantomime!

A medley of "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight" and "The End" from the legendary Abbey Road enchanted the room at the end of an incredible night. Paul bid the audience farewell as canons of red, blue and white confetti exploded filling the air with colour. What a night that was!

At long last I can tick off seeing Paul McCartney in concert off the bucket list and maybe one day I'll be able to tick off actually meeting him too-until then I'll just keep dreaming! As I'm sure you already have gathered, it was an absolutely incredible night and I'm so glad I got to spend it in the city of Liverpool!

Shrek the Musical: The Kings Theatre, Glasgow May 2015

I initially hoped to have posted this review a couple of days ago but somehow it's Tuesday already and I haven't quite got round to it-the days really do fly by! Anyway, it's here now and that's all that really matters I suppose. So here it goes.......

A few days ago, Thursday 14th May to be precise my family, my lovely friend Heather, her lovely friend Karen and I went to see Shrek the Musical at The Kings Theatre in Glasgow. Ever since I was little, Shrek has been one of my all-time favourite films. It's one of those films that everyone loves and I'm pretty sure it'll remain a firm favourite for many years to come. In my opinion, Shrek is a modern day classic. 

Shrek the Musical take the audience on a journey through the fairy-tale story we all know and love featuring Shrek the ogre, Donkey, Princess Fiona and of course it just wouldn't be Shrek without the appearances of some other familiar faces such as Pinocchio, Gingy, the three little pigs alongside many others.

The show which first hit the UK's West End back in 2011 features a selection of brand new songs written especially for the musical. The cast also perform I'm A Believer, the classic number from the movie's final scene. To be honest, it wouldn't have been Shrek without I'm A Believer. Literally, as soon the first few notes began to play there were people up on their feet dancing and those who remained seated could not help but sing and clap along. Let's face it; it's too hard not too!

The show was absolutely hilarious and had the entire audience, both adults and children in heaps of laughter from start to finish. Out of the entire cast, Lord Farquaad was by far my favourite character. Gerard Carrey who played Lord Farquaad during the performance, portrayed the character to absolute perfection. He was extremely amusing and his likeness to the character was uncanny! Evidently, he'd watched the movie over and over again studying every tiny detail until he knew the character inside out. I'm pretty sure anyone who has already seen the show will agree that it felt as if Lord Farquaad himself, had actually jumped out of the TV screen and on to the stage right there in front us!

An enormous dragon was even brought out onto the stage on a handful of occasions, which  as you can imagine was pretty spectacular! It's actually a wonder how they even managed to store it backstage alongside the vast amount of props and scenery used throughout the show. Having been on a couple of backstage tours at The Kings Theatre, the storing faculties are pretty limited so I can only begin to imagine just how cramped it must have been back there!

Overall, Shrek the Musical is a feel good family show filled to the brim with catchy songs, great dancing, humour and of course a little bit of fairy-tale magic! I would recommend this show to families with young children in particular, they'll love every second of it! To find out more details on Shrek the Musical's future tour UK tour dates click here.

Take That: Thursday 30th April 2015, The SSE Hydro Arena Glasgow

 

 

Last week my Mum and I took a little moment of madness after seeing footage of Take That's first show of their UK tour on ITV's This Morning. The TV footage of their opening night convinced us to phone the venue's box office and see if there were any tickets left for one of the Glasgow gigs. We were pleasantly surprised when we soon discovered that there were in fact tickets still available for the third show of the tour on Thursday 30th April 2015 at The SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow!

We arrived at the venue with plenty of time to spare so that we could pick up our last minute tickets from the box office. Fortunately, we arrived after the arena doors were opened-standing outside in the cold didn't sound so appealing!

At any of my previous visits to The Hydro I have always been seated in the accessible/wheelchair seating on the ground level. However, on this occasion we were seated in the wheelchair area on the second floor and had no idea what exactly to expect. Both my Mum and I were extremely impressed with both the assistance I recieved and seating we were designated. Due to the nature of the show, sitting on the second level gave us a fabulous view of every angle on the entire stage. Had we been seated on the ground level we'd not have seen the show in as much detail.

At around half past seven the show began with Take That's support act, 2012 X Factor contestant Ella Henderson. She performed a set of songs featured on her debut album Chapter One. This included songs such as Glow and Ghost both of which have been pretty successful here in the UK. After hearing her sing live, I have to say that Ella has a really strong and impressive voice.

Around an hour later, at eight thirty the lights dimmed after a short interval and the show began. It all started with the dancers on stage; there was so much going on from every angle. Some of the dancers were sporting what I would describe as Inspector Gadget type jackets and hats. A threesome in matching apparel appeared out of nowhere, marching their way round the long walk way connecting stage A and B. Loud cheers from the audience surrounding the stage filled the air, so my guess was that it was actually Take That themselves! As they reached the part of the walkway nearest to where my Mum and I were seated, they literally walked down into the floor below them and disappeared! I couldn't quite believe my eyes!

Before I knew it they reappeared dressed in colourful suits from behind a raised block on the main stage. Within a short period of time the colour scheme within the staging and dancers outfits had transformed from cold blue tones to a carnival of colours! Bursting into the first track "I Like It" from their latest album the show had well and truly begun. The opening song was then followed by "Love Love", "Greatest Day" and another of their recent tracks "Get Ready For It" where flames were seen shooting up from the stage throughout the chorus. My goodness! You could really feel the heat from the fire! One could only begin to imagine the heat on stage.

After a couple more songs "Hold Up The Light" and "Patience" came what I personally would describe as probably my favourite part of the entire show. The performance of "The Garden" was simply breath-taking and magical! During the song a large curtain was pulled round the walkway and audience in the middle (I'm not very good at describing what the stage looked like but hopefully the photos will make a little more sense!). Using a projector silhouettes were projected onto the curtain to create a shadow puppet show which was stunning and extremely clever! The curtains were then pulled back to reveal the most amazing underwater scene. There were huge fluorescent jellyfish bobbing up and down as well as underwater plants in many different shapes and sizes swaying as if they really were under the sea. You really had to be there in person to fully experience the magic, let's just say that it was completely out of this world!

Next in line was "Up All Night", "Said It All" and a cover of Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic" which started as a ballad but quickly escalated into an upbeat, dance track which had everyone dancing. During "Let In The Sun" a huge globe soared through the air above the audience's heads to the second stage where it was lowered within reach of the cast/dancers. Each dancer produced glowing panels from boxes which they attached to the globe. A gymnast got inside the "sun" and performed a spectacular routine as the globe was slowly lifted back into the air. Once reaching its peak point sparks came flying out of it as it gracefully spun round and around. This was another of the many reasons why this show was so spectacular.

 

 

"Affirmation" started with Howard standing on a raised tier playing a single electric drum pad (I think that's what it's called) and was soon joined by Gary and Mark on either side. All three were dressed in what looked like a cross between a raincoat (like the ones worn in the film Singing In The Rain) and a white doctors coat. As the song ended and 'The Flood" soon began the coats made a little more sense. The room darkened there was a thunderstorm consisting of both loud rumbles and flashes of lightning. Their coats came alive, with an 'electrical' image projected onto them. Pretty cool! The choir seated on stage pulled out umbrellas as it actually began to rain right there on stage!

"Flaws" another of the tracks featured on Take That's latest album came next. The performance I witnessed during this song was extremely powerful and full of emotion. As Gary Barlow took place on lead vocals both Mark Owen and Howard Donald poured every ounce of their energy into an absolutely breath-taking piece of choreography. It was simply stunning.

Within minutes we were then transported to China in "Relight My Fire". There was a Chinese Geisha, warriors and even a Chinese dragon! A set of three stools were then brought out for a more intimate setting as they introduced their backing band and proceeded to perform "Back For Good" followed by "Pray" which gave the audience a flashback to the 90s with those classic Take That dance moves.

Another highlight for me personally, was during a song named "Portrait" where the band climbed aboard a bike and pedalled up into the air. For the duration of the song they soared through the sky above the audience heads whilst waving to their fans. I have never seen anything like this done before at a concert-it was so cool! It also meant that people like my Mum and I who were seated on either the second or third floor got a closer view of the band.

A performance of their recent hit "These Days" came next before the audience were treated to "Rule The World" a track they released back in 2006 for the soundtrack of a film named Stardust. Again, this was another atmospheric performance as the audience slowly waved their phones in their air at the band's request. As I gazed around the room there were what looked liked hundreds of tiny stars twinkling in the night sky. I can only imagine just how beautiful that must be standing there on stage.

The final two songs "Shine" and "Never Forget" were real crowd-pleasers. I don't think there was one person sitting still in the audience, even the event staff were dancing!

Take That most definitely put on an incredible show; within the space of just over two hours so much happened. I would urge anyone out there to go catch one of their shows-you'll not be disappointed!

Meeting Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) & Orianthi Panagaris

Last July I had the opportunity to meet Richie Sambora, former guitarist of the world famous rock band Bon Jovi and Orianthi Panagaris who has played guitar alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry including Michael Jackson, Prince and Alice Cooper. I've been a big fan of Orianthi ever since I first saw her in Michael Jackson's This Is It film when I was just eleven years old. Watching Orianthi play guitar alongside one of my all-time favourite singers Michael Jackson was what inspired me to learn guitar. I was completely mesmerised watching her perform and wanted to one day play guitar with the skill and talent that she has!

Orianthi & I

Around this time last year, I heard that Orianthi would be joining Richie Sambora on his tour of the UK and Europe. The best part was that the final show of the tour would take place here in Scotland! I'd previously seen Orianthi perform live with Alice Cooper and was extremely hyper that I might actually get to see her live in concert for the second time! I was also extremely delighted about the prospect of seeing Richie Sambora in concert as I've always loved Bon Jovi-who doesn't?! For me, it was one of those win-win situations.

One of my biggest dreams was to one day meet Orianthi. With this in mind my lovely Mum managed to get in contact with a member of her team who kindly arranged for me to meet with Orianthi prior to the show in Glasgow! I cannot begin to describe just how excited I was!

On the day of the show my Dad and I were also invited to watch Richie and Ori's pre-show sound check. By the time we arrived at the venue that day there was a huge queue of people also attending the concert spanning right up the street. As we walked past them, I could feel the infectious buzz coming from those waiting. 

After letting the appropriate people know that we'd arrived, we were then escorted inside to watch the sound check. I'm extremely interested in what goes behind the scenes at events such as concerts and loved every second of it watching all of the comings and goings happening around me. Instruments were being tuned, the merchandise stall was in the process of being set up and the lighting was being adjusted. So much work goes on behind the scenes to make each show run smoothly and to the perfection that we the audience see. We're all unaware of just how much time, hard work and effort each member of the crew puts into every show. Without them there would be no show! From spending such a short period of time in that environment it was evident that both the crew as well as the band are extremely close. I can only imagine that whilst on tour everyone becomes like an extended family.

After a short wait both Richie and Ori arrived at the venue in time for sound check. They appeared on stage from the darkened wings and began to set up their guitars with the help of the guitar techs. Once organised, Orianthi looked in my direction and waved! It was one of those exciting moments in life where it all seemed like a dream. Even if I hadn't actually met her, having Orianthi wave in my direction would have made my night!

Watching sound check was such a cool experience-it was like having your own private concert! During sound check they performed a bunch of songs by some of the biggest names in the music industry. I can't remember the exact list of songs they performed however, I'm pretty sure it included numbers from artists such as Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and The Beatles.

We were then taken backstage towards the end of the band's sound check. As you can probably imagine at this exact moment I was rather excited! I'd wanted to meet Ori for years and the moment was finally going to happen!!!!

We waited in the hallway outside of the dressing rooms whilst Ori got ready for the show. I'd never properly been backstage before, so I really enjoyed soaking everything in. For whatever reason I had always imagined backstage areas to be quite glamorous (I have no idea why to be honest!). However, it wasn't at all what I expected. I liked it though, there was a nice buzz about the place.

After waiting for a few minutes, a small crowd of people appeared at the other end of the hall. It took a few moments for my brain to click and for me to realise that there, at the other side of the corridor was Richie Sambora himself! He immediately came right over to me and started chatting. Richie was such a lovely, genuine and down to earth type of guy! He certainly wasn't one of those rockstars/celebrities that couldn't care less about their fans. I wish I could tell you more of what he said but I had one those star struck moments-typical me!

I had my photo taken with Richie but didn't realise until later on that our camera had decided to play up and didn't save the photograph which was frustrating-but at least I have the memory! Before bidding us farewell and heading to his dressing room, Richie gave me a big hug and shook hands with my Dad! What a special moment!

Before long one of the dressing room doors opened and out came Orianthi! Both Dad and I shook hands with her and she then gave me a big hug! Ori was seriously one of the loveliest people I've met! I felt at ease chatting with her, which was lovely as I really got to enjoy the time I spent with her. It wasn't one of those moments that I had gotten so hyped up about, my mind went blank and then all seemed liked a blur afterwards. Instead, I can replay the moment in my head, recalling every detail and remembering the exact conversation.

I really admire Orianthi's sense of style and one of the first things I really noticed was her outfit which you'll be able to get a glimpse of in the photo I have added to this post. She was even wearing one of her famous hats that I'd admired in so many of her photographs posted on Instagram. But before I could even mentioned how much I love her style, she complimented my outfit and hat!

I chatted with Orianthi about her time touring with Alice Cooper, I'd seen them live in Edinburgh almost two years before. She told me about one of their shows (which funnily enough I happened to have watched footage of on YouTube) where during School's Out, Alice and the rest of the guys in the band all appeared wearing blonde wigs similar to Ori's hair. It was interesting to hear her account of what happened, as I often watch concert videos and wonder what it's like from the musician's point of view.

Orianthi even told me about some of the new musical projects she'd been working on such as recording at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and her greatest hits album which at the time was just weeks away from being released in Japan. She also told me a little bit about the new album that both her and Richie are currently working on, which of course I can't wait to hear as it sounds like it'll be right up my street!

I brought along my copies of Orianthi's albums in hope that she would sign them for me. Kindly obliging, she turned to me and thanked me for supporting her work and purchasing her albums. Meeting someone who I really admire and having them thank me for my support really meant a lot! It's lovely to hear directly from the artist that they appreciate their fans support. Before making our way to our seats to watch the show, I then had my photograph taken with Ori. Fortunately, the camera decided to cooperate this time-phew!
This just so happened to be the final show of Richie's tour of the UK and Europe and it was great end to the tour I must say! Richie played a range of songs from his time as a member of Bon Jovi and also performed material from his solo albums. Together, they even performed a song named "You Don't Wanna know" which featured as one of the tracks on Orianthi's latest album "Heaven In This Hell". As you can imagine there was some amazing guitar solos which of course I could happily sit there and listen to for days without end. And of course, I can't forget the amazing Glasgow audience who love to have a good time!

At the end of the show one of the roadies came and found me with a Richie's copy of the show's set list that he had on stage with him for me to keep. I've never had the opportunity to stand at the front of the stage at a concert before because of my health. Due to that I've never had the opportunity to catch a plectrum from the band or a copy of the set list. As you can imagine I have and will continue to treasure the set list and plectrums I received that evening as memento from the amazing night that I had.

I highly doubt that Richie, Ori or any or their wonderful team will ever come across this post but if they do, I just wanted to say a huge thank-you to each and everyone of them for making my dream come true! They were all so sweet and kind and really made me feel special! I also owe a huge thank you to my amazing Mum as without her this would never have happened!

Prince & 3rd Eye Girl: PLECTRUMELECTRUM Review

 

 

Despite being released almost six months ago, I've decided to write a review on PLECTRUMELECTRUM, Prince and his new band 3rd Eye Girl's debut album. On the exact same date last September, Prince also released a solo album named Art Official Age. After months of wishing for the chance to see Prince in concert, I actually got to attend one of the shows during his Hit & Run tour of the UK and Europe last year! As you can imagine; the entire show from start to finish was incredible!

 I really admire the talent and high standard of playing that each of the musicians in 3rd Eye Girl bring to the band as both live performers and on their album. I absolutely love the fact that Prince has chosen an all female band to play alongside. Personally speaking, I don't think that there is enough women in the music industry so I really grasp onto the ones such as the ladies in 3rd Eye Girl that I come across. Their music really inspires me to work hard when learning bass and perhaps one day I'll be able to play at as high a standard as them!

With this in mind I want to share with you all 3rd Eye Girl's debut album PLECTRUMELECTRUM. PLECTRUMELECTRUM is a brilliant rock album, with a few flares of other genres flowing through a selection of tracks.

3rd Eye Girl consists of music iconic Prince, Donna Grantis on guitar, Hannah Ford on drums and of course, Ida Nielsen on bass. What I really love about this album is that it really brings out each members own unique flare and personality within each of the tracks. Since discovering them I've spent a lot of time watching interviews and listening to other material that each of girls have worked on prior to 3rd Eye Girl. From that it's evident that their latest work really depicts each of them as an individual.

The album has a bunch of tracks featuring some absolutely stunning guitar solos performed by both Prince himself, who is a completely undated guitar player (seriously you need to check out some of his solos-they'll blow you away!) and Donna Grantis. If you're a rock fan definitely check out the opening number WOW, which features one of those excellent guitar solos! I also recommend, Fixurlifeup which also happens to happened to be one of the singles which was released a months in advance of the album's release.

PLECTRUMELECTRUM, the title track is a brilliant rock instrumental piece which if you are a guitar fanatic like me you'll absolutely fall in love with. I'm unsure who exactly takes lead on guitar during this track-perhaps it's both Prince and Donna together. Nevertheless it sounds incredible and proves just how awesome 3rd Eye Girl really are!

Following PLECTRUMELECTRUM, a gentler rock ballad named Whitecaps begins to play. Whitecaps just so happens to be another of my very favourites from the entire album. Hannah Ford, the band's drummer performs on lead vocals throughout the song. I must say, Hannah has the most amazing voice; it's simply stunning! Her vocals flow well with the track and completely captivates the listener.

Alongside the range of heavy rock tracks with the much loved guitar solos, PLECTRUMELECTRUM features a hip-hop feel in a song named Boytrouble. Again, this song really gives 3rd Eye Girl's bassist, Ida Nielsen the opportunity to bring her personality to the album. I've checked out some of Ida's solo albums and I can see her style shining through each song. Staying true to her hip-hop/R&B style she brings her own unique flare to the album and more particularly Boytrouble.

The final track of the album is named Funknroll, which is most definitely in my top three songs from the album. Funknroll also featured on Prince's solo album Art Official Age which was released last September with a different mix. Just as it says in the song title this particular track feature that funk sound that was used throughout his earlier albums. It's one of those songs that you can't really sit still whilst listening to it!

Overall, this is another great album from Prince and of course an excellent debut album from the ladies of 3rd Eye Girl. It has a great live music feel which I absolutely love! I really hope that there is lots more to come from 3rd Eye Girl in the near future! If you're looking for some new music to listen, I totally recommend that you go buy their album! You never know, they might become your new favourite!

Orianthi: Heaven In This Hell Album Review

I've been deliberating for the past little while on what album I should choose to write my first ever review on. Eventually, inspiration struck and I finally decided upon reviewing one of Orianthi Panagaris' albums, Heaven in This Hell. Both her music and incredible talent has played a huge part in my life by inspiring me to learn guitar and more recently bass. Seeing Orianthi play on Michael Jackson's This Is It film for the first time back in 2009 really blew me; I was in awe and immediately wanted to play guitar just like her. Last year one of my dreams came true and I actually got to meet with Orianthi before one of her shows with former Bon Jovi member, Richie Sambora! Perhaps I might write about meeting them both sometime in the not so distant future.



Orianthi & I last year

As a solo artist I'd love to see Orianthi recieve more recognition, particularly here in the UK. With that in mind I decided to write my first review on her latest album named Heaven in This Hell which was released back in 2013.  

Orianthi's previous album titled Believe which was released in 2010 featured a more mainstream pop/rock sound. Believe had some really catchy songs including "According To You" which (I think!) was really popular in the US and Australia. The album also included a guitar instrumental track; a duet with Stevie Via named "Highly Strung".

Heaven in This Hell on the other hand has a more heavy rock/blues sound flowing through the album. Each track showcases Orianthi's amazing guitar playing which of course, I just can't get enough of!

My favourite tracks from Heaven in This Hell consists of songs such as You Don't Wanna Know, which I heard Ori perform live on tour with Richie Sambora last year, Frozen and Better With You.
The album starts off with it's title track Heaven in This Hell, a heavy rock song with one of those outstanding guitar solos as it approaches the last two minutes or so. You Don't Wanna Know then follows as the second track in the playlist. Like I said above this is one of my favourite tracks on the album. I love that this particular track has a strong acoustic sound throughout it. Previously, I'd never actually heard any of Ori's solo material live so hearing it performed on tour last year was absolutely brilliant!
Next on the album is "Fire" which just so happened to be one of the first songs from Heaven in This Hell that I ever heard. "Fire" is another heavy rock track filled with some awesome riffs and guitar solos. It was released on an EP a good few months in advance of the album's release date featuring four new tracks from what was at the time soon to be released album.
If You Think You Know Me is another great song from this fantastic album. I read an interview from around the time "Heaven In This Hell" was released and Orianthi mentioned that the track was one that she wanted to be able to play live. Believe it or not, the very first time I listened to that specific song, that was one of the first thoughts that came to my mind. I could completely imagine it being performed live. There are just some songs out there that you hear and know would sound great in concert.

As the album goes on How Do You Sleep?, a blues inspired track begins to play. As someone who plays bass guitar, I'd say that blues is definitely one of my favourite styles to play. Blues in my opinion is one of the most relaxing genres to play, it really gives the musician the opportunity to portray emotion in their music.
One of my favourite songs in the album, Frozen just so happens to come next. Frozen is a great rock song, which I love to sing along to (as you do!). If you love to listen to Orianthi's amazing guitar solos, then you'll definitely love this song!
Following the loud, heavy rock sound featured in "Frozen" we have the opportunity to wind down after the rush of adrenaline and excitement from the pervious tracks. "Rock" is a relaxed, country number that reminds me of warm summer days. I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of country music but this track is most definitely an exception. I really love how songs/music such as "Rock" can take you to another place and help you forget the craziness of the world around you for a little while.
The album continues with a ballad "Another You" which features a powerful guitar solo approaching the end of the song. I love listening to guitar solos, particularly solos performed by Orianthi. So as you can imagine; I just can't get enough of her music!
"Heaven in This Hell" draws to a close with the final three tracks which are named "How Does That Feel?", "Filthy Blues" and "If You Were Here With Me". However, a Deluxe Edition of the album was also released on iTunes which had a couple of bonus tracks. The bonus songs include the brilliant rock track "Sex E Bizarre" a duet with rock legend and lead singer of Aerosmith, Steven Tyler. Then of course there is one of my favourites "Better With You" a pop song which I just can't help but love! "Better With You" is another of those catchy songs that you find yourself singing along without thinking. Finally, there is also a radio mix of "Another You" included.
Overall, "Heaven In This Hell" in my opinion is a great album featuring some brilliant songs. The album includes a wide variety of genres and style so there's something in there that'll appeal to almost everyone! I'm pretty sure her music and guitar playing has and will continue to inspire young girls out there to pick up a guitar and rock out!
 

Queen & Adam Lambert: The SSE Hydro Arena, Glasgow 2015

 

Ever since I was little I have enjoyed listening to the music of the legendary, world famous rock band Queen. Their music is extremely influential to me alongside so many others out there. I mean who doesn't know their catalogue of hit songs such as We Will Rock You, Bohemian Rhapsody and Somebody to Love?

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I'd see them in concert! From experience I've discovered that dreams do in fact come true. Last Wednesday one of my dreams actually came true; I finally had the opportunity to see Queen in concert!

A couple of months ago Queen announced that they'd be touring the UK, one of the shows happened to be at Glasgow's newest concert venue The SSE Hydro Arena. Of course I had to buy tickets, I could not have missed the opportunity to see them live!

The entire show was absolutely amazing from start to finish; up until now Fleetwood Mac had topped my list as my all-time favourite concert. Queen however, may have just knocked them off the top, I seriously thought I'd never see another band put on a show at such a high standard!

 

Adam Lambert, a former contest from the popular TV show American Idol is currently touring with Queen as their lead singer. I was already familiar with some of Adam's work but decided to do a little more research by checking out footage of his performances on YouTube. After watching a few videos I knew I was in for a real treat-I was extremely impressed! Seeing Adam perform in person was even better than I had initially expected. His vocals are phenomenal! There are very few people out there who can sing Queen songs and pull it off like Adam did.

 

From around twenty minutes before the show started the sounds of instruments could be heard, there were blasts of smoke which were also used at points during the show. Bizarrely, even the noise of what sounded like a helicopter filled the room. I still haven't quite worked out where it came from but nevertheless it definitely hyped the audience up.

Unlike a lot of bands I've seen they arrived on stage as scheduled at exactly quarter past eight. The arenas lights dimmed and the music began. There was a large curtain covering the stage where a large silhouette of Brian May playing guitar appeared. Moments later the curtains parted revealing the band that we all braved such a cold winter's night to see. As you can imagine by this point the room had erupted in cheers as they performed the opening number One Vision. I sat there and found myself remembering watching one of Queen's concerts on television when I was younger. There was all the lights and smoke that had made it look so spectacular on television and seeing it right in front of me gave me a rush of adrenaline.

 

Before long the famous bass line of my favourite Queen song Another One Bites the dust filled the room. I have been learning to play bass myself and this is one of the songs that have really inspired me as a bass player. It is such catchy song that I am so pleased to have been able to hear performed live.



Adam Lambert

Killer Queen was an absolutely brilliant way of showcasing just how much of a showman Adam Lambert is. The performance that he brought to the Glasgow audience whilst singing Killer Queen for me, was definitely one of the highlights of the entire concert. If you're having a bad day it's definitely worth checking out Killer Queen videos on YouTube as its sure to put a smile on your face.

 

 

Following a few of Queen's other electrical hits we were treated to an acoustic set on the B stage. The B stage shaped like a circle sits out amongst the audience connected by a walkway leading to the main stage. By having a secondary stage it allows the audience to have an up close and personal experience with the band.

Speaking from the view point of a wheelchair user; I've never had the opportunity to see any of my favourite bands up close due to where the accessible seating is situated. The Hydro is definitely one of the better venues I've visited when it comes to accessible seating however the stage is still a fair distance away. On this occasion it was great to see a performance in more detail from the disabled area. I would love to see more bands provide this sort of experience for their fans.

Brian May

 

Brian May treated the audience to a beautiful and heartfelt acoustic performance of Love Of My Life in tribute to their legendary frontman Freddie Mercury. It was one of the moments where the audience sing along and the atmosphere feels simply magical. The miniature acoustic set continued with Brian singing  a song named '39. I really love acoustic performances during a show as you really get to hear the power and emotion in someone's voice.

 

On opening night of the UK tour in Newcastle, Brian used his selfie stick to take a selfie or two with the audience in the background. In Glasgow he decided to change things a little and this time took a panoramic photograph of the entire audience which was posted to his social media accounts and website. It's pretty cool to be in the photograph despite the fact I'm struggling to actually find myself amongst the crowd!

 

Roger Taylor and his son Rufus, took to stage and had a drum battle. A set of drums was set up on the B stage and the actual drum kit on the main stage was used too. Although at this exact minute I cannot remember who played on which stage. 

There was also the most spectacular guitar solo performed by Brian May. I was in awe watching and listening to such a breath-taking performance. The guitar solo has a sort of sci-fi type feel to it, I could picture the images of space ships, planets and stars that fill our solar system. That's what I like about music, it can take you to a completely different world and really provoke your thoughts and emotions.

 

As the solo drew to close they blasted into back to back hit after hit consisting of Tie Your Mother Down, I Want It All, Radio GaGa and then of course everyone's favourite Bohemian Rhapsody!



Bohemian Rhapsody



Adam started by singing Bohemian Rhapsody before the stage lights faded and a video of Freddie singing appeared on screen much to the crowd's approval. They even had footage from the music video for those famous operatic parts-it was so cool! Of course to top it off Brian came on and preformed that amazing guitar solo! 



 I don't know about you but have you ever seen one of those pictures on social media where it mentions that familiar moment where you find yourself singing all of the different parts during Bohemian Rhapsody? Well I put my hand up and admit that I do-I suppose it's just too hard not to!

When Bohemian Rhapsody sadly came to an end Queen vanished off the stage leaving the room to fade into darkness. Minutes later a piper appeared on stage playing Scotland's iconic instrument (the bagpipes) as an introduction to We Will Rock You. By this point the entire audience were chanting the lyrics to We Will Rock You. The atmosphere was incredible with the crowd singing and clapping along, I don't think it's possible to listen to that song and not join in. 

 

The entire band entered on to the stage once again welcomed by the crowds seal of approval towards the Scottish themed intro. Adam was dressed in a leopard print suit, gold coloured shoes and a crown encrusted with sparkly gems. His gold toned attire perfectly matched golden confetti that fell from the ceiling as they brought the show to a close singing We Are The Champions. I even managed to catch a couple pieces of confetti to keep as small reminder of the gig.

Overall, the show was absolutely amazing! I knew it would be good but didn't expect it to be that good! I really hope that I'll have the chance to see them in concert again one day. If any of you get the opportunity to see them live; don't think twice! It's worth every single penny! You won't be disappointed-promise!