Monthly Archives: August 2012

Whitechapel. Television Review. Series Three, Episode Three.

Originally published b y L.S.Media. February 13th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Rupert Penry Jones, Phil Davies, Steve Pemberton, Claire Rushbrook, Sam Stockwell, Ben Bishop, Hannah Walters, Jacqueline Roberts, Camilla Power.

Series three of Whitechapel continues with the gruesome premise of a murderer and the brutality of dismemberment. The scene is set by that other act of social discourse and interaction that some can find squeamish and sends shudders down the spines of the strongest of police officers, namely the spectacle of a family christening attended by those family and friends who you never see except when there’s free drinks on offer by the host. Given the choice I think I’d rather investigate another of those historical patterned murders, no matter how insidious, than ever have to wipe new born baby sick of a freshly ironed shirt.

Whitechapel. Television Review. Series Three, Episode Three. full post

(637 words, 1 image, estimated 2:33 mins reading time)

Wicked Whispers, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.

photo by chester rocks.com

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 16th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

It must be one of the hardest things to do in the music business; it’s up there with deciding whether or not a young up-coming band is going to break through and be the success that you hope they can be. To open up for a long established band with incredible pedigree and a lot of love constantly being showered their way from fans up and down the country could decimate and partially destroy some fledgling groups.

Wicked Whispers, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. full post

(418 words, 1 image, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Steve Hackett, Gig Review. The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

Steve Hackett at The Queen’s Hall. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 20th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

The title says it all, Steve Hackett at the Queen’s Hall. In a word, sensational!

Steve Hackett’s career is long, his output prestigious and he remains one of the finest guitarists to have ever come from these shores and even 41 years after Genesis released the eponymous album Nursery Cryme, he still has the power to pull in an audience some newer, more young and fresh faced bands will only ever dream of attaining. Fans may come and go but talent and dedication are binding.

Steve Hackett, Gig Review. The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh. full post

(538 words, 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

Midge Ure, Gig Review. The Jam House, Edinburgh.

Midge Ure at The Jam House. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 20th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

Ignore those who say with a surprised conviction in their voice, “Really, Midge Ure? Why hasn’t he retired yet?”  For what’s the point in retirement from something you enjoy doing and the love you feel in return from fans that not only have followed your long and satisfying career from the start but also the amount of new, younger fans that were in abundance at The Jam House in Edinburgh.

Midge Ure, Gig Review. The Jam House, Edinburgh. full post

(462 words, 1 image, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

Whitechapel, Television Review. Series Three, Episode Four.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 20th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Rupert Penry-Jones, Phil Davies, Steve Pemberton, Claire Rushbrook, Sam Stockwell, Ben Bishop, Hannah Walters, Jacqueline Roberts, Camilla Power.

The continuity announcer said before the start of the second part of the second story of Whitechapel, that some viewers may find some scenes upsetting, she might have well as ushered into the phrase, “and you’ll kick yourself for not realising who the killer is.” Such were the latent and subtle clues strewn throughout this final part that it was easy to forget the one fleeting and seemingly innocuous moment in the first episode where the murderer was revealed.

Whitechapel, Television Review. Series Three, Episode Four. full post

(449 words, 1 image, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

A Streetcar Named Desire. Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 22nd 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

Cast: Leanne Best, Amanda Drew, Annabelle Apsion, Russell Bentley, Stephen Fletcher, Matthew Flynn, Alan Stocks, Mandi Symonds. Sam Troughton.

Tennessee Williams’ play, A Streetcar Named Desire, is one that can cast dread into any Director charged with keeping the flame alive of one of the most accomplished American playwrights of his generation. In Gemma Bodinetz there is such a Director who not only has the honesty to go through every single pause, every full stop and understand how complex Williams and his writing actually was, but to install this attentive belief into the acting fraternity who are in the play.

A Streetcar Named Desire. Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(438 words, 1 image, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls. Gig Review. Rodewold Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Erica Nockalls and Miles Hunt. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media.February 23rd 2012.

L.S. Media Rating *****

Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls never seem to stand still and rest on their impressive laurels. These two imposing musical stars have been on a journey, plying their trade up and down the country and to far flung corners for longer than some can remember.

Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls. Gig Review. Rodewold Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

(423 words, 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

South Pacific. Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 24th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Samantha Womack, Matthew Cammelle, Alex Ferns, Daniel Koek, Loretta Ables Sayre, Elizabeth Chong, Cameron Jack, Luke Kempner, Dominic Taylor, Nigel Williams.

There is a memorable song half way through the second act of Rogers and Hammerstein’s superb musical South Pacific that not only gets into your head so much you end up whistling or humming on the late bus home but that is also very apt for the conversation and good natured chatter as the audiences spilled out on to Lime Street after the show, there really was nothing but Happy Talk.

South Pacific. Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre. full post

(480 words, 1 image, estimated 1:55 mins reading time)

Doctor Who, The Renaissance Man. Big Finish Audio Play. 1.02

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 25th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Ian McNeice, Gareth Armstrong, Anthony Howell, Daisy Ashford, Laura Molyneux, John Dorney.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. In the world of Doctor Who it can lead to downright murder! The second of Big Finish’s new Tom Baker stories, The Renaissance Man, shows with a certain delightful irony that just because you may think you know everything, doesn’t mean you have experienced it and of course there is always just that little bit more to know, even if it’s on the relative value of cow parsley.

Doctor Who, The Renaissance Man. Big Finish Audio Play. 1.02 full post

(641 words, 1 image, estimated 2:34 mins reading time)

Altered Images, Gig Review. Eric’s, Mathew Street. Liverpool

Clare Grogan at Eric’s Liverpool. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 26th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Don’t let the years that have passed since Clare Grogan first burst onto the scene as a happy and vivacious girl fool you. With the new version of Altered Images on stage awaiting Clare’s arrival, the patient and certainly excited crowd were greeted by the vision of Ms. Grogan dressed immaculately in a Greek style flowing dress weaving between members of the audience, saying hello and making certain hearts flutter as she passed by.

Altered Images, Gig Review. Eric’s, Mathew Street. Liverpool full post

(551 words, 1 image, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)