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Alfie Boe & Michael Ball Wow Bournemouth Together

The day was here, no more days to wait, the Alfie Boe and Michael Ball Together tour was finally underway and my first opportunity to see the two in action was the second night, at the Bournemouth International Centre. It seems as if I’ve lived and breathed this tour since tickets went on sale back in May and although the anticipation was immense, it wasn’t until my first ticket dropped onto the door mat this week (talk about cutting it fine Ticketmaster!) that I really allowed myself to think about hearing Alfie and Michael sing live together for the first time. Although I have been aware of Michael and followed his career for a long time (indeed it was him who introduced me to Alfie via Sweeney Todd and Les Mis) and been to see him in concert a few years ago, I admit that I was curious and slightly concerned as to how his voice would blend with Alfie’s in a live setting.

I needn’t have worried – from the first note to the last, Ball and Boe were outstanding. Starting with Somewhere, with both off stage and progressing through more tracks from Together as well as nods to Sinatra, Elvis and James Bond, Alfie and Michael complemented each other beautifully and yet highlighted their differences too. Michael’s Elvis was from the later years, although I do love his song choice, The Wonder of You, whereas Alfie’s That’s Alright Mama was the closest we got to rocking Alfie, complete with guitar! The harmonies were gorgeous and the arrangements were clearly chosen to enhance the strengths of both voices and their very different approaches to singing which meant a perfect balance between the two throughout the whole concert. My favourite Together song was A Thousand Years but the finale of the Les Mis medley was absolutely spine tingling – immediately after the concert I mused that I would have liked to have heard Bring Him Home all in one go but on reflection, it was actually really lovely to hear a new way of performing a song I’ve heard lots and neatly finished the Les Mis segment, coming after the soaring vocals of I Dreamed A Dream. The encore of You’ll Never Walk Alone was also pretty special…what it will be like in Liverpool with the Kop choir I can’t imagine.

As befits two vocal giants, each had their own segment of the show and Michael gave a superb performance of Gethsemane before leading into his trademark song, Love Changes Everything. He must have sung that song thousands of times in his career but it was still magical. However, for me, the two highlights of the night came with Alfie’s solo spot. Come on, you’re not surprised by that, are you? Firstly, came my favourite song which contains my favourite line (yes, the one that goes “buttons on your blouse”) and I had to restrain myself from jumping up from my seat there and then. Luckily, Alfie had us all up on our feet singing and dancing anyway so I was a happy bunny. Here is Keep Me In Your Heart from Cardiff, thanks to Linda W for sharing:

I was even happier when Alfie went on to perform the fans favourite Alfie Boe song in our recent poll, Love Reign O’er Me from Classic Quadrophenia. Although I don’t think anything could match the intensity of that first performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2015, last night was a close second for me. Sitting exactly in front of Alfie (I couldn’t have got a better seat if I’d tried) I could see the intense concentration and vocal technique necessary for that level of performance which once again bowled me over. Judging by the roar of applause from the almost packed arena, I wasn’t the only one either.

Overall, my first Ball and Boe concert was a triumph and I can’t wait to see where they take it by the end of the tour (I have a few more opportunities to judge). The show itself was very well rehearsed and choreographed, although I’m pleased to report that not everything went perfectly in that regard. You know you’ve been at an Alfie concert when something goes wrong and Bournemouth was no exception. Alfie’s long time MD Murray Gould and fellow guitarist, Sam, had to play a very long intro to A Wonderful World due to Alfie’s repeated corpsing and even when he eventually got the first line out, it was through gritted teeth as he was still inclined to giggle helplessly. Michael of course was no help, openly laughing until he cried. Michael and Alfie have chemistry in spades and this was abundantly clear in the banter between songs, as was the mutual respect with which these two fabulous singers hold each other.

Bravo gentlemen!

Alfie and Michael’s new album, Together was released on Friday and is available here:

Click here to see remaining dates on the tour.

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Kaiser Chiefs Stay Together

It’s safe to say that Kaiser Chiefs completely wrong footed both their many fans and the world of music in general when they released the first single from their new album back in June this year. In contrast to their previous guitar led indie sound, Parachute showed a distinct pop / dance style and to begin with, a fair amount of fans were really not happy. I loved it and felt the same about the equally catchy second single, Hole In My Soul, which followed in August and vies with Parachute for best video:

The title track, Stay Together, kicks off the album and instantly showcases the rest of the album: catchy, upbeat, synth pop, dancey and something that has you singing along in no time at all. Dancing along seems to be compulsory for me at least which makes writing a review somewhat tricky – taken longer than normal as I keep having to get up and dance!

I opened this review by saying that Stay Together is a completely different sound for Kaiser Chiefs and yet…it’s not. Strip the synth pop sound away and most of the tracks would sound like the guitar led KC sound we all know. I suppose this is not a surprise as they are an extremely well honed band live and several of these songs have already been played live at KC shows so far this year. My favourite songs are Hole In My Soul, Press Rewind, Indoor Firework and High Society, the latter for the novelty value of hearing Ricky sound more like Mika than Mika! I hasten to add that I could have chosen most of the other songs too.

Kaiser Chiefs’ previous album, Education, Education, Education and War was a blistering return to form after the departure of Nick Hodgson and certainly their most cohesive album since their early releases; Stay Together continues in that vein. Despite a difference in sound and subject matter (Stay Together speaks throughout of the tricky business of relationships – which relationships, it’s up to the listener to decide), this sixth album is very definitely to be taken as whole rather a collection of disparate songs. If you’re not keen on your favourite bands taking a new direction then this album might not be for you but you’ll definitely be missing out. Can’t wait to see where Kaiser Chiefs go next.

Stay Together is available here:

Together Tour: Become A Guest Reviewer

Have you ever attended a concert and then told everyone you met about it afterwards? Have you ever attended a concert, read a review afterwards and thought you and the reviewer must have been to a different concert?

If the answer to either of these questions is yes then this might well be the post for you. I’m looking for guest reviewers for the Alfie Boe Michael Ball Together Tour and it could be you!

All you need to do is fill in the form to tell me about your first Alfie concert experience and which concert you would like to review*:

Don’t worry if you haven’t yet had the chance to attend one of Alfie’s concerts – fill in the form with a short review of one of his albums.

The concerts that are already covered are:

Bournemouth
London Palladium (Saturday)
Leeds
Hammersmith
Blackpool

If you are picked to review a concert, you will need to be able to produce a few paragraphs of text by the day after the concert – publication would be that day. If you had taken any videos or photos, quality permitting, I would love to include those too. Guest reviewers will be notified by the end of October. If you need any inspiration, click here to see a guest review from Cecelia and here to see a review from Carole. Neither of these ladies thought they would be able to write anything worth reading but I’m sure you will have enjoyed reading them as much as I did.

My first concert review on this blog was Alfie at Carfest South and one of my favourite videos from that day was:

Alfie was truly having so much fun that day – thanks Linda for sharing.

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Shuffle Along: A Review

There are some great new shows on Broadway and in the West End and one of the newest on Broadway is Shuffle Along. This review is from Roberta Kappus on the Angry Baby blog:

To attempt to describe Shuffle Along, an original musical comedy, is to do this show a disservice.

It has an excitement and vitality that cannot be conveyed. With a cast led by Audra McDonald (6 Tony awards), Brian Stokes Mitchell and Billy Porter (1 Tony each) expectations are high and easily met with the help of a very strong supporting cast. The acting, the singing, the dancing and the costumes are exceptional. This is a show that is dominated by the performances and not necessarily the plot.

The actual title of the show is Shuffle Along or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. It is not a revival of Shuffle Along but the story about it which incorporates numbers from the original.

Act 1 is the dream and the trials of bringing an all black show to Broadway in 1921 and its incredible success. Act 2 deals with the deteriorating relationships of the people involved with this accomplishment. Throughout a narrative by Brian Stokes Mitchell reinforces the story line and provides a learning experience about black theater in America.

Act 1 is very upbeat and celebratory with most of the dance numbers. It also features a song by Brian Stokes Mitchell sung completely a cappella which is stunning. Act 2 is more somber but has an incredible blues number by Billy Porter. Audra McDonald is just exceptional throughout. It is impossible to say which is her best – her acting, her dancing or her singing.

While this is a show worth seeing for its remarkable performances alone, I do not want to let the comedic aspect go unmentioned. There are a number of very good lines throughout the show. The ones dealing with the price of Broadway tickets received the largest laughs. There were also several very clever scenes which left one wondering how they were even conceived.

Without a doubt this is a show worth seeing assuming you can get a ticket for it.

This first appeared on www.angrybaby.co.uk.

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Alfie Boe Soars into Neverland on Broadway

Ever since news broke that Alfie Boe would play JM Barrie in Broadway’s Finding Neverland, expectations from fans have been sky high, So, with Alfie’s opening night this week, our fabulous regular New York reviewer, Roberta, went along to not only the first night, but the following day’s matinee as well. This is her review of the two performances.

Alfie Boe not only flew from Les Miz to Neverland as the headlines read but soared. The role of J. M. Barrie could have been written for Alfie. His youthful exuberance when playing with Peter and his brothers in the park or at the dining room table (great scene) and his caring and tenderness towards their mother exemplify qualities we have all associated with Alfie.

As was expected Alfie’s singing was extraordinary. I had seen this show last year with Matthew Morrison and thought the score was rather bland. I am not sure how he did it but Alfie breathed new life into these songs. They became vital and colourful and you left the theatre humming them. The most impressive and surprising thing about Alfie’s performance in his new role was his mastery of the very complex choreography which dominates act 1. Anyone thinking Alfie has moved into an easier, less exhausting role in Neverland (which included me) from Les Miz is mistaken. Alfie jumps on and off benches, twirls around lamp posts, chases children through a park, is turned upside down and leaps over a park bench landing on his feet all in perfect time to the music on a stage filled with other performers. It is truly amazing to watch him do all this with such pinpoint accuracy while sometimes singing at the same time. All this comes in the first act and Alfie seemed much more relaxed in act 2, developing a nice relationship with Laura Michelle Kelly’s character, Sylvia. The audience even applauded when Barrie and Sylvia finally kiss, although I have to note that they did the same when Matthew Morrison was in the role.

A month ago almost to the day I had watched Alfie as a dying, old man utter the words “to love another person is to see the face of God”. Last night I saw Alfie as an imaginative author creating Peter Pan and becoming the father of four orphan boys. To me this is a truly remarkable transformation and a testimony to Alfie’s skills and abilities. He is truly brilliant in both roles.

Thanks for that great review Roberta, as ever you made me feel as if I was there watching.

FN 1st night

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Happy Alfie Boe Happiness Day!

Alright, alright, it’s actually International Happiness Day but I got the title idea from my 9yo who looked at the 2015 Happy International Day of Happiness Alfie Boe Fans and said “it’s not really Happy Alfie Boe Day is it”? We don’t exactly see eye to eye on our musical tastes although he has been known to sing along to Alfie songs before and even uttered the immortal line (on hearing Elvis sing If I Can Dream) “this is Alfie’s song, why is Elvis singing it”.

To celebrate, these are some of my favourite Alfie tracks from each of his albums:

E Lucevan Le Stelle (Classic FM Presents) – video from first series of BBC Maestro

The song recently voted the favourite Alfie Boe recorded song, A Living Prayer (Onward) – from Songs of Praise

Funiculi Funicula (La Passione) – this was a hard choice as I could easily have chosen the whole album!

On The Street Where You Live (Bring Him Home) – from QVC, picked because my son’s choir used to sing this:

In My Daughter’s Eyes (Alfie) – for all parents and children everywhere:

Angie (Storyteller)- loved the original, this is better:

My all time favourite Alfie song (so far) is Keep Me In Your Heart (Trust) – something to do with those buttons…

Addio Sogni di Gloria (Serenata) was my favourite in the Serenata review and it hasn’t changed:

The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that Love Was A Dream is missing – as far as I’m aware we don’t have video of Alfie singing my favourite song from that album. Maybe one day…

What are your songs from all Alfie’s albums? Let us know below:

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John Owen-Jones Takes Over in Les Mis Broadway

Tuesday 1 March saw the first night of John Owen-Jones as Jean Valjean in Broadway’s Les Mis. As with the first nights of the previous incumbents of the role, our intrepid New York reporter, Roberta Kappus was there and I’m thrilled to bring you her review:

Years of experience on the stage were in evidence as John Owen-Jones took over the role of Jean Valjean on Broadway. From an unrepentant convict to a dying old man, John Owen-Jones gave a masterful performance conveying feelings and emotions flawlessly. By a shrug of a shoulder or an added inflection on a word John changed the focus of a scene. From the beginning his skills were apparent.

On his first day of freedom when Valjean drinks from a stream you can see and feel his sensation of release and satisfaction at the cool taste of the water. He pauses and savours both the freedom and the water and lets you feel it with him. Most impressive was Who Am I. John doesn’t just struggle with the question of turning himself in as another has been mistakenly identified as JVJ but conveys the life and death consequences of his decision and includes the audience in the process. The closest I could come to this portrayal was seeing JVJ as an attorney who strongly believes in his client’s case and the audience is his jury. He strides back and forth across the front of the stage facing the audience, stretching out his arms as though to embrace the audience. It is very effective and as an audience member you feel involved.

Another striking element in his performance is the aging of JVJ. This starts almost at the beginning when he rescues the man from the runaway cart. It is not an easy task and John is winded and out of breath following the rescue. It continues through his first scene in Paris where he is no longer strong enough to fend off the thugs. In his scenes at home with Cosette his shoulders are rounded and his stride is no longer as strong and sure as in the beginning. The aging continues through his final scene when he is truly a feeble, old man. After the show I went back and read the interview with John on this blog (click here). John described his interpretation of the aging exactly as he acted it. It was masterful and no doubt came from John’s years of experience.

Les Mis is a show that is sung throughout and John does not disappoint. I almost feel as though I do not have to say anything about his singing since he is so well known through his albums and YouTube. He was excellent and his singing appeared to be effortless. Throughout he changed the impact of a line in a song by an added inflection on a word. His Bring Him Home was not only sung but also acted. His hands were clasped in prayer as he pleaded with God. He directed God’s gaze to Marius as though God was a presence on the stage. The acting definitely strengthened the emotional impact of the song.

I have been fortunate enough to see three Jean Valjeans over the last few months – Ramin Karimloo, Alfie Boe and John Owen-Jones. Each brings his own interpretation to the role and emphasises his strengths. Each makes Les Mis his own story and each has been worth seeing. If you have the chance, you should see John Owen-Jones in the role.

Yet another fabulous review, Roberta – thank you. As it has been your privilege to see these three performers, it has been my pleasure and privilege to publish such gifted reviews from you.

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What a Start for Beth Ford in 2016!

2015 was a phenomenal year for singer Beth Ford, with a top ten iTunes hit on her debut single, a viral YouTube video and a slot with soprano Rebecca Newman at Lichfield’s Garrick theatre. All this and I haven’t mentioned Beth’s duet with Michael Boe for his album (with Sean Ashmore), Along the Way! However, 2016 is only a few weeks old and looks set to be just as good as last year, as Beth has just performed with Jonathan Antoine on the Birmingham leg of his Believe tour. Sharing the stage with Jonathan is an early highlight for Beth who said “I don’t have words to describe what was one of the best days of my life. I have been on Cloud nine ever since and I am so happy that everyone had a good time. I am grateful to Jonathan Antoine for giving me this fabulous opportunity”.

Angry Baby’s Flo Bannigan went along to the concert and reviewed it for us – thanks Flo!

Jonathan is the endearingly shy young man from Britain’s Got Talent who, along with his duet partner, Charlotte Jaconelli, shot to overnight fame at the audition stage. Only Pudsey the dog robbed them of first place! At that time, Jonathan was only 17 years old. He has still only just turned 21, but despite his young age he has developed confidence that commands the stage as a solo performer. Thankfully, this isn’t at the expense of a natural personality and playfulness that infects his singing and his chat with his audience. But it was the music that we came to hear, and we were not disappointed. Jonathan is much more than a classically-trained singer. His effortless vocals move from the strength and projection required for Granada through rich, plaintive tones for romantic Italian arias, to a truly tender lullaby Hushabye Mountain and love songs sung with softness and intensity that requires truly accomplished interpretation.

Jonathan’s talent for singing is matched by his talent for choosing supporting acts and the highlight was local girl Beth Ford. Enchanted by Beth’s pure, natural voice, which provided a gorgeous contrast to Jonathan’s rich tones throughout their duet of Come What May, there was an audible gasp from the audience when they heard that Beth is just 15 years old.

If it’s possible to feel an audience leaning in to hear and appreciate the emotion in every note, that’s the effect that Beth created through her solo Beautiful Dreamer. There is something other-worldly about Beth’s presence on stage and her hypnotic rendering of this classic song definitely left everyone wanting more. [Luckily Beth can give you more – click here to get your free download of I’m Always Chasing Rainbows.] Another local act, Rugby’s teenage ensemble The Strawhouse Singers ably rose to the challenge of supporting Jonathan’s powerful vocals.

Thank you for a wonderful review Flo! Of course, like six degrees of separation, Jonathan and Beth have both appeared on the same stage as Alfie Boe – Jonathan at 2015’s Llangollen Eistedfodd and Beth memorably sang Impossible Dream with Alfie on his 2012 Bring Him Home tour. Dare I say that Beth has gone one better than Jonathan in recording with a Boe? As mentioned in the introduction, Beth recorded a duet version of Streets of London with Alfie’s elder brother Michael in 2015 – click here to order.

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Allegiance on Broadway – The New Show to See

If you’re in New York to see Alfie Boe in Les Mis you might also want to see another Broadway show and (aside from Hamilton) the newest show with a hot ticket is George Takei’s Allegiance. The show is based on the real life experiences of Japanese Americans interned following the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941 (Takei was himself interned) and stars, alongside Takei, Les Mis alumni Lea Salonga. Our resident New York critic, Roberta, Kappus went to see the show when it opened:

Allegiance is a powerful and moving musical starring Lea Salonga and George Takei (Star Trek) that just opened on Broadway. The story comes from the real life experience of Mr. Takei’s family in an internment camp following the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II. Considered a possible threat to the US, many Japanese Americans living on the west coast were rounded up and sent to camps inland. As such it deals with the despairs, the loves, the triumphs, the births and deaths of this family and others that the family touch in the internment camp.
Allegiance has an incredible cast and I would argue that the cast, alone, makes the show worth seeing. I don’t think Lea Salonga needs much explanation as many know her from the 25th Anniversary of Les Mis and she is just as outstanding in Allegiance. I do not even know how to describe her voice but it is stunningly beautiful and I could listen to her all day. George Takei who is making his Broadway debut at 78 gives a surprisingly strong performance. Despite all his years of acting I just did not expect such a remarkable performance from him. Mr. Takei and Ms Salonga are supported by an amazing cast that includes Telly Leung (Glee) and Katie Rose Clarke (Wicked) who recently recorded a Dan and Laura Curtis duet, Now You’re Here, with Chris McCarrell (Marius in Les Mis).

At the end, there is no doubt that Mr. Takei has achieved his goal of ensuring that this chapter in American history is not forgotten. You leave the theater thinking about what you have just seen and you are still thinking about it weeks later. If you are interested in a musical with a strong cast that is thought provoking then you should see Allegiance.

Thanks for the review Roberta.

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Alfie Boe’s Les Mis First Night: The Review

Last night, 1 September, saw the hotly anticipated first night of Alfie Boe’s run in the Broadway production of Les Mis. Alfie’s previous incarnation as Jean Valjean in London four years ago led to a frenzy of speculation about his possible involvement when the show’s revival was announced a couple of years later; this frenzy dampened slightly when the role went to Ramin Karimloo but never really went away, hence the levels of excitement when it was announced earlier this year that Alfie would take over from Ramin.

Many Alfie fans are going to see him in New York (click here for his current schedule), probably booking to see the show several times, and one such fan was there last night. Roberta reviewed Les Mis for thoughtsofjustafan when it first opened and she has been kind enough to review Alfie’s first night for us:

Perfection or as close as you can humanly come to perfection is the only way to describe Alfie Boe’s opening night performance in Les Mis Broadway. Alfie seemed a little bit nervous at the very beginning but that quickly passed. When he first came on stage I was very conscious that I was seeing Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean and that in itself was exciting but that quickly passed; at the end of the show I realised that at some point (I think when Alfie made his first appearance as mayor) I was no longer thinking in those terms. Instead I was watching Jean Valjean and not someone playing JVJ. It was an incredible performance.

Of course I expected the singing to be extraordinary and Alfie did not disappoint. He nailed every song and received a standing ovation for Bring Him Home. What took me by surprise was the absolutely brilliant acting. I was lucky enough to have front row seats and could see every expression crossing his face and there were many. From the anger at the injustice of his imprisonment to the tenderness displayed in the scene when he takes Cosette away. This scene touched me the most. Alfie was truly a father looking at his daughter and rejoicing in the life that would now be theirs. When he picked her up it was not just to dance with her. He tossed her in the air twice and caught her both times. And the expression on Alfie’s face can only be described as a father looking with great love at his daughter. I wish I could have filmed that and replayed it here. It has to be seen.

Alfie received a well deserved standing ovation at the end. He blew a kiss to the audience, heaved a sigh of relief, struck his chest 3 times in appreciation and then collapsed to his knees.

Thank you for that wonderful review Roberta. Twitter has been awash with compliments – it’s fair to say that all of them were of the same opinion as Roberta. Amongst the many tweets were photos of Alfie at the stage door with fans and my favourite is from Carla, who looks absolutely delighted to be there:

and here is Alfie in the white shirt!

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