While the world is eagerly awaiting the theatrical release of Spencer November 5th, the fourth and final volume to The Crown will be released days prior.
While the world is eagerly awaiting the theatrical release of Spencer November 5th, the fourth and final volume to The Crown will be released days prior. This week may well be a time reserved for British Royal observers as both products delve into the sordid relationship Prince Charles and Lady Diana. As for which is required viewing, that’s going to be tough to say as both are dealing with specific moments with a heavy dramatic flair.
SYNOPSIS
As the 1970s are drawing to a close, Queen Elizabeth and her family find themselves preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles, who is still unmarried at 30. As the nation begins to feel the impact of divisive policies introduced by Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, tensions arise between her and the Queen which only grow worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War. While Charles’ romance with a young Lady Diana Spencer provides a much-needed fairy tale to unite the British people, behind closed doors, the Royal Family is becoming increasingly divided.
The angels must be singing; When Sarah Brightman‘s HYMN World Tour comes to a close at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall on November 11, 2019, internationally acclaimed composer Yoshiki will be there to perform alongside.
He was a special guest at Radio City Music Hall (New York), The Masonic (San Francisco), Dolby Theatre (Los Angeles), and Yokohama Arena (Japan) and those fortunate to see those shows were not disappointed. For those who did not go, there’s one more chance! Tickets can be bought online or through TicketMaster.
“Miracle (Sarah’s Version)” – composed by Yoshiki and performed by Brightman with Yoshiki on piano – reached the Top 10 on iTunes Classical Charts in 15 countries and it continues to gain accolades. Brightman has called the song “the number 1 masterpiece on the album.”
Yoshiki will return to the UK for the first time since his band headlined Wembley Arena in 2017. The soundtrack to the award-winning X JAPAN documentary We Are X reached the #1 position on the UK Rock Chart.
“MIRACLE (Sarah’s Version)” feat. YOSHIKI
He brought his solo Classical Concert Series to London in 2014 and gave a live performance of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the UK’s Classic Rock Awards in 2015.
Yoshiki previously collaborated on the single “Foreign Sand” with Queen drummer Roger Taylor.
Yoshiki – “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Classic Rock Awards)
In March 2019, PBS premiered a one-hour version of “Yoshiki – Live at Carnegie Hall” on WNET Thirteen, the nation’s #1 public television station, with additional U.S. markets to be announced soon.
YOSHIKI – “Live at Carnegie Hall” Trailer
Yoshiki and X JAPAN have headlined internationally famous large venues such as Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, and Wembley Arena, as well as selling out Japan’s Tokyo Dome 18 times. The elegant dinner events are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to see the celebrated artist, and visitors from overseas are increasing year by year because of Yoshiki active role on the world stage.
Although direct tickets are now sold out, the secondary market may see a few go for exorbitant prices. If anything can be found, let the buyer beware as this musician have publicly criticized resellers as fully taking advantage of his fans.
“I usually don’t like summer because I’m a nocturnal creature who dislikes the sun and heat,” said Yoshiki. “But ever since I started this show several years ago, I started to look forward to this season. I’m truly grateful to all my fans who support me. I wish I could have adjusted my schedule to make room for more than 12 shows, but this is the best I can do at this time. I’m looking forward to seeing you all.”
By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
To be published in an upcoming issue of Absolute Underground Magazine
The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead is a fascinating documentary that looks at the rise, decline and resurrection of the United Kingdom’s seminary lords of the punk rock scene. They helped give rise to it mid to late 70’s, and the people they influenced included Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders — who played with The Damned albeit briefly before finding her own road to success.
Although I would have liked to hear more from her brief stint, many well-known names were interviewed about the influence this band had back then. They were very introspective. Appearances from Billy Idol, Lemmy, Son Letts, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Mick Jones of The Clash and Clem Burke of Blondie are just some of the names who lend their insights to what this group represented. Although they never attained the global success that bands like the Sex Pistols attained, that may be in part to the image the founding members — Dave Vanian, Brian James, Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies — wanted to project. They seemed rather schizophrenic early in their inception.
July 20th’s world-wide simulcast of Monty Python Live (Mostly) will no doubt get a video release sooner than later. With the show recorded and already broadcasted on television in the European Union, pumping out a video product will be easy.
That way, fans can look back at nearly 45 years of this comedy team’s cacophony of the fun and absurd. Technically, the years they were active amounted to 18. The stage show at London’s O2 arena featured the best of this comedy group’s skits from the television show Monty Python’s Flying Circus with more pomp, romp and craziness niched in, and for some folks hoping for a few surprises, the only shame is that no new material was offered.
At least a few of the skits are updated for the times. The Cheese Shop sketch gets an amusing postscript note at the tail end of The Dead Parrot sketch, and that at least shows some fun changes are in store. But for the other skit, either they are given a huge production in the style of Broadway in a way that only Eric Idle can appreciate or they are taken straight out of the tele from long ago.
If you haven’t yet seen the Olivier Awards on ITV tonight, then read no further. But to many of you brave souls who have, I say, “Then read on!”
The 2014 Olivier Awards, so named after one of the UK’s greatest actors of the 20th century, Laurence Olivier, was hosted at Convent Garden’s famed Royal Opera House in Central London.
The who’s who of UK television, film and theatre graced the red carpet with thousands of fans lined up to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. Be they Dame Judi Dench, Arthur Darvill, Martin Freeman, Hayley Atwell or Beverley Knight, a few were fortunate to even get autographs. Some were fortunate to have autographs signed by Tom Hiddleston.
The angels must be singing; When 
