After wowing audiences in ‘Barbie’ last year and absolutely stealing the show at this year’s Oscars with that incredible performance of ‘I’m Just Ken’, Ryan Gosling returns to the big screen for this highly anticipated reboot of the popular 80s TV series ‘The Fall Guy’, which originally starred Lee Majors. It’s safe to say the summer season has well and truly kicked off with this hilarious and heartfelt homage to the unsung heroes of the movie world – the stunt coordinators and performers.
Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is one of the best stuntmen in the world and his latest gig has him working alongside Director Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), who just happens to be his ex-girlfriend. But that’s not the only thing complicated about the situation. His leading man (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has gone missing midway through filming, so he’s tasked to track him down by his agent Gail Meyer (‘Ted Lasso’ star Hannah Waddingham).
‘The Fall Guy’ succeeds purely on the winning combination of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Both actors are superb in their roles. Gosling reminds us once again that there’s nothing he can’t do well (especially his Taylor Swift moment crying in his truck). His ability to deliver action and adventure echoes the greats like Harrison Ford, with his undeniable charm and screen presence making easy work of the love connection with Blunt too.
Emily Blunt has always commanded the screen with powerful and absorbing screen characters. ‘The Fall Guy’ gives her a nice chance to flex her comedy muscles and shows why she is so good at her craft. Together, Blunt and Gosling are one of the best onscreen pairings I’ve seen recently. It’s no coincidence that Gosling has now created five of the best all-time Hollywood onscreen couples in recent years, with his collaborations alongside Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Margot Robbie, Carey Mulligan and now Emily Blunt all capturing that elusive magic.
Elsewhere, Hannah Waddingham has a laugh as a larger-than-life film producer and agent, Aaron Taylor-Johnson nails it as an arrogant and insincere leading man, Winston Duke clearly enjoys quoting famous movie lines as stunt coordinator Dan Tucker and Teresa Palmer was excellent (if underused) as the sword-wielding Iggy Starr.
Writer Drew Pearce and Director David Leitch clearly have a love for the role stunt performers play in Hollywood, and the film is a fitting homage to their unsung craft. The film is quite meta in its approach, and it covers all sorts of things including how the Oscars haven’t acknowledged the brilliant work that these people do to make movie magic truly pop on the big screen. And on that note, ‘The Fall Guy’ has some good stunt set-pieces (as you’d expect), really bringing the blockbuster season into full swing. It’s also a great film to see in IMAX.
Fans of the original TV series ‘The Fall Guy’ (as I am) will feel a bit short-changed in that this really isn’t a film that follows the series narrative at all. This movie could very easily have just been called ‘The Stuntman’ and it would have worked just fine. Apart from the main character’s name and the infamous truck (which I’m happy to say does feature in the film a fair amount), ‘The Fall Guy’ movie is very much its own beast.
As much as I enjoyed the film, if you’re looking for a reboot of the original series then this isn’t it (even though its very entertaining in its own right). Stay until the end credits which features behind the scenes stunt choreography montages, and there you’ll see a mid-credits sequence that utilises the original ‘Fall Guy’ stars Lee Majors and Heather Thomas in blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. It also features the classic theme song, but A LOT of the lyrics have been rewritten as a sign of the times. Much like when David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser popped up at the end of the Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson parody of ‘Starsky & Hutch’, it all just feels like a half-baked afterthought, which is a shame.
If you are looking for a great night out then ‘The Fall Guy’ delivers this in abundance. Expect a lot of crazy stunts, some laughs and a brilliant love connection for the ages, with Gosling and Blunt oozing chemistry in every frame and guaranteeing ‘The Fall Guy’ as one of the most fun and enjoyable films of the year so far. With the film ending quite definitively, it’s hard to see where a sequel could go, but with genuine sparkle between Gosling and Blunt, that chemistry must be revisited again in some way soon.
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu, Teresa Palmer Director: David Leitch Writer: Drew Pearce Certificate: 12A Duration: 126 mins Released by: Universal Release date: 2nd May 2024
As anticipation builds for CMA Fest, country music enthusiasts are gearing up for the ultimate fan experience at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center. This year’s lineup promises more star power than ever, featuring a plethora of one-of-a-kind panels, special performances, meet-and-greets, partner activations, and a bustling vendor marketplace. Fan Fair X is set to captivate fans from Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9, with doors opening daily at 9:30 AM.
Kicking off the festivities on Thursday morning is none other than global superstar Dolly Parton, who will lead a special conversation on the CMA Close Up Stage. Parton’s ALL ACCESS! Pop Up Experience will be a highlight of the event, showcasing her global branding and merchandise items alongside demonstrations from her forthcoming cookbook, ‘Good Lookin’ Cookin’,’ written in collaboration with her sister, Rachel Parton George.
Following Dolly’s kickoff, Fan Fair X will welcome CMA Fest Artists of the Day, with Cody Johnson taking the stage on Friday, Thomas Rhett on Saturday, and Lainey Wilson on Sunday. The CMA Close Up Stage will feature a diverse lineup of highlights, including special appearances by artists like Jake Owen, Lauren Akins, Old Dominion, and Sam Hunt.
Hitting the acoustic Spotlight Stage throughout the event are over 40 talented artists, providing fans with intimate performances and unique encounters. From established legends to rising stars, Fan Fair X offers unparalleled access to the country music community.
Entry into Fan Fair X is included with all CMA Fest four-night stadium passes. For those seeking single-day or four-day Fan Fair X tickets, they are available for purchase on the CMA Fest official website. Tickets can be purchased now at CMAfest.com/FanFairX. Fans can also access the Fan Fair X meet-and-greet schedule on the Official CMA Connect App, with additional meet-and-greet sessions added throughout the month of May.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to immerse yourself in the heart of country music culture at Fan Fair X during CMA Fest 2024.
Zayn will perform his first-ever solo live show, presented by NOYZ, on 17th May 2024 at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London.
In celebration of his new album ‘Room Under the Stairs‘, which comes out the same day via Mercury Records / Island Records UK, the show will see the former One Direction star perform selections from the album. The live show will follow the world premiere of the ‘Road Back to the Mic’ documentary.
Such is the anticipation for Zayn’s upcoming album that his signings at Banquet Records on 18th May have already garnered over 1m+ pageviews on the store’s website. In response to this incredible demand, Zayn has announced an additional signing event on 19th May.
For the past few years, Zayn has been writing and crafting ‘Room Under the Stairs’, which is produced by Dave Cobb. This album marks his most personal release to date, reflecting where he is in life, while exploring the complexities of healing, stillness, and growth. It also sees the genre-bending artist explore a new sound, leaning into his soulful vocals, live instrumentation, and poetic lyricism as a songwriter.
Tickets for Zayn’s show will be available Thursday 9th May, and can be purchased exclusively via the UK album pre-sale link at https://shopuk.inzayn.com/.
One of the biggest questions on everyone’s lips when ‘Neighbours’ returned last September is when will Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou) get back together with Paul (Stefan Dennis)?
Fans were surprised when the revival opened with the wedding of Terese and Toadie (Ryan Moloney), and their relationship has been anything but smooth over the last few months. The death of David (Takaya Honda) saw Terese growing closer to Paul again, offering him a shoulder to lean on during a hard time.
Fuelled by jealousy, Toadie started confiding in his ex-wife Melanie (Lucinda Cowden) about his marriage, which ultimately led to the two characters sleeping together. Toadie claimed it was a mistake but when the truth came out, Terese left Erinsborough for a break and Toadie took the kids away for some space.
Over the past few weeks, Terese has been pretty much glued to Paul’s side, which has upset Chelsea (Viva Bianca) who has been getting her hooks into Paul and manipulating him. Today’s episode saw Chelsea confront Terese, telling her that Paul is still in love with her and that their relationship is an attempt to make her jealous. With Chelsea’s shady behaviour on the verge of being exposed, and the character hopefully leaving Erinsborough, should Terese and Paul get back together?
Credit: Amazon Freevee
Does Terese still have feelings for Paul?
This has been a running question for weeks now and this past week, Terese has turned to a counsellor to deal with her complicated feelings. Following her latest run-in with Chelsea though, Terese now seems certain that any potential romance with Paul has no chance. She laid down the law with Paul, telling him she won’t let him manipulate her again but Paul’s confession of love is unlikely to be something Terese can forget easily.
Is Toadie or Paul the best match for Terese?
Terese has built solid relationships with both Toadie and Paul, and while we were initially rooting for Terese and Toadie’s unlikely marriage to work, we do think she’s better suited to Paul. Of course, Paul has done a lot of shady stuff (and will continue to do more we’re sure) but Terese needs a partner who is as strong in their convictions as she is. Toadie is too weak for Terese and it’s clear that the trust has never really been there between the two.
Will Terese reunite with Paul?
Now that Paul has declared his love for Terese, it looks likely that the old flames may eventually reunite. Toadie is back in Erinsborough and determined to fight for his marriage, but we’re not convinced he’s really over Melanie. Playing Mum to Toadie’s kids hasn’t really been a roaring success for Terese, and if she gets back together with Paul she knows she won’t get any issues from his son Leo (Tim Kano). It feels like Terese and Paul falling back in love is only a matter of time!
‘Neighbours’ airs Monday to Thursday on Amazon Freevee.
Denise Van Outen has announced two special performances of ‘Some Girl I Used To Know’ at Southend Palace Theatre to mark the show’s 10-year anniversary.
The one woman play will be performed on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th September 2024. It was originally performed in 2014 in the West End to sold-out audiences.
‘Some Girl I Used to Know’ is a touching and hilarious play which is co-written by Denise as she stars as Stephanie Canworth; a beautiful, successful lingerie designer and media darling with a supportive husband.
But it takes just one Facebook poke from a blast-from-the-past and all the old memories start flooding back – candy floss, kisses, first loves and broken hearts – and with the old memories come the old temptations.
The performance transports audiences back to a time when hair was big, Stephanie and her friends partied hard and hopes were high. The show features a mixtape of songs from the 80s and 90s, including Soft Cell and Culture Club, performed live by Van Outen. Music for the show is supplied by globally renowned producer Steve Anderson – famed for his work with Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears and Steps.
On the special 10th anniversary performances of ‘Some Girl I Used to Know’, Denise Van Outen says:
“I wrote this play a decade ago and performed it in London’s West End. I got the idea from noticing a shift in how women’s lives have changed over the years with many prioritising careers (sometimes to their own detriment) over their personal relationships. I wanted to create a play that opens up the conversation “can we really have it all?”.
I took my own trip down memory lane to add humour and heartbreak, to make this a play about women for women. I’m excited to play Stephanie again and open the theatre curtains to a new audience.”
This performance will be directed by Tamzin Outhwaite, who previously directed the film version of ‘Some Girl I Used to Know’ in 2021. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.co.uk.
‘The Beast Must Die’ is available to stream on ITVX from tomorrow (2nd May) and you can watch the trailer to get a taste of what’s to come.
A gripping contemporary revenge thriller set on the Isle of Wight, the series stars Jared Harris (‘Chernobyl’), Cush Jumbo OBE (‘The Good Fight’) and Billy Howle (‘MotherFatherSon’). Watch the trailer below:
Following the hit and run of a six-year-old boy, his mother (Jumbo) is intent on avenging his death and the only thing keeping her going is the desire to hunt down and kill the man she believes is responsible. The troubled yet brilliant Detective Strangeways (Howle) has to unpick this web of tragedy and steer a course to justice.
The cast also features Geraldine James OBE (‘Back to Life’), Nathaniel Parker (‘The Inspector Lynley Mysteries’), Maeve Dermody (‘Carnival Row’) and newcomer Barney Sayburn. It is directed by Dome Karukoski (‘Tolkien’) and produced by Sarada McDermott (‘Bridgerton’).
The series has been adapted for the screen by screenwriter Gaby Chiappe (‘Their Finest’), based on the novel by Nicholas Blake (pen name of Cecil Day-Lewis CBE). Executive Producers are Ed Rubin and Emma Broughton for New Regency, Marina Brackenbury and David W Zucker for Scott Free, Nathaniel Parker and Gaby Chiappe.
‘The Beast Must Die’ streams from Thursday 2nd May 2024 on ITVX.
Live Nation is launching Concert Week in the UK, offering music fans the chance to buy tickets for top shows for £25.
The week-long event, which takes place from 6th to 12th May, celebrates the incredible range and diversity of shows taking place in the UK this summer and throughout the year. Concert Week has been running in the US for a decade and is now expanding to over 20 countries including those in Australia, Asia, Europe, the UK and the Middle East.
This will be the first time UK fans can celebrate Concert Week with special offers, promotions, and competition prizes taking place on Live Nation and media partner channels. Over 40,000 tickets will be available across a wide variety of genres including hip-hop, country, R&B, Metal, Pop, Rock and many more. From Doja Cat, Charli XCX, Glass Animals, Giggs, Limp Bizkit, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Shania Twain, Tiesto, Tom Jones and beyond, an impressive lineup will be available within the ticket offer for a limited period. Concert Week offers something for everyone and features venues of all sizes from clubs and theatres to stadiums and arenas.
How Concert Week Offer Works: From Thursday 2nd May, fans can visit LiveNation.co.uk/ConcertWeek to see the full list of participating events, offering a limited amount of tickets at special prices, including from £25.
How to Buy Tickets: Tickets for the Concert Week promotion will be available for a strictly limited time, from Thursday 9th May at noon to Friday 10th May at noon, subject to availability and fees.
Participating shows include: *Note: Fans should check the Concert Week website to confirm which dates from the below tours are a part of the Concert Week offer.
Air
JLS
Roni Size
Avril Lavigne
Jungle
Rudimental
Becky Hill
Kaiser Chiefs
Scooter
Bruce Dickinson
Katherine Jenkins
Shania Twain
Bryan Adams
Leftfield & Orbital
Simple Minds
Busted
Limp Bizkit
Sister Sledge
Cian Ducrot
Loyle Carner
The Black Crowes
Craig David
Madness
The Cadillac Three
Damian Marley
Major League DJz
The Compozers
Deacon Blue
Mana
The Corrs
Dizzee Rascal
Marcus King
The House & Garage Orchestra
DJ Spoony
McFly
The National
Doja Cat
Melanie Martinez
The Roots, De La Soul, The Pharcyde
Eric Prydz
New Order
The Streets
F&S
Nile Rodgers & CHIC
Tiesto
Fat Freddy’s Drop
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Tom Jones
Future Islands
Ocean Colour Scene
Trippie Redd
Giggs
Offset
Underworld
Glass Animals
Olly Murs
Van Morrison
Grace Jones
Paloma Faith
Wallows
Gregory Porter
Paul Heaton
Yussef Dayes Presents Summer Dayes
Highways
Pete Tong presents Ibiza Classics
ZZ Top
Hozier
Placebo
IDLES
Popcaan
Jack Savoretti
Raver Tots
James
Reggae Fest
James Arthur
Richard Ashcroft
Jess Glynne
Rick Astley
To see a full list of shows participating in Live Nation Concert Week please visit, LiveNation.co.uk/concertweek.
George Birge has just unleashed his latest EP, ‘Cowboy Songs,’ showcasing his evolution as an artist and songwriter. Released under RECORDS Nashville, this seven-track EP is a testament to Birge’s knack for crafting infectious Country rockers, infused with raw emotion and unapologetic romanticism. It’s a superb follow up to last year’s ‘Mind on You’ album, which garnered Birge with his first number one in the title track.
At the heart of the EP is the stormy single ‘Cowboy Songs,’ which is already climbing the charts with its slow-burning desire and captivating narrative. Birge’s distinct Texas vocal shines through as he navigates themes of love, loss, and longing with authenticity and depth but there are so many other terrific songs on Birge’s new EP and we were thrilled to catch up with him to talk all about it.
Thank you for your time today, George, we know what a busy guy you are.
No, no, thank you for taking a minute to sit down with me.
We last talked when you were over in England last year at the C2C festival……
One of the best trips of my life! I absolutely my visit over there.
I think it’s fair to say that your life has been a little bit crazy since then! Has that year passed in a blur or have you been able to enjoy the milestones?
A little bit of both, really. It is definitely the most insane period of my life so far! (laughing) Things are moving at 100 miles an hour all of the time, it feels like! Everyday I wake up to amazing things and insane opportunities but I have also made it a real goal of mine to take some mental snapshots and not to take for granted all these things that I’ve worked hard to get to.
I, obviously, have other mountains I want to climb and other goals on my horizon but I have tried to be intentional about taking some snapshots of this ride that I am on right now.
What’s been the standout memory or the thing that you’ve achieved that means the most to you so far?
I think celebrating my number one with ‘Mind on You’ in Nashville at my number one party. Just having the guys that I wrote the song with there with me and being surrounded by people who have supported and believed in me. I was expecting a smallish, intimate event but I got there and it was crowded to the max, you know, one in – one out type of thing. People knew how many times I had fallen on my face and how many times I had got back up and how much it meant to me so it was really cool to have all those people there to celebrate with me.
There must have been periods when you fell on your face in the last decade, when projects haven’t worked and things seemed bleak. Where have you found the determination and resilience to keep going from?
I think I have just been so blessed to have some incredible people around me. My wife has been my biggest fan and biggest believer since the day we first moved to Nashville. Even in the times that I felt like it wasn’t working and I thought about giving up, she never wavered or let me explore that option, even when times were really lean and we were struggling to keep the lights on!
There were some other artists around me, like Clay Walker, who offered me support and advice too. To have somebody like him believing in you gives you a little more reason to believe in yourself when times are tough. I owe a lot to people like my wife and Clay for also pushing me, even when I didn’t really have the strength to believe in myself during the worst times.
Bobby Bones has been a big advocate of yours as well. I hope you’ve recovered from the ass-whupping Lunchbox gave you at Connect 4! What’s it like having someone like him in your corner?
It’s unbelievable. Bobby had no reason to help me and he sent me a message on social media, out of blue, inviting me to come on the show. I about fell out of my chair when I got that message. He played ‘Mind on You’ on his show before it was a single or anything and to have it explode on his show first and to have his support and, now, friendship has been amazing. He’s such a great guy and so super-generous with his time as well, helping me to dodge a couple of potential land mines that might have been waiting for me in the industry. I’ll be forever grateful for his support because it really was the spark that lit the whole thing.
As awesome as ‘Mind on You’ getting to number one was – did that bring a pressure in terms of your writing new songs and trying to replicate that success or do you just roll the dice and write whatever is in your heart?
It brought huge pressure, yeah! (laughing) We got there and now I want to stay there! I love the opportunity to be able to go out and play for some bigger crowds and to be able to go out and open for some Country music superstars! All of that was opened up by this hit song that I had and so there is some huge pressure to be able to solidify what we built and prove that I am not some one hit wonder.
I took some time writing the songs for my new EP ‘Cowboy Songs’ and curating that project because we wanted to keep that momentum from ‘Mind on You’ going. Now I have hundreds of thousands of people following my career, which we didn’t have before we put ‘Mind on You’ out, so it’s a different ball game now. The magnitude of the music is on a different scale now, which brings more pressure but when I wrote the song ‘Cowboy Songs’ it took a lot of pressure off – the second I finished it I knew it was the one. Between the energy and the storyline, I think we’ve captured some magic there – and so we built the EP around it.
I think it might be my favourite EP of the year. It’s so melodic and so cohesive. Did you have a lot of songs up for consideration and was there a limit from the label in terms of it being just an EP and not a full album?
First of all, thank you so much for that compliment. I probably wrote 250 songs for this project! There was no limit on too many or too few songs from the label but I did want it to be a cohesive listen with some variety on there too.
You have rockers on there, there’s some ballads, there’s love songs and heartbreak songs. There’s some stuff that pushes the production values a little and then some super-traditional acoustic guitar sounding stuff too. I’m not an A list superstar yet so I wanted it to be a digestible listen rather than something people were overwhelmed with so that’s why we kept it to the length that we did. Seven songs is enough for someone who heard ‘Mind on You’ to be able to sit down and get to know me a little better without making too many demands on their time!
Outside of the title track, which will get to number one at some point this year, do you have a favourite song on the EP? I think mine might be ‘OK Breakin’ Up’ – the melody of which is just insane!
So, that song is a real sleeper on the EP for me. I have three favourite tracks on the EP I think. I love ‘Cowboy Songs’ because as far as songwriting depth goes, that’s one of our best. However, as soon as I wrote ‘OK Breakin’ Up,’ though, I knew we had something special and I was in the studio two days later recording it! (laughing) Which I never do – I usually sit on a song for a while trying to make sure it is in its best form. I’d been trying to write that song forever and I felt like we finally landed on it.
George Strait is a huge idol of mine and he has a song called ‘You Look So Good in Love’ and the premise of that song is that he is heartbroken that the girl has gone but he’s happy because she’s now happy again with someone else. I felt that was such a unique perspective and I wanted to write a modern day version of that which was kinda how we came up with ‘OK Breakin’ Up.’
‘It Ain’t Austin’ is also a favourite of mine. It’s my hometown and there’s a lot of nostalgia in there. I think that everyone carries their hometown with them wherever they go and compares everything to the memories they have of it. That song does that for me. I also love ‘Made You, Made Me,’ which was the one song I didn’t write on the EP but I knew I wanted to cut it the moment I first heard it – the wordplay in that song is super-unique. It sums up a lot of the way I feel about my wife, right? I have no idea how or why she decided that she would land on me but I’m forever thankful that she did! (laughing) I couldn’t put that one on hold fast enough!
Speaking of Austin – If I could show you my Spotify stats for 2024 so far I think your cover of ‘Amy’s Back in Austin’ with the Eli Young Band would be my most listened to song of the year to date! How did you get involved on that project?
That was such a blessing for me. Growing up in Texas I ioldised the Eli Young Band – they were the first modern band I saw make it out of Texas on a national scale. I always wanted to be like them – they had a great depth in their songs but wrote awesome melodies too. They took me out on some tours early in my career so I got to be friends with them.
‘Amy’s Back in Austin’ is an iconic song – the soundtrack to my youth and one of the biggest Little Texas songs of all time. When the idea of a tribute album arose we’d had some conversations about being involved and because I am from Austin they asked me to be on that one with the Eli Young Band. It felt, very much, like an ‘I have arrived’ moment for me because to be on something like that with artists i admire was something I hadn’t allowed myself to believe would be possible.
You’ve played shows with some big artists in the last couple of years. Is there one particular artist that you’ve learned the most from in terms of how they connect with their fans and how they also treat their backstage crew?
I feel like I learned the most from Gary Allan. He’s been out with his band for over twenty years but they are still all best friends, they all hang out together on the bus after the shows! They are obsessed with the craft of music and to see someone so far along in their career still genuinely in love with music is amazing. They will play a 90 minute show and then just go back on the bus, grab a bottle of wine and some guitars and keep playing with each other!
That’s the kind of passion that fuels me and something I want to aspire to as my career progresses. Gary also puts such an effort into the structure and flow of his sets and live shows. Every song is there for a purpose and the dynamics of the show. I’m proud to call him a friend and a mentor.
‘Hard on the Bottle’ must be a great song to play live. When you write a song do you have a half a mind on where it might fit in within the parameters of your live shows?
We sat down with that song and intentionally said, ‘Let’s write a show opener!’ So, we got a metronome going and made sure that the beat never dropped. We wanted a foot stomper that we could walk out on stage too and so that was 100% the rationale behind writing that one. We were chasing an easy, sing along show opener and I’m thrilled with how it turned out – we will open every show out on tour this summer with that song.
Your tour schedule for the rest of the year is VERY busy! How do you manage being a husband and father when your are booked out on tour till October?
It’s a lot, I won’t lie to you. Knock on wood, my family life is in the best place it has ever been right now though. We do get a reduced amount of time together – I usually get home Sunday mornings and then leave on a Wednesday so we are just very intentional with the three days a week we get to be together. If I’m home we’re grilling in the back yard, we’re taking a trip to the zoo or we’re going to the movies – we know that time is special and we are focused on making it as good as we can.
When I’m away we Facetime everyday. It is a unique lifestyle but we have made it work for us and we’re having a lot of fun whilst learning how to get better at it everyday.
Go check out George Birge’s new EP ‘Cowboy Songs’ – out in all the usual places right now. You will not be disappointed!
Steps icon Claire Richards will tour the UK this autumn as part of new show ‘Everybody Dance’.
The ultimate dance floor party will invite audiences to a show filled with dancers and vocalists for a night of disco perfection. The intoxicating combination of Claire’s powerhouse vocals and a dynamic cocktail of dance styles including salsa, mambo, jazz, hip hop and even rollerskating. The show features hits spanning 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond, from Donna Summer to Dua Lipa, Beyonce, Chic, Chaka Kahn, The Weekend, Whitney, Cher, ABBA, Daft Punk and many more.
Claire said “I’m excited to perform across the UK this Autumn in a brand-new show featuring everyone’s favourite dance and disco classics and modern hits. These iconic songs span the decades, from the 70s until today. I can’t wait to see you all glammed up ready for the ultimate night out later this year!”
Creative Director Stuart Glover said “This show celebrates the evolution of dance and disco music with something for all generations to enjoy. We have a multitalented cast lined up and some surprises in store. Claire is a real national treasure and her sensational voice brings this iconic music to life in a new way”
Claire Richards is best-known as one-fifth of Steps, the UK’s most successful mixed sex pop group of all time. With Steps, Claire scored 14 top five singles, 4 number one albums, 21 million record sales, 500 million streams & embarked on 11 sold-out national arena tours.
Outside of Steps, Claire released her first ever solo album ‘My Wildest Dreams’ on Sony UK in 2019 which reached #1 on iTunes and #9 on the official UK chart it also featured three Radio 2 playlisted singles including the hit On My Own. Claire embarked on a sold-out UK tour in support of the album and was the special guest for Celine Dion’s performance at British Summertime, playing to 65,000 people in London’s Hyde Park.
More recently, Claire’s 2023 hit album ‘Euphoria‘ hit #2 on the official UK album chart while hitting #1 on the download, vinyl and independent album chart. Claire performed in Liverpool as the closing act at the Eurovision village on the night of the final and she continues to headline festivals in support of the album, including Mighty Hoopla and Manchester Pride in 2024.
Charles Esten is a versatile American actor, singer, and songwriter. Best recognised for his impactful roles as Deacon Claybourne on CMT’s ‘Nashville’ and Ward Cameron on Netflix’s ‘Outer Banks,’ Esten’s career spans various dimensions although new album, ‘Love Ain’t Pretty’ is, amazingly, his debut solo full length musical release despite the fact that he holds the Guinness world record for “Most consecutive weeks to release an original digital single by a music act” after delivering 54 original songs once a week for 54 straight weeks back in 2018.
You can read our review of ‘Love Ain’t Pretty’ at this link here and our recent interview with Charles Esten about it right here. We caught up with him in Birmingham, UK on the Love Ain’t Pretty tour as he came to town touring the album with his future son in law, Charlie Greene, from the band Betcha in tow as support.
What was apparent, over the course of Esten’s 90 minute set in Birmingham, was just what a diverse and varied career this talented creative has had. Taking the stage with just a piano / keyboard player for support, Esten started the set with the title track of his current album, guitar in hand, harmonica around his neck, Bob Dylan style and a drum pedal at his feet. He created a rich and layered sound on some songs and then stripped others back to just him and a guitar or piano on others.
Throughout, Esten’s warmth and authenticity shone through, as he spoke to the crowd about his love for his wife, Patty, his time as Deacon Claybourne on Nashville, his two years in London in the late 80s as the star of the Buddy Holly musical and his belief that hard times and tribulations don’t last. ‘One Good Move’ was stripped back, initially, to just Esten and a piano till he picked up an electric guitar in the second verse and it’s anthemic nature began to shine through. Similarly, songs like ‘When Love Ain’t Love,’ ‘A Road and a Radio’ and ‘Down the Road’ all retained the more meaty, driven elements of their sound that made them so enjoyable to listen to in their recorded forms, which is no mean feat with just two people on stage, or in the case of the latter, three, as Esten was also joined by support artist and future son in law, Charlie Greene from Betcha on stage, adding in a second guitar and some vocals too.
Speaking of Charlie, he was also involved in one of the stand out moments of the evening when Esten invited him back on stage the first time for an amazing rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound of Silence.’ Future Christmases are going to be fun in the Esten household as these two guys harmonised superbly on this evocative and impactful song, finishing the performance away from the microphone and letting the natural acoustics of Birmingham Town Hall carry their vocals around the room.
Another highlight was the tour debut of ‘Halfway Home,’ one of the ’54 singles in 54 weeks’ that earned Esten an entry in the Guinness Book of Records back in 2017. With just his own vocals and a piano, Esten delivered this song in fine fashion, replete with Gospel overtones and some impassioned and impactful vocals.
Elsewhere, set highlights included the slick and melodic ‘Candlelight,’ co-written with Eric Paslay and Big Kenny from Big ‘n’ Rich, the very first duet Deacon Claybourne and Reyna James ever sang together on the Nashville TV show (‘No One Will Ever Love You’) and a delightful cover of Buddy Holly’s ‘True Love Waits’ in honour of the director of the musical (that saw Esten come over to live in London for two years in late 80’s) being in the audience at this show.
A rousing ‘double-whammy’ end to the set with ‘Down the Road’ and a cover of Oasis’ ‘Champagne Supernova’ preceded the one song encore finish of what Esten described as ‘the best song from the Nashville TV show,’ in ‘A Life That’s Good.’ The Birmingham choir took over during this final song, orchestrated expertly by Esten up on stage, and the show finished with a joyous, communal feeling of positivity that left Charles Esten beating the heart in his chest and the crowd cheering and clapping with emotional gusto.
Charles Esten is a charismatic and warm performer who brings his songs to life with impactful and authentic stories. Grounded in reality and yet able to talk about his musical and TV performances, Esten delivered a strong and cohesive set that made people laugh, sing and with ‘Somewhere in the Sunshine,’ cry too, as thoughts turned to the people in our lives that are no longer with us. Through it all, Esten acted as ringmaster and host with grace, warmth and style as he took the Birmingham crowd on a 35 year journey through his career. He even made reference to ‘his good friend’ Darius Rucker, who was playing at a venue nearby at the same time, thanking the crowd for choosing to be with him. There’s no BS with Charles Esten, no showbiz shenanigans or West Coast waffle – what you see is what you get with him and what Birmingham got last night was an honest, authentic and engaging night of stories and songs.
Set list: 1. Love Ain’t Pretty 2. One Good Move 3. Make You Happy 4. Back in my Life Again 5. When Love Ain’t Love 6. I Ain’t 7. Candlelight 8. Halfway Home 9. No One Will Ever Love You 10. Sound of Silence 11. True Love Waits 12. Somewhere in the Sunshine 13. I Still Do 14. A Road and a Radio 15. Down the Road 16. Champagne Supernova 17. A Life That’s Good Venue: Birmingham Town Hall Date: April 30th 2024
