Thursday, December 30, 2010

Mumford & Sons

Nice live version of The Cave. I wouldn't be a massive fan of the band but they've secured their reputation as one of the best live acts of 2010. It helps to have a mental Scottish crowd I guess. Crank up the volume

The West Wing

The West Wing is the greatest piece of television ever. I first watched it three years ago and have since watched every episode, twice. The plot, characters and cinematography are utterly brilliant. The scale of production is unfathomable and it's mind-boggling to think of the Aaron Sorkin machine churning out so many explosive episodes that enthrall the viewer from start to finish. One of the most jaw-dropping episodes is the series two finale entitled Two Cathedrals. For anyone who hasn't seen it I've attached a Mark Knopfler live version of the song that plays out when Bartlett makes the all important decision. The live version is spine-tingling, put headphones in to appreciate the full orchestra. Knopfler is so effortless in his guitar and singing style, one of the true greats. I could talk about the West Wing for days so I'll leave it to the clips to prove my point. That's a lie, I'll definitely do another post in the future so I can gush about Martin Sheen some more



Monday, December 27, 2010

HOOTENANNY!

Jools Holland, for the deprived among you, is a music genius. As host of the aptly titled "Later...with Jools Holland" he has seen an audacious who's who of musical pioneers pass through the doors of his BBC show. Having celebrated it's 250th-episode-anniversary in September I'm devoting this post to the show due to it's impending HOOTENANNY on New Years Eve. This is a special annual show that sees the glitterati of UK entertainment crammed into one colossal studio for, hands down, the greatest NYE party. On such an occasion you can expect to see a husky voiced Motown diva duet with the bassist from Slipknot.

The show has an uncanny ability to demand respect from the all time greats who jump at the opportunity to be involved in the institution. Jools is also credited for igniting the careers of many musicians and scouting out obscure and exhilarating live acts. Below are a few of my favorite performances, by no means exhaustive but offers a brief insight into the wonderful world of Jools.