Jack Black Rocked My Socks Off! Tenacious D at 02 Apollo Manchester

Sunday night usually consists of a crappy reality TV show or a really good British crime drama, but Sunday 10^th June consisted of heavy metal music, Jack Black, Kyle Gass, a squid and a giant inflatable penis. Yes Tenacious D was rocking the Apollo.

I had seen ‘The D’ 6 years ago at Birmingham NEC (aka LG Arena for non Brummies); they were very funny and followed the Pick of Destiny movie storyline and with it being December it was like an alternative pantomime with lots of swearing. It’s not every day you watch a band consisting of the Anti-Christ, Colonel Sanders and Charlie Chaplin.  This time around it was the same band without their fancy dress and the gig felt more intimate as the 02 Apollo Manchester is a lot smaller than the NEC and thanks to my mobile phone contract we was let in first and managed to get front row.  That’s right people – FRONT ROW!!! I love heavy metal music but I don’t mosh and being the wrong side of 35 surrounded by teenagers, the safety barrier was my new friend.

The D came on around 9 for their hour and half gig, the first 6 songs was from their new album Rise of the Fenix which I had listened to a few times before Sunday (Low Hangin’ Fruit and Roadie my favourites so far). But why is it when you don’t know some of the words you idol give you eye contact!

The it was back to the old stuff I knew the words to.  I loved Kickapoo and Kyle Quit The Band, but my favourites was The Metal as J.B was up close climbing the speakers  in front of us and Wonderboy as I’m sure he was talking to me.  You can’t have a Tenacious D concert without the amazing Tribute and the very rude F**k Her Gently.  My only negatives of the night were it was in Manchester and not Birmingham and that they didn’t perform Pick of Destiny (now my new ringtone – clean version).

I think with all my favourite TV programmes finishing for the summer I think this weekend will include School of Rock, Pick of Destiny, High Fidelity and maybe Gulliver’s Travels.

My socks was totally ROCKED OFF!!!

Queen TV – The Diamond Jubilee Weekend

Thank you Liz for an extra day off work and after booking Friday off as well, I could get used to a 5 day weekend.

I started my Jubilee viewing on Friday night with the BBC’s  A Jubilee Tribute To The Queen by the Prince of Wales followed by ITV tribute Elizabeth: Queen Wife Mother, which I only watched half of because Monsieur X called to tell me about French TV’s coverage. I don’t think it was the same programmes but he said there had been a few documentaries.

Saturday and Sunday morning was all about preparation for our Jubilee party.  No time to sit and watch TV (even thou I did manage to squeeze in the end of Criminal Minds and Hawaii 5 – 0) so while cleaning and putting up the bunting – Sky news was on in the background. Not sure if it was my TV but good news seems to be brighter in HD.

Our house party was good (well I enjoyed myself), but the heavy rain all day meant we couldn’t put the bouncy castle up or go out so there was around 50 -60 people squeezed into middle sized living room, the hall and a tiny kitchen. Alcohol and music helped and people mixed with each other...because they couldn’t move away from the person next to them. Having the party on Sunday afternoon meant I had to Sky+ Gary Barlow’s excellent documentary On her Majesty Service and the River Pageant which was very an added bonus because we recorded the Pageant on the BBC and could fast forward thought most of it. Their broadcast was so boring I wanted to watch the Royals and the ships – not Z-List ‘celebrities’ and which member of HRH’s loyal subjects loves her most. Seriously if I wanted to watch new-born babies I would watch One Born Every Minute not a programme about the Diamond Jubilee. Hence I watched the Pageant in half the time cutting out the dull/non royal stuff.

Monday – the big clean up so more background noise from Sky News, an afternoon of fast forwarding the BBC, those boats move pretty quick on x12 speed and then it was time for the Diamond Jubilee Concert.  I’m still upset I wasn’t lucky enough to get a ticket but looking at the crowd heading home at the end of the gig, I was happy I was watching it from on my sofa.

I will summarise (Sir) Gary Barlow’s amazing concert into a few bullet points.

·    With the comedians Rob Brydon and Lee Mack very funny, Peter Kay is a comic genius. Miranda and Jimmy Carr not so funny and Lenny Henry why the black ‘jokes’? 

·      Americans Stevie Wonder and will.I.am should of googled ‘diamond jubilee’ then they wouldn’t have looked stupid singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to an embarrassed crowd who wouldn’t sing along with them. 

·     FYI to Grace Jones what was the point of the hula hoop?

·      4 Sirs and a Dame: Cliff, Tom, Elton, Paul and Shirley, are national treasures for the oldie audience.

·     JLS, Jessie J and Ron Weasley twin brother -something for the kids.

·     Lang Lang/ Alfie Boe / Jools Holland/Renee Fleming -  not my cup of tea.

·     The Commonwealth band: Sing sounds better watching them sing than listening to it  on the radio.

·     Madness on the roof – genius.

·     Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole’s duet: Gary you should of sang with Take That and Chezza, please stick to the miming.

·     Robbie and then Kylie: my favourite parts of the night apart from:

·     Prince Charles who stole the show with his witty and kind speech about his 'Mummy’ and father. Get Well Soon Philip.

I wonder what the odds are for Gary becoming Gary Barlow M.B.E, O.B.E or even a Sir after watching his travels around the Commonwealth making a song with a lap top, microphone and 200 of the Queen's talented Commonwealth subjects and of course for extra points he did manage to book the sunny weather for the jubilee gig.

Now it’s Tuesday evening and the end of this excellent ‘proud to be British’ weekend. Watched all today’s events (church service, down the Mall, balcony, fly over and personal message) on Sky News HD (gave up on BBC and ITV) and now it's time to take the bunting down and get back to work… until the Olympics of course.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!