Tuesday 8 March 2016

WHAT WILL MARIAH CAREY ASK FOR ON TOUR?

THE countdown to Mariah Carey's latest UK tour is on and before she comes to Scotland for the first night we thought we'd have a look at her previous tour requests.
The Game of War spokesmodel who is said to sing across seven octaves will kick off her 25-date Sweet Sweet Fantasy Tour on March 15 at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
Her visit comes thirteen years since she last appeared on stage at the neighbouring SECC for her Charmbracelet tour in 2003.
At that point she had a reputation for demanding everything from puppies and kittens to play with backstage as well as an alleged request to 'not do stairs' at the venue.
Her entourage reportedly consisted of make-up artist, hair stylist, dresser, masseuse, bodyguard and chef as well as a TV consultant to ensure there were no unflattering angles during shooting.
In 2009 it was claimed she wanted 20 white kittens and 100 white doves to be released while she turned on Christmas lights at Westfield London Shopping Centre. A Rolls-Royce, a pink carpet, pink podium, confetti shaped as butterflies, 80 security guards and 15-person entourage were apparently also requested.
Publicly shown tour riders in the past asked for plenty of Cristal champagne with bendy straws, but in 2010, according to a document released by The Smoking Gun, Mariah's tastes appeared to have matured slightly.
A $200 bottle of cabernet sauvignon was requested in her dressing room alongside a Jo Malone vanilla aromatherapy candle and two dozen white roses.
Mariah appeared to want things homely and not too fussy as her rider requested
"no busy patterns; black, dark grey, cream, dark pink are all fine."
The room temperature was specified at "about 75 degrees," and a "lamp or clip light" was to be provided so that "harsh lighting may be turned off" in her backstage bathroom.
This time round it's still unknown what Mariah has asked for at the SSE Hydro but we can just about bet it won't be an order for two pints of Tennent's, a steak bake, some Irn Bru and a packet of fags.



GRADO TAKES INSPIRATION FROM MICHAEL BARRYMORE

SCOTLAND'S cult Wrestler Grado has looked to Michael Barrymore for inspiration in his new comedy show.
The unitard wearing banter merchant reckons Barrymore was good at involving everyone of all ages in his performance and he's planning lots of laughs for his two shows in the Kings Theatre at Glasgow Comedy Festival.
Grado who will perform stand up in his own show It's Masel' on Thursday April 17 and Friday April 18 said: "I've got two shows at the Glasgow Comedy Festival which starts on March 20. I've never done stand up before but I I like to think of it like Michael Barrymore in the nineties. He was good with the old yins."
Realising that Barrymore may be a bit of a controversial role model he added: "Obviously I don't want to be promoting it as the Michael Barrymore Show but it will be about the weird and wonderful celebs I've idolised and what happened to them. There's weird stuff including my gran's tights but she's passed."
Grado who is is still an active part of Insane Championship Wrestling and is the former world heavyweight champion reckons he might feel a bit of pressure to be funny.
He added: "I think I'm funny but don't put me under any pressure now. The wee guy who cut my hair today is taking a wee Cypriot burd to the show so that's good.
Grado also claimed he packs his unitard everywhere he goes just in case the occasion calls for it.
He explained: "I always pack my gear in case a match ever breaks out. It can happen if you are walking across the town in Glasgow. There's never any hassle actually. People want selfies and it's all good banter. I've never had to get the muddle maker out.



VINYL LOVER NOEL GALLAGHER PUTS FANS IN PICTURE







NOEL Gallagher fans will be thrilled to hear the talent is releasing an exclusive, limited edition 12” picture disc for Record Store Day on April 16.

The disc will incorporate El Mexicano (The Reflex ‘La Revolucion’ Remixes) - featuring previously unreleased remixes of The Mexican by The Reflex aka London-based French native Nicolas Laugier.

Nicholas uses only the original sounds from the master tapes to breathe new life into soul, pop and disco classics and his fan include Nile Rodgers, Kid Creole, Disclosure, Jazzy Jeff, and Greg Wilson.

Noel is a supporter of Record Store Day and once famously said in Desert Island Discs: “I remember buying ‘Stand And Deliver’ by Adam and the Ants and it came wrapped in a poster, and it said on the corner of the poster, limited edition, first 750,000 include free poster…. Your lucky if you can shift 750 of anything these days."

He said of his new release: "Record shops are as important as the records themselves".

The Mexican is taken from the No.1 album Chasing Yesterday, which was one of the highest selling albums in its first week on sale in 2015.



Noel and his band High Flying Birds come to Glasgow's SSE Hydro as part of a sold-out UK arena tour this spring (with special guests Super Furry Animals), followed by headline festival dates (with more to be announced soon).



UK live dates:



21/04/16 SSE Hydro, Glasgow

24/04/16 GE AECC, Aberdeen

25/04/16 Echo Arena, Liverpool

27/04/16 First Direct Arena, Leeds

29/04/16 Genting Arena, Birmingham

30/04/16 International Centre, Bournemouth



28-31/07/16 Kendal Calling, Kendal

30/07/16 Y Not Festival, Pikehall

04/08/16 Lytham Green, Nr Blackpool

28/08/16 Victorious Festival, Portsmouth

04/09/16 Festival Number 6, Portmeirion





Tracklisting for the limited edition Record Store Day 12” picture disc:



1. El Mexicano (The Reflex ‘La Revolucion’ Vocal Mix)

2. El Mexicano (The Reflex ‘La Revolucion‘ Dub Mix)

3. El Mexicano (The Reflex ‘La Revolucion‘ Instrumental)

GAIL PORTER BEATEN BY CALUM BEST AND NELL MCANDREW

                                 


 GAIL Porter was graceful in her defeat after being beaten to the top of a London skyscraper by Calum Best and Nell McAndrew.  Gail joined Callum, Nell and other personalities including George Lineker, son of Gary, Martin Lewis OBE and Gogglebox's George Gilby in the adrenalin fuelled race to the top of London’s Tower 42 for housing and homelessness charity, Shelter. 

  Despite her best efforts Gail came 11th out of the 13 contestants in just over twelve and a half minutes but was philosophical.
She said of her defeat: “I would happily race up Tower 42 all over again, because I know from personal experience just how scary it feels to lose your home. Shelter is as important now as it was 50 years ago, providing a lifeline for millions of families struggling every day to keep a roof over their head. I feel blessed to have now come out the other side and be able to do something to help.”Now in its eighth year, Vertical Rush retains the record as the UK’s tallest and toughest tower-running challenge, with 932 steps and 42 floors to conquer. But, despite the daunting 600ft ascent, every celebrity runner was still feeling ultra-competitive when the starting whistle blew this morning. 
Over 1,000 members of the public, and a further 10 elite tower-running athletes competing professionally in the event. Shelter, which turns 50 this year, is hoping that Vertical Rush will raise more than £350,000 for the charity’s expert advice, support and legal services, and make a huge difference to thousands of families battling to keep a roof over their heads.  Finishing in under 9 minutes, making him the fastest male celebrity to take part in Vertical Rush 2016, Calum Best said: “I can’t quite believe that I managed to get up there so quickly – it’s a lot tougher than you think. But it's definitely been worth the effort to support the amazing work that Shelter does. I think it's great when charities put on an event that challenges you, while also helping others. Thanks so much for inviting me to take part - I can't emphasise that enough."
                                        
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, who took part in the race for the third time, said: “We are incredibly grateful that so many people have come together to take part in Vertical Rush – because every penny it raises and every aching muscle that goes with it, helps us to provide the critical frontline services needed for families facing homelessness. “Shelter has been fighting bad housing and homelessness for the past fifty years, but sadly with the country in the grip of another housing crisis, we’ve still got a lot more work to. We won’t rest until everyone has a place to call home.”  www.shelter.org.uk/verticalrush