Natalie Imbruglia (Left of the Middle 25th Anniversary Tour) at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Natalie Imbruglia on stage

Unbelievably, it’s been 25 years since Natalie Imbruglia released her debut album, Left of the Middle, which featured her first and biggest hit Torn. To celebrate, she’s touring the UK, and I enjoyed the concert I went to last year so much that I booked to see her on this tour too.

I love Shepherd’s Bush as a venue so I was really happy she was playing here. It was a great night – Natalie played most of the songs from Left of the Middle, though I was sorry not to hear Intuition, one of my favourites. During the encore she even played Something Better, a B-side from that era. She also performed five songs from her most recent album Firebird, including the title track – which I love – and the lead single, as well as a couple of other hits – Shiver and Wrong Impression.

I had a brilliant night and would love to see her again in the future.

Melanie C at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Melanie C performing at Shepherd's Bush Empire

It’s been eight years since I’ve seen Melanie C live, but finally I was back at the same venue – Shepherd’s Bush Empire – to see her again. Her tour this time was to promote her self-titled 2020 album.

Mel was never my favourite Spice Girl while the band was around, but over the years I’ve come to really admire her. She’s definitely the most talented of the group, and has proved it with numerous music releases over the years. I happen to think that this particular album is her best yet – every song is a classic, and I think this shows, because her setlist for the tour contained almost every song from the new album.

It’s genuinely inspiring to see Melanie – approaching 50 years of age – performing at the top of her game and showing no signs of slowing down. Her voice sounds better than ever, she’s obviously enjoying herself, and her enthusiasm is infectious.

Setlist

  • Who I Am
  • Blame It on Me
  • Good Enough
  • Never Be the Same Again
  • Here I Am
  • Escape
  • Nowhere to Run
  • In and Out of Love
  • Overload
  • Into You
  • Touch Me
  • Goin’ Down
  • Northern Star
  • When You’re Gone
  • 2 Become 1
  • Who Do You Think You Are
  • End of Everything
  • High Heels
  • I Turn to You

Sporty’s Forty – Melanie C’s one-off gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

I never did get to see the Spice Girls live, and they were my favourite band once upon a time so this saddens me. Most of them aren’t even making music any more, but Melanie C (‘Sporty Spice’) has had a steady solo career since leaving the band, which in recent years has even encompassed musical theatre – she had excellent reviews for her role as Mrs Johnson in Blood Brothers and has recently been touring as Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar.

In a move that made me feel very old indeed, Mel announced on Twitter that she was about to turn forty and was hosting a one-off concert at Shepherd’s Bush Empire to celebrate. I thought it might be fun to see Mel sing live, so I went ahead and bought a ticket. Just as well I bought it when I did, as the concert was sold out.

I wasn’t sure what I would think of the concert: I know of Mel’s early solo stuff (Northern Star, I Turn To You) and I have her most recent album The Sea, but I hadn’t paid much attention to her solo career in between. I needn’t have worried, though: I knew most of the songs she sang, and even the ones I didn’t know were catchy enough for me to like them instantly.

Mel sang with several guests during the night, including Ben Forster and Chris Moyles from the recent Jesus Christ Superstar production, and collaborators such as Adam Argyle. The biggest surprise came when she sang Pure Shores with Natalie Appleton – given the big rivalry between the Spice Girls and All Saints back in the day, this is something I never thought I’d see. Right at the end, Emma Bunton, who’d been watching the show from the circle all night (and waving to fans below) came on stage to sing 2 Become 1 with Mel. Maybe I never got to see the Spice Girls, but at least I got to see the next best thing!

Setlist

  1. Think About It
  2. Stupid Game
  3. Weak
  4. Northern Star (featuring Andy Burrows)
  5. Burn
  6. Loving You (featuring Ben Foster)
  7. Be The One (acoustic)
  8. Don’t Let Me Go (featuring Adam Argyle)
  9. Four to the Floor (featuring James Walsh)
  10. One By One (featuring James Walsh)
  11. Only Girl (In The World)
  12. You’ll Get Yours (with Peter Vetesse)
  13. Drown
  14. Ga Ga
  15. Beautiful Intentions
  16. Never Be The Same Again
  17. When You’re Gone (featuring Chris Moyles)
  18. Goin’ Down
  19. Next Best Superstar
  20. Enemy
  21. Pure Shores (featuring Natalie Appleton)
  22. I Turn To You
  23. 2 Become 1 (featuring Emma Bunton)

I loved the show and it has inspired me to buy Mel’s other albums. Another awesome thing about the show was the chocolate cake we all got at the end, handed out by aproned staff as we left the venue!

Richie Sambora at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

2012 1016 Richiesambora

I was at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire last night to see Richie Sambora (the guitarist with Bon Jovi). I had a brilliant time. Naturally enough he mainly performed songs from his new album, Aftermath of the Lowdown (which I haven’t got hold of yet; I really must, it sounds brilliant) but played a few others too, including a cover of ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ by Oasis, which was most unexpected. I was a bit gutted he didn’t perform very many songs from his first two albums, but at least he did ‘Stranger In this Town’, which is my favourite.

He played quite a few Bon Jovi tracks, including ‘These Days’, although personally I’d have preferred him to perform more of his solo songs. I love Bon Jovi, but I’ve seen them before and I’m sure I’ll see them again, and there were several songs I would like to have heard that weren’t performed. I still had a fantastic time though.

The Empire itself is pretty awesome too: a converted theatre with the seats taken out of the stalls for standing/moshing purposes. There wasn’t a great deal of moshing going on last night, despite the surprising plethora of younger people there; I’d expected the audience to be mostly older. I found it quite amusing that the older people hung around at the back while the younger ones pushed forward into the crowd.