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Critic's choice: Top five gigs
By David Smyth, Evening Standard 28.06.07
Lou Reed is on at the Hammersmith Apollo this Saturday and Sunday
This week's top 5 gigs include the Gypsy Kings at the Tower of London, Lou Reed at the Hammersmith Apollo and the Concert for Diana at Wembley.
Concert for Diana
Wembley Stadium, HA9
On what would have been her 46th birthday and almost 10 years after her death, Diana's sons present a stadium-sized musical extravaganza of artists she loved in her life and those she probably would have enjoyed if she was still around. Elton John will be there, of course, as will Bryan Ferry, Duran Duran, the English National Ballet, Joss Stone, the Feeling and plenty more. (0844 725 0107). Sun 1 Jul, 4pm
Saint Etienne: This is Tomorrow
Royal Festival Hall, SE1
Following the Festival Hall's well-received reopening earlier this month, artists-in-residence Saint Etienne present their documentary about the history of the building, as well as new musical material performed with a 60-strong orchestra and a choir of schoolchildren. (0871 663 2500) Fri 29 Jun, 8pm
Lou Reed
Apollo Hammersmith, W6
Continuing the trend for musicians to perform their finest albums in their entirety, Reed revisits his relentlessly downbeat 1973 concept album Berlin, with the help of a 25-piece band and new visuals to tell the sorry tale of the songs. Those who make it through to the end will be rewarded with a welcome romp, of sorts, through the hits. (0870 400 0700) Sat 30 Jun, Sun 1 July, 7pm
Rod Stewart
Twickenham Stadium
After four volumes of his Great American Songbook series, Stewart is still churning out the covers. Latest release Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of our Time sees him revisting the biggest songs of his Seventies heyday while barely straying from the original versions. No doubt he'll have his own megahits in reserve for this stadium show too. (0870 154 40 40) Sat 30 Jun, 6.30pm
Tower Music Festival: Gipsy Kings
Tower of London, EC3
A relatively recent addition to the summer season of bands playing at special buildings, this year the ravens will be startled by the likes of Bryan Ferry, Joe Cocker, James Morrison and Elvis Costello. Flamenco pop veterans the Gipsy Kings are first up tonight. (0870 169 687) Fri 29 Jun, 6pm
Reader views (1)
Just saw Lou Reed perform the entirety of Berlin at the London Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday June 30th. It was will go down in my books as the greatest concert of the year. Utterly compelling. The 26th-piece orchestra was mesmerizing. Loved it.
- Dave Robertson, London
