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With a single dessert and just two glasses of wine our bill was kept in check - but the effort of doing so was not much fun
Babbo
Film
This is a film with beautiful performances and a visual style that urges you towards reflection
Bright Star
Theatre
Although the first half of Kwei-Armah’s production is pacy, funny and intelligent, the energy level then drops off
Seize The Day
I loved this film from start to finish. Take the girlfriend, tell your mum - I'd see it again tomorrow and will buy the dvd.
I saw this last night and can't remember the last time I was so moved in the theatre.
I have been to many of London's so-called best Japanese restaurants and none have been as good as the food that I've had at Aqua Kyoto
London,
André Paine's rating
Reader rating
Description: The electropop vocalist performs songs from her debut album, One Of The Boys.
Phone: 0905020 3999
Website: www.shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk
Email: mail@shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk
Trains: Tube: Shepherd's Bush 
, Tube / Bus: 49, 72, 94, 95, 148, 207, 220, 237, 260, 283, 272, 295, 607 
Extra info: Pub
Smart and funny: Katy Perry
She occasionally strapped on a guitar and her pink‑suited band made a bit of noise at this first of two sold-out Shepherds Bush shows. But despite Katy Perry’s wide-eyed energy and the driving rock flavour to her songs, it was an unmistakably pop experience.
Of course, pop shows require hits, so as a debut album artist, Perry also had to draw on her sassy, mildly provocative personality to keep us interested for 80 minutes.
Surrounded by plastic pink flamingos and a giant love heart, Perry opened with the air-punching Fingerprints and the lyrically irritating One of the Boys. However, she soon provided the show’s first satisfyingly big moment with the pounding Hot n Cold.
Gallery: More pictures from the concert
The 24-year-old singer’s squeaky Californian commentary was at times irksome but at least she had something to say, whether raving about the previous night’ s Beyoncé O2 arena show, complaining about the London weather or lambasting the Underground alcohol ban.
“F*** the Tube,” Perry bawled — coincidentally how plenty of us felt as we considered our difficult journey home last night. Although she did feel the need to sweetly add: “Sorry, Tube guys.”
There were some unremarkable tunes where Perry sounded like a less emphatic Pink or, when she had her guitar, an ersatz Avril Lavigne. And the rendition of Please Mr Postman was unspeakable, mainly down to the bizarre decision to have someone on stage dressed up as a Royal Mail postie handing out letters to a bemused crowd.
Overall, though, Perry offered an effective combination of glamour and industry, which meant she rarely stopped bouncing around. And she clearly enjoyed the more notorious tunes such as Ur So Gay, about a boyfriend who “wasn’t really on my team”.
The finale of the global hit I Kissed a Girl was superlative, especially the hilarious and even slightly cruel build-up, where she took “Nina from Hertfordswhere” to task in the front row for producing the wrong flavour lip balm to go with the lyric.
“I did not fly thousands of miles to be here tonight for apple ChapStick,” mock-scolded Perry, clutching a giant inflatable version of her preferred cherry flavour.
Smarter and funnier than the average pop star, Katy Perry proved she’s more than a few risqué anthems. She could be here to stay.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
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