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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
John Aizlewood's rating
Reader rating
Description: The former Verve mainman celebrates the multi-platinum success of his recent album, Keys To The World.
Phone: 0870606 3400
Website: www.hammersmith-apollo.com
Trains: Tube: Hammersmith 
Richard Ashcroft: soul man
If Richard Ashcroft was remotely humiliated at the downsizing of last night's concert from Wembley Arena, he was keeping his wounded pride to himself. In fact, he keeps most things to himself.
In truth, it was hard to imagine him being a roaring success in any massive venue. As it was, even the more intimate Hammersmith Apollo stage seemed rather too big for one so aloof and his five band members, carefully selected for their absence of personality.
So Ashcroft stood towards the back of that stage, encircled by monitors. Anything rather than get close to the great unwashed, until the very end of the closing Break The Night With Colour, when he kicked a monitor away and edged forwards timidly.
Keen to keep his jacket on for the evening, he elected not to charge around making himself sweat. Instead, he settled on an occasional Ian Brown-style monkey-esque crouch and a Liam Gallagher swagger.
Yet not for nothing has Ashcroft constructed a most thoughtful solo career for himself after The Verve imploded, and not for nothing is he increasingly acknowledged as a great British songwriter. If he gave little away, that reticence was thwarted by the unmistakable aura of the naturally charismatic, albeit one who has developed a ridiculous American accent.
"This is a soul song," the man from Wigan bellowed in the manner of Kirk Douglas as Spartacus, before a heroic Bitter Sweet Symphony, "I am a soul man." He could have been joking.
More significantly, Ashcroft never insulted his audience's intelligence. His music, with its widescreen accessibility, its refusal to be rushed and its often complex structure, is a cornucopia of fascination. From the avant-garde thrash of New York to the almost rustic A Song For The Lovers (which quoted Minnie Riperton's Loving You along the way), via the ludicrously catchy Science Of Silence, Ashcroft allowed his muse and his music to wander into myriad intriguing areas. He may have been fearful of audience contact, but he was musically fearless.
Wisely, he tapped into his Verve heritage. Bitter Sweet Symphony was received as if delivered from Mount Sinai on a tablet of stone; The Drugs Don't Work (about terminal illness rather than addiction) was delivered wholly solo and Lucky Man couldn't have been more jaunty if the Chuckle Brothers had been on backing vocals.
He departed without mentioning the Wembley fiasco. Probably for the best.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Well I was in the audience and Richard was totally zoned in on putting on a great show for us.
BTW one of his band members selected for their "lack of personality"
is Peter Salisbury who was the drummer in The Verve.
- Prophet, Middlesex
I was in the front row last night and in no way did Richard Ashcroft appear aloof or distant from his fans. Every single song was joyously received, whether Verve or solo. He brought the house down not only with Lucky Man and Bitter Sweet Symphony but also New York, Lonely Souls and Break The Night With Colour. And all the songs in between too. Richard Ashcroft IS a soul man.
- Elaine Steed, Towcester, UK
What a ridiculous review. Do you actually have a notion of why the venue was switched? No? Well until you do it is unfair and unbalanced to ridicule the way you have. I happen to know the reason but I fail to see why I should correct you - you shouldn't have been quite so free with your assumptions.
Richard Ashcroft is more than accomadating to his fans and, if you were actually paying attention, he actually thanked the front row when fluffing his word in Check The Meaning.
John Aizlewood, your review in parts is fair and positive - why you need to focus on fiction and inaccuracy is beyond me.
- Simon Rickards, Newent, UK
