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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,
David Smyth's rating
Reader rating
Description: The veteran rock band play two fanclub shows.
Taking the mic: Roger Daltrey was an acrobatic presence on stage
Although Roger Daltrey organises the Albert Hall's annual week of concerts in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, The Who do not always perform. But right now the band's two surviving members seem to have an unquenchable thirst for the stage.
They have announced an extensive European tour this summer, agreed to top the bill at Glastonbury and on Friday Pete Townshend even popped up at Islington's tiny Bar Academy to jam with Joe Purdy, a singer-songwriter he admires.
Here, despite claiming jetlag from their just-finished US tour and promising that their forthcoming shows will be much more spectacular, they still poured everything into a perpetually fiery set.
On paper it looked insignificant: just 11 songs and a medley from Tommy to close. In reality this amounted to more than 90 minutes of epic musicianship, Townshend in particular enhancing the songs with numerous raging guitar solos.
He pummelled his instrument to coax squalls of noise over Who Are You, his right arm spinning like a fairground ride. Daltrey was equally acrobatic with his microphone cord, his familiar stage moves echoing the vintage footage screened above his head during I Can't Explain.
As with the Rolling Stones, no one goes to a Who concert desperate for new material, but the band could hardly be begrudged a smattering from their first album in 24 years, Endless Wire.
Unfortunately, they picked some of the more heavy-handed songs, particularly A Man in a Purple Dress, a rail against religion and authority in general. Won't Get Fooled Again had a similar theme but was far better fun. Newer members Zak Starkey and Pino Palladino formed an impeccable engine room, but it was Townshend who channelled the angry spirit of the band. Roll on the summer.
• Wembley Arena, 26 and 27 June (0870 060 0870).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
