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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,
Critic rating
Reader rating
Pass it on: James Skilly mid-flow during the Jameson Live gig at The Cobden
Sing-along: The Coral performed some of their signature tracks for the set
It would be difficult to dislike The Coral. With their quirky mix of rock, country, psychedelia, folk and the odd sea shanty breakdown there is a crowd-pleaser for even the most critical of audience members.
What magnifies the endearing nature of the band is a laid-back approach to their eclectic set - excluding drummer Ian Skelly whose concentration results in him pulling the sort of face you might expect from a child focusing on sums. This is not to say he doesn’t do his job well. To draw on the mathematical comparison again, he would have mastered the sums and proceeded to sit A Level statistics ten years down the line.
It doesn’t take a genius to decipher how close-knit this group is. Live, they give a polished performance which comes with experience and an understanding between friends who share a passion for music. This is, after all, a band who formed when they were still teenagers in 1996. Twelve years on and they are older, wiser and well-respected in the industry; counting Noel Gallagher as a fan.
The audience at the Jameson Live gig at The Cobden Club last night, which included Will Young and Simon Amstell, was similarly appreciative of their music. Frontman James Skelly diverted from the set list in light of crowd demand and a little extra time. Old favourites including Dreaming of You and Pass It On were played alongside new tracks like Put The Sun Back - sing-along material that still maintains credibility.
Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie, who has produced three of The Coral's albums, joined them on stage for a few records; adding to already impressive instrumental backing. Guitar riffs that would have been fitting in a Western film, triangle, accordian and a distinctive lead voice combined to offer an irresistible sound.
Of course, the Liverpudlian six-piece are not flawless. You could be forgiven for wanting them to have spiced things up at times and energise their performance. But if they had done so would the somewhat easy-going charm have been sacrificed for the odd crowd surf and bout of over-enthusiasm? Maybe there is truth in the opinion that it is sometimes best to play it cool.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
