Tonight:
9°c
Latest: Policeman admits murdering his fiancee — also a constable — then staging a fake car crash days before they were due to marry in St Lucia
More...
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 veteran Grammy Award-winning American country singer and guitarist best known for his hit Rhinestone Cowboy.
Phone: 0871663 2500
Website: www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Extra info: Telephones, Food, Pub, Air Conditioning
For Glen Campbell, now a craggy 72, it has been a long and winding life: a solo career that glittered three decades ago; stints as a Beach Boy; four Mrs Campbells; acting alongside John Wayne; eight little Campbells; the usual drugs and drink shenanigans and now a semi‑retirement involving golf and Jesus.
A singer and (as a spry trot through Mason Williams’s Classical Gas reminded us), a guitarist rather than a songwriter, Campbell was always ripe for rehabilitation and his new album covers songs by mostly hip artists. “A guy talked me into it,” was his less-than-ringing endorsement.
Some of the new material worked magically well. Travis’s swinging Sing may not have been written with a pedal steel guitar in mind but they are clearly made for each other; likewise Green Day’s Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) and the mandolin. And, as behoves one whose 50-year career has been built upon interpreting others, Campbell wrung every bereft nuance from The Replacements’ Sadly, Beautiful.
Campbell was a jolly cove, attempting surreal one-liners, flattering the audience and delivering the hits with professional good grace: a twangy Wichita Lineman; a spring-heeled Rhinestone Cowboy with its spine-tingly wise “there’s been a load of compromisin’ on the road to my horizon” line and a Southern Nights misguidedly re-interpreted as London Nights.
Occasionally, though, not least on a lacklustre Galveston, an overly diffident band meant things went a little bit cruise ship; he seemed to lose interest halfway through the always grisly It’s Only Make Believe, and John Lennon’s Grow Old With Me would be mawkish if Metallica covered it. Still, who couldn’t forgive an old man a little misplaced sentimentality?
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
I worked for Capital Records in 1975 when Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy was a hit in the UK. I reluctantly went along to see him perform at the Royal Festival hall in 1977 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Alan Ainsworth with Jimmy Webb on Piano. It was truly one of the most memorable concerts I have ever seen. Imagine my excitement recently when I saw that Mr Campbell would be returning to the RFH. Of course last night's show could not be compared to that of 1977 in terms of production values, but the sentiment was there and his voice and interpretative skills are still mesmerising. A rather low budget production and a slightly confused Mr Campbell at times did not however detract from my excitement or enjoyment . My only personal disappointment was that neither Dreams of the Everyday Housewife or Macarthur Park were featured ...maybe next time! I'll be there again!
- Debbie Bennett, London. UK
