Afternoon:
14°c
Ministry of Defence spent £149 million on an "urgent" upgrade to 900 tanks that are now only being used in training exercises, it was revealed
More...
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
David Smyth's rating
Reader rating
Block vote: late thirtysomethings New Kids on the Block on stage at the 02 Arena
The Take That effect has now spread over the Atlantic, where another set of chiselled formation dancers have reunited to generate a more mature kind of hysteria.
The New Kids are now very much old hands, five Boston gents aged between 36 and 40. I recall at primary school that the girls fancied Jordan Knight, wholesome as All-Bran frontman, and Joey McIntyre, so baby-faced he was almost an embryo.
Credit to them for reworking old hits so they sound cooler. Danny Wood still managed to breakdance, there was much girl-you’re-my-baby falsetto wailing, and Knight kept a straight face above an air blower, open white shirt billowing about his bare chest.
The inevitable new album, The Block, is aware that times have changed, making a decent stab of the electronic R&B now favoured by Justin Timberlake. Click Click Click was an understated gem while Summertime matched the arm-waving catchiness of old hits such as You Got It.
The show was lifted above the cash-in by a palpable hunger in the crowd to relive these songs. If the fans screamed louder than this two decades ago, it’ s no wonder the quintet wanted one more taste of real adulation.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
