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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,
John Aizlewood's rating
Reader rating
Description: A one day pop and chart event featuring Katy Perry, Leona Lewis, Daniel Merriweather with Mark Ronson, The Saturdays, Calvin Harris, Lionel Ritchie, Shontelle, Blue, Alesha Dixon, JLS and more.
Phone: 0207704 4504
Website: www.arsenal.com
Trains: Tube: Highbury And Islington; Bus: 4, 29, 91, 153, 253, 259, N29, N91, N253, N279 
Extra info: Food, Telephones
Taking her eye off the ball: Leona Lewis
Katy Perry opens the Capital 95.8 Summertime Ball at the Emirates Stadium
As if to remind us that pop music need not have a cutting edge, nor have anything of note to say, yesterday’s inaugural Summertime Ball took six fast-moving hours to showcase 16 acts, none of whom would even think of troubling a goose by shouting “boo!” at it.
Naturally, this meant some ghastly old schlock, too many singers singing suspiciously well over backing tapes and Ciara, whose one-song set was still too long. Meanwhile, occasional hosts Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon had the easy-going, twinkly-eyed bonhomie of Gordon Brown and Caroline Flint.
Of those who stumbled, Leona Lewis seemed to be
preparing herself for a summer on the cruise ships rather than imminent, world-conquering stardom, and covering Snow Patrol’s Run alongside a gospel choir was as hopeless in the flesh as it promised on paper.
Gallery: Capital FM Summertime Ball
Daniel Merriweather was hit by the triple whammy of flat vocals, dreary songs and an absence of charisma, while the sexless Saturdays unveiled themselves as the world’s first dowdy girl group. At these soul-crushing moments I despaired for pop music and its future.
Yet, my despair was, in parts, misplaced. From the moment opener Katy Perry appeared dressed as a Cath Kidston handbag, there were moments to savour: James Morrison brought rare earnestness, while Calvin Harris’s stadium house went down a treat even when the heavens opened during I’m Not Alone.
But the real victors were American. Lionel Richie — four songs, mercifully none recorded more recently than 1986 — worked the crowd like the wily old fox he is, and Akon was a bundle of crowd-surfing high energy.
Better still, Enrique Iglesias, more handsome than any man has a right to be, charged through the crowd to sing from a gantry near the halfway line and turned a presumably normal woman into a hyperventilating, teary jelly when he summoned her on stage to croon Hero at her.
Surprisingly, the headliners were the inherently silly former boy band Blue, playing their first show since re-forming. The foursome sported the rictus grins of those whose solo careers did not go to plan, but Richie joined them for a sterling version of his Easy and I’d forgotten what little gems All Rise and One Love are. Perhaps pop is in rude health after all.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
I was listening to Capitals breakfast show this morning and Johhny and Lisa made it sound as if it was the greatest rock/pop event of all time!!!
Are you saying Leona Lewis and the Saturdays are not as good as Simon Cowell et al said they were!
To be serious, there was only one truly professional act on, Lionel Ritchie, and i'm not that keen on him!
- Kerry, purley
