Music Television 6

BBC Proms '23: Last Night of the Proms
At last, and a mere 6 weeks after broadcast, the last live show, in 2 parts as usual. Lise Davidsen was the singing soloist of the night, whilst cello whizkid Sheku Kanneh-Mason also made his Last Night debut. Marin Alsop conducted the BBC Symphony Orchestra, amongst other things commemorating the 10th anniversary of her becoming the first female conductor for the Last Night. A couple of pieces referred to the recent Coronation in the UK, and there was also the world premiere of a piece originally planned for the event last year, which didn't happen because of the Queen's death.

Tony Bennett Sings... Song Stories
Works by Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, and especially Cole Porter. A solid enough show, most of which was fairly fresh and different (though there were still old faves like I've Got You Under My Skin and It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing).

Yo! MTV Raps Classic: 2 Live Crew
Mercifully quite short, and Fab 5 Freddy didn't turn up until well into the show, which I suspect was quite heavily edited.

Music Box: Jason Isbell - Running With Our Eyes Closed
The likeable Sam Jones directed this look at the former whizkid of the Drive-By Truckers, who had a few problems with alcohol, and went into rehab in 2012. He now leads the 400 Unit, and is mainly helped by his partner, Amanda Shires. The songs were good. The film ran through to the pandemic, and how it gave them time together for once, especially with their daughter Mercy.

BBC Proms '23: Unmissable Moments
Even this descends to the wrap-up compilation trend, with various hosts introducing little segments. All over until 2024 (probably).

Glastonbury '08: Estelle
A short burst from the Jazz Worlds stage, during the peak year of success for the young Brit talent who achieved greater triumph on Steven Universe instead.

TOTP2: Girl Bands
Too generic to tell whether I've seen this 2012 round-up before. Notable inevitably for the less expectable names like the Runaways, En Vogue and even Goldie and the Gingerbreads.

Yo! MTV Raps Classic: MC Hammer
Again from 1989, before he hit paydirt the following year. Here, at a dance studio, he was even proudly launching his dancers as an act in their own right, the Oaktown 357.

Yo! MTV Raps Classic: Dr Dre w/Snoop Doggy Dogg
A lively house party from 1993, as Fab 5 Freddy plays along with the positive vibes. Shot apparently before the release of the Doggystyle album, so Dre talks more about his own project, and how he's repaying the contributors to it, by his doing albums with all of them. As this was The Chronic, which Freddy salutes, then it proves a timely moment. Dre makes clear he's not going back to N.W.A.

Girls Aloud - Tangled Up: Live from the O2
The 00s UK girlband got a long old runtime for this show, with its curious choice of cover versions (Push It, really?), and the crowd seemed happy enough.

Carpenters in Concert
Sometimes shows like this get billed and turn out to be the same show repeatedly, but I don't recall this 1976 one. Coupling a recounting of their story, Karen and Richard play the hits but also have some fun (a Spike Jones tribute is not something many acts would try, nor would they demonstrate piano virtuosity by doing the Warsaw Concerto (though it does give Karen breathing space and costume time).

Yo! MTV Raps Classic: LL Cool J
Disappointingly only a short one, with J's house, mother and car. Though they do play Going Back To Cali, and even F5F's turn in Blondie's Rapture.

Saturday Night w/Hayley Palmer - Jay Aston
The Fizz star chats about the present band rather than the Bucks Fizz heyday, touring schedule, starting as a performer at 14, making a series about the hospitality industry to show post-lockdown challenges, how Cheryl has a daughter who's a songwriter, how her cancerous tongue was treated, having done ballet as a child, and much more.

Musical Masterpieces - Carmen
Opera North are the chosen performers this time, and Bizet's truncated life seems quite tragic. They consider individual tunes, and the Carmen Jones adaptation which expanded the show's shelf life and appeal.

In Concert: Labelle
From 1975, a short set which showed they deserved to remembered for more than just Lady Marmalade.

Stock Aitken Waterman at the BBC
A lengthy round-up of performances and the odd video. Notable for oddities like Divine and their own Roadblock hit, as well as an obscure Donna Summer track, and rather forgotten names like Hazell Dean.

Yo! MTV Raps Classic: N.W.A.
F5F met the gang in 1989 in Compton, where they took him to a market, to Venice Beach, to meet youngsters The Boyz, and to ride on the back of a truck. Videos included MC Lyte, Ice T, King Tee and Donald D. Oh, and N.W.A. 

Saturday Night w/Hayley Palmer - John Altman
Known primarily as a soap actor, John has released albums, and done musical theatre such as Chicago. He's working on a documentary on the Isle of Wight, and hoping to make a road movie set in the UK. He even won Rear of the Year in 2001, which says it all.

Van Morrison - In Concert
He did a lively show at the BBC Radio Theatre in 2016, introducing some songs but not others, including tracks from his latest album, but plenty of classics like Baby Please Don't Go and Jackie Wilson Said.

I'm In A Girl Group!
Part of a series from 2012, and with contributions from members of Sister Sledge, the Sugababes, the Spice Girls, the Pussycat Dolls, the Nolans, the Saturdays and the Bangles. Some stories were grim, but some were OK.

Lwp - Cymru, Cerddoriaeth & Rygbi
The recent rugby event in France led to some cultural events including music concerts. Lloyd Lewis presents and handles interviews, and there's performance footage from Adwaith, Ebel Elektrik, Sage Todz, Luke RV and others.

Old Grey Whistle Test: Jackson Browne
From 1976, and with a guest turn from Warren Zevon too. He bantered a bit about touring the UK.

Lulu
A repeat of her show from 1981 from the Blazers Club, Windsor, where she covered Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond, Cliff Richard, and threw in some oldies too.

Olivia Rodrigo - Live Lounge
She did her turn at the Masonic Lodge of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, but did her talking bits to camera. I didn't realise how potty-mouthed her records are. Will people ever learn?

Elkie Brooks - In Concert
A 2 part show, likely from the same event in 1987, at the NEC, Birmingham. She did some interesting covers like Nights In White Satin and Only Women Bleed, as well as Gasoline Alley and Maybe I'm Amazed. A good show, really.

Bananarama at the BBC
An hour-long round-up covering their 80s heyday and bit of the 90s and 10s too.

Andrea Bocelli - The Journey
A 3-part series with the blind singer and family and friends following the route of the Via Francigena, but in reverse to his home in Lajatico. Given they start with meeting Pope Francis early on, then guest musicians like Michael W Smith, Tori Kelly and Tauren Wells have a lot to fill. There's much music along the way, too.

Doja Cat - Live Lounge
She got to chat to Clara Amfo about her new album, not featuring other artists, using several producers, suffering bad ADHD, having self-esteem issues previously, citing D'Angelo and Jamiroquai as influences, co-directing and producing her videos, and keenness to return to the UK. She sang a few songs too.

Radio 2 In Concert - Florence + The Machine
Jo Whiley introduced this 2012 show from the Rivoli Ballroom in SE London, and spoke a few times to Florence afterwards. Think she was pushing a new album, at a venue with personal memories from a previous triumph.

Mary J Blige at the BBC
Another hour-long round-up, this time for the hip-hop legend who has worked with George Michael, Method Man, Elton John, Ja Rule, and others.

Musical Masterpieces - The Hebrides Overture
The 3rd and last from this short series, looking at a fairly short piece of music by Mendelssohn, and amusingly using BBC radio presenter Tom Service as one of its contributors, as well as the Philharmonia playing at St Jude's Church in Hampstead.

BBC One Sessions: Amy Winehouse
From Porchester Hall in 2007, a typically spirited turn leaning more towards the 2nd album than the 1st.

Old Grey Whistle Test: Average White Band
Bob Harris merely introduces footage from the last night of their 1975 American tour, from Miami. They did Pick Up The Pieces in the middle, but ended with an extended take on I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
From 2017, Valery Gergiev conducts the Munich Philharmonic at the Monastery of St Florian in Linz. This opener had his 1st Symphony in C Minor.

Lwp Yn Cyflwyno - Bwncath Am Byth
A look at the rise of 2023's new big thing, a Welsh band who've been around since before lockdown. They seemed popular at festivals.

Old Grey Whistle Test - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
From the usual Shepherds Bush studio in 1978, with hits like Anything That's Rock N Roll and Breakdown.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
This time it was the 2nd Symphony in C Minor. Otherwise much as the first one.

Lulu at the BBC
The Scawtish superstar gets slightly longer than normal, and footage from the 1960s onwards. She sang with Al Green, Take That!, Bill Withers, Shirley Bassey, Dudley Moore, Ronan Keating, Neil Diamond, and even the Everly Brothers. Hosting her own show didn't hurt in that respect.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
The 3rd Symphony in D Minor this time.

Toto - 25th Anniversary Concert: Live in Amsterdam 2003
From the Heineken Music Hall. I recall watching their 40th anniversary show some months back, and they seem to have a warm connection to Europe, which is nice.

Backstage - Highlights from 2022-3
A round-up covering 2 series of Welsh cultural. The music section covered Juice Menace, H Hawkline, Adwaith and Far From Saints.  Also various bits from festivals.

Profile In Music: Montserrat Caballe
Some new repeats from 1970, as Bernard Levin interviewed the great Spanish soprano, about her beginnings, her studies, her early roles, being booked up for the next 2 years. She also performed several tunes too.

Rob & Romesh vs... Superstar DJs
Two stand-ups try to get involved in various worlds through the series. In this, they met Jonas Blue, on their way to a task of performing 10 minute sets in a club. They get to watch a 5 hour set from Andy C, meet Chase & Status, and visit Jonas at his home. They practice the craft, but Romesh can't crack it. Rob makes more effort into dressing up and using superficial tricks, and also uses a mix made by DJ Yoda, whom Romesh tries to get help from. Eye-opening.

Hired Gun
A lengthy 2016 effort looking at guys (and sometimes gals) who step in at short notice to replace others who may have fallen out of favour, or much further. Billy Joel unwittingly provided a running thread, as his early records featured guys from a band, who eventually became surplus to requirements, some of whom took it better than others. Jason Newsted spoke about filling a gap in Metallica, and there were also comments from front-line guys like Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie, from the other side of the picture. Well worth the look.

Joan Sutherland - World Stage
A short show from 1962, with Gerald Moore introducing from the piano.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
Up to the 4th Symphony in E Flat Major this time, otherwise all else as above.

Berlin Live: Fun Lovin' Criminals
They came on in 2016, and managed to get a lot of chat from scenes around Berlin, and Huey even let the other 2 guys speak.

Intimate Celebrity Concert, with Victoria de los Angeles
Gerald Moore again, this time from 1957 with an even shorter show, at a time when you could joke that the Spanish pronounce Jota as Hota because of performance making them hotter, etc

Junior EuroVision - Stand Uniqu3's Journey to Nice
A new female trio put together for this event - Hayla, Maisie and Yazmin. They get their mission, get their song (Back to Life) and make a video, then do promo. The show ends with them going off to the Contest, where they finished 4th (France won).

Kiri Te Kanawa
Another of these Bernard Levin profile repeats, this time from 1975. She had a tricky upbringing, being adopted, and having to move to the UK to develop her talent and learn her craft. She became a big success, though.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
The 5th one, inevitably, in B Flat Major (details as usual).

The Return of Maria Callas
A concert from 1973, which marked her return to the London stage after an 8 year gap. She was backed up with Giuseppe di Stefano, and Ivor Newton played piano. The crowd was appreciative.

Little Richard: I Am Everything
An impressively lengthy account of the man who wrote Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally and more, but could be a capricious decision maker and seldom to his advantage. The footage of him inducting Otis Redding into the R&R Hall of Fame and talking more about himself perhaps summed up his character.

Greatest Guitar Riffs: Nancy Wilson
A new series ostensibly looking at key songs, eg Barracuda in this case, but Nancy discussed other songs she worked on, other songs she admired (eg Led Zeppelin) and other acts who made an impact from her town (eg Nirvana). Heart got a Lifetime Achievement Grammy this year.

Radio 2 In Concert: Take That!
They're back with a new album recorded in Nashville, I believe, and they did some tracks from it here, as well as others from across their career. And some banter.

First Ladies of Hip-Hop
A 3 part series looking over 50 years of Hip-Hop from a female perspective, from pioneers like MC Sheri Sher and MC Sha-Rock, through Neneh Cherry and Movie Love, and up to date with Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion. A few notable omissions, but worthwhile for those who were included and might well have been skipped.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
Up to #6 now, in A Major.

Saturday Night w/Hayley Palmer - Jo O'Meara
A repeat from Spring 2022, with Jo talking more about her solo years and acoustic redos of old S Club 7 tracks. She seemed pleased to be "back" after a 16 year gap.

Louis Theroux interviews - Raye
Much like the Rita Ora rubbish from his series a year earlier, he talked about her record company struggles, got to meet Coi Leray who popped in to collaborate. There was a family celebration meal as she got an Ivor Novello award, and the ending was her debut at Glastonbury. She was doing multiple back-to-back US tours, and had had to postpone some to rest her throat. She supports AI.

They All Came Out To Montreux
A major 3-part series from 2021 about the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival, and its mercurial founder, Claude Nobs. Using audio clips allowed for dozens of contributors, even with much archive and even some lesser-seen live stuff from Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and even Prince. Despite the infamous fire which inspired Deep Purple, despite scare scandals against Claude, he stuck to his guns, musicians respected him, and he them, and Montreux eventually appreciated all he was doing to make their town world famous. Fortunately, he built a trustworthy team who continue his legacy, and preserve his archive.

Songs of Praise - The Story of Carols at Christmas
Mercifully, Pam Rhodes keeps it fairly short, guest Andrew Gant doesn't have to harp on incessantly, and most of the show has other presenters naming favourite carols. Nice to see In The Bleak Midwinter among some more over-done choices.

Leonard Bernstein remembered by Marin Alsop
A short piece, part of a number to coincide with the new/recent biopic. At least the world famous conductor did meet and study under the legendary one for a time.

Gustav Mahler's Songs from The Youth's Magic Horn
Bernstein again, this time conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in a production from 1985, with Lucia Popp and Walton Groenroos sharing the singing duties.

Profile in Music: Victoria de los Angeles
From 1962, John Freeman talks to VdlA between performances. She's from Barcelona, and speaks (and sings in) several languages. She managed to meet the great Gigli when young.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
The 7th Symphony was in E Minor. Not sure how many more of these there are yet to go.

Take That! - I Want My MTV
A rather flimsy show which somehow padded to an hour, despite only including 8 tracks, 3 of which were their own. They otherwise gave props to Peter Gabriel, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, Bjork and Taylor Swift.

Lwp - Curadur - Gwenno
She had a concert back in October, and this show featured a few tracks, but she also gave time and space to film-maker Clare Marie Bailey, dancer Eddie Ladd, Cornish film director Mark Jenkin, and even Stone Club.

"The Little Drummerboy" - an essay on Gustav Mahler, by Leonard Bernstein
A lengthy waffle from May 1985, with Bernstein's lecture coming in 3 parts, mercifully broken up by a more factual analysis. Mahler had been born in 1860, so this was on his 125th anniversary. Bernstein's contention was that he made Jewish music, but felt somehow shunned for doing so. This maybe balances out an early joke he makes which I suspect these days would not get a pass.

MTV World Stage: VMA 2023 Highlights Part 1
A partial round-up from September, including Lil Wayne, Cardi B, Anitta, Shakira, Karol G, and a final Diddy medley.

Louis Theroux Interviews... Ashley Walters
He spent a brief era in So Solid Crew, but diversified into acting, where he seems happier now.

Cher meets Rylan
She's made a Christmas album, and was in London to push it. Rylan covered most of her career, and was quite a generous interviewer, though hardly one to soft soap. She's furious about AI. She befriended Audrey Hepburn at the Oscars. The UK helped make Sonny & Cher a success, and she seems to have retained a fondness for life here. She took Al Pacino to Studio 54 (not his scene). She met Elton John on the latter's first US trip. She enjoyed doing the 2nd Mamma Mia film. She's a survivor, and claims to be working on her book.

African Voices: Changemakers - Lady DJs of Amapiano
Larry Madowo meets DJ Owami, TxC and Uncle Waffles, two acts from South Africa, and one from Eswatini (which is near SA), who've all proved successful in their own ways with this rising musical genre.

Disco at the BBC: Volume 2
A cheap n cheerful hour-long round-up of familiar acts like Boney M, ABBA and Village People, and a few vague inclusions like Baccara and Laura Brannigan, and even the odd outlier like Frantique.

Radio 2 In Concert: Aztec Camera
From Manchester's Palace Theatre in 1993, with Roddy introducing some (but not all) tracks, which in some cases was unneeded. An enjoyable show, though, from Walk Out To Winter through to Oblivious.

Capital Jingle Bell Ball
Roman Kemp n pals again at the O2 to introduce Tom Grennan, the reformed S Club, Tate McRae, Take That, and headliner Alicia Keys.

Face to Face, with Adrian Masters - Max Boyce
From 2021, the veteran Welsh stand-up and singer, the only person to get a UK #1 album with a spoken word comedy effort. He was inspired by Euan McColl, and became part of a scene with Mike Harding, Jasper Carrott and Billy Connolly. He had a boost during the pandemic when a poem went viral at a rough time.

Gig Dafydd Iwan A Maes
The Welsh legend who turned 80 this year, in his gig at the Ceredigion Eisteddfod in 2022, also some chat to Lisa Gwilym.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
Up to #8, which was in C Minor. Otherwise as before.

10 Best Bernstein
A round-up show from 2006, with various talkers praising his invention and creativity. 4 of the tracks were from West Side Story.

The Story of Britpop
Major 4-part look at the rise and eventual fall of a UK-based guitar-band genre, which was partly a reaction against US grunge, became a reaction against other cosmopolitan ideas, and eventually led the bands involved to either renounce it or just move on. Blur, Suede, Pulp and Oasis were the major bands covered in detail, but others from Menswear to Elastica to Supergrass and many more, were also judged, with dozens of contributors, mainly from bands themselves or associated functionaries. 

Take Me To The Opera: Callas at One Hundred
Zeinab Badawi marks the centenary of the Greek diva, talking to people from the Greek National Opera, museum curators, current performers and conductors and so on.

The Bruckner Cycle Symphonies
Almost certainly the last one, the 9th, in D Minor. An enjoyable series on the whole.