In all the excitement of writing about "The Happening", I completely forgot to write about the Russell Watson gig. Maybe that speaks volumes as to how memorable it was.


Actually, that is pretty unfair and I apologize. I only went to the gig to keep Jennifer company. It was not really my cup of tea and the fascinating thing about the night was watching the audience and their reaction.

There are people in this world who really love Russell Watson and quite a few of them were at the gig on Sunday night. Before he had sang a solitary word, the man got a standing ovation. Perhaps the audience were glad he was still alive? (Russell Watson has recently recovered from a very serious operation to remove a brain tumour.) Flocks of (mostly) female fans delivered flowers to his feet, throughout the concert. An old lady sitting in front of me was in tears throughout the gig (recital?), being so overcome by the song "Wind Beneath My Wings", that her equally aged daughter had to comfort her.

Russell Watson does have a good voice, but I thought that his renditions of opera classics were better than his renditions of various pop/soul/jazz classics. I have no idea if he is a good opera singer or just an adequate one. I have not heard enough opera to be able to judge this. I know that Russell Watson has experienced the same kind of elitist snobbery as Charlotte Church in that because they were popular, commercial and sold millions of records, they were considered somehow less kosher than somebody who makes a crust by singing in front of a few thousand exclusive people in Milan.

What do I know? I know nothing.

Not much of a review. Sorry. I did kind if enjoy the gig, because it was something different. If Jennifer wanted me to go with her to see Russell Watson again, I would not object too much, but it was really not my kind of thing.

We are out tomorrow night seeing David Essex at the Symphony Hall, so I will be back on Thursday.

Be cool, kids.