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Telegraph
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Beck, Royal Albert Hall, review: a scruffy troubadour backed by the power of the BBC Concert Orchestra
Beck has played the Royal Albert Hall once before, over 20 years ago. 'I don't know what I was thinking, but I played by myself,' the American musician said upon his return to Kensington on Saturday night. 'I'm making up for it this time. Overcompensating.' His band and the 80-piece BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Edwin Outwater, kept him company during the first of two shows at the opulent London venue, following last year's nine-stop US tour where he commanded the faculties of each town's resident orchestra, including New York's Carnegie Hall. It might seem an odd pairing: a scruffy Dylan-like troubadour sharing a stage with a formal institution. Beck was, after all, one of the first artists to light the spark that tore along the borders between genres. Since the 1990s he's built songs from hip-hop, folk, blues, and suburban pop culture, all with a maverick's glee. But his discography has slow, string-filled moments too, particularly on 2002 navel gazer Sea Change and its 2014 Grammy-winning unofficial sister, Morning Phase. 'I dug through all my songs that had strings in them,' he explained. The resulting setlist: songs he rarely gets to play and audiences rarely get to hear. Songs that, in an ordinary setting, might signal a bathroom break for fans of Beck's poppier, Prince-ier output became rapturous. Widescreen opener The Golden Age led into Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime, literally cinematic: he covered the Korgis tune for 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The high melancholy of Lonesome Tears and Wave was almost overwhelming, and Tarantula erred on Bono-style histrionics. But Beck lifted the mood with Jagger-ish dance moves on 1996 favourite The New Pollution, and the entire orchestra seemed to hop, skip, and jump during Blue Moon. Beck cited The Beatles, Serge Gainsbourg, and Francoise Hardy as some of his orchestral inspirations (dedicating his version of We Live Again to the latter), but chief among them was Scott Walker. 'I think of this as £100,000 karaoke, so indulge me,' he said, before parting the clouds during his cover of It's Raining Today. The traditional setting didn't quash his trademark comic charm. 'Holy s--t, they clear out fast,' he remarked as the orchestra left the stage after the main set. Like an unattended child he roamed the deserted stands and chairs, accidentally knocking sheafs of music to the floor, thumping the timpani ('I've been wanting to do that all night'), trying the conductor's podium for size, and getting distracted by the Grand Organ: 'What the f--k's up there, the phantom of the opera?' He pulled a harmonica out of his back pocket for wonky lo-fi stomper One Foot In The Grave — 'I've fallen far from an 80-piece orchestra to one harmonica' — and then, with a magician's flick of the wrist, transformed the mood again, from one-man comedy show to standard gig, for Devil's Haircut, Mixed Bizness, and 1996 slide guitar smash Loser. Playing the Royal Albert Hall with a full orchestra is an easy win, but the songs need to be able to hold the weight of the room and its players, and the performer needs to be immune to potential stuffiness. Beck checked all of those boxes.
CBC
28-03-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Kate's 5 fun things to do in and around Waterloo region: March 28 to 30
It's the last weekend of March and the weather doesn't look great unless you're a fan of rain, freezing rain and cooler temperatures. Luckily there are a few indoor activities to take in this weekend. The Kitchener Rangers kick-off the playoffs Friday night, hosting the Flint Firebirds in the best of seven series. Game 2 goes Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Aud. Kitchener Rangers meet the fans at Downtown Showdown 17 days ago Duration 3:19 The Kitchener Rangers were showing gratitude to fans on Tuesday in downtown Kitchener's Carl Zehr Square. Attendees of the first ever Downtown Showdown had a chance to meet the players, get their merchandise signed and watch the Blueshirts compete in a 3 vs. 3 ball hockey tournament. CBC K-W's Karis Mapp stopped by the event to chat with some of the people there. The K-W Titans have their last regular season home game of the season on Saturday at The Aud and will host the London Lightning. If you're driving, here are some local gas prices: Chand Raat Bazaar and Community Iftar Friday 1 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Armenian Community Centre of Cambridge, 15 International Village Dr., Cambridge This event to celebrate Ramadan will include a vendors area, cultural activities and music, plus a community iftar dinner at 7:30 p.m. Event website Expressions 50: Foresight Saturday 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery This art exhibit features pieces by students in the Waterloo Region Catholic District School Board and Waterloo Region District School Board. The student artists were asked to explore their community through an intergenerational lens, reflect on the past and also share their dreams for the future. Saturday afternoon's event is the opening reception. The exhibit will be on display until May 4. K-W Symphony Presents: Spring featuring Edwin Outwater Saturday at 7:30 p.m. St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Kitchener Conductor emeritus Edwin Outwater will lead the musicians through music such as Wagner's Siegfried Idyll and Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite. Tickets are required. Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. University of Guelph This craft show is similar to Fair November, where there are artisans from across the region and province with various items including fashion, jewellery, pottery, soaps, food, woodworking and more. It could be a good place to get a jump on Mother's or Father's Day shopping. Admission is free. Bonus: There's also a Spring Market, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Gale Presbyterian Church in Elmira. Sunnyside Public School in Kitchener is also hosting a spring craft and vendor market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Boots and Bands Saturday, 6:30 p.m. to late Newfoundland Club, Cambridge This evening of music will feature Evermile, Jessie T and Drew Leith. There will also be food, line dancing, an auction and prizes. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online. This is a fundraiser for the YWCA Cambridge Women's Shelter.
