Wednesday, 16 March 2016

WET WET WET CATCH UP WITH MUMS AND FAMILIES AFTER TOUR


WET Wet Wet decided to catch up with their families in Glasgow  as soon as they finished the last date of their UK Big Picture tour in Inverness .
The band checked into a stylish city centre hotel to have a bit of a pamper and some downtime after travelling back from the Leisure Centre.
Keyboard player Neil Mitchell bumped into theshowbizlion.com as he went on walkabout and exclusively told us: "We had a great night on Saturday in Glasgow and now we're back here chilling. I'm going to see my mother now and hope she appreciates it and then I'll be off back down south to see my wife and family."
 He added: "It was brilliant to play to Scots crowds and we were so amazed at the response we got. It was lovely."
The lads play Live At Chelsea at the Royal Hospital in London on June 18.

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

MARIAH CAREY WOWS CROWD AND PLAYS UP TO DIVA IMAGE IN GLASGOW

Mariah Carey showed off her incredible vocals and funny side as she played up to her diva image on stage at Glasgow's SSE Hydro for the first night of her European tour - and the audience loved every minute of it.
Right from the get go the US superstar showed she meant business as she was carried on stage aboard a chariot by her hunky male dancers.
As she belted out a rendition of Fantasy, the title of her tour, wearing a glittering leotard which showed off all her curves in the right places we knew we were in for a treat.
Mariah thanked her crowd as she joked she'd been swirled around and then treated us to a rendition of Emotion. 
It was then she threw her first 'diva strop'. 
As she paused to take a drink from her bottle she said: "You don't mind if I do this on stage? No how is this supposed to work really? Can you even see this. It's a spray thing for your throat but the one they gave me has no spray thing on it. What is that? I mean honestly. Does anybody want this cause I can't use it.  People wonder why they throw diva fits. I'm not going to have a diva fit but I'm asking . Come on what were they thinking?" She then poked fun at herself adding: "I know I have a reputation for being a diva but this spray doesn't work." 


As if by magic one of her topless male backing dancers rushed in with a new one which Mariah said 'This one doesn't seem to be working either. It's such a drama. Does it have to be such a drama? I mean really, do you find this dramatic. It's actually a little traumatic for me."
Maria, who then sung from her Butterfly album, switched her conversation to kilts and asked the immortal Scottish question: "Tell me the truth? Do men really not wear anything under their kilts, cause that's what I've heard. I'd never look, cause I'm such a good girl and I don't do those things but is it true, yes or no. Is that a yes. It's very exciting."
Everything was done with a cheery grin and it appeared to be more for theatrical impact than out of malice. 
In a world where concerts can be over produced and many artists have become media trained robots, it was a refreshing change. 
After a quick costume change into a shimmering pink dress she asked the audience. 'Is this alright? It's the first wear tonight.' 
She then serenaded her own cute twin boys (the ones she'd got DVD's in ASDA for) in the audience with Always Be My Baby before inviting her friend Trey Lorenz on stage to duet with her, but she couldn't resist another diva demand as she asked for her fan to be switched on, and complained about her ear piece bothering her. 

Laughing she said: "I'm just doing the best I can with what I got okay. Is that a little better, a little more dramatic? When did you ever see me without the fan on. Tonight for the first time? There's too many dramas. This is our first show but we are in Glasgow and excited about it. We're happy to be with you."
A beautiful duet of I'll Be There followed in tribute to Michael Jackson with a tiny clip of him joining in displayed on the projection screen behind them.
The audience swayed and there was more to come as Mariah reappeared on stage in a glittering black leotard to speak to her audience. 
She sang her monologue : " I'm going to bring somebody out the audience..." And she did. One lucky Scots chap was brought on stage and blindfolded  as he sat on a chair and she writhed about on his knee for Touch My Body. 
Mariah, who was now wearing a long train behind her leotard  hit us with a medley of upbeat RnB numbers including Obsessed before launching into Heartbreaker. Her male dancers provided even more eye candy for the audience. 
It was time for another outfit change - this time a shimmering gold dress and of course there was another diva moment to come with the microphone as she realised it was too high for her. She sighed: "The abuse I endure is never ending. No I'm only kidding"
Another hunky flunky adjusted if for her before she launched into a vocally perfect rendition of Against All Odds, her hit with Westlife, written by Phil Collins. 
When one of her microphones wasn't ready for her and she was given a standing mic instead of a roaming one, she said: "With the gold one I might have a little more freedom but if we're not set up for that I'll just stick with this mic. 
She took a slight dig at other artists copying her style adding: "I used to use sparkly microphones but then everyone else started using them. I'll be honest, it got annoying so I stopped using them. What? is there something wrong with that.  I like having my own. Oh my gosh nobody understands .Its not that deep, it's just a microphone." 
As Mariah, was given a replacement microphone she added: "I'm going to name that microphone Glasgow because it happened here." 
Her crowd lapped up every divaesque word as she said: "Anybody that is writing about this show writing that I have a bunch of diva demands onstage, technically it's true but I'm laughing about it as it happens. It's jokes, just for laughs." 
Mariah, who had been rehearsing until 5am on her arrival in Scotland, sang One Sweet Day from her album Daydream with two of her musician friends, Trey Lorenz and Daniel Moore, before paying an emotional musical tribute to Whitney Houston. She revealed she had to call Whitney's family for permission to include her in the show, before launching into an incredible duet of When You Believe with a giant projection of Whitney as a  backdrop. It was a jawdropping moment.
The ballads kept coming with Hero, a dedication to her lambily, and then Without You. 
The energy flowed as the goosebumps were raised and Mariah proved she's bigger than the hype. 
We have just one diva demand for Mariah. Please don't leave it another thirteen years to go on European tour.  

WATCH AS MARIAH CAREY ARRIVES AT HER SCOTS HOTEL AND GETS DVDS FROM ASDA

Mariah Carey was every bit the picture of glam as she arrived in Glasgow at her hotel.
In our exclusive video you can see Mariah in her white fluffy coat looking fresh faced despite a seven hour long rehearsal to prepare for the first night of her European tour.
She arrived at the Blytheswood Square hotel at 5am an hour after her twins Monroe and Moroccan were chauffeured back from her rehearsal for the first night of her European Tour at the SSE Hydro.
As you can see she is full of love for her fans.
Mariah had earlier arranged for her entourage to buy a huge stack of twenty DVDs including the most recent Disney flicks, including the Minions films. She warned no movies with violence.

Following the big rehearsal Mariah had a PJ day yesterday to be ready for her big performance.
Her suite is a penthouse at the five star Blythswood Square hotel and Mariah filled a whole fleet of people carriers with clothes and Louis Vuitton suitcases.



Monday, 14 March 2016

LORRAINE KELLY TALKS EXERCISE AND HER HOPES FOR DUNDEE UNITED


LORRAINE Kelly reckons there is no point to exercise unless you love it - though she's not sure if football is ticking all her boxes right now.
The morning telly queen has slimmed down and toned up recently thanks to zumba classes and she believes everyone should keep fit in a way they enjoy.
 Lorraine who was a host at the recent Sunday Post Broons awards in Glasgow's Grand Central Hotel said: "I have lost weight and toned up doing zumba and found an amazing instructor Maxine Jones who helps me. I go to two classes a week and love it . You have to find exercise you love otherwise there is no point and you will not do it."
 Lorraine might be based in London every week but she admits she comes back to Scotland most weekends now - sometimes to watch her beloved Scots footie team play.
She said: "I'm just doing the show and enjoying myself and just love it. I always come home at the weekends, almost every weekend, usually to see Dundee United which at the moment is not doing great but will get better. The only way is up when you're at the bottom".


DWIGHT YOAKAM RESISTS TARTAN MUG BEFORE SCOTS DATE

WEDDING Crashers and Panic Room star Dwight Yoakam was in fine fettle before his gig at Glasgow's first Country 2 Country (C2C) festival - but he was no-one's mug.
 The legendary Country singer, who sported double denim onstage, joined other Nashville stars including Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town and Sam Hunt  at the fest  in Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium.
The Showbiz Lion was loitering around the city's wildest lairs when Dwight randomly came out of the five star Blytheswood Hotel .
We couldn't resist a quick video and he said he was enjoying the Scottish hospitality as he made the way to the venue from his hotel last night.
The Honky Tonk Man singer and actor, who keeps on his cowboy hat wherever he goes, also told us he always enjoyed coming to gigs in Scotland.
Dwight was presented with a traditional tartan mug by one of his fans but we're not sure if it was his cup of tea.
 He got one of his roadies to take it instead.


WATCH AS MARTI PELLOW AND WET WET WET CHILL BEFORE SATURDAY'S GIG

WATCH Marti Pellow and the rest of his bandmates chill out before their SSE Hydro gig in this video filmed in an exclusive VIP box in the venue.  
Just minutes before  audience members made their way into the gig Marti and the lads who played an emotional homecoming show for the crowd, were watching over the arena. 
The band were the first official visitors to Clydesdale Bank's unique hotspot The Vault in the SSE Hydro before their sold-out performance at the 12,000-capacity arena on Saturday. 
The Vault gives gig goers the opportunity to upgrade ordinary tickets to a red leather sofa on their own secret balcony. 
All ticket holders need to do is to post a selfie on social media using #getmeinthevault for the chance to swap their seats to the couch. 
As The Wets relaxed into the comfortable red leather sofa on their own secret balcony, they had a laugh and joke about things.Graeme Clark suggested:  "You  can even ask the Clydesdale bank if they'll give you a free bar' while Marti added: "But they are quite tight, especially with inflation."  
The first winner of #getmeinthevault was Wets fanatic Kirstie Walls from Paisley who upgraded her friends Gail Morrison, Claire Pollock, and Yvonne Redmund to the couch. 
She said: “We love the Wets, we’ve been to see them on every tour since they started out, even in Marti’s purple suit days. When we bought tickets in October we didn’t think we’d end up with our own private couch and waitress so it made the night even better. We saw Marti and the boys tweet about it before the gig and decided to take part, but we weren’t expecting to win it – the gig was absolutely brilliant and an experience we won’t forget."  
Following the Wet Wet Wet gig, music fans will get the chance access to it at all upcoming Hydro gigs including Adele, Justin Bieber and Rod Stewart. www.cbonline.co.uk/we-care-about-here/community/best-seats-in-the-house/thevault/.

Saturday, 12 March 2016

WET WET WET GOT US TEARY AND EMOSH DURING SCOTS HOMECOMING


WITH a name like Wet Wet Wet, you'd expect a little bit of er dampness, and there were definitely some tears (what else?) at a gig that was classed as the band's homecoming in Glasgow's SSE Hydro.
Clydebank's Marti Pellow, Graeme Clark, Tommy Cunningham, Graeme Duffin and Neil Mitchell gave the crowd exactly what they wanted and looked like they received as much back in return as they entertained on the ultimate Saturday night.
 Marti may have suffered a sweet little mystery of an illness just days before but there was no sign of fatigue in his voice as he showcased his smooth vocals during a gig that enthralled every one of the crowd.
In parts it was like a massaoke as the audience members sang their favourite parts of each and every hit, but then we all felt like we were part of 'our' band.
Fans clamoured to be invited up on stage by Marti himself and everyone spent the run up to the gig sending in selfies so they'd be the chosen ones for the onstage competition.
Markus Feehily warmed up with a brilliant set which showed off his powerhouse vocals and Marti brought it all to a climax.
The lads had played Glasgow Green in 2013 but the Hydro brought everyone together with songs like Wishing I Was Lucky,  Julia Says and Sweet Little Mystery.
The crowd including Scotland boss Gordon Strachan chanted loudly on the chorus of Goodnight Girl and as an at times emotional looking Marti sang a mash up of Angel Eyes, Temptation, and with A Little Help From My Friends,  they continued to impress as he held his mike out for them all to sing.
After She's All On My  Mind, Marti let us enjoy some of his banter with tales of shooting documentaries at 'Loch Lomondo'  and getting too drunk the night before.
He joked he barely kept down his roll and sausage for a rendition of Roll Um Easy. The band also had a good laugh about the Versace suits they used to wear with a relaxed Marti adding: "Why did you not stop me and say 'Marti, don't wear the crushed velvety number tonight?'"
They might have at one point looked like 'rejects from the Chippendales' but they gave their audience a good laugh and they showed humility by thanking everyone who had helped them put the gig on.
Referencing the homecoming, Graeme Clark also thanked fans adding: "It's great to be back here and understood for a change."
By the time Love Is All Around was performed you could feel it oozing from every single pore.