NEP-E01-S3 EP01 November 4–10 2011 Essential Guide 5

THE first date on the tour is tomorrow in Rhyl. I’ve I sing at least one song every day so the voice is been rehearsing in the theatre this week. I could go My perfect weekend always in good shape. It’s a muscle, so it’s like going on stage tonight I’m that excited. I can’t wait. to the gym. If I don’t sing for a week it takes a couple CDs It’s like two separate shows. You get the pop stuff of days to warm my voice up. first with a bit of the X Factor stuff that takes you on Joe McElderry I like running to keep fit. I’ll run three or four times The Wanted: the journey before Popstar To Operastar. Then the a week. Battleground mood changes and you get the classical stuff. I don’t read books. I find it really hard. The only Number one single Glad You Tonight I’ll still be rehearsing like crazy for that first The X Factor time I’d read one is in bed and I’d fall asleep straight Came opens the album in show and there’ll be no time for any playtime. It’s and Popstar to away. rousing fashion, but with hard work because I want that first show to be I have probably the weirdest music taste ever. three top five singles, perfect. Operastar Especially since doing Popstar To Operastar. It’s including Lightning and If I wanted to have some time off tomorrow before winner will be classical, pop, country music, Beyonce, Gold Forever, on the record, the show I probably could but I don’t want it Rihanna... all sorts. I went to see Rihanna (far left) the group’s work is partly because I want to polish everything up and make opening his two weeks ago. That was a really good show. done. I’ll Be Your Strength is sure it’s totally perfect. debut UK tour I went to see Live At The Apollo as well an emotional ballad before launching into dance There’ll be plenty of time for that after. recently, which is the (BBC) comedy thing. They did beats, while The Weekend is a full-on On Sunday I’ll be travelling to the next show in this weekend pick on me but in a nice way. I was dreading it but it electro-pop-dance tune. With Battleground, The Margate. wasn’t horrible. It was Alan Carr and Micky Wanted show there is no stopping them. Although I’m busy this week rehearsing every day Flanagan. ★★★★ from 9am to 6pm, it’s been the first week in a long If I had a weekend to myself and I wasn’t working time where I’ve had time to myself in the evening. So as I’d like to but even if it’s only for a couple of days, I’d chill out with friends and family, go to the Shereen Low back at the hotel I’ve been able to catch it’s worth it. pictures, go out for food, go for a run... I’d probably Coronation Street and EastEnders. I haven’t I’ve managed for the past two years commuting have a house party. seen them for ages. to London and it’s not been a problem so I don’t I was in Nottingham for the X Factor tour and Knights-Gates Duo: I like watching Friends and Will & Grace but I think I need to move there. we were there for two nights so I had time to have a Flights Of Fancy His love Brothers and I’m not a cook. Not in the slightest. Me mam or look around. plaintive oboe gracing Sisters. I’ve got the box friends come We went to the music both established and sets and I watch them on round and make dungeon or is it the old new, Andrew Knights plays my laptop. me dinner. Or if I jail? Yes, the Galleries Poulenc’s memorable I went to see Tintin do it myself it’ll of Justice. They Sonata and Philip Gates’s (bottom right) last week at be scrambled opened it for us after the well-crafted memorial to a the cinema. It’s really good. egg and beans. I first show and we had a jazz pianist. Knights’s cor Really funny. I tend to go like scrambled look around there. It’s anglais and sweet oboe when I’m back home in egg and quite spooky and very d’amore are featured in Duparc song South Shields where people mushrooms for strange. transcriptions and evocative pieces by Charles are used to me being around breakfast. I tend ■ Joe McElderry is at Koechlin. Gates rounds off an appealing Melodist so it’s not too bad with them to be out for the the Royal Concert Hall CD with solo piano items from Erik Satie. wanting autographs and rest of the day so on Thursday, from ★★★★ photos. I throw a hoody on I’ll grab a salad 7.30pm. Tickets are Peter Palmer and sneak in when the lights or soup wherever £27.50 and £29.50, have gone down. I am. I try and available from the I love living up there. I’ve eat healthy but venue, by calling 0115 Steve Hicks & Lynn got my own place now. I I’m in different 989 5555 or via Goulbourn: Hicks and bought it after the X Factor. places every day www.trch.co.uk Goulborn Hicks and I don’t get home as much pretty much. Simon Wilson Goulbourn are well established on the local folk scene. This is an excellent vehicle for Steve’s guitar skills and Lynn’s vocals. If Books PS I Love You author pens another hit we are looking for highspots, the musically The Time Of My The Best Of Me 666 Charing Cross jokey Stairway To Mozart has to be a contender Life, Cecelia by Nicholas Road, Paul Magrs, Top ten hardbacks and It Ain’t Necessarily So explores a vast vocal Ahern, Sparks, paperback, range. In the wake of the demise of Bret Jansch it hardback, hardback, £13.99 1 Snuff: A Discworld is endearing to see Pentangle’s Light Flight here. £16.99 LUCY £19.99 In New York, a Novel Terry Pratchett ★★★★ Silchester has AFTER six strange undead 2 The Magic Of Reality Dave Sutherland trapped herself in successful film woman –the Scottish Richard Dawkins a cocoon of lies to adaptations, the Bride Bessie –is 3 The Sense Of An protect her broken number one New unearthed in a Ending Julian Barnes Tony Levin, David Torn, heart. While this York Times Manhattan basement. 4 Home Cooking Made Alan White: Levin Torn intelligent MBA best-seller delivers Museum worker Easy Lorraine Pascale White A rocking graduate can again. It’s set in Shelley uses the new 5 1Q84: Book One And combination of renowned speak five languages, she is short of familiar territory in a small North discovery as the centrepiece of her Book Two Haruki Murakami bassist Levin (best known talent when it comes to speaking the Carolina town, where high school new display, much to the apprehension 6 The Faithless Martina for his work with Peter truth. The 29-year-old is on the verge sweethearts, Dawson and Amanda are of her aunt Liza. However, the arrival of Cole Gabriel and King Crimson), of alienating her family and friends – forced apart. 25 years on and they are a book of spells sets off a disastrous 7 The Great British Bake experimental guitar until an appointment with Life shakes leading very different lives. Back home chain of events –as Bessie is brought Off Linda Collister “texturalist” Torn and Yes her into reality. The author of P. S. I to attend a funeral, they are suddenly to life, Shelley’s boyfriend Daniel 8 The Affair Lee Child drummer White, this is a Love You proves her credentials once confronted by their lost love and over a develops a very different appetite, and 9 The Impossible Dead remarkably entertaining mix of powerful again, with a novel that is enchanting, weekend make a life-changing a new breed of vampires infests New Ian Rankin instrumental art-rock riffs and grooves. White in poignant and inspiring. decision. Emotional and gripping. York, and threatens London too. 10 Heroes Of Olympus: particular sounds liberated and producer Scott ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ The Son Of Neptune Rick Schorr keeps it all ultra-crisp and disciplined. Nilima Dey Sarker Laura Temple Emma Emeringham Riordan ★★★★ Sean Hewitt DVDs Roar of approval as Disney’s epic masterpiece returns

The Lion King (U) Beautiful Lies (12) Flying Monsters John Bishop Live: ELDERLY lion Scar PIERRE Salvadori’s With David The Sunshine Tour (voiced by Jeremy Irons) summer-time romance Attenborough (E) (15) THE Liverpool plots to usurp his revolves around a series FOR generations Sir stand-up made history brother, the majestic of coincidences and David Attenborough when his first DVD, King Mufasa (James Earl misunderstandings that has been the warm and John Bishop Live –The Jones) and kill him and gradually snowball out welcoming voice Elvis Has Left The newborn cub Simba of control. Handyman introducing us to some Building Tour, became (Jonathan Taylor Jean (Sami Bouajila) is of the most spectacular the fastest selling Thomas). Mufasa dies madly in love with his sights of the natural stand-up debut in the saving his son who, employer, elfin world. In this new film, UK. His follow-up overwhelmed by guilt, hairdresser Emilie the leading naturalist concert DVD was filmed flees his homeland and (Audrey Tautou). So he works closely with live during his tour befriends the eccentric pens an anonymous scientists to better which included three double-act of neurotic love note, which she understand pterosaurs, shows at the Capital FM meerkat Timon (Nathan Lane) and flatulent promptly screws up and bins. Then Emilie has a the flying dinosaurs with wingspans of up to 40 Arena. His comedy is a mix of the observational warthog Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella). Years later, the brainwave –she can send the billet doux to her feet, which soared over the Earth more than 220 and autobiographical, largely based on the now full-grown Simba (Matthew Broderick) mother Maddy (Nathalie Baye), who has been million years ago. Aided by cutting-edge digital frustrations of being a middle-aged father of chances upon his former sweetheart Nala (Moira depressed since the breakdown of her marriage. effects and 3D technology on the Blu-ray edition, three. “When you’re in your 40s you can’t say to Kelly), who tells of Scar’s despotic reign. An Sure enough, the possibility of a secret lover he brings the fascinating story of these giant women the things you used to when you were in unmissable roar from the past that returns to shakes Maddy out of her fug and she happens flying monsters and their prehistoric world to life, your 20s for fear of being branded a pervert,” he DVD and struts on to Blu-ray for the first time. A upon the truth: that Jean is the author. Except, of travelling to stunning locations including New says, to guffaws of recognition. potent blend of comedy and tragedy in 3D. course, she wasn’t the intended recipient. Mexico and southern France. ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ Damon Smith