Diary Piece - Gigs and Festivals
When it comes to late nights followed by early mornings, I find it a little like getting a sub on your pocket money, you have great fun spending it, but pay for it in the long-run. Since working with This Morning, reporting on showbiz shenanigans, the early starts are a necessary evil, but I’m loving the gossip and inside dirt I get to dish up for our mid-morning viewers.
I’m actually a bit of a late developer when it comes to music, thanks to my old dear’s on-loop playing of Phil Collins for most of my childhood, I guess you could say I acquired a sheltered taste. That’s all changed in the last five years, thankfully, and these days I’m out seeing different bands every night of the week. I’m constantly downloading tracks to listen to from iTunes and am even on first name terms with the boys at my local HMV in Covent Garden – alright lads?!
Singing is something I’ve always wanted to get into, but I’ve got to be realistic – I sound like Des O Conner on helium - Shane Ritchie wouldn’t even let me sing backing vocals for him. But you can never say never so I’ve taken it on as a personal mission and am seeing a voice coach as my dream job would be in the West End performing in musicals (do they strangle any of the cats in ‘Cats?!)
The closest I’ve come to appearing on stage with a band was a few weeks ago when I went over to Ireland to check out the Oxegen (corr) Festival. I was invited to go on along with Greenday, one of my all-time favourite bands, I’ve seen them play live three times already this year and they rock!
One of the things I love about summer, is all the music festivals – I’m like a kid in a sweet shop (or a girl in Topshop!) The first big gig I ever went to was the V Festival in Chelmsford, I get such a buzz zipping from stage to stage to see all the different bands and if the camping gets tough, my mum’s house is just down the road so I can pop home for a bath and a feed (and some more Phil Collins!)
It’s all gone a bit crazy at the moment to be honest. I’m up at the crack preparing for This Morning and am also doing some stuff for MTV now and again. It’s a mad and fast business and you’ve gotta have your wits about you to get the scoops – it’s no good being bleary eyed or going home early – you never know what you’ll miss. The stars do tell you their secrets, Zoe Ball told me she was about to do Strictly Come Dancing before she told anyone else.
One of my highlights, working for MTV, was going to the Live8 concert. I was lucky because I was reviewing it the next week so I could watch the performances and wander back stage to see the stars and check out the goings-on. The atmosphere was incredible. I couldn’t believe it when Robbie asked Fearne Cotton out, she’s one of my best friends and I was slapping her wrists for turning him down! Still, she’s a pretty savvy chick and I’m sure she knows what she’s doing. Who in the world understands women?!
Robbie was without doubt one of the headlining performances of the day – the guy hadn’t even rehearsed he just turned up on stage and did his thing. He’s such a showman – it’s amazing to see live – I think he’s stronger than ever at the moment and can’t wait to hear his new album. Madonna was another highlight – she’s not normally to my taste, but I was totally blown away.
Not all the music was to my taste – I like rock, indie, hip-hop and easy listening. The Lost Prophets ‘Last Train Home’, reminds me of last summer, 2004, driving back from a gig in Birmingham with Fearne Cotton with the music blasting out as the sun went down. Fearne used to go out with Ian Watkins from the Lost Prophets. My favourite bands are Greenday, Hard-Fi, Coldplay and Oasis. I’m quite getting into the Kings of Leon and Kaiser Chiefs after seeing them perform at a couple of festivals this year too.