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What a plonker!

(74 Posts)
TiggyW Sat 24-Aug-24 22:02:13

I’m watching Sam Smith at the Proms on BBC2. He’s dressed in a red ball gown, complete with a beard and tattoos. 🄓His female co-singer is wearing a black trouser suit. Just about to change channelsā€¦šŸ™„

Mollygo Mon 26-Aug-24 12:13:50

Agreed about George Michael. I like all his songs, though my favourites are Somebody to Love-with Queen at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert and Careless Whispers.
He didn’t have to claim to be anything to call attention to his singing. It was good enough without that.

Doodledog Mon 26-Aug-24 13:26:25

His version of Somebody To Love was incredible, wasn't it? His partner had just been diagnosed with AIDS, and was in the audience too - how he managed to get through that song is beyond me but he was note-perfect.

Oreo Mon 26-Aug-24 14:43:47

Chestnut

I have one good thing to say about SS and that was he didn't swear. I remember Adele at the Royal Albert Hall years ago effing and blinding.

And last year a singer called Raye also performed there with a huge orchestra and choir. As soon as she walked over to the microphone she screamed the magical words 'Are you f***ing joking!'

After that the songs were all full of anger, bitterness, foul language and vocal gymnastics. To be honest, I couldn't even understand what she was wailing on about, even though I had sub-titles to decipher the words!

The orchestra were amazing, the choir sang beautifully, except they were effing and blinding too!

In their desperate efforts to be ā€˜ down wiv da kids’ the bigwigs at the RAH seem to have lost the plot.

JaneJudge Mon 26-Aug-24 14:54:42

I like George Micheal and Elton John don’t let the sun come down on me. The live version is on my playlist, it’s incredible

Chestnut Mon 26-Aug-24 15:11:44

Oreo In their desperate efforts to be ā€˜ down wiv da kids’ the bigwigs at the RAH seem to have lost the plot.

I suppose these are the big artists of today so do they have much choice? When you realise all the amazing talent we had in the 60s, 70s and 80s I feel really sorry for young people today. Every time I watch today's artists I get a feeling of misery and gloom descending over me from all the negative emotions and swearing, and have to switch off to find something more cheerful to listen to.

merlotgran Mon 26-Aug-24 15:31:17

Oreo In their desperate efforts to be ā€˜ down wiv da kids’ the bigwigs at the RAH seem to have lost the plot.

I don’t think da kids have any interest in the Proms. It’s more to do with developing a more diverse programme. There already jazz nights and film theme nights.

They can’t please everyone and I’d rather listen to Stan Smith than the nerve jangling stuff that was on last night.

merlotgran Sat 31-Aug-24 18:43:15

Just spotted my last post. Stan Smith???
I used to boo and hiss at him when he was playing the gorgeous John Newcombe at Wimbledon back in the seventies! šŸ˜‚

Tonight is disco night at the Proms. Not my favourite pop genre but it calls for a glass or two of šŸ·and a boogie round the living room if my knees are willing! šŸ•ŗšŸ˜‚šŸ„³

Doodledog Sat 31-Aug-24 19:15:48

I'm going to watch that after my bath - thanks for alerting me. I see they've done a Nick Drake one, which will also be good. It was recorded for radio though, so I'll try to catch it on Sounds.

Doodledog Sat 31-Aug-24 21:02:11

I'm watching now, and it's disappointing. I thought Sam Smith's voice seemed weak (which it's not), and wondered if he had a faulty microphone, but this lot sound the same - fighting to be heard above the music. I'm surprised, as clearly there has been no expense spared, and the acoustics in the Royal Albert Hall will be excellent, but something's not right.

The orchestra is very good, but the vocalists are getting a raw deal, I think.

merlotgran Sat 31-Aug-24 21:14:44

There are some poor arrangements and the backing harmonies occasionally sound off key.

Oreo Sat 31-Aug-24 22:57:38

merlotgran

Oreo In their desperate efforts to be ā€˜ down wiv da kids’ the bigwigs at the RAH seem to have lost the plot.

I don’t think da kids have any interest in the Proms. It’s more to do with developing a more diverse programme. There already jazz nights and film theme nights.

They can’t please everyone and I’d rather listen to Stan Smith than the nerve jangling stuff that was on last night.

I think you may be wrong as students seem to love the proms.
Instead of a silly ā€˜diverse’ programme how about just a good one🤬
Cut out fellas in frocks and also the nerve jangling stuff.
Quality sells itself.

Indigo8 Sat 31-Aug-24 23:03:27

It was disco night at the Proms tonight.

Oreo Sat 31-Aug-24 23:05:34

Were you doing all the moves to Night Fever Indigo8?šŸ˜„

Eloethan Sat 31-Aug-24 23:50:01

Why are some people so enraged about this, to the point of changing channels?

Doodledog Sun 01-Sept-24 00:24:29

Eloethan

Why are some people so enraged about this, to the point of changing channels?

I changed the channel half way through the disco one as I wasn’t enjoying it. Why else would someone change channel?

As it goes, I was in the mood for that sort of music so I rewatched the Sam Smith prom on iPlayer. Still not great acoustics but a good performance.

PamQS Sun 01-Sept-24 04:15:28

Allsorts

I out him on to hear his voice but was disappointed, its not very good. As for the other nonsense perhaps its his theraphy..

He seems to be going through some kind of inner turmoil at the moment which is resulting in the strange outfits etc. His career was stellar when he first came to public attention, but that was because of his voice. Nobody’s going to buy his music because of his big, red dress.

(Well, maybe some will, but probably not enough people to fund his flamboyant costumes!)

Doodledog Sun 01-Sept-24 04:59:47

I have two of his albums. I would buy another, regardless of his clothing, but I stream music these days. I don’t like the ā€˜in your face’ way he forces his personal life onto his audience but it won’t stop me listening to his music.

He said in an interval interview that he wants to ā€˜be there’ for others like him, so anyone going through what he did as a youth can see that they aren’t alone. Fair enough, I suppose. I don’t buy into the ā€˜gender’ narrative, and would be the first to complain if he thought his frock should gain him access to the Ladies’, but on stage it’s harming nobody.

TiggyW Wed 04-Sept-24 16:58:02

Eloethan - I changed channels because I didn’t want to watch a big hairy bloke making a complete fool of himself!!!
What he does at home is up to him, but I don’t call it public entertainment!!!
I suppose the fact that he didn’t swear is a minor consolation…

Allira Wed 04-Sept-24 17:13:25

merlotgran

Just spotted my last post. Stan Smith???
I used to boo and hiss at him when he was playing the gorgeous John Newcombe at Wimbledon back in the seventies! šŸ˜‚

Tonight is disco night at the Proms. Not my favourite pop genre but it calls for a glass or two of šŸ·and a boogie round the living room if my knees are willing! šŸ•ŗšŸ˜‚šŸ„³

I used to like watching Stan Smith! I always thought he was about 6' 7" but in fact he was only 6' 4" šŸŽ¾

Luckygirl3 Wed 04-Sept-24 17:24:52

He/they/she have to draw attention to themselves somehow to hide the fact that they produce musical wallpaper/lift music/supermarket music.

Cossy Wed 04-Sept-24 18:16:44

I couldn’t give one fig (politely)
How singers/actors/entertainers and their entourage dress. Personally, I like Sam’s voice, but I appreciate others don’t.

Labradora Wed 04-Sept-24 21:08:23

I must say that I am not anti-gay and I love Eddie Izzard . I will defend to the death the right of a "bloke in a dress" with a beard to dress and look exactly as he chooses. I just do not want to look at it !!
I felt the same about Conchita Wurst( another bearded bloke in a ballgown) who won the Eurovision Song Contest a few years ago.
I feel a bit bad saying it , but that's how I feel.

Mollygo Wed 04-Sept-24 21:26:48

Luckygirl3

He/they/she have to draw attention to themselves somehow to hide the fact that they produce musical wallpaper/lift music/supermarket music.

That’s like so many nowadays. Too many people claiming that they are X , means people look for something else that they feel will make them stand out. Then that category gets picked up by a a lot of people so they decide on yet another claim.