Latest news with #Meatloaf
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Scheppel amazes yet again
Audiences at the Fairtree Atterbury theatre come to a Scheppel show expecting big things and walk away having touched the clouds. Last weekend, he again transcended boundaries as his violin took flight from Swan Lake to Meatloaf's 'I will do anything for love', with a mountain of musical mastery in between. Pretoria's own rock violinist has forged a path when he became the first to take this bold step: away from the world of classical violin to becoming a solo rock violinist. Laughingly likening himself to world-renowned violinist Andre Rieu (check the similarity between their hairstyles), one may well wonder if Rieu could rock a violin as well as Scheppel does. Scheppel is adroit at putting together a playlist that binds together many themes and a variety of vibes. Right after some energetic rock, he will segue into the melancholic 'In the living years' from Mike & the Mechanics, which has the audience humming along, followed by Bon Jovi's 'It's my life', which sets the feet a-tapping once more. And never forget his now signature 'Sweet Caroline on steroids' – played for the ladies, he says, but the entire audience sings along – young and old alike. This man's technique on his instrument makes one think of two things (man and instrument) that have grown together symbiotically – his violin's bow fairly flies and his fingers picking, stroking, running and not hiding. Scheppel was ably joined by long-time friend and sterling bass player Jerry Grove, and Bruce Wallace, arguably Pretoria's own top drummer. This makes for a top trio, and the quality of the music attests to their professional expertise. After a standing ovation, the crowd was loath to let Scheppel go. Such an evening should not end, they felt. But the trio will be back at the Fairtree Atterbury Theatre in November, so make a note not to miss out! His most recent single release is 'Eye of the Tiger'. Watch it here: Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here's why dozens of Harley-Davidsons roared through Glasgow
A large convoy of Harley-Davidsons made its way through Glasgow city centre today to celebrate the newest show at the King's. Bat Out Of Hell, a musical filled with the iconic songs of Jim Steiman and Meatloaf, will premiere at the theatre tonight. (Image: Newsquest) READ NEXT: Everything you need to know about Bat Out Of Hell at the King's To mark the occasion, members of the Clyde Valley Harley Davidson Owners Group revved their engines up and down Bath Street, just before curtains. Joining them were Scottish cast members Craig Watson and Reece Duncan. Passers-by watched in awe as the motorcycles arrived at the King's Theatre, where the musical will play until Saturday, April 19.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘You can call me the milkshake man': Eurovision 2025 contestants promise weird and wonderful
The Eurovision Song Contest is back for more chaos and controversy as musicians across the continent hope to make their country proud in pop's World Cup. It's just been announced that the UK's entry for the competition will be pop trio Remember Monday, a band described as a mix between Chappell Roan and Meatloaf. Picked by Sam Ryder's manager – Ryder was the most successful British contestant in recent history, coming in second place in 2022 – the group will perform their song 'What the Hell Just Happened?'. Last year's competition was conducted 'under the darkest shadow in its history', with Israel's controversial military action in Gaza leading to threats of a boycott and numerous subtle and explicit political displays by artists for allowing the country to compete. The show was plagued by disorder and infighting, with at least one contestant being disqualified. Switzerland's artist Nemo was eventually crowned the winner. From a Timothée Chalamet lookalike to one contestant already having their song banned, there are plenty of acts to watch out for this year. This year's contest will be hosted by last year's winner in Basel, Switzerland in May. Two semi-finals will be held on 13 and 15 May, with the overall final on 17 May. UK Made up of best friends, Charlotte, Holly, and Lauren, the group hope to break the UK's Eurovision curse, which made a return in 2024. Last year's contestant Olly Alexander finished in 18th place out of 25, receiving zero points from the public vote, cementing what The Independent 's Roisin O'Connor has referred to as Britain's 'victim mentality' and 'sense of doom'. She said of the band's song, 'What the Hell Just Happened?': 'It's a throwback to carefree times, when the biggest thing you had to worry about was whether you did call your ex after five shots of tequila.' Malta Miriana Conte's entry 'Kant' was barred over its similarity to another word connoting female genitalia. The EBU ruled that although the word 'Kant' mean s'singing' in Maltese, lyrics such as 'serving Kant' made its use dubious. She's since been tasked with changing the lyrics completely. Although the 23-year-old said she was 'disappointed' by the decision, she promised: 'the show will go on – Diva NOT down'. The original complaint was reportedly made by the BBC, with radio presenter Scott Mills saying they 'definitely can't play a clip of it'. Australia Go-Jo's song 'Milkshake Man' has been deemed hysterical by fans, who've called it 'the most Eurovision sounding song Australia has done so far'. One fan said of the song: 'It's so silly and fun and catchy and funny and it makes me dance'. The charismatic musician has an avid social media following, with his covers of songs such as 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls racking up over three million streams on Spotify. His song 'Mrs Hollywood' has 60 million streams and over one billion views, according to the Eurovision website. Norway Kyle Alessandro is the youngest person to enter this year's competition, aged just 18. He first appeared on Norway's talent show Norske Talenter at the age of 10. His entry, 'Lighter', has largely been produced and written on his own with the help of musician and producer Adam Woods. The song is inspired by the story of his mother's struggle through cancer treatment. Alessandro's mother is now healthy following successful treatment. Italy While many countries choose to perform in English, Italy's Lucio Corsi will opt to perform his song 'Volevo essere un duro" in his native language. The 31-year-old is already a successful musician in his own right, having released two EPs and his debut album inspired by the animals of his homeland, Maremma. The country is a respected contender in the competition, having won it on three occasions in the past, including in 1964, 1990, and most recently in 2021. Spain Spain has something of a tried and tested formula but, well, if it ain't broke... This year's delegate seems intent on replicating the success of past contestants including Chanel, who finished in third place in 2022, the country's highest placement since 1995. Melody, already an established singer with 25 years of experience under her belt, will hope to make her country proud with her dramatic and catchy entry 'Esa Diva'. Ukraine Formed in 2015, pop trio Ziferblat's entry for the 2025 competition, 'Bird of Pray', seeks to shed light on the struggles that their country faces every day. Russia was banned from the competition following its military action in Ukraine in 2022. Switzerland Last year, the country was crowned the winner with its act Nemo and their song 'The Code'. This year, they'll hope to keep up the success with singer Zoë Më. Although the 24-year-old's song entry hasn't been confirmed yet, she's known for a unique blend of pop and poetry and will hope to make her mark this year, performing in her home country. Estonia Tommy Cash, 33, who will represent Estonia in Basel, Switzerland this May, is known for featuring on Charli XCX 's song 'Delicious' and for his own track 'Espresso Macchiato', which he will perform at the contest. But when his entry was announced, it was his physical likeness to a popular Hollywood star that made headlines. Users on X/Twitter dubbed the Estonian rapper 'Tommythee Cashamet' in reference to a similarity to the Dune actor, Timothée Chalamet, with one person adding: 'I thought they put a wig on Timothee.' Finland Already a star in her home country, Erika Vikman hopes her song 'Ich komme' will secure her the crown. The contender's song is filled with lyrics about sexual desire, climax, and pleasure, and she hopes the 'joyous message' of the music will secure her a place in the final. She shot to fame after winning the Tangomarkkinat festival in 2016. The last and only time the country won the competition was in 2006 with 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' performed by Lordi. France Louane first entered the public eye, aged 16, appearing on The Voice. She's already performing at sold-out venues across the country and holds numerous trophies, including a NRJ Music Award. France has a nostalgic history with the competition, having won it five times. However, the last time was almost five decades ago in 1977. It got close last year, finishing in fourth place with 'Mon amour' by Slimane.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Remember Monday, What the Hell Just Happened? review: Eurovision entry is Meatloaf meets Chappell Roan
'What the Hell Just Happened?' I'll tell you what, the UK has unveiled a genuinely good Eurovision entry in the form of pop trio Remember Monday, the first girl group to represent since 1999. What the hell, indeed. The big reveal of the act chosen to perform at the annual Eurovision Song Contest has, for the past decade, carried with it a sense of doom. Britain has a victim mentality when it comes to the world's biggest singing competition – particularly since Brexit, naysayers have claimed that politics is a sword of Damocles hanging over the head of whichever sacrificial lamb we decide to send to the slaughter. Never mind that the UK has in fact won five times, tied for the second-most wins with Luxembourg, France and the Netherlands, with Ireland and Sweden claiming the most wins (seven). In truth – and as any true Eurovision fan knows – the UK is its own worst enemy. With the exception of 2022 runner-up Sam Ryder, who dazzled the public voters and the jury with his golden voice and golden retriever energy, our more recent history is a graveyard of forgettable, identikit ballads performed by quailing pop singers. None of whom can hope to compete against delegates from countries who better understand what voters look for in a winning candidate. Give it up for Remember Monday, then, who have co-written what sounds like the result of a drunken one-night stand between Meatloaf's 'Bat Out of Hell' and Chappell Roan 's 'Pink Pony Club'. There's certainly a touch of Queen and Elton John in those dramatic piano crescendos, squalling guitar riffs and bombastic blasts of synth – this is a full-scale production, full of fun and flair. The lyrics, too, present Remember Monday as actual personalities (crucial for Eurovision), with the kind of winking, tongue-in-cheek tone that made Little Mix so endearing. Thematically, it's reminiscent of Katy Perry 's 2011 bop 'Last Friday Night (TGIF)' and Carrie Underwood's 'Last Night', a piecing-together of the messiness of the previous evening: 'Broke a heel, lost my keys, scraped my knee/When I fell from the chandelier…/ Ripped my dress, call an ex, I confess/ I'm obsessed, not the best idea…' There's a devil-may-care hedonism to it, the kind Britain seems to yearn for right now. In the midst of a cost of living crisis and a particularly bleak news cycle, 'What the Hell Just Happened?' does for pop what Disney's Jilly Cooper adaptation Rivals did for TV. It's a throwback to carefree times, when the biggest thing you had to worry about was whether you did call your ex after five shots of tequila. How will they fare at Eurovision? No idea, but I like it.
Telegraph
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Chilli-eating contests and pork pie wreaths: the eccentric new funeral trends
The report also found that music choices are changing, with the classic hymn Abide With Me this year being replaced by Frank Sinatra's My Way as the most-played funeral song. The classic hymns Amazing Grace, written by the reformed 18th century slave trader John Newton, and All Things Bright and Beautiful are the only other religious songs in the top 10. Other non-religious songs that prove popular include AC/DC's Highway to Hell and Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell. Elsewhere, more than a third of under-35s now say they would like a 'themed' element included in their own funeral, more than twice the figure for the total population – at 15 per cent. It now costs an average of £9,797 to send a loved one off, up from £9,658 in 2023, according to the report. Mark Screeton, chief executive of SunLife, said: 'According to our report, more than half of us would like our own funeral to have a 'personal' element, including bright clothing instead of black, or a theme reflecting our likes and interests. 'But when it comes to it, most people don't tell their loved ones of these wishes. In fact, 18 per cent of funeral organisers have absolutely no idea about any of their loved ones' preferences – not even whether they wanted a burial or a cremation.'
