Category: Review

FILM REVIEW | Certain Women

★★★★ | CERTAIN WOMEN

The lives of three women are told in the beautifully acted new film ‘Certain Women.’

Three women all lead totally separate lives from each other, yet their lives become slightly intertwined. First there is lawyer Laura (Laura Dern). Her client, Fuller (Jared Harris), is disgruntled because he is not able to work anymore due to an injury caused at work, and he can’t sue the company because he has already received a small settlement. So it’s up to Laura to deal with him and his reckless behaviour that eventually leads to a hostage situation and standoff with police. Laura is having an affair with Ryan (James Le Gros), who happens to be the husband of Gina (Michelle Williams). Ryan and Gina are building a new house in the countryside and they need sandstone, so they visit a local man who has a pile of it in his front yard. Yet while they are building their new home together, they don’t appear to be totally happy. In fact, Ryan always seems to undermine her in front of their daughter, while Gina is just Gina going through the motions. The best is yet to come in the third story. Jamie (Lily Gladstone) is a ranch hand who lives on a farm. She appears to be very lonely until one day she decides to walk into an adult education class taught by young lawyer Beth (Kristen Stewart). They start eating together after class but Beth always has to cut it short because she’s got a four hour drive home. Their after class get togethers are misinterpreted by Jamie because she is falling for Beth, and she’s not sure Beth feels the same. Beth, meanwhile, happens to work at Laura’s firm. Hence the intersection of the lives of these three certain women.

‘Certain Women’ is a simple, quiet film, one where the acting takes center stage. Gladstone is the standout – her Jamie is painfully alone, and all she wants is for someone to be with. Williams has a quiet yet powerful role as a woman who doesn’t appear to be totally happy in life yet soldiers on. Dern has a meaty role as the lawyer who has to deal with a volatile client. It’s Stewart who brings it all down a notch. Using her typical acting style (she always seems to be playing herself), she doesn’t add any energy or likability to her Beth. Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt, ‘Certain Women,’ based on several short stories, is particularly aimed at a female audience, an audience who can appreciate and relate to the strong female characters in this film.

4th March 2017
GROOMING: Epic Nourishing Oil – It’s A Miracle!

Are you fed up of your unruly beard? Maybe you want to soften dry, flaky skin? Or take the frizz out of your man locks? I am pleased to tell you I have found the answer to all of your predicaments in one simple, essential product!

Jack Black Epic Moisture MP 10 Nourishing Oil is a hair frizz tamer, shaving oil, dry skin soother and beard conditioner in one. “A true multi-tasking hydration hero” they say, and I agree! I have yet to test the rest of the Jack Black range but it is deffo on my list!

Jack Black Epic Moisture Oil has a lightweight texture and a concentrated blend of natural oils like Argan Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil and Rice Brain Oil. No parabens, sulphates or phthalates ensures you know your leaving your hair and skin in good hands. If I had to fault the product the only thing I would say is that I wish the scent were a little zestier. I know first world problems, right?

I use this every day as part of my beauty regime! I’d rub a couple pumps of this miracle oil into the palms of my hands and massage into my beard down to the skin. Any excess I’m left with in my hands I gently run through my hair for a finished glossy look. I do love to look Hollywood glam, even if I’m just getting ready for a night in with cookies, a cuppa and Big Brother.

A Final Note

Jack Black Epic Moisture MP 10 Nourishing Oil is priced at £27.50 for 60ml and is available from www.amazon.co.uk

2nd March 2017
CAR REVIEW | Tipo MultiJet 120hp Lounge

★★★★ | Tipo MultiJet 120hp Lounge

Finally, Fiat is coming back. The recent launch of the brilliant 124 Spider set the wheels in motion and now we have the Tipo. Admittedly it is a name from the past of a car that did great things for the Italian maker. Above all, though it is NOT a new form of 500.

I liked the original Tipo. It looked like nothing else out there. Square and boxy like the box it arrived in. It had some funk too with the top of the range models starting the digital dashboard era of displays that have now become commonplace. Above all, it didn’t fall apart.

This is the trouble when you resurrect an old name. Some will remember the past product for reasons good or bad. I remember it for the good so naturally, I got excited about the arrival of the new Tipo.

Visually it doesn’t fail to impress. Front on it looks rather nice. It’s not like the white elephant in the room of the original which some will say is good. The rear, however, does look a little like most hatchbacks out there.

Since Tipo 88 (Car of the Year 1989, it was that good) Fiat haven’t really been able to keep up in this fierce segment. Bravo/Brava missed the boat by miles and the Stilo, while it looked good at the front, had a fat backside and wasn’t very good. So I am glad to say that on first acquaintance with new Tipo I am a happy chap. There was a time when Tipo 88 could match the build of Volkswagens Golf Mk3. New Tipo can now hold its head up high once again.

Fiat has rightly or wrongly not aimed Tipo at the Golf driver. There lays the huge problem most manufacturers have come across. Your product needs to be bloody good to entice the Golf driver away. Instead, they have gone for the more lower-priced market segment. With prices ranging from £12,995 to £18,995 Fiat have priced it very competitively.

The one thing you will notice is how well it is painted. The boot is large and missing a cargo net so I was forced to place some shopping under the boot carpet. It was here that I noticed that Fiat had painted the bits you don’t see or care about. Even the paint around the boot shut area was smooth and glossy. A lot of manufacturers these days tend to miss these areas. To be honest you probably won’t even notice it. To me, it is these little touches that show Fiat are trying hard to win back some of the market it lost. Even the engine bay is painted well.

I’ve started doing a centre console rub. You’ll be amazed at how well or not this area is put together by manufacturers. The jigsaw pieces used on Tipo were well fitted together. No harsh edges to be felt.

It has nothing special on it as far as the lighting goes. No expensive HID bulbs or swivelling headlights. Instead, the engineers have relied on making them good in the first place. Driving down country lanes where l live, the Tipo makes easy work of lighting my way.

A good driving position was easy to obtain with multi adjustments within the seat and steering wheel that cater for rake and reach. What wasn’t so successful was the centre armrest. It fouled the operation of the handbrake. Something that blighted Tipo 88 so it was nice to see another consistency of old meets new.

The Tipo was easy to live with too. Again nothing special or outlandish like a one-touch keyless entry or starting buttons. A simple key with remote buttons did the trick. A little touch l did like was the angle of the ignition keys entry. More 45 degrees instead of the usual 90. It doesn’t sound much, however, there was no scrabbling to find the key hole.

It’s these egonomics that really are hit and miss around Tipo. The front window switches on the driver door had the front window switches too far forward. Numerous occasions I kept opening the rear windows. This is something l am sure will annoy those in the spacious rear. Like Tipo 88, new Tipo also has better rear passenger space than you would think.

One other thing that infuriated me more than anything was the preselected text reply messages. There was no way to by-pass them and she liked to say everything and tell you everything. The software is out there to better this. For the convenience that it offered it was a little too distracting.

The saving grace of the infotainment system was its ease of use. The DAB pick up was good and station selection impeccable.

The 120bhp Multijet diesel engine was a strong puller. 320 Nm of torque available at 1750rpm made rapid progress through the gearbox. The useable power band mostly used was within 1750 to 4000rpm. By 3750rpm all the horses had done their bit. One downside to the engine when standing outside and scrapping the ice off the screen was that it seemed a little too clattery from cold. From inside you could be hard pushed to notice it.

Italian cars are famed for their handling. Tipo 88 spanned the seductively fast Sedicivalvole. The chassis could handle this. In new Tipo, it needs a tweak or two from Abarth. As it is in the 120hp Lounge model it is more than adequate but not the best. A combination of subtle spring choices has taken the edge away from that foot down powerhouse hot hatch feel. It’s a move I am seeing more off as manufacturers revert away from the Teutonic tautness of the Germans and about time too

I like Tipo. It’s not perfect in every area. It is easy to live with and on the eye, it does have good looks with crisp lines that aren’t fussy. Inside is accommodating and it has a good strong well built feel to it. Something Fiat haven’t had for a long time. With that in mind, the Tipo didn’t fail to impress me over the week I had it.

Likes

Build quality particularly attention to detail
Price
Big boot

Loathes

Engine clattery when cold
Armrest fouling handbrake operation
Preset mobile phone reply messages

The Lowdown
Car – Fiat Tipo MultiJet 120hp Lounge
Price – £18,545 (as tested)
MPG – 76.3mpg (combined)
Power – bhp 120 @ 3750rpm
0-62mph – 9.8 seconds
Top Speed – 124 mph
Co2 – 98 (g/km)

2nd March 2017
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Marquis of Wellington

★★★ | Marquis of Wellington

Who is the Marquis of Wellington and what is he doing in Bermondsey?

The Marquis of Wellington was another name for the 1st Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley), one of the leading military and political leaders of the 19th century. It’s also the name of a pub in Bermondsey down a lonely and dark stretch of road alongside railroad tracks that go into London Bridge. The Marquis of Wellington is not your typical pub – there’s no fish and chips nor sausage and mash on the menu. It is, however, doing things a bit different – it’s a pizza joint that also serves street food!

First off, let’s mention the pizza. There are eight to chose from, from salami to sirloin steak, porchetta and apple to prosciutto crudo, which is what my Italian dining companion had. It was a beautifully-looking pizza, very large (eight slices), topped with sun-blushed tomatoes, wild rocket and of course prosciutto. It was big enough to feed two people! However, it was very oily, too oily for my dining companion to eat with his hands. The pizzas are very good value and priced between £7 to £9.75 – a great deal considering how big they are! I, on the other hand, had that night’s pop-up street food choice. Lucky for me it was Smokin’ Lotus (smokinlotus.co.uk). I had the option of either the 8-hour smoked char siu pork rib, the 10- hour slow smoked beef brisket or the smoked tofu, so it was suggested to me by the manager to have the pork rib salad box (no more sandwiches were available on a Saturday night at 8 pm). The salad box came with Asian style ‘slaw with a creamy sesame dressing and Japanese style mashed potato salad. All I have to say is that it was delicious. The pork was grilled to perfection, the slaw was absolutely tasty, and the mashed potato salad was simply divine. And at £8 it was an excellent deal!
Fresh garlic bread is also a big part of the menu at the Marquis of Wellington. They are massive and excellently priced at under £4.50 each. My companion had the mozzarella, basil pesto and sun blushed tomatoes – he said it was very good but again, the bottom of the bread was oily. My San Marzano tomato with grilled aubergines and parmesan was perfect – the bread was crispy and the toppings were superb.

The Marquis of Wellington is located on the Bermondsey beer mile – a section of Bermondsey where you’ll find lots of local brewers. I drank the Anspach & Hobday Pale Ale beer – blond, delicious, beautiful and recommended. The Marquis of Wellington has other great selections of local keg and cask beers, alongside quality beers from around the world. And it being a pub, the Marquis of Wellington serves all the usual liquids – wines, spirits, bottled beers, etc.

It was a Saturday night at 7:50 pm when my friend and I walked it. It was extremely loud and rowdy and we struggled to get a table even though we had a reservation. It took a bit to figure out how things worked – if you’re eating from the menu, the menu that is supposed to be on your table (ours wasn’t), you need to tick what you want and then take it to the bar to order. We ordered at 8:10 pm and were told that the street food concession was already closing! Early for a Saturday night – luckily I got their last served meal of the day.

The pub was in a bit of disarray, and the empty table the friendly waitress found us was a bit dirty. The food came out fast and furious, but after our meal we were told they had run out of dessert – by 9:30 pm! Also, the pizza and garlic breads are served on cutting boards – I’ve never been a fan of eating off cutting boards because food tends to get into the wood and, if not properly washed, you might be tasting the pizza a customer might have had the day before. Nonetheless, good things are about to take place at the Marquis of Wellington. Just four months old, they plan to have live music on Thursday nights, will soon have a quiz night, and more street food options are planned. They also have free Wi-Fi.

The locals are lucky to have this pub on their doorstep, and visitors to the area will enjoy it as well, but it might not be worth trek all the way to Bermondsey when the West End will do for any type of pub and food option you want. The food = ★★★★, the pub itself = ★★, so it warrants ★★★.

To find out the upcoming street food traders at the Marquis of Wellington, follow them on Twitter @MoWBermondsey or Facebook – Marquis of Wellington

Telephone: 020 7394 0246

http://www.marquisofwellingtonbermondsey.co.uk

Address: 21 Druid Street, Bermondsey, London, SE1 2HH

Opening hours:

Mon – Thu: 11:00 – 23:00

Fri – Sat: 11:00 – 00:00

Sun: 11:00 – 23:00

Food served: Mon – Sun: 11:00 – 22:00

28th February 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | The Girls, Phoenix Theatre, London

★★★★ | The Girls, Phoenix Theatre, London

There are several women of a certain age taking their clothes off in the West End.

No, these women are not strippers – they’re in a musical comedy called The Girls based on the famous calendar girls of Yorkshire who took their clothes off for a calendar to raise money. And it’s no surprise that the brave actresses in this show take their clothes off to pose, just like the real women!

It’s a good time for the audiences in a show written by perennial favourite and Take That member Gary Barlow, along with Tim Firth (who co-wrote the movie). It provides lots of music that carry the Take That sound – top 40 middle of the road – enjoyable even at times when the storyline is a bit uneven and a bit too simple.

Almost everyone knows about these girls (well, they are not exactly girls – they are ladies), and if you haven’t seen the 2003 hit movie (which starred Helen Mirren and Julie Walters), then ‘The Girls’ tells their story again. Anna (Joanna Riding) has lost her husband and she wants to raise money for a memorial couch at the hospital where he was treated to replace the broken down couch. Chris (an excellent Claire Moore) comes up with the idea (after seeing a Dutch women’s stripper calendar) that instead of having their usual bake sale, why don’t they pose, not naked, but nude, for a calendar? She rallies her local women’s club – W1 – but of course there’s dissent – especially by leader Marie (Marian McLoughlin) – who vehemently opposes the idea – she’ll have none of that – she doesn’t want to destroy the reputation and image of the club where they are trying to be role models for the younger generation. Of course, as you can guess the women do eventually disrobe for a calendar and the rest is history.

The Girls is a very lighthearted (and very lightweight) musical which combines hummable tunes with a weak storyline. But it’s credit to all of the actresses who actually disrobe on stage – they do it with such grace and elegance (and lots and lots of humour) that I wished the show would’ve stretched this bit even more (no, not just to linger more at the naked women but to celebrate their openness and non-reserve!). The women are all excellent, but Michelle Dotrice as Jessie really shines as the elder woman who takes if off with such candour. Another storyline in the show goes nowhere – Chris’ son Danny (a good Ben Hunter) and his friend Tommo (Josh Benson) try to impress the rebellious Jenny (Chloe May Jackson) but the storyline gets dropped, and Tommo disappears for most of the second act only to come back with one line. The set is a bit confusing (bookcases litter the stage – piled very high, used as a door as well, and an ugly scary tree pops down every now and then). But the catchy tunes such as ‘Yorkshire’ and ‘Dare’ will have you humming for days afterwards. The Girls will put a smile on your face and will remind you that being ‘nude’ is not a big deal!

The Girls is now playing at the Phoenix Theatre until July, 2017.

25th February 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Funny Girl, Palace Theatre, Manchester

★★★★ | Funny Girl, Palace Theatre Manchester

In the opening lines of the show, Fanny Brice declares, ‘That’s where I live, on stage.’ In a rip-roaringly fantastic return to the show by Sheridan Smith; it’s impossible to believe she belongs anywhere else.

The narrative of Funny Girl lacks originality. The rags to riches rise to fame, peppered with a predictably turbulent love story. These are popular tropes of the post-war musical, and Funny Girl is no exception. Act one of Isobel Lennart’s book just about generates enough excitement to retain one’s interest in the story. Act two doesn’t fair too well in this department. Michael Pavelka’s sparse, asymmetrical set design left the stage feeling desolate at times. And, while some have interpreted the precariously tilted proscenium arch as a representation of Fanny’s life – I think it’s a metaphor too far for this light-hearted musical comedy. However, like many things in this production, the lack of dramatic pace and uninspiring set design dissipates in a heartbeat when Smith is on stage.

The show is an unapologetic star-vehicle for the lead role, which was popularised by Barbara Streisand in the 1969 film – an indisputably tough act to follow. But Funny Girl is the story of vaudevillian Fanny Brice, and her meteoric rise to fame in the Ziegfeld Follies – a story which has distinct echoes of the show’s star Sheridan Smith. Smith herself is fast becoming the doyen of British theatre, and with performances like this, the hype is more than justifiable.

She sings with ample vocal ability and dances with confidence and flair. But Smith is ostensibly an actress – and it is her sublime characterisation, which never falters, where her unique ability to captivate is most alive. Her character Fanny claims to have ’36 different expressions’. To say Smith has expression is to dilute the honesty of her performance. In the wrong hands this role can be two-dimensional, but Smith’s astute comic timing, palpable likeability and wholly believable vulnerability chimes the chord of truth every second she is on stage.

The ensemble also gave a solid performance, and orchestra was in fine shape too. The same could not be said for my legs after being sat in the grand tier of the Palace Theatre in Manchester for three hours. I normally give the note: ‘restricted legroom’ a perfunctory glance and have no problem. I think, the tangible desire for the audience to jump to their feet was to congratulate Smith on a stellar performance – but the audible sigh of relief from my fellow grand tier survivors leaves one to wonder. Seat issues aside: a star was not born at the Palace Theatre this week, but rather cemented into history as one of our most talented leading ladies.

24th February 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | The Wild Party

★★★★ | The Wild Party

CREDIT: Scott Rylander

Have you ever been to one of those parties where the memory of it makes you shudder and sigh in equal measures? You know the kind: the music’s loud, the people are louder, there’s way too much gin, people are taking drugs like they’re about to become illegal or something, your boyfriend sneaks off and does someone else in another room and you can’t quite even remember what or even who you did. No? Me neither. I’m more of a Bridge and canapés person but I like to dream.

‘The Wild Party’ depicts just such a party but back in the era of Vaudeville, dancing the Black Bottom and blasting out jazz. Based on a controversial narrative poem from 1927, this musical is a rollicking romp and a visual treat. Queenie and Burrs are ageing Vaudeville stars that decide to liven up their flagging relationship by throwing a wild party with a bath tub full of gin and an assortment of bohemian friends with fluid sexuality. Cue the entrance of old friend Kate with her hot gigolo lover, Black and things get messier than expected.

Award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie (In the Heights, Bugsy Malone, Jekyll and Hyde) directs the piece and injects it with jaw dropping moves. Limbs flail, jazz hands waggle and a sinister pair of brothers hot-shoe it all over the stage. It’s visually dazzling if slightly overwhelming at times. The music is pure 1920s jazz and has enough oomph to carry the show which is needed as there isn’t a huge amount of plot: there’s a party with sex, drink and drugs and it goes wrong.

Original Les Miserables star Frances Ruffelle is a treat to watch as Queenie. Simon Thomas is painfully handsome as gigolo Black and Dex Lee is a suitably sinister and sexually appealing Jacky, a coke-crazed bisexual rich kid. It’s a show that’s brash, loud and relentless which is no bad thing. What it lacks in plot and delicate characterisation it more than makes up with rousing choreography and, to quote another show featuring Vaudeville stars, ‘razzle dazzle’.

The Wild Party plays at The Other Palace until 1st April 2017

24th February 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Gaslight – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield and National Tour

★★★|In an elegant townhouse in Victorian London, Bella Manningham is slowly losing her mind. Pictures keep disappearing, trinkets seem to move from place to place and items go missing without explanation. Add to that the mysterious sounds from the top floor of the house and the dimming of the gas lamps and Bella’s sanity is called into question. But what is the secret history lurking in the walls of the home and just who is the stranger who calls unannounced at her home one evening? Why does Bella’s husband, Jack, keep reminding her of her mother’s insanity and what is the connection for all of them to a 20 year old unsolved murder?

Photo Credit – PR Supplied

Patrick Hamilton’s play is a direct descendant of the Victorian melodramas that it portrays. Continuing the themes of innocence menaced by something darker, the plays script, setting and overall feeling is one of claustrophobia and oppression. Given that the play is set in a single room and given that it is, essentially, a three hander, the play has to rely heavily on the performances of the actors to carry it through. Kara Tointon’s portrayal of Bella was fine, although the increasing histrionics started to grate a little with the progression of the story. Rupert Young’s turn as Jack Manningham was well rounded, initially quite charming and alluring, but subsequently developing his character to include an uneasy undertone. But it was Keith Allen’s performance as the mysterious visitor which stood out the most, performing his stern and determined character with his tongue just slightly in his cheek, lightening what is otherwise quite a bleak drama with a soupcon of humour and playing to his strengths.

The stage set is a detailed drawing room, which has a forced perspective and increases the claustrophobic feel of the piece, which is enhanced further by some atmospheric lighting. The productions sound design was nothing more than functional and the sound in the theatre allowed for every word to be heard clearly, which is essential with such a wordy script.

As a whole, the piece was a fairly mixed bag. The first act nicely established the characters from the outset and drew the audience in as to the mystery, hinting at the possibility of the plot twists which may come, and ending the first act, story-wise, on a decent cliff-hanger. The second act seemed to lose its way slightly, becoming a little muddled and failing to deliver on the anticipated plot twists, instead, providing a rather straight narrative and one which is not entirely unpredictable. There are a couple of cattle prod scares which highlight the supernatural element of the story, although in a rather clumsy and unnecessary way, and this is an element which is never really followed through.

Gaslight appears, from the outside, to be mix of The Woman In Black and An Inspector Calls, but in reality is a straight Victorian melodrama, portraying a relatively linear narrative with a socially aware undercurrent addressing the treatment of Victorian women and the discrepancies in equality faced by them. Overall, it is a fairly engaging but lightweight mystery / thriller worthy of a watch and which has an ultimately satisfying ending.

Gaslight is currently at Sheffield Theatres (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until the 25^th February 2017 before heading to Richmond and Cardiff.

22nd February 2017
THEATRE REVIEW | Cirque Berserk, Birmingham Rep

Dangerous, daring but a little spark-less ★★★

©circusphotographer.com

This is the second time that I have seen Cirque Berserk at the Birmingham Rep, and I have mixed feelings. Mostly, I really enjoyed the acts, and there were moments that got you on the edge of your seat, gasping in horror; but others that made you cringe.

There were your usual circus’ performances such as acrobatics, flame juggling, and even a clown character, which was quite funny; it was funnier when you heard the children laugh out loud in the audience at his every gag. The acts that stood out were Tropicana Troupe, a Cuban acrobat team that catapulted themselves across the stage landing perfectly on a crash mat, and in the second half flying halfway across the air to land precisely on a chair high up off the ground. Of course, their god-like bodies were also a show-stopper. Jose and Gaby performed a stunning contemporary/acrobatic dance routine where Gaby suspended herself with just one hand using Jose’s forehead as support. This blew the audience away, and we were glued to their beautiful movement throughout. Odka was also incredibly mesmerising to watch as a contortionist; Odka shot an arrow against a target by using her feet! Then we saw her spill out of a small bottle-like container. The four motorcyclists inside a metal dome they call – Globe of Death – was extreme and jaw-dropping, and was a brilliant way to end the show.

The other artists appeared little awkward and kept demanding rounds of applause which took away the moments that were really stunning and hand-clapping worthy. Bolas Argentina were very good in the second half, but the first half it was awkward when Germaine tossed the bolas against a springboard but it was a lacklustre effort. Then, Gabriel did a similar trick and it had so much more energy and rhythm to it. The Berserk Dancers were disappointing, as every time they appeared on stage, it looked like they were forced to be there and it made some moments cringing and laughable with only one or two really going for it. Timbuktu Tumblers were very good, but again, a lot of applause begging after every little thing. British audiences, I guess, like to be left alone and want to clap when they feel it necessary. It was especially awkward at the very end when the audience clapped, but the artists wouldn’t move until there was a complete standing ovation, which ended with an unenthusiastic standing ovation from half of the audience.

Overall, enjoyable, but for a circus with some very good acts, it lacked a punch.

21st February 2017
CAR REVIEW | Lexus NX h Sport

There was much excitement at THEGAYUK headquarters with the arrival of the new Lexus NX. A car I had been looking forward to reviewing ever since I had a play in the bigger RX.
CREDIT: Lexus
The adverts interspersed in between my favourite Channel 4 drama, Humans further heightened thus feeling. Sadly like a domestic synth, it left me feeling a little cold.

Dynamically it is a marvel. A true powerhouse of an SUV this time living up to the Sport in the title. You can hustle it along the road and it will reward you with as much grip as you could wish for in an SUV while also remaining poised and neutral. Unlike the bigger RX, the NX doesn’t lean into corners. Sitting high up it also didn’t throw you off your senses. I was sure all SUV’s should be like this or so I thought.

The steering was nicely weighted. When overriding the CVT gearbox with manual inputs the gear changes were smooth. Only when pressed hard, the CVT gearbox would show its one true weakness inherent in these systems and that was high revs, a lot of noise and a sense of not a lot happening propulsion-wise. That said, most of the time the intrusion was minimal because it got to where you needed it to very quickly.

Speaking of quickly it belies its 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds. Pulling out in traffic it could be frighteningly rapid with wheel spin curtailed by the traction control system. The accelerator pedal did exactly what you wanted it to.

However, there are faults aplenty in this £34,000 machine. For a start, the spec sheet looks a little lame compared to the bigger RX model and others within this SUV segment.

There were no parking sensors fitted.
CREDIT: Lexus
For something so big, so premium and with many gadgets, the lack of these is a fundamental flaw. Having them as an added accessory for £800 was a bit of an insult.

That said, they are well worth it, if a little expensive. The front and rear extremities are very difficult to judge. While you should be able to park a car you own, the sensors do make it a touch easier. The reverse camera helps but it doesn’t show where the bulbous curves of the rear wheel arches are in the dark.

It was delivered to me with just 40 miles on the clock. It was at 70 miles old that I almost added the first dent while reversing into my drive!

There is also the absence of the Lexus touch and that is the retracting steering wheel. Many Lexus models I have tried over the years have had this. It is a bit gimmicky I know but I look at it as a Lexus signature piece. It’s a bit like the electric windows that slow just moments before they shut to reduce noise.

These add up to make a Lexus more than a dressed up Toyota.

Living with the NX is a bit hit and miss too. The boot is a good size. Very easy to load things into and all the space is available. However, the rear door doesn’t rise high enough for me. That was the miss. Or not as it proved when I clonked my head against it.

The hit is that it is quite a vehicle. Over its RX sibling, the NX can be hustled around with great ease. The road manners retain a squat feel when hard cornering or taking S bends at rapid speed. It shouldn’t really feel like it should behave in this kind of way.
CREDIT: Lexus
Four up and in a hurry, no one said slow down. The only thing that lets it down when going fast is that CVT gearbox. It doesn’t really make the best of the engine’s torque. Revs stay high up at and the engine screams. It doesn’t pay to keep your foot planted into the carpet if it isn’t necessary. The engine is too vocal without sounding sexy. The V6 of the RX is far better.

Again this gearbox system, that I am not a real fan of, ruins the fine ambience of luxury. Thankfully you can override the gearing and I found selecting 4th, 5th and 6th gear made it far more pleasurable to the ears while not leaving it vulnerable when pulling out in city traffic and rush hour madness to getting in the way of other traffic.

The hybrid system on the NX is in keeping with the Lexus brand and used as a supplementary system only using it for brief periods or in slow traffic. Most of the time it goes into petrol mode. This didn’t really damage the impressive fuel figures Lexus state or what were achievable in the real world.

The fit and finish in the NX are above and beyond what you would expect. It was all nicely wrapped up and made to make you feel like you have spent your money wisely. I just can’t get over the missing pieces in the spec sheet.

It all adds up to an expensive car. As a proposition, I have to say that for the money the more expensive Audi Q7 is far better value even without the bonus of a hybrid system. It has more kit on it. And at £17000 less than the Lexus RX450h I tested.

I am inclined to say beg steal or borrow the extra and buy the RX. And then there is Toyota’s C-HR that is some £5k cheaper. Now that is a strong contender to consider even if it is in a class lower. It’s where I would be looking.

Love
Finish
Comfort
Ergonomics

Loathe
Cost
CVT gearbox
Lack of equipment

The Lowdown
Car – Lexus NX300 h Sport
Price – £34,640 (as tested)
MPG – 54.3mpg (combined)
Power – 115bhp @ 5700rpm petrol (bhp 197 for electric motors)
0-62mph – 9.2 seconds
Top Speed – 112 mph
Co2 – 121(g/km)

19th February 2017
GIG REVIEW | The Pet Shop Boys Super Tour – Leeds First Direct Arena

★★★★| The Pet Shop Boys Super Tour – Leeds First Direct Arena

32 years ago, The Pet Shop Boys burst onto the music scene with West End Girls, their first single and their first of many number ones. 32 years later, they have kicked off their UK tour, Super, at Leeds First Direct Arena, touring off the back of their latest two albums, Super and Electric, their set featured selected tracks from those albums along with a host of classic tracks and a few unexpected songs. The question is, have The Pet Shop Boys still got it? TheGayUK were there to bring you the lowdown.

(c) Tej

Opening with Inner Sanctum, the band rattled though some of their more recent tracks, including The Pop Kids, Burn, and The Dictator Decides from their latest album, Super, and Love is a Bourgeois Concept and Inside a Dream from their Electric Album. These latter two albums have had a heavy dance music slant, and the songs sounded great performed live, with the crowd on their feet and the bass reverberating in your chest. Scattered amongst the set list were some unusual, but welcome choices, such as In The Night, New York City Boy, The Sodom and Gomorrah Show and a beautifully subtle version of Home and Dry, the latter being a real highlight of the show.

But it was, of course, the classic hits including West End Girls, Love Comes Quickly, Domino Dancing, Always On My Mind and new versions of Left To My Own Devices and Go West, which really got the crowd going; and the seminal It’s A Sin was a clear winner within the sold out arena.

Accompanying the music was a projected backdrop and a jaw dropping light and laser show, creating a visual feast and an assault on the senses, as the lasers reached out into the audience, jabbing them with bony coloured fingers, before bathing them in soft sheets of light which penetrated the smoky atmosphere of the arena. Dispensing with the need for backing dancers and elaborate dance routines, the band’s presentation of electronic entertainment neatly mirrored their pioneering electronic sound. The visuals in themselves are worth the price of admission.

Tennant’s voice still sounds as solid as ever, the vocals were clear and songs that were over 30 years old still sounded contemporary as they neatly nestled between the new tracks. However, whilst the light show was incredible, there were times when you were so blinded by the constant flashing lights aimed directly at you, that the movement on stage and the band themselves were obscured as they became washed out in a sea of light; and judging by the reaction of the crowd, a few more of the classic hits would have been welcome, although with such an extensive back catalogue to choose from, it is inevitable that there will be some omissions.

With an extravagant stage show, breath-taking visuals and a sound which never seems to age, the question is have the Pet Shop Boys still got it? And they absolutely have.

The Super Tour kicked off on the 18^th February 2017 and tours at various locations including Manchester, Nottingham, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, London and Blackpool. Visit the official website at http://petshopboys.co.uk/tour for details.

19th February 2017