Live Blog: Britain's Got Talent 2009 Final

When I say Britain, you say talent. Sadly DJ Talent is nowhere to be seen, although I read during the week that he was on The Friday Night Project with Kanye West before. Sadly I couldn't find a clip. I continue searching.

Anyhow, I'm live blogging the final of Britain's Got Talent. Will any act get the dreaded red x? Highly doubt it, although I may want to never see some of them again after tonight.

18:52 Flawless opened the show and lived up to their name. A great performance from them, very inventive. Leaves me very excited for what Diversity will bring later. Cannot wait.

19:00 Shaheen Jafar from Aladdin Goalie. He's the second favourite after our Susan, or SuBo as she's known in the tabloids. He's not one of my favourites. Decent singer, but not as amazing as the seal Amanda Holden lets on.

19:10 Back from the ads. 2009's George Sampson is on next. He could well be better. He's guaranteed to have a better personality though. Too much camera trickery for my liking, felt a bit too choreographed and not natural enough. Very disappointing. Simon is dead right, he was much better in the auditions.

19:16 Two Grand. I do actually have a soft spot for these two. People like this make BGT. The granddad seems like a really humble fella. And unlike some of those tools on X Factor, he's genuine when he talks about his wife. He's disappointing tonight. She's a great singer. Next time he sings, he's getting a red X from me! Pity.

19:28 I do not like this girl one bit. I don't like listening to her. I don't like looking at her. And I don't like all that crap that went on last night. Big Red X. Oh and if she wins because of that crap last night I will stab someone in the face with a broken bottle. Skanger style.

19:35 Stavros Flatley on next. Everybody's favourite. Forget Susan Boyle, these are what this show is about. Hilarious. Will they be hilarious tonight? Can they do something new? Oh the Riverdance touch is fantastic. Loving this. So so much. Stavros FTW. Everyone on their feet. Got to love that.

BELLY'S GOT TALENT!

19:47 Back after more ads. Sean is on now. How can he follow that? Good singer, but wouldn't the X Factor be a better show for him? Bit of deja vu with this song. I hate that too. Can he not sing something else? It was like George Sampson last year doing the same performance in the semis and final. Shouldn't be allowed.

19:52 SuBo SuBo SuBo! Can't understand what she's saying though. Ha. Can anyone? Her semi was just good, not great. Can she be back to brilliant again? I like the way you can hear her Scottish accent through it all. And it was great. Good woman Susan. Piersy Baby! I still think Paul Potts is better though. Piersy baby did love her. What were the boos about though? Like Shaun though, they should've had her sing a different song.

20:05 Diversity. My favourite dance troupe. So inventive. They were brilliant both times so far. Can't wait to see what they do. Such a well choreographer routine. Very imaginative. Piers preferred Flawless. Doesn't really matter. Neither group were the best dancers. That was Stavros.

20:12 Julian Smith. The saxamophone player. He looks like a musician. "He belives he's a loser" Simon said. What? He's not Susan. He's the final act. I found him a bit boring both times I've seen him. Tonight didn't change my opinion. And that's all the acts. We can't text from Ireland, but it's obvious who I'd vote for.

Belly's Got Talent.

20:22 The recap shows the sheer talent on display tonight, some great singers, some great dancers, one hilarious duo, and two sub-par performances. But you know that already. Care to make some wagers on who'll win?

I'll be back for the results show later...

21:30 Back on air. Can Stavros win it? probably not. It'll be SuBo, right?

21:52 Diversity, Julian Smith and of course, Susan Boyle are the top three. Didn't see Julian making it, but he's came third anyhow.

21:54 Final 2. I knew I should've bet on Diversity each way at 16-1 earlier. The winner...

21:55 DIVERSITY! No Susan. She must be raging. No Piersy baby. They deserved to win. 16-1. Damn you all to hell. They were the most talented on the night though. I wanted Stavros to win, but they were just funny. Diversity were fantastic. So fantastic all the way through. Congratulations.

21:57 Performing again as the winners this time. The final results show was a bit anticlimatic. They should've brought DJ Talent back. Or some of the past entrants, like we saw in Britain's Got More Talent during the break. But the best act did win. Deserved winners.

And I'm out. Til 2010...

Watch: Mandy Moore - Umbrella

Mrs. Ryan Adams' new album Amanda Leigh is out this week and since I have no new material from it, here's an excellent cover version of Rihanna's 'Umbrella' complete with some backing from uberproducer John Alagia. The chorus and ending of her version are fantastic.

Watch Mandy Moore 'Umbrella':

Watch: Dave Matthews Band - Scenes from Big Whiskey

29 minute documentary about the recording of the new Dave Matthews Band album Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, due out Tuesday.

Watch it here:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/74995/dave-matthews-band-dave-matthews-band-scenes-from-big-whiskey

Album News: Drive-By Truckers - The Fine Print

Drive-By Truckers will be releasing a 12-song B-Side/Rarity Collection on September 1st, called The Fine Print. Although not an extensive search through the back catalogue, like Neil Young's much-delayed Archives Volume 1. It's technically called THE FINE PRINT (A Collection of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008), so we won't be getting anything pre-2003.

What we are getting is "George Jones Talkin' Cell Phone Blues", "Rebels", "Play It All Night Long", "TVA" and the original never released version of "Goode's Field Road", as well as seven other songs.

Watch 'Goode's Field Road':

Watch: Julie Feeney - Love is a Tricky Thing

Props to Nialler9 for posting this too. It's the first single from Julie Feeney's new album Pages due for release next month. I can't wait.

Watch:


More info:
www.juliefeeney.com/

Live: Oxegen 2009 Hot Press New Band Stage

That's a bit of a mouthful, the Hot Press New Band Stage. The full lineup for three days' worth of new bands has been announced. There are some excellent acts on all three days. My favourites from them would be Howling Bells, Mumford and Sons, Passion Pit, Hockey, The Maccabees, and our own Wallis Bird. It's sure to be great. Who cares about the main stage anyway?

Friday 10th July: Spinnerette, Howling Bells, The Hours, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Mumford & Sons, Priscilla Ahn, O Emperor, Truffle Shuffle.

Saturday 11th July: The Airborne Toxic Event, Patrick Wolf, Passion Pit, Hockey, Little Boots, Sneaky Soundsystem, Go Audio, Magistrates, In Case Of Fire, Will and the People.

Sunday 12th July: The Twang, The Maccabees, Wallis Bird, Camera Obscura, The Virgins, Wild Beasts, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, The Chapters.

Blogs What I Like: Sweet Oblivion Music

Aoife from Sweet Oblivion Music always has great interviewees and great interviews. The latest of which is Groom, an Irish band that I've told you about on more than one occasion. Now you can see/read what the band have to say themselves.

Check it out here:
http://sweetoblivionlovesmusic.blogspot.com/

Live: Placebo at the Olympia

Pure morning. It soundtracked a lot of our youths. Mine included. But I never got into the dresscode! Anyhow, Placebo are due to play Dublin's Olympia Theatre on 15th of December (just in time for my birthday, and Jesus's too!).

Their new album Battle for the Sun will be out June 8th, and the show will no doubt see loads of new material as well as all those classic tunes.

Tickets for the Olympia show go on sale this Friday, 29th of May and cost €44.20.

Tracklist:
"Kitty Litter"
"Ashtray Heart"
"Battle for the Sun"
"For What It's Worth"
"Devil in the Details"
"Bright Lights"
"Speak in Tongues"
"The Never-Ending Why"
"Julien"
"Happy You're Gone"
"Breathe Underwater"
"Come Undone"
"Kings of Medicine"
"In a Funk" [iTunes pre-order & Japanese Bonus Track]

More info:
www.placeboworld.co.uk

Watch: GMC featuring State of Jay - Alan Kelly rap

I knew I had to see for myself after reading about this in this morning's Metro (see it's not all bad!)

Cork politician Alan Kelly who's running for the European election for Labour has a rap song to go with his canvass manifesto. Watch it, and laugh, here:

Stream: Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and teh Groogrux King clips

You can listen to one minute long clips from Dave Matthews Band's new album Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King on Amazon.de including the European bonus song 'Cornbread'. It's a studio recording of the song, so it'll be a nice treat for us non-American fans.

Stream here:
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B002AQY2GK/ref=dm_sp_alb/277-2856817-6229315?ie=UTF8&qid=1243364316&sr=8-1

Competition: Top 100 Oxegen 2009 Tracks on 2fm

2fm are running a poll to vote for the Top 100 tracks from acts appearing at this year's Oxegen festival. Unfortunately, there's no write in section, but there are many many songs to choose from.

Voting is free and closes midnight Wednesday 27th May. One lucky voter will be chosen and will win VIP tickets for the entire weekend.

Vote here:
http://2fm.rte.ie/pages/oxegen

Watch: DJ Talent - Whan I Say Britain...

The bets thing to come out Britain's Got Talent this year has to be DJ Talent. He's tremendously enjoyable, and instantly memorable. His song should me made available as a download and is bound to go to #1 in the UK and Ireland. I demand a release of this tune.

Here's last night's extended performance:


And his debut audition, heading for 3,000,000 views:

Download: The Twilight Sad - Reflection in the Television

Scottish rockers The Twilight Sad have announced the follow-up to their excellent Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters. It'll be out in September (a while away yet) on FatCat, and will be called Forget the Night Ahead. I'm lucky enough to have the first tune available for it, 'Reflection in the Television'. Expect more news about this bound-to-be-excellent album in the coming months.

Download:
The Twilight Sad - 'Reflection in the Television'

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/thetwilightsad

Download: Pete Fowler - Magic Morning

Pete Fowler is not an Eastenders character. Although there may have been a Pete in it at some time or another, I don't remember. He is a character in his own psychadelic life though. He has his own animated series, to which he's releasing a soundtrack album A Psychedelic Guide To Monsterism Island. He's previously been involved with Super Furry Animals, but his own work is much more weird. Good weird.


Download:
Pete Fowler - 'Magic Morning'

Watch:


More info:
http://www.monsterism.net/
http://www.myspace.com/monsterismisland

Watch: Taylor Swift and John Mayer duets

John loves Taylor. He's mentioned her on twitter a few times. Why hasn't he mentioned my other pet project, twistories? That's what I want to know. This week I'm doing a choose your own adventure story. Should be fun.

Anyhow, John Mayer and Taylor Swift duetted on songs by each other, her 'White Horse' and his 'Your Body is a Wonderland' which you can watch below.

Download: Jens Lekman - The Summer Never Ends Mixtape

New mixtape from Jens Lekman including a new song or two by the man himself. 'The Summer Never Ends' and 'New Directions' are the tunes you're looking out for.

Tracklist:
(excerpt from) The Summer Never Ends /// I Really Think That We Can Make It Girl /// Nicolette Larsson - Lotta Love /// The Embassy - State 08 /// (excerpt from) New Directions /// Coke Escovedo - I Wouldn't Change A Thing /// Filippo Trecca - La Morte Dell'erminia /// His name is Mikael Carlsson, her name is Alicia Keys /// Lamont Dozier - Blue Sky and Silver Bird /// Cat Stevens - If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out /// Jeff Perry - Love Don't Come No Stronger /// Good News - Australia /// Baby's Gang - America /// American Breed - Always You

Download:
Jens Lekman - The Summer Never Ends Part Three

Watch:

Download: Autokrazt - Swastika Eyes

autoKratz are set to release their debut album Animal with a release show over in London baby! But to promote the record, they've done a nice dancy cover of Primal Scream's 'Swastika Eyes'.

Download:
autoKratz - 'Swastika Eyes'

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/autokratz

Watch 'Stay the Same':

AUTOKRATZ - Stay The Same
by MaisonKitsune

Live: Man U - Barca at the Academy

Well, not exactly. I just thought it was interesting to note that the big match (not the Hino Cup, the Champion's League Final) will be shown before the Maccabees gig on Wednesday, so anyone going won't miss a thing. Hopefully for the band's sake there won't be any extra time!

Tickets are €16 and are on sale now. Tickets for Rome are a little more expensive.

Watch 'Love You Better':

Setlist: Stratovarius, Button Factory, Dublin, 20 May 2009

Not my cup of tea, but definitely some people's. Stratovarius played the Button Factory in Dublin last week and were meant to have been great.


1. Intro
2. Hunting High & Low
3. Speed of Ligh
4. The Kiss of Judas
5. A Million Light Years Away
6. Bass Solo
7. Winter Skies
8. Phoenix
9. Forever
10. Visions
11. Eagleheart
---
12. Deep Unknown
13. Keyboard Solo
14. Black Diamond