REVIEW: JOHN LEGEND-A LEGENDARY CHRISTMAS

4/5

Legend Of The Fall.

Tis the season to cuddle up by the chestnuts roasting on an open fire with the one you Chrissy Teigen this Christmas. As you wrap the last of your presents to put under the tree you decorated on that first night like a partridge in a pear one. Picture the scene whether you're in the festive spirit yet. Or still all Scrooged out on the ghosts of a past, last Christmas carol you gave your heart like the very next day (Rest Peacefully gorgeous George). It's almost like a hallmark card here in this household Legend. Like 'The Christmas Chronicle' of the new greatest Santa showman Kurt Russell and the perfect red cape and boot fitting Mrs. Claus, Goldie Hawn. But here 'A Legendary Christmas' and it's Bublé like televised special of love in the family home (and the reunion reprise of The Stephens Family all back together after all these 2004 years for the brandy warm classic, 'It Don't Have To Change') could even chill Netflix's 'Springsteen On Broadway' show live from New York City right now...yeah I said it Boss! No I'm not bitter because I couldn't make a ticket in Manhattan...honest. But this Christmas cake slice of New York, Rat Pack nostalgia with a sherry dash of Nat King Cole and so much more is the perfect Christmas offering like actress Zooey Deschanel's She & Him Christmas album, the one from R&B luminary Tank, his G.O.O.D. Music man Kanye West's 'Christmas In Harlem' collaboration, or even the 'A Murray Christmas' Netflix special reunion between Sofia Coppola and her 'Lost In Translation' cult legend, big in more than just Japan, Bill Murray. Produced by Lucy Pearl and Tony, Toni, Tone powerhouse Raphael Saadiq too (who really took it back to the good old Motown and rock and roll days with his 'The Way I See It' and 'Stone Rollin'' solo double act), so this is the Christmas of legends. After a terrible term of a couple of years where we lost Prince's, Kings of the world's like Ali and Ziggy's and in return just got a Trump. For at least tonight war is over...if you want it.

Good tidings dear John brings. So get your whole family round the piano before you leave the milk and cookies out for Santa. And don't forget the carrot for Rudolph. The king of R&B kings gives us a cracker as you're in for a yuletide treat with all the turkey and tinsel trimmings. Home for the holidays and live from the Legend living room, for the picture perfect family. Seriously have you seen how cute and exactly like them this couples kids are? Bestill our collective hearts. Coming out the 'Darkness and Light' of his last album, John Stephens' sixth signature is something special as he gets us lifted again like '04. 'Coming Home' like the emotion 'Once Again' of his tribute track to soldiers returning from the frontlines which even struck a chord with this writer when he was living in the cold of Canada a million miles away from the heart of home a decade ago (even that is absolutely nothing compared to those whose service we should pray thanks for now and New Year forever more). The 'All Of Me' singer give us all of him as he now has more than a stocking filler to put next to his classic, career high iconic track and every new married couples first dance since it's 2013 engagement. This album covering Christmas standards and his own new recorded traditions will play for December 25th's to come. But right now as everyone is tweeting Christmas Eve Eve like Phoebe from 'Friends' this is one for your scotch tape and gift tag playlist as you rip off the plastic seal like kids all that wrapping on Christmas morning and see that Santa hat wearing profile on white snow. Like the face you make when you're taking everyones Christmas money. But with good cheer. Here's to the man whose festive feeling, mood music should run like putting Santa's hat in with your whites. Because you best believe this will wash like all those dishes you might find easier to scrub come Boxing Day as you're still singing along into the scourer. The 'Evolver' legend really is evolving like that step away from the piano, Andre 3000 'Green Light' for go classic, game changer which might have even set this very album off back in the day, or his old soul 'Wake Up' collaboration with Jimmy Fallon show and rap band of legends The Roots planting more than a seed of Philadelphia soul. Forget 'Love In The Future'. This is life how it used to be and how we wish come true it still could be right about now.

Signed, sealed and delivered down your chimney like the big fella (no not Shaq! But you should see what that Claus brings kids in gifts each and every year) Legend even brings another to the party in the harmonica of Stevie Wonder as the new most wholesoman man in crossover old soul and pop music brings us a new wonder version of 'What Christmas Means To Me' (or more like him). And keeping it Detroit spinning in Motown with a good King Cole, Rat Pack like twist, John dusts off the legend of the ultimate one Marvin Gaye's 'Purple Snowflakes' left on Berry Gordy's cutting room floor for around 30 years as the First African American EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony people) reaches for a higher power with the God himself. He even goes into The Jackson's family home for 'Give Love On Christmas Day', before giving more soul power to the 'Please Come Home For Christmas' this lovesick writer was shamefully singing last Christmas, one made 90's famous with Jon Bon Jovi playing MTV video house with the supermodel of supermodels Cindy Crawford. But it's when he carries on timeless tradition for the likes of the ringing 'Silver Bells' or the Nat King roasting of chestnuts on 'The Christmas Song' that this record of 'Christmas Is Here' or 'Merry Christmas Baby' gets classic. But like the 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' duet with Esperanza Spalding and it's wholesome for the holidays Vevo video with beautiful imagery where Legend even makes ugly sweaters look stylish as GQ F, you haven't heard anything yet on a man who could make this music his new calling card everytime you're writing one come the advent of December. I just want to see him drive home for Christmas and cover 'Silent Night' aswell as Miley Cyrus did for her Murray Christmas. But like 'No Place Like Home' this 'Legendary Christmas' really comes into its own when Legend writes his own dedications with his velvet vocal range below the part in the card that says something saccharine about a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2019. You'll throw another log on the fire and let this family album snow from 'Bring Me Love' to 'Waiting For Christmas'. The inneudo bow laced (c'mon listen to any song about Mommy kissing Santa Claus and see that there is more than one hidden message here) 'Wrap Me Up In Your Love' might just be a new, modern day Christmas classic above the album. Whilst the Saadiq assisted 'Merry, Merry Christmas' is the perfect closer to play us out over the holidays behind the family piano. But speaking of top to toe in tailbacks and red lights all around it's the grand gesture of 'By Christmas Eve' and it's loving lyrics of, "Just hang up the Christmas lights, and I'll do the rest tonight/Just tell the kids I'm coming, I swear that I'll be running/And under the Christmas tree, together yet we will be I promise/I'm gonna walk, if I have to run/I'll stand on the highway and stop someone/I'll cross the deserts and oceans, a river that's frozen/I'll follow the stars just to find where you are/You can count on me/Make a wish, close your eyes, and believe/I'll be home, home, home, home, home by Christmas Eve" that really leaves a lasting impression come the night before, where not even mice of all critters are stirring. All is calm, all is bright. Drop the needle on the record as it scratches that spirits itch and raise your cup of egg nog and drink like the late, great Bernie Mac "before it goes bad". To you and yours happy holidays. A Merry Christmas and a legendary New Year. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Cracking Tracks: Just take your partner by the hand under the miseltoe and let it play.

REVIEW: SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY

4/5

The Boss Of Broadway.

Trust me. The same guy who two years back spent the best part of an evening from 7pm in an online queue to book a ticket to get in another queue to line-up outside Waterstones in London to meet Bruce Springsteen and get a signed copy of his autobiography 'Born To Run'. Unable to move from my position or page no matter who called. Only to realize that the tickets went two minutes after seven and were already making the rounds on eBay (these things were free...no wonder they call you guys "scalpers") for hundreds and thousands, but no ice cream. And that I should have online sleeping bag got in the queue hours before not actually at seven (Homer Simpson). The same guy who a year before was in yet another queue underneath the Top Of The Rock in New York City for a chance to get tickets to see him on The Jimmy Fallon show for a Late Night with NBC in NYC. Only for the man in charge to count heads all the way to me and then put his arm out in front of my chest like the law of sods and declare, "no more tickets". Only for me to then wait on standby with a group of people talking to some guy and his girl for the best part of a fruitless hour, only for a woman to whisper politely in the squealing (to be fair I would too) girls ear, "I have one spare if you'd like". Really?! I mean should I take her guy for a slice? What are we supposed to do? Only (oh it gets better) to then, pizza in hand walk back to my hotel across from Madison Square Garden (shout-out to the John Hughes aesthetic of the perfect Hotel Pennsylvania) and see that Times Square was cornered off with construction tape, thinking, "sod this for a day in New York! I'll take a detour" (probably ironically via the road of the Walter Kerr Theatre). Only to get back to my 'Home Alone' decor room to switch on the news and see that U2 played a surprise, free gig featuring no other but who? Yep...Bruce Springsteen. So it would come as no surprise that this same Englishman would go all the way to New York to see 'Springsteen On Broadway' and without thinking (I seem to do a lot of that) pick the one time the Boss was taking a week off. But save your chortles. It wouldn't have mattered. As attempting to fly back for a night in N.Y. whilst chasing the King in L.A., the cheapest tickets after the lottery you know I would have lost to that girl were going for seven and a half thousand American (scalpers!). Seven and a half grand?! What is Bruce going to walk me to my seat?! Trust me to try the one week I wasn't remortgaging the house I don't even own. I can't complain though. Thanks to a lovely lady I got to see Springsteen tour the whole stream of 'The River' and even perform 'Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town' (Merry Christmas to you and yours) in the height of a rainy British Summer two years ago. Not to mention I had my own New York Bruce moment almost a decade gone when me and my boy broke the bank to watch Springsteen play with Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld and Tony Bennett people. Actually on Broadway. A night that raised money for wounded soldiers. So those damn scalpers didn't get all our dollars. A vindication after my first Boss experience in London's Hyde Park was ruined by some guy who was singing along (ain't nothing wrong with that but I'm taking like the tonest of tone death pub singing) and doing the guitar bits (yep) on the loudest volume, right down my ear that he may as well have been kissing the lobe (so...what you doing later?! Fancy a pizza?). So I've had my perfect Springsteen in New York moment for a night we shouldn't have even been at. And when way back then Bruce auctioned his signed acoustic guitar off to the rich and famous elite in the crowd who was in the bleachers shouting 20 dollars? Trust me.

We all have our Springsteen story (you only have to ask an Uber driver trust me. It's beautiful) and that's my boring several. But no stories are greater than the ones the best Boss you've ever had (sorry Ryan) tells. And this is what 'Springsteen On Broadway' is all about. Don't worry Bruce isn't getting his acting on. He too as real as it gets for all that play pretend. Even though his cameo in 'High Fidelity' is award worthy. At this point the Oscars would and should probably do a category for all that. But you know the man whose already won one for the 'Streets Of Philadelphia' and fought for one with 'The Wrestler' is going to get a Tony like Danza in the dark for this. And now all of you with even worse luck than me can join me in buying the soundtrack and watching it on Netflix whilst I cry into my ice cream like Bridget Jones. Now who's the one singing along badly? But what else are you going to do alone this winter apart from wrap up in your warmest and snuggle up on the sofa with a duvet ("Ross we're 33. We're not women") when baby it's cold outside and it all gets Netflix and chilly? Hey it's not just writer that's got jokes. And trust me Bruce's are better thankfully. As the American songbook legend proves he's more than a songwriter and all singing storyteller as he stops between tunes and tunes up to crack a few punchlines to his prose. Like back a decade ago on that night with Tony, when the Tony award go getter described this high experience of love he had with a young lady in a park in his youth that felt akin to a fever dream. His stage fright performance with the wrong kind of substance, shall me say not as punctuated as this. "Ah baby. I'm so out of it I have no idea what I'm doing right now" the Boss confesses. To which his muse muses in replying, "I know! (like Monica's Courtney Cox from his iconic 'Dancing' video) you've been eating grass for the last half hour"! There's more gags of this reflective reflex here (even if everytime he mentions the man downstairs he also beats his right side of his chest to put emphasis on where love and making it really come from), which we won't spoil like your dinner if we get anymore down and dirty. Because this stage show and soundtrack accompaniment is something to be seen and heard for the first time like I only wish (*sniff*) I could have live in New York like Saturday night. But now we're all off Broadway on this theatrical (born to) run we can see why one man and a guitar sold out every night in the busiest, most famous city in the world for a full year (minus the week I went) and grossed over a billion dollars (Dr. Evil finger to the lips).

But this nuanced narrative is no joke as the worn blue jeans symbol of the boot-cut worked for American dream mines the depths of depression and secrets of family for a weary heart still hungry in the famine for substance today. This may not be the one, two, three, FOUR Springsteen stadium shouting ask of, "is anybody really alive out there". Although like his arena wrecking ball assaults he punches the clock in almost three hours of runtime. But this utterly intimate theatrical setting of a guitar, stool and workman's set is the closest thing you'll get to Bruce and the rock God he is save jumping over the fence of his ranch like this young man did to the King Elvis Presley, as he stormed the gates of Graceland like the Las Vegas Killers inspired by his heartland music in honoured homage. The portrait he paints with just six strings is poetry, pure and unflinching like the road he's lead in this life off E Street. This is a real Jersey boy staged on Broadway. Forget 'Big Boy's Don't Cry'. They raw reveal every evoking emotion. And the Boss himself talks about how he invented all that 'Jersey Shore' s### too as he gets lude, rude, crude and f###### funny. On a candid affair lifted from the pages of his inspired memoir 'Born To Run' as this theatrical runs showstopping Playbill. One that makes his previous classic VH1 Storytellers segment look like a pamphlet in spine to spine comparison. The rock legend rolls out all his legacy making classics. Like the aforementioned 'Born' or 'Dancing In The Dark'. The 'Tougher Than The Test'/'Brilliant Disguise', 'Tunnel Of Love' duo duet with perfect partner Patti (please let's reunite Julliard classmates and classic 'A Most Violent Year' co-stars Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, the best actor and actress in the game today to play these two). Songs for his mum and dad with soul jerking and bone deep devotion. 'Thunder Road' for Clarence with an inspired interlude that haunts like the Big Man's sax ringing through a Freehold night. 'The Ghost Of Tom Joad' and all the spirits of the lessons of yesterday past that still try to 'Christmas Carol' warn us of the war coming and all we should pay heed to today for a better tomorrow. And of course the original, acoustic realization of what the patriotic 'Born In The U.S.A.' is really all about and what all that means to the wider world from our own picket fences, front lawns. Yes in this Trumped up age of unsocial media and an even less connected sense of humanity right now we need the Boss like the man who shouted that out his car when he drove past Bruce a few weeks after 9/11 (that lead Springsteen to come out of his almost decade drought and come back for the city on his back from the ashes with 'The Rising' (also brought back here) and the rest is second wind, real icon making symbolism and history) to put us to rights. But this night is more personal than political, like it is close quarter vigil, intimate than stadium arcadium. Less wave your cell phones in the air like you just don't care about anyone else's view (thankfully). More that reaching, if you will, human touch. As naked emotionally as the register his high notes really sing and hit on the out of 'Limbo' soundtrack 'Lift Me Up' (an underrated gem in his underrated for its versatility songbook). This is really about Bruce and us. As we travel together on this adventure like companions or roadside warriors as the song this writer wrote in devotion to his hero outside his family, 'Another Round For Me And The Boy From New Jersey'. Sure the songs are what has made him. Even if a refreshingly more relaxed and even swearing like a sailor, Bruce calls B.S. on his songs about working and driving. Since he never held a driving license back then and hasn't held down a Dolly Parton 9 'till 5, Monday 'till Friday 'till now. But it's all the talk between that makes this and makes the scoured the earth, sought after 'Springsteen On Broadway' so much more than just another live show and gig on his ever extended E Street run of a road trip. All of his heart and soul, personally personified on one backstreet stage just left of Times Square, but in his and our shared reality a million miles away from all that earth, electrical entertainment core neon glow. This is the big draw to the core of the Big Apple until the ball drops like Dick Clark on the last day of the calender. This is just the ticket. If only we could have got one. Well...now in your own home you have a front row seat. TIM DAVID HARVEY.