BBC Audiobook: The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Shadow People release dates
The investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith and company return in this exclusive BBC Audiobook – this time on a camping trip in Snowdonia.
Disaster strikes as the friends find themselves stranded in the wilds and then realise that a shadowy figure is watching their every move. Equally perturbing, Rani appears to be in two places at one time and what are the dark secrets hidden in the nearby cave?
Written by Scott Handcock and narrated by Elisabeth Sladen who plays Sarah Jane in the CBBC TV adventure series, this gripping audio book is released on 8th October. You could be one of the first to find out the truth about the Shadow People.
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Green Day
The American neo punk-rock trio return to various venues throughout the UK in London, Sheffield, Birmingham, Glasgow, Wembley and Manchester.
Originally part of the punk-rock scene in California, the band with its line-up of Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass, vocals), Tré Cool (drums, percussion) debuted with their breakthrough album, Dookie in 1994 that sold 10 million copies in the US and 15 million worldwide.
Three follow-up albums achieved double platinum and gold status and the band’s politically charged punk-rock opera, American Idiot was lauded as a masterpiece, reaching number one on the Billboard charts.
An eighth studio album released in May 2009, 21st Century Breakdown, received rave reviews from the critics and hit gold or platinum in 14 different countries whilst a host of other awards including Record of the Year for Boulevard of Broken Dreams, ensured the band’s continuing pre-eminence throughout the world.
Expect fireworks at a live show, fast-paced guitar, manic drums and tight playing with classic songs from the back catalogue like Basket Case, Jesus of Suburbia and Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).
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Echo and the Bunnymen
The Fountain World Tour is scheduled to take place featuring the seminal band Echo & the Bunnymen in cities across the UK including Glasgow, London, Oxford and Liverpool.
They may have been around for a long time in one form or another, forming in 1978, but the English post-punk/alt rock group have enjoyed cult success and critical acclaim throughout the changes in line-up and musical fashion.
The band formed in Liverpool and made a triumphant return to their home city captured on their disc Live in Liverpool in 2001. Early top ten hits came with The Cutter and The Porcupine, but Ocean Rain in 1984 was widely regarded as their masterpiece after which the band went through several reincarnations eventually returning as Echo & the Bunnymen in 1997 with another top 10 hit, Nothing Lasts Forever and a well-received album Evergreen. A new album, The Fountain, described by Ian McCulloch as “the best one we’ve ever made apart from Ocean Rain,” is to be released in October with the first single being Think I Need It Too.
If you haven’t yet seen Echo & the Bunnymen you need to do so; not only are they a part of rock history, they’re a cracking good band.
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The Prodigy album Invaders Must Die is out on 9th November
The Prodigy are to re-release their album Invaders Must Die as a three disc version available on 9th November.
The album which was launched earlier this year is the British electronic band’s fifth album featuring their eighteenth single Invaders Must Die and is the first album since 1997’s Fat of the Land, to combine all three members. Keith Fling, Maxim and Liam Howlett reunite for an album that pulses with rave vibes and breakbeats reminiscent of earlier Prodigy tracks.
Band members themselves described the album as going back to their “old-school but cutting edge” roots. Invaders must die also features collaborations with David Grohl of Foo Fighters and James Rushent of Does it Offend You, Yeah.
Released as a CD, CD/DVD set, double vinyl, digital download and luxury 7-inch vinyl box set which includes five vinyls, a CD/DVD, bonus CD, poster, sticker and stencils, disc one is the original album plus three bonus songs; The Big Gundown, Black Smoke, Wild West and Fighter Beat. The bonus DVD features the video of Invaders Must Die, Omen, World’s on Fire and Warrior’s Dance.
Tracks include Omen, Take me to the Hospital, Warriors dance and Thunder featuring elements of the Ethiopian Peace Song or Rasta Peace Song by Trefor Joe.
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Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is one of the best kept secrets of rock and roll. Inadequately described as a “psychedelic rock outfit”, the group provides some of the most unusual, complex and interesting music of today.
Dedicated fans of course will need no introduction; Porcupine Tree has been around since 1987. Founded by Steven Wilson in Hemel Hempstead, the band got its roots from the ambient sounds of groups such as Tangarine Dream and Neu!
As a result, Porcupine Tree became album oriented, creating conceptual records like those of their musical heroes, with interwoven tracks and a concentration on musical atmosphere. Up the Downstair was described by Melody Maker in 1993 as a “psychedelic masterpiece…one of the albums of the year.” Famous for their layered symphonic sounds of masterpieces like Arriving Somewhere But Not Here from the 2005 album, Deadwing, the band is also known for the superb musicianship of Wilson, Wesley’s rhythm guitar and backing vocals and Richard Barbieri’s keyboards.
Porcupine Tree’s most successful single is Waiting which entered all UK indie charts, but Radioactive Toy from the album On the Sunday of Life remains a favourite with the cognoscenti and a crowd pleaser at live performances. The mixture of instrumental and songs blends hard rock with melodies and dreamy landscapes and has been compared to the progressive sounds of one of Porcupine Tree’s mentors, Pink Floyd. Performances include a light show, and screens with film projections with rapidly changing images, a result of the band’s work with Danish filmmaker Lass Hoile.
All in all, a performance by Porcupine, in all its melancholic and moody glory, exemplifies a description by Steven Wilson; “the saddest music is also the most beautiful.” We would thoroughly recommend that you get tickets for this performance from one of the coolest and most underrated bands of today.
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The Exilim EX-S12 may be the world's slimmest camera
Casio’s new Exilim Card EX-S12 may be the world’s slimmest camera according to manufacturers but it also has a high pixel count, zoom functionality, LCD monitor and photo functions.
In fact it’s so slim, turn it sideways and it almost disappears! Measuring 3.7” wide, 2.1” high and 6” thin it boasts an efficient 12.1 megapixel resolution, a clear 2.7” LCD monitor, high ISO performance and a high speed shutter technology with high definition movie capability.
With an optical and digital zoom of 3X and 4X respectively, the Exilim EX-S12 takes clear and crisp pictures, performing well at high ISOs with a sharp lens. It can shoot at four frames per second or 10 fps with great colour reproduction and rich depth of colour.
Not only that, it looks good with a stylish and sleek finish and it’s packed with some fun and useful technology too. For example, the auto shutter options include a blur mode so the camera doesn’t operate until the subject is still. Or in the smile mode, the shot doesn’t take until the subject is looking suitably cheerful. Best of all is the new high speed image processing engine which allows moving subjects to be cut and pasted onto still backgrounds or images. The user simply takes a picture of the subject in front of a blank wall followed by another of the wall without the human interest enabling the camera to edit him out and transpose him to more exotic locations – in front of the Taj Mahal for example, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa or even the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Retailing at around £210, the Exilim EX-S12 represents a lot of fun and fancy technology packed into a small package.
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Philips Moisturising HS8060 Shaver
The days of the Brad Pitt stubble are officially dead; for all you guys who want a face as smooth as a baby’s bottom, a new shaver from Philips has revolutionised the concept of grooming and skin care.
The unique Philips Moisturising HS8060 Shaver dispenses a conditioner directly onto the skin as you shave, supplemented with vitamins and chamomile to create a healthy and vibrant look. The Nivea for Men moisturiser has been specially formulated to create a comfortable and irritation free emulsion. It can be pumped into the shaver saving you time whenever you shave and lasts for up to three months. You simply press the shaving conditioner button until the optimum amount has been released.
The shaver is equipped with a unique flex tracker mechanism that tilts three head sections over the contours of the face, thus performing a smooth operation that cuts exceptionally close to the skin. Simultaneously, Glide Rings help to minimize friction as a dual blade system whereby the first blade lifts and the second cuts, giving a close and soothing shave.
The shaver is fully waterproof and can be used in the shower and rinsed under the tap to keep it clean and hygienic, but a small cleaning brush can be used to remove any remaining hair or dust. For a 40 minutes shaving time the shaver has to be charged for just 90 minutes. Complete with a charging stand, protection cap and shaving conditioner refill, the Moisturising HS8060 is also equipped with a travel lock.
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Risk Balance of Power - a boardgame of reward and consequence from Hasbro
Do you have what it takes to play this classic boardgame, Risk: Balance of Power, Hasbro’s two-player war-game, now relocated in the combat zones of Europe where you lock head to head with your opponents in an intensive and fast-moving battle?
You’ll have to summon up all your resources of tactical cunning and subterfuge to defeat the enemy and hold on to your capital city whilst achieving three goals revealed to players at the beginning of play. The map of Europe is divided into six regions made up of 30 territories. Like the original Risk game, your army grows in number in accordance with the amount of territories, regions and cities that you occupy.
With two modes of playing – Basic Training and Command Room decided by your skills and victories, you will need to earn Risk Rewards by conquering a territory in order to raise additional army units which are denoted by small, flat arrows. At the same time you will also need to defend your capital city and take command of your troops, directing them through punishing terrains and challenging weather conditions.
The ultimate challenge in strategy with rewards and consequences, as well as being a work-out for the brain, the game is educational too. Risk: Balance of Power is for anyone over the age of 12 and has an SRP of £19.99.
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Jools Holland
Put these dates on your calendar! Gifted rhthym & Blues performer, Jools Holland is joining up with blues/rock guitarist, Dave Edmonds for a run of shows that must not be missed.
Jools Holland’s Later… with Jools Holland, is the most influential music show on TV today with his Hootenanny now essential viewing on New Year’s Eve for the majority of people. No-one is in any doubt that without the inimitable co-ordination of Jools himself, introducing and interviewing a fascinating mix of classic and new performers, the show just wouldn’t be the same.
One of Britain’s most versatile and talented performers, Jools was playing Boogie Woogie and Blues piano by the age of eight and formed the iconic rock band Squeeze at the age of 15, eventually selling out stadiums in the US and generating millions of record sales. As presenter of The Tube, the performer’s laid-back style was inspirational for the new style of music programme. As if that wasn’t enough he launched the mighty 12-piece Rhythm and Blues Orchestra in 1990 and has ever since been selling out shows all over the continent and UK, receiving an OBE for his contribution to music in 2003.
Dave Edmunds is a guitarist, singer and record producer famous for his number 1 UK single I Hear You Knocking and linked with the pub-rock movement of the early 1970s as a producer has worked with an impressive array of artists like Paul McCartney, The Stray Cats and Status Quo. He also continued to release solo albums whilst collaborating with Nick Lowe in the band Rockpile.
Together these two towering giants of the musical world promise to provide a night of unsurpassed entertainment. Get on down there; it’ll be a Hoot (enanny).
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Blackberry Bluetooth Watch
Making the BlackBerry even more accessible, the Blackberry Bluetooth watch will allow you to receive calls, access your emails, texts, update your Facebook at the lift of a wrist.
As fans of the Blackberry already know, including Barack Obama, the Blackberry is the definitive gadget of the decade. Now RIM says a new Blackberry Bluetooth watch is being released in the very near future. The watch will be backed up by a new branded headset in a black chrome shell with BlackBerry logo and buttons complete with noise reduction technology, thus enabling you to talk to your bank manager whilst on the move.
In the words of Antoine Boucher, vice president of RIM; “The form of silicone liner Alpha 1 is an extremely convenient; it may be the best solution on the market”
The Blackberry Bluetooth Watch will give alerts when emails, texts, Facebook posts and tweets are incoming and enables voice activated control. There’ll also be a wireless connection to upload and transfer music and videos– oh, and it’ll let you tell the time too.
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