“Valentines In Vegas!!!”

 

You know that Valentine’s Week in Vegas is going to be something rather special…

 

… especially special, when, through lively conversation, you find that you are seated next to a heartwarming couple, who have been married for 35 years, called Mr and Mrs Truelove!

 

I kid you not, dear friends!

 

Yes, yours truly, was back, for the third thrilling installment in her Vegas Trilogy… returning to the Love capital of the world… only rivalled, some might say, by the romance of a Paris, at night..

 

“So, what was the story this time?” I hear you enquire…

 

Well… it was all about the Lo-o-o-o-o-ve..

… and if there is anyone who knows how to live their Purpose for just that reason, it’s Mr. Matt Goss..

 

By now, we’ve discovered how, simply exceptional, he is, both, as an Artist and, a deeply, delightful human being.

You already know about his refinement and elegance of style and substance… You also know that, whether solo, or with his immensely-talented brother, Luke, he is consistently turning doubters into, all-out believers, in the supreme gifts which have him flying high, within the Creative Arts Industry and the wider Creative Community.

 

So…

… season by season, (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas and now Valentine’s), I have had the distinct blessing of jetting off, into the wide blue yonder of the Vegas skyline, landing at my beloved “Mirage”, elevated to the dizzying heights of the 22nd floor and living-the-(somewhat uexpected)-dream, of all that such transatlantic back-and-forth entails, in order to chart the course and share the joy of this, eminently fascinating, performer’s artistic evolution!

From arrival-Sunday, which saw a two-tone Goss, regaling the “silver foxes” in the room, through to the following Sunday, in which his own homage to silver-grey styling, accentuated his striking blonde-haired, blue-eyed charm, my week was glazed with ever-slicker performances by the fêted “new King of Vegas”… crowned by the Valentine’s event-of-events, on that, most memorable, night-of-nights…

 

…and it was everything!!!!!

 

Sultry, sassy, super-humorous, super-glamorous… peppering the audience, with infectious geniality.. it was undeniably glossy-Gossy, at his undeniable best.

 

To me, more than I’d ever felt it, “1 OAK” was the beating pulse of Nevada…

Whether front row, or booth-bound, the room was replete with revellers who were ready for a steaming hot time…and the show was, accordingly, sizzling…

With no room to lounge in this buzzing bar, the strawberry-strewn, speakeasy space absolutely rocked to the pace of Matt’s adrenalin-fuelled style and a band which, were they any tighter, would have split their, metaphorical, musical seams!

In fact, the duration of the evening was seamless showbiz, par excellence, and we were all with him for the ride… Quite frankly, the swoon-to-croon ratio was ten thousand-a-penny and the power of expression, although effortless in groove, was pure, no-holds-barred effort, in his driving delivery.

 

With more seasoned skits and ska turns, which were te-riff-ic, the general concensus which revolved around the room as this Vegas showpiece progressed, was that this was, categorically, the most impressive that anyone had, yet, seen of Goss… Indeed, I had the privelege of engaging from many vantage points, ergo, sitting in the company of many first-timers, all, of whom, commented on just how consummate a performer Matt was… and how, clearly, he was becoming the quintessential benchmark for any type of entertainment offering, let alone a, consistently, sell-out Vegas residency…

…which is quite the most discernible thing… in that, Matt neither rests upon his laurels,  rather, curating his work, as if presenting a room of unique, sonic sketches.. Nor does he take a moment of this opportunity for granted… In fact, he frequently takes time out to share just how aware he is, of the collective support which has facilitated his sustained success… and it is always stated with touching sincerity, as truly humbling to feel, as it is genuinely received, by all who hear.

 

…And the best is yet to come…

 

… for the dedication to fashioning his vocation into one type of musical masterpiece, has dovetailed into another, destined for Broadway and West End stages, having finished a, much-anticipated, adaptation of U.K. television classic, “Upstairs, Downstairs”, in collaboration with Grammy-nominated Composer, Arranger and Producer, Stephen Endelman…

… and award nods and accolades will, undoubtedly, follow for this burgeoning Impressario, Radio Presenter, Fine Artist… not least, the celebration of the 10-year Vegas milestone, of a man who rises to every challenge in such a way, as to engender wonderment, of whether there is anything Matt Goss cannot do!

 

In the opinion of one whom has arrived to the party a wee bit later than most, but who knows a bit about the whys and wherefores of stage-life, you’d be hard–pressed to find a better example of such a wholly-committed Creative, anywhere upon the globe!

 

With that being said, it’s clear to see why everyone who joins Matt’s journey wants to stick with this first-rate fella, no matter which creative room he goes into… but it won’t be luck that sees him continue to conquer ever-greater territory, it will be unequivocal, unquestionable talent… the type which is indefatigable and endures, long after the venue lights go dark!!!

 

 

©A_F_R_O_W2019. All Rights Reserved

***

 

Don’t miss Matt Goss at “The Mirage”, Las Vegas!

@TheMirageLV  ~  @MattGoss

 

Don’t miss BROS at:-

“The O2 Academy Brixton”: July 5th 2019!

@O2academybrix

 

“Live At The Marquee”, Cork: 26th June 2019!

@LATMofficial

 

“Botanic Gardens, Belfast”: 27th June 2019!

 

“Bros: After The Screening Stops…”

I was never going to sleep, after a documentary like that!!

A richly, visual statement-of-intent, of two, larger-than-life-sized personalities, whose high-definition, practically perpendicular, emotional narratives could barely be contained within the confines of a physical cinema frame, in super-surround sound… but could only, ever, have been retold upon it…

The culmination of twenty-four months worth of painstaking preparation, five months worth of seventeen-hour days, in meticulous editing and a close-shave with divorce, the outcome is an absolute masterclass in audiovisual story-telling, executed under the distinctly genius co-direction of David Soutar and Joe Pearlman.

From the opening gambit, a volcanic eruption of an expletive-filled argument, “Bros: After The Screaming Stops” is, often, as devastatingly shocking to the system as an arctic ice-bucket challenge, with frequently frosty exchanges, to match… a fraught insider’s guide into a restless sibling rivalry, revisited, in agonising detail, en route to the most significant concert series of their lives… a career-redefining reunion!!

Set against the backdrop of being one of the most successful British bands of all time, the doors to the lives of Luke and Matt Goss, aren’t just flung open, but positively, blown off, to reveal the devastating effect of personal tragedy and charts the grossly unfair vilification from a media-machine, ravenously ready for new fodder, at the merest sign of a preconceived “dip” in chart positions.

Skilfully-crafted, so as to keep you constantly poised on the knife-edge of your psychological seat, it is the scattered remnants, strewn upon the battlefield of historical fall-out, woven into the contextual highs, lows, turning points and epiphanies, that has you rooting for these profoundly sensitive souls, fighting to co-exist, once again, determined to be heard and fiercely passionate about emerging with a relationship, purged of the poison that tore them apart, so cataclysmically.

Were this a mere petri-dish observation of the behavioural tendencies of twin brothers, you could, perhaps, maintain a, somewhat, clichéd distance… In fact, a lesser offering might have been exactly that… but, in being, documentary, first, with the aspirational by-product of intensely pleasing the fans, it is a truly impacting, non-patronising, non-judgmental exploration of life, on an epic scale.

Quite frankly, they’ve been judged enough and so, this is Bros, 30 years later… setting the records straight, in dynamic, heart-breaking, glorious technicolour. They are not boys. Not highly-conceptual living images, becoming, literal, pop art, growing up in front of the piercing eyes of a fast-paced, global hit-factory, called the Music Industry… Not apprentices, on, arguably, the most public on-the-job training course…

No. Emphatically, not.

Years have passed.

These objets d’art have evolved into men. Now 50. They are forces of nature… Even more impressive Artists, reinvented and rebirthed, in their own right, albeit, predominantly Stateside, due to the haranguing experienced in the place that they should always have been able to call “Home”.

The reconstruction phase has made for bolder, braver, artisanal entrepreneurs, with extensive bodies of work, who are no longer slaves to fear of reprisals… Having cultivated their respective and respected creative careers in, both, music and film, to exponential critical acclaim, they know who they are, what they have to bring to the table and, most crucially, we see that they have the captivating ability to articulate it… No matter how raw the consequential exchanges, in order to do so…

Whether or not you have this foreknowledge, it is clear that the pressure release-valve has, long been, much needed.

The chance to spill their guts. To tear the plasters off emotional wounds, cut the callouses and learn to heal… Much like Luke’s hands, as he relearnt the drums… remembered the joy of playing and rediscovered how incredibly gifted at it, he is. As if driving out demons with every strike on the skins of the, Christmas-come-early, kit… he crashes cymbals and beats out bass rhythms as if, not only the heartbeat of the musical set, but his life depends upon it… Meanwhile, as Matt seems mired by the subliminal strangle-hold of serpents, wound around his vocal chords, post another communication collapse…his commitment to authentically deliver, no matter what, is spine-tinglingly inspirational and puts a lump in your own throat. At times, barely breaking-even, when attempting to perform songs (the candid nature, of which, harshly rake over the coals of, nigh-on unbearable, memories), serves to facilitate their family bond, which gets them through the contempt of familiarity.. and has them surmounting it all, so tenderly and touchingly, together…

Yes, this is their opportunity to tell it like it is, on their own terms… and boy, do they take it.. and, boy, how privileged are we, for the first-hand access to every twist and turn!

Of course, there is light relief… There has to be… and it is immensely welcomed!

Coupled with capturing their lives through multiple lenses, tiredness from the relentless schedule tends to precipitate Matt’s most magical moments to camera… from anecdotal musing, over 7-hour man-scaping sessions… to public service announcements about the need to play conkers without goggles, he is the younger… the playful, puppy-like energy, with a deep-rooted desire to ensure that all around him are happy, especially Luke… the elder, with a more self-contained, yet no less rapier-sharp, glint-in-the-eye, wit.

There are also beautifully lucid descriptions of the journey, from both…

Pontificating about the metaphorical road upon which he and his Brother are travelling, Matt has a way of clutching at the air, as if to catch the ideas which hover in his divergent and visionary thought process. Luke has a wonderfully pragmatic and linear manner of soul and self-expression, citing their collaborative experience as two people, each with a brush, trying to paint onto one canvas…

…which makes it all-the-more important for them to do so, within the rehearsal space… the arena for most of their tussles for creative territory… or the green rooms of television studios… both, of which, see Matt and Luke crumble like the very old wall in their lyrics…. and makes them all-the-more remarkable, for their selfless ability to shelve conflict, when meeting with their precious M.G.A (Matt Goss Army) and L.G.A (Luke Goss Army)… The long-time devotees who have, admittedly, been their constant, through the proverbial and material wind, rain and sunshine of their lives.

It is an astonishing resilience and composure, reminiscent of that which they were forced to develop, literally overnight, after receiving the devastating news that their dear sister Carolyn had tragically passed in a car crash…. and again, after the earth-shattering loss of their beloved Mother despite her valiant battle against cancer.

This, for me, is where the documentary, further, comes into its own.

Sharing their sorrow, the distress is undeniable, the tears, tangible… Yet, the sheer courage to be so vulnerable, sets them apart, as superhumanly strong.. It is deeply humbling and admirable…with a cathartic power that is palpable and pure. From high stakes to high hopes, you cannot counterfeit these feelings of carrying dangerous dynamite, on a, seemingly endless, bumpy road.

Nor can you deny them the triumphant ending… and why would you?!!

Two unforgettable nights at the O2, which sold out in a record-breaking, number-of-completion, 7 seconds, cap-off a rapturous return to the height of the music game, without game-playing… proof positive that this pain-through-the-pixels is the acute birth pang of regeneration… that such pain, can and does, become Purpose.

What is even more evident, is that we are seeing the most promising incarnation of Bros, yet….

They have lived up to the past, broken through its spectres and exceeded expectations.. and by the film’s conclusion, you feel that, as the band-entity and, moreover, as Brothers, they should, never again, exit the stage, separately… and you trust and believe, that, having survived this warts-and-all bootcamp, they won’t ever let that happen…

…they won’t ever allow such rupture through disruption to be felt again, because they are a re-united front, who are stronger than ever…

Therefore, see this, perfect pitch-ure of reconnection, as a matter of priority…

“Bros: After The Screaming Stops” is no ordinary documentary… but, then again, the Goss Brothers are no ordinary siblings… pigeon-hole these fine examples of spiritual ambassadors at your peril… They have been, misguidedly, typecast and underestimated before… and just look at the extraordinary legacy which is following them, now..

As one proud Brosette tearfully declared, even if the world-at-large wouldn’t tell them, they are so loved… and with new music and a 2019 tour on the way, I can categorically state that, after the screening stops and the most beautifully empowering lessons begin, within…

…the screaming and the legends, themselves, continue…

…Long may they reign!

 

 

© A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

~

Click-thru to:-

See “Bros: After The Screaming Stops” (In Cinemas: 09/ 11/ 2018)

Buy “Bros: After The Screaming Stops” (On DVD/ Digital Release: 12/ 11/ 2018)

Interact with “Bros: After The Screaming Stops

~

“Band Of Brothers…”

Silent partners,

perfectly-bound,

in cinema and in sound…

A unique genetic contract,

witnesses that

one will never

sell-out the other….

… on any grounds.

For, Loyalty is their signature.

Love, is their banner.

Truth, the roof over their hearts.

Courtesy, their uniform.

Civility, their Art.

Faith, their spoken Word.

Authentic, is their endeavour.

A band of Brothers.

A bond, like no other.

Indelibly-linked,

forever.

 

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved.

“BROS: After The Screaming Stops”

It is said that one never gets a second chance to make a first impression.

Of course, the original conjugation was in an offline sense. However, on Thursday 30th August, the prevalence of the spike of a certain set of digital impressions was impossible to ignore…

Permit me, friends, to extrapolate the lead-up because, as PR campaigns go, leave alone those of social media ilk, this was inherently stylish, oozing less-is-more class, with the consummate ease of an haute couturier, in preparation for Fashion Week.

All vision, no sound, rendered the volume icon redundant… a pleasant rejection from the “so yesterday“, consumptive trend, concurrent with today’s computer-crammed society. Now, do not get me wrong, friends, for communication, being my wheelhouse, the efficiency of modern modes of connectivity are a blessing… and yet, I appreciated the fact that there was no need for tech savvy… None of it. Instead, picture after picture of conjoined moving imagery was presented, over consecutive days, fuelling the driving momentum of an imminent announcement.

In a countdown where sneak peeks of practiced paradiddles, raw, frame-gripping grief and a, final, stance of brotherhood, from an onstage p.o.v, piqued increasing interest, each tantalising taste of things to come culminated in the revelation that the highly-anticipated documentary of “BROS: After The Screaming Stops” was, not only, available for pre-order, but had also gained BFI-accredited feature status, and was destined to be premiered at the upcoming, London Film Festival… arguably the most prestigious of its kind, upon the creative calendar.

Thus, the method of keeping the quiet out had been encouraging silent-movie engagement… creating the mental space for us to listen to our own internal reactions to the visuals, whilst also engendering empathy of the impact of the deafening nature that such silence brings, both, post-show and in everyday life.

You see, friends… I told you it was classy!

The Twitterverse was sent into a, veritable, hashtag-frenzy and I even think that I heard the echo of screaming, onset by the epic news… I, further, expect the flurry to continue, until ticket lines go live… partnered with the unadulterated glee at the successful purchases, thereof… although that might just be a self-fulfilling prophecy of she who is currently tapping away upon the keyboard, on the other side of your screen!!!

What I know, for sure, is that this meticulous exposition, directed by David Soutar and Joe Pearlman, will bear the grit behind the glamour, the art and the graft, will challenge and cheer, and signify the ultimate exploration of a bond of brothers, brought to the brink and back…

For no-one knows it, like these men in the arena, but after taking such an authentic tour with Matt and Luke Goss, after the screaming stops, I’m fully confident that a rapturous round of applause will start… the script of documentary-making will change and the incremental effect will continue to be felt, for some time to come.

 

©A_F_R_O_W2018-2019. All Rights Reserved

~

Click-through to:-

Pre-order “BROS: After The Screaming Stops” before general digital release on November 12th 2018.

For further information about the film’s cinematic release on 9th November 2018 at www.brosthefilm.com .

For BFI ticket information and updates regarding the London Film Festival Premiere on 17th October 2018.

Further Social Media Links:-

@BrosTheFilm ~ @Fulwell73 ~ @mattgoss ~ @LukeGoss ~ @BFI

#AfterTheScreamingStops ~ #BrosTheFilm ~ #LFF ~ #LondonFilmFestival

 

‘Brosette-For-A-Day: “A Beautifully Reciprocal Experience”…’

I wasn’t actually meant to be there…

I had a lot of thinking to do… Pontification, which had started over blueberry pancakes drenched with butter and maple syrup, at the superb Mondrian Hotel… Having mentally put my world to rights as succinctly as possible, I followed my feet back towards the Southbank, via Upper Ground… Overhead, clotted cream clouds were dispersed across a carpet of sky, quickly diffused by a determined sun… Immediately ahead, a sizeable crowd had been stealthily amassing… Curious, to ascertain the significance of the mélange between point-and-press ‘paps’ and an ever-increasing congregation of enthusiastic individuals, I began my quest to answer the next question within my mind-palace… What was all of the buzz about?

‘We thought you were making fun of us’…

…came the reply to my inquisitive mood… ‘A lot of people wonder why, after 30 years we still come’… Well, the answer would soon become apparent, when the object of such devotion came into view… Both Matt and Luke Goss had exited the building and were about to conduct an impromptu meet-and-greet session. I learnt that they had just been on ‘This Morning with Ruth and Eamonn’, sharing the news of their upcoming reunion and were now about to share the love with their family of fans.

I observed.

This was, by no means, idolatry… This was genuine continuity of care. A constant, in a consistently impressive set of emotionally-literate calling-cards, for two of the most revered artist/ musicians in the business… and no wonder why…

They might have been behind a low barrier, but the energy exuding from the brothers vaulted way beyond any metal obstruction. As, one after another, the expectant supporters made their way into the arms of a bear-hug from Matt or the soothing voice of Luke, confirming, with absolute, heartfelt conviction that, he, indeed, remembered one particular lady and her Father from their youth, I soon became an immovable force! Not even the fact that I was without a coat, in an intermittently windy sleeve of street would have shaken me from my spot… shivers-and-all!

I was mesmerised.

Ensconced within a bubble of quiet hysteria, years were being rolled back, as memories were offered in each rencontre. Whether it was standing outside of ‘the Bros house’ and being brought cups of tea by their dear, late Mother, Carol… to the never-ending search for bottle-top footwear accessories, the interiors of this room within the memory-palace were layered with a profound sense of colourful camaraderie and touching bonds of lifelong friendship.

I was deeply moved. A smile regularly touched my face, as all around, I witnessed the groundswell of butterfly-inducing anticipation spill over, into undulations of audible excitement. The dream had come true!! A long-anticipated reunion tour, in commemoration of an exhilerating past, a glittering present and a stadium experience which would throw down an emphatic gauntlet, to a creatively adventurous future.

Suddenly, smile still plastered over my visage, an unexpected event occurred. An existential eye-line appeared and it was my turn to get the attention of Matt Goss, himself. Inwardly perplexed, since I had been more concerned that those with whom I had conversed earlier got their precious moments, I was further intrigued to see that he had worn a natty bandana and I was sporting a Hawes and Curtis dress shirt, with a Tiffany & Co. necktie, so, in for a penny (as my late Dad used to say!), I inquired as to whether a swap might be in order! So… that didn’t happen, but I heard a few sharp intakes of breath, as if, perhaps, that might have been a, somewhat, cheeky request…

I believe he was amused!

I certainly experienced my grin expand into a laugh, accompanied by a hearty giggle and, before I knew it, we were face-à-face! What was a girl to do, but offer ‘les bises’ and a handshake… Except that, by now, my body temperature, having decreased yet further, manifested an ice-cold hand, which really was shaking! Never was the reciprocated warmth more appreciated… Never before had it felt as if a verbal exchange hovered above… and, my goodness, if a spiritual exchange didn’t wrap itself around this portal of time like the ultimate duvet, then I know not how to account for the most intense stillness and mystifying sense of breathing pure air…. especially in a London atmosphere which has major exhaust-emission issues!

Then. It. Clicked.

The authenticity of these men… the depth of gratitude to this fan-family for, not only putting them in the record books, but keeping them there, so as to be front-and-centre for another inspiring tour, formulated a potent mix, which extended time in a profound way. Evidently, the highly-impressive performances, of their hit-filled back catalogue, ebbing and flowing with up-to-the-minute exclusives, were the timely conclusion and commencement to an ever-greater season of prolific, combined creativity.

According to Matt, ‘Civility Costs Nothing’. Lyrics in his powerful track ‘Strong’ ring out, ‘Kindness Is King’ and I believe that the combined humility, faith and love of the brothers who were born on (what would become) ‘National Heart Day’, will see Bros move to new industry heights… Prepare for Matt and Luke Goss to scale the mountains of film, fashion and, undoubtedly, make continued musical breakthroughs…

You never know… I might just try and source some bottle-tops for m’self… Though, I do, rather look forward to working them with my Louboutins!!!

~

 

©AFROW2017-2019. All Rights Reserved.