Mark Forrester - Independent digital designer and online entrepreneur

On Saturday we braved the masses of face-painted, flag waving, brandy and coke drinking South Africans living in London and congregated at Hyde Park for Nelson’s 90th Birthday Bash.

The party was not only packed with appropriately 46 664 screaming Mandela fans, but a star-studded cast of performers and supporters. Live music was provided by the Soweto Gospel Choir, Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Razorlight, Queen & Paul Rodgers, Annie Lennox, Sugababes, Johnny Clegg, Sipho Mabuse, Josh Groban, Jamelia, Eddy Grant, Loyiso, Andrea & Sharon Corr, Simple Minds, to name but a few!

Below are a few of my highlights of the evening, together with some of the clips of the official TV broadcast – which I hope will stay up on Youtube. (more…)

Last week I went to see the awesome Zimbo band Mann Friday perform at the famous Halfmoon in Putney. (Halfmoon has hosted live music full time since 1963, with occassional performances dating back as far as the 1920s. From The Rolling Stones to Kasabian, Kate Bush to Natasha Bedingfield the venue is steeped in music heritage.)

I can’t tell you much about Mann Friday because I couldn’t find much information about them, not even on their website. What I can tell you is that I am now a huge fan. One quote I randomly found that sums up perfectly what Mann Friday are all about is:

Conscious indie rock that grabs you by the scruff of the heart. Developing a solid reputation for electric live performances and sell-out dates. When daring to take a stab at making a comparison, you may have the following come to mind… A Dave Matthews/Counting Crows cocktail laced with a heroic dose of spiritual narcotics. [Source: Clapham Grand]

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Seeing my last live gig post went down so well, and made so many of you green with envy, I thought I’d do it again and share with you my latest experience – Matchbox Twenty live at Wembley Arena. (more…)

Last night, my fiance and I (still trying to get used to saying that) went to see one of my favourite bands, Dashboard Confessional perform at Kings College University in Waterloo, London. It was actually just Chris of Dashboard Confessional performing a solo acoustic set, but it was absolutely, flipping awesome. Chris’s stage presence is astonishing, as can be witnessed in my video clip a little later. DC always manage to completely captivate their groupy fans who all seem to know every word of every song they have ever produced.

There were moments when you could have almost heard a pin drop in the packed out student union building, a sign of the appreciation the crowd had for DC and his amazing vocal abilities. That was of course in between all the screams of fans yelling, “I want to have your babies”, guys included (I might have said it under my breath once. Ok twice.).

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