THE JAMES BOND CONCERT SPECTACULAR at Indigo at the O2
★★★½
“a shaken-and-stirring combo of hits through the ages”
Superspy James Bond is no stranger to The O2. Remember the sequence in 1999’s The World Is Not Enough? The suave Pierce Brosnan zips the Q Boat round the Docklands. He is a man so fearless he has the nerve to dip under that brackish stew (less sewage in those days I assume) while memorably straightening his tie.
He was chasing the Cigar Girl Assassin and finds himself dangling from a rope beneath her hot air balloon. He lets go when the woman shoots out a gas cylinder and crashes onto the white roof with a mild “oof” and then tumbles pell mell down its curves.
About 1,000 fans of 007 gathered to celebrate the man and his music at that very spot. I doubt they failed to make the connection.
Indeed, they would have probably added – over a martini at the bar – that the Thames sequence was the longest pre-title sequence in Bond history, along with other assorted fun facts.
It was very much that kind of evening at Q The Music’s James Bond Concert Spectacular, which served up a shaken-and-stirring combo of hits through the ages along with reminiscences from a couple of acting VIPs.
There was a Comic Con feel to the gathering, all friends together, hunting Easter Eggs and adding to the texture of their fandom.
An impressive big band – frayed round the edges at the beginning but finding their heat – did admirable service to a string of no filler hits, adrenalin-pumping film scores, and that John Barry theme tune that has earned the right to be labelled iconic.
Da-da-daaa.
A couple of golden throated belters absolutely nailed the hits – Nobody Does It Better closing the first act with pomp while Live and Let Die was spectacular. A combo of Skyfall and Writing On The Wall (from Spectre) proved unexpectedly affecting.
In between, there was some stilted chat as smooth host David Zaritsky tried to squeeze secrets out of Maud Adams (two different Bond girls) and Britt Ekland.
Everything was sequinned and sparkly, like a cruise liner dinner show. But that’s fine. That’s what we came for. Roger Moore’s arched eyebrow was the evening’s creative director reminding us that high camp was always an essential ingredient of “the franchise”.
Another bonus: the tunes were so evocative, so fixed on our cultural landscape, that everyone brought their own little cinema, reliving sequences and memorable movie moments in their minds.
The music was a brassy romp, the nostalgia was cosy, and the atmosphere genial. Some segments were Double Oh-No! But most were Double Oh Heaven.
Goldfinger lickin’ good.
THE JAMES BOND CONCERT SPECTACULAR at Indigo at the O2
Reviewed on 13th October 2024
by Giles Broadbent
Photography by Elly Russell
More reviews by Giles:
DR DOLITTLE KILLS A MAN (AND READS EXTRACTS FROM HIS NEW BOOK) | ★★★ | MUSEUM OF COMEDY | October 2024
THE LEHMAN TRILOGY | ★★★★★ | GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE | October 2024
PAST TENTS | ★★★ | GOLDEN GOOSE THEATRE | October 2024
THE CABINET MINISTER | ★★★★ | MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY | September 2024
THE BAND BACK TOGETHER | ★★★★ | ARCOLA THEATRE | September 2024
THE JAMES BOND CONCERT SPECTACULAR
THE JAMES BOND CONCERT SPECTACULAR
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