BRITAIN: Pop Music Stars Perform Beach Boys Classic God Only Knows

With a cast of new performers, the BBC has restaged its 1997 star-studded take on the Beach Boys classic, God Only Knows. Via the Guardian:

As in 1997, the BBC has succeeded in gathering together a fairly staggering array of stars. Joining Brian Wilson, the song’s writer, are Sir Elton John, One Direction, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams. Jake Bugg, Lorde, Emeli Sandé, Chris Martin, Kylie Minogue, Paloma Faith, Sam Smith, Florence Welch, Chrissie Hynde, Brian May, Dave Grohl, Alison Balsom, Martin James Bartlett, Danielle de Niese, Nicola Benedetti, Eliza Carthy, Baaba Maal, Jamie Cullum, Jaz Dhami, as well as the BBC’s Zane Lowe, Lauren Laverne, Katie Derham, Gareth Malone and Jools Holland. They are joined by the Tees Valley Youth Choir and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sir Elton John is the only survivor from Perfect Day. The song is accompanied by a lavish video filmed at the disused Alexandra Palace Theatre in London, which hosted the first BBC broadcast more than 90 years ago.

(Tipped by JMG reader Chris)

Emeli Sande At Webster Hall

Last night a group of friends and I squeezed into the jammed-to-the-rafters Webster Hall for a concert by Scottish sensation Emeli Sande, who has scored five UK smash singles from her debut release, Our Version Of Events, which was Britain's #1 selling album of 2012. Sande has yet to achieve any real American success, despite her recent Brit Award, the UK's version of a Grammy.  Nevertheless, the audience knew every lyric and the evening was at times more of a group sing-along than a solo concert.  Prior to last night I'd only been vaguely aware of Sande, whom my friends favorably compared to Pink and Robyn.