"Celebrating The Carpenters" on ITV1 with Richard

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SakuraSYayoi

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ITV1 to test out musical tribute format for series
3 September, 2009 | By Robert Shepherd


Amanda Holden and Ronan Keating will front a new music tribute format from ITV1 that could become a series.


Celebrating The Carpenters is a 60-minute primetime pilot from CPL and Universal Music’s inhouse production arm, Globe Productions, with modern acts from different genres playing their own interpretations of The Carpenters’ songs. The event will be shot in front of a studio audience.

The show is being made in collaboration with Richard Carpenter, who will offer musical advice to the new acts about the task they are asked to undertake.
If Celebrating The Carpenters is a success, the format could be turned into a series, with different artists’ music subjected to modern cover versions.

Acts already confirmed to appear include Jamie Cullum and The Feeling, and the show is expected to go out towards the end of this year to coincide with the 40th anniversary of The Carpenters’ first LP.
The Commissioning IndexTitle Celebrating the Carpenters
Broadcaster ITV1
Indie CPL and Globe Productions
Length 1 x 60 minutes
Commissioner Claire Zolkwer
Executive producers Danielle Lux and Victoria Ashbourne (CPL) and Iain Funnell (Globe)
TX Late 2009
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/...cal-tribute-format-for-series/5005182.article

Sakura
 
This really cool! Sounds like a neat idea for a special and it's nice that there will be at least some sort of celebration of the 40th anniversary. Hopefully this will be available on CD and/or DVD once it airs. (It actually has the makings of a good PBS pledge-drive special kind of thing!)

I'm not familiar with The Feeling, but I like Jamie Cullum. I have two of his albums and they are both very good.
 
This is very exciting news - an 'updated' tribute a la If I Were A Carpenter.

Jamie Cullum is a great singer, and I especially enjoy his interpretations of the standards - can't wait to hear what song he performs and his take on it.
 
I hope Richard realizes ITV 1 will be the equivalent of "Space Encounters" and not "MMM". . .for that he'd have been better with Jools Holland, or BBC 4 etc.

Still, a special's a special.

Neil
 
The Saturdays, The noisettes, Beverly Knight, Ronan Keating & Jamie Cullum.

Beverly - "We've Only Just Begun"
Ronan - "I Won't Last A Day Without You".

To air on November 18th.

Sakura
 
Hi,

Heres some more information about the show, the line up is as follows:

Chrissie Hynde - Superstar.
Dionne Warwick -Close to You.
The Feeling - Solitaire.
Beverley Knight - We’ve Only Just Begun.
Noisettes -Goodbye To Love.
Ronan Keating - I Won’t Last a Day Without You.
The Saturdays - Please, Mr Postman.

And, exclusively for the show, Jamie Cullum and Kimberley Walsh will perform a duet of Rainy Days and Mondays.

And quotes from the show hosts:

Amanda Holden said: “An evening of Carpenters music is my idea of heaven. I’ve been a fan of theirs for as long as I can remember and to hear some of my favourite current bands perform their greatest hits was amazing.”

Ronan Keating added: “The Carpenters are one of the greatest acts in musical history and every time one of their records comes on the radio, it’s a magical experience. Being part of a show that moves the legacy of this great band forward is a great honour.”
 
An article was posted to DigitalSpy. It mentioned 40/40 as well. :)

Walsh, Knight for ITV1 Carpenters special
Friday, November 6 2009, 13:36 GMT

By Dan French, US TV Editor

ITV1 has announced that it will air an hour-long Carpenters special to to celebrate 40 years since their 'Ticket To Ride' release.

The broadcast, titled Celebrating The Carpenters, will be hosted by Amanda Holden and Ronan Keating and feature performances by several pop artists.

The Saturdays, Noisettes, Jamie Cullum, Kimberley Walsh, Dionne Warwick and Beverley Knight are among acts confirmed to perform Carpenters tracks.

Celebrating The Carpenters airs Wednesday, November 18 on ITV1. A double CD album titled 40/40 will be released two days earlier to coincide with the show.
 
I found an original article for MySpace post, but haven't post here. Some from the article/press release;

As the arranger of the Carpenters’ most memorable songs, Richard reveals some of the secrets behind their success. He also offers unique musical advice to the new acts about the task they are to undertake and recounts some of the stories behind the tunes.

In addition to this, clips of original performances combine with behind the scenes interviews as the artists develop their new take on the unique Carpenters sound.

Sakura
 
Is there any way to record a program on ITV? I couldn't find anything on the website that indicates it. :confused:
 
song4u said:
Is there any way to record a program on ITV? I couldn't find anything on the website that indicates it. :confused

There should be seven day viewing service > similar to BBC player service which allows viewers to watch / re-view key TV programmes online :)

Possibly ITV service is available with diffeent restrictions : are you based in UK as probably only UK viewers can activate this service ?

Celebrating The Carpenters will be screened between 19:30 > 20:30 on Wednesday 18/11 ITV 1 for those book marking recording / viewing of ITV Special :cool:

Peter UK
 
ITV player doesn't work outside of the U.K. like BBC iplayer Video. I checked it around the time when I started the topic and a few days ago. :sad:

Sakura
 
Just finished airing the special here in the UK - it will probably go to youtube for those who cant' see UK tv
:thumbsup:

It was good, however when you're dealing with greatness that is The Carpenters you truly miss the original :cry: Really shows how performers have changed over the years.
 
I just saw "Rainy Days & Mondays" and "Please Mr. Postman". I think they are better than tribute TV program with Richard in Philippines.

I'd like to watch Richard talk more.

Sakura
 
It was such a disappointment but I think there's no one that comes close to being able to perform like Karen did. I liked Beverly Knights version of We've Only Just Begun but of course nothing on the original.

I agree that Richard was somewhat cringing at having to introduce acts performing his hits and I honestly saw it as a marketing ploy to buy 40/40.

If Richard is happy with tonights mediocre of performers singing his songs then surely he should release a Singstar game version or song pack for the Playstation 3 so us fans can enjoy the songs on a new level!!
 
It was a very uneven show with a slightly naff edge to it (not helped by having lightweights Amanda Holden and Ronan Keating presenting, and such amazing insights as the 1970s apparently being "the decade of free love, flared trousers and rights for women", apropos of nothing). I half-wondered whether the presenting style had been copied from the Carpenters' own TV specials, as it was all comedy drumroll jokes and canned applause.

The selection of acts was eccentric to say the least and really just went to show how far many younger artists pale in comparison to Karen's standard of performance. The worst was Please Mr Postman by the Saturdays - tackily choreographed as if the group were performing in a strip club while they sang very badly and mimed along very badly. Ronan Keating's I Won't Last A Day Without You was an inferior soundalike version with an arrangement that sounded identical to the original track. The Feeling didn't add much to Solitaire (although it's not a favourite song of mine, so I may be biased against it) nor did Chrissie Hynde do much for Superstar, although it wasn't awful. Jamie Callum and Kimberley Walsh's Rainy Days and Mondays was OK, although I think if Jamie had done it on his own, it would have been better.

There were really only three performances that were genuinely any good. I rather enjoyed the Noisettes' take on Goodbye to Love - they made the song more light-hearted, but it kind of worked, and at least they tried to do something different with it. Beverley's Knight's version of We've Only Just Begun was good (as she's quite a strong singer, it does make a real difference to the standard of the performance), but the best of the night was Dionne doing Close to You - more like the Carpenters' arrangement than her own version, but different enough not to sound like a copy, and effortlessly performed. It really says something that the oldest act of the night by far shows everyone else how it's done.

The interviews with Richard seemed a bit awkward - most of the time he looked like he was doing it under sufferance (perhaps he was, just to plug the new compilation). Most of his insights were about the arrangements of the songs and piano motifs, which seemed a bit highbrow compared to the quality of most of the performances. Most of his comments have been said before in interviews, although he did mention his irritation when people perform We've Only Just Begun and sing the first line with a pause between "We've only just begun" and "to live...", as he says it's all one line. I'd not heard him say this before.

So, as an exercise to show how much better Karen's singing and performance was than many of today's acts, it was a triumph, but as a programme it wasn't that good. If all the acts had been of the quality of Beverley Knight and Dionne, then maybe. I just hope it does boost the sales of the 40/40 album, as if it manages that, it won't have been in vain.
 
As has been said, this just highlighted how wonderful Karen's voice is.

Some of the performances were dire, even Chrissie Hynde was a disappointment. If it helps to sell the new comp album, great, but as a stand alone show, not good.
 
Hi All,

For those interested in stats / ratings : ITV 1 "Celebrating The Carpenters" was a huge succcess over 6.3 Million watched original screening & it had majority of TV viewers for 19:30 > 20:30 time slot :cool:

ITV 3 repeated Special on New Year's Eve & will have attracted another good audience last week.

Overall reviews were positive : Times TV critic lambasted programme as poor reflection of Carpenters classic music & songs; & clearly did not enjoy Holden / Keating as presenters .... :wink:

Interesting to find out reasons Richard agreed to this UK Special ? When previously Richard has steered clear of any similar programmes in USA, UK or Japan ....!!! :o

Peter UK
 
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