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Susan Boyle, the 47 year-old singer and church volunteer from Scotland, was unknown until very recently. Today, she is being courted by famous icons such as Oprah, Catherine Zeta Jones, and even Homer Simpson!

On the 25th of May 2000, she was watched by a global audience of millions as she performed live in front of the nation for the first time.

The Scottish singer, 47, was competing in the semi-finals of the competition which she took by storm with the opening lines of her first song “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables in the first round.

ITV.com decided to make clips of the semi-final available throughout the world – rather than restrict them to the UK as is usual – because of the level of interest in Miss Boyle, who lives alone in West Lothian with her cat Pebbles.

Her first performance of I Dreamed a Dream has been viewed nearly 60 million times on video website YouTube since she sang it in April.

Organisers are insisting the final result is still up for grabs. Miss Boyle was competing against seven other acts, including a belly dancer, impersonators, a dance group and a violinist.

Asked by hosts Ant and Dec how she had coped with the pressure she said: “What pressure? I really enjoyed myself. I enjoyed every second. I’d do it again!”

We hope you do it again, Susan. And again, and again. You can count us among your biggest fans. We wish you all the best.

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Have you heard of The Black Cab Sessions?

We have been chosen to be a Black Cab Sessions cab!

The Black Cab Sessions are a series of one-song performances by musicians and poets recorded in the back of a Black Cab and filmed for an Internet audience. The sessions are recorded while the black cab that serves as the studio travels through city streets, usually in London, England but sometimes in other places such as New York City.

On their website www.blackcabsessions.com, they tell us that

The sessions are all about great music and the venue strips this to its essence. We aren’t picky about genre and will happily open the cab door to anyone who blows us away.

Their motto is

One Song. One Take. One Cab.

The Black Cab Sessions video clips begin with a screen showing the name of the artist and date that the session was recorded. Next follows a shot of the cab driver introducing the artist or band. The artists then give their performance.

Most of the performances feature rock bands, ranging from popular acts such as Death Cab for Cutie, The Kooks and My Morning Jacket to lesser known acts such as the Cave Singers. Other performances stray from the rock music scene:  folk music, poetry, and even beat-boxing (a form of vocal percussion which produces drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds).

These intimate performances embody the lo-fi ethos of the indie rock scene and have have gained a cult following of viewers both on their own website and on YouTube.

During the performances, the artists can often be seen reacting to the unusual venue. For example, during the New Pornographers session, the two musicians can be seen bouncing up and down in their seats as the cab hits speed bumps. The performances are also shaped by the space afforded by the back of a London black cab.

The Black Cab Sessions were conceived by Jono Stevens and produced as a partnership between Hidden Fruit (Gen Stevens and Chris Pattinson) and Just So Films (Jonny Madderson and Will Evans). Filming of The Black Cab Sessions began in May, 2007 and is ongoing.

One of the producers reports that about 10 percent of the cab drivers approached by the producers turns them down, thinking that the idea is weird, but that those who do participate enjoy it.

One of those drivers who immensely enjoyed having his cab used as a music studio was our driver Jon.  On May 14 2009, we were delighted and excited when one of our black cabs was chosen to host William Orbit:  famous in his own right as a musician and composer and also producer of the likes of Madonna and Blur.  Stay tuned to this blog for a story about that momentous day!

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War Horse confirms the National’s extraordinary knack of turning children’s literature into the finest drama. Stunning.’ Sunday Times

Following two sold-out seasons at the National Theatre, War Horse is now playing at the New London Theatre.

Based on the celebrated novel by Michael Morpurgo about a young boy and his horse at the outbreak of World War One, War Horse takes us on a gripping journey through history. Actors work with magnificent, life-sized puppets by the internationally renowned Handspring Puppet Company.

Suitable for 10yrs+

Buy tickets online from www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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