Anthems: The Tour

Anthems: The Tour was the debut headlining concert tour by English stage actress and singer Kerry Ellis

Kerry Ellis

Kerry Jane Ellis is an English stage actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music...

with Brian May

Brian May

Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...

. The tour, comprising 16 dates in England, Scotland and Wales, supported her debut album Anthems
Anthems (Kerry Ellis album)
-Notes:* Tracks that were specifically written for this album.* Tracks that were originally songs by Queen.* Tracks 4, 5 and 10 were originally featured on Ellis' teaser album, Wicked in Rock....

. Beginning with two charity performances, titled Anthems: The Concert, on 1 May 2011 at the Royal Albert Hall

Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....

, the tour followed commenced on 3 May 2011 and ended on 16 July 2011 with a special titled Anthems in the Park at RAF Cranwell

RAF Cranwell

RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...

. Receiving positive reviews, the tour was complimented by critics for the pairing of May's sound and Ellis' vocals.

Background

In support her debut studio album, Ellis had stated, in early 2010, in an interview with Broadway.com that she planned "to have a tour to promote" Anthems. In November of that year, she announced on Twitter that the plans for a tour are to go ahead with details to follow. By December, the Royal Albert Hall date was announced while in January 2011, due to demand, a further Royal Albert Hall date was added.

In mid January 2011, it was reported that she is scheduled to partake in a fifteen-date tour of Great Britain which would visit Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh with dates and other cities are "still being decided." By February, twelve dates were confirmed. A further date was confirmed as part of Anthems in the Park at RAF Cranwell. In April, another was added at London's Hampton Court Palace Festival.

Anthems: The Concert

Commencing the tour at the Royal Albert Hall on 1 May 2011 for two special charity performances (benefiting Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research), Ellis (accompanied by May) was supported by the City of London Philharmonic, The West End Chorus, American performer Adam Pascal

Adam Pascal

Adam Pascal is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...

and electronic string quartet Escala

Escala (group)

Escala is an electronic string quartet, from London, England who rose to fame when they performed on and reached the final of the second series of Britain's Got Talent on ITV1 in May 2008.- Background :...

. Singer-songwriter Dan Gillespie Sells

Dan Gillespie Sells

Daniel Giles Gillespie Sells is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known as being the lead vocalist and frontman for the pop band, The Feeling.-Biography:...

(from British pop band The Feeling

The Feeling

The Feeling are a BRIT award-nominated English pop band from West Sussex and London. The band categorise their music as "pop".Following a limited release of their first single "Fill My Little World" in late 2005, the band entered the UK Singles Chart at #7 with their first full release "Sewn" in...

) joined her for a performance of "Love It When You Call".

At the start, Ellis was hidden from the audience among a group of cloak-clad dancers. She eventually emerged in a silver showgirl outfit from the group and began singing "Dangerland".

Ellis performed at at venues in Liverpool, Gateshead, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Southend and Bath in the month of May. Described as "more raw" by Brian May, the tour saw Ellis accompanied by Brian May and their band (named "Anthems Ensemble").

Critical response

The Royal Albert Hall concerts were met with much positivity in critical response. Edward Seckerson

Edward Seckerson

Edward Seckerson is a British music journalist and radio presenter specialising. He is currently the Chief Opera critic for The Independent. He wrote and presented the long-running BBC Radio 3 series Stage & Screen in which he interviewed many of the most prominent writers and stars of musical...

of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...

wrote that the concert "makes [him] wonder if Kerry Ellis' renewed rock-chick status might permanently lure her away from the West End stage

West End theatre

West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...

." Her "super-octane" and "powerhouse" talent was commended and he admitted that "the cosmic wall of May's now inimitable sound and style chimes with Ellis' searing vocals." He also wrote about his highlight, "Defying Gravity

Defying Gravity (song)

"Defying Gravity" is the signature song from the musical Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz, originally recorded by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth on November 10, 2003, and released on December 16, 2003...

", confessing that the number is now more associated with Ellis than with Idina Menzel

Idina Menzel

Idina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...

, the song's original performer. Andrew Clarke of East Anglian Daily Times
East Anglian Daily Times
The East Anglian Daily Times is a British local newspaper for Suffolk and Essex, based in Ipswich.It started publication on 13 October 1874, incorporating the Ipswich Express, which had been published since 13 August 1839...

commended Ellis' voice and breath control, writing that her voice "exploded on the concert stage" and "the power of [it] had the entire auditorium whooping with delight". In summary, Clake stated that it was "a highly ambitious and brilliantly realised show" that was "delivered with consummate skill and polish" with a crowd that "roared its approval" and Ellis "quite taken aback with the enthusiastic response."

On subject of the rest of the tour, David Burrows of Shropshire Star
Shropshire Star
The Shropshire Star is a regional newspaper covering the whole of Shropshire, plus parts of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, the Llangollen area and northern Powys in the United Kingdom.-About:The editor is Keith Harrison....

responded extremely positively and confessed that Ellis "had the room in the palm of her hand." Burrows named "Diamonds are Forever" as a stand-out performance and added that "the chemistry between Ellis and May is clear to see. These are two friends having the time of their lives." He also commented that while the crowd "might have come for Brian", "they stayed for Kerry – treating her to a number of richly deserved standing ovations." Andy Prothero of South Wales Argus
South Wales Argus
The South Wales Argus is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Newport, south Wales. The Argus is distributed in Newport and the historic area of Monmouthshire....

also wrote that the pair "succeeded in blurring the boundaries between rock and theatre" although "it [was] tough to distinguish the Kerry fans from the Brian May fans". Eileen Wells of Express & Star
Express & Star
The Express & Star is an evening newspaper based in Wolverhampton, England, published Monday to Saturday in nine different editions covering the Black Country, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area from Tamworth to Kidderminster. It as widely perceived as being moderately right-wing...

responded in a similar way, writing that "an artistic chemistry between Ellis's stupendous voice and May's distinctive soaring guitar sound" create a "triumph" of a collaboration adding that "Ellis quickly dispelled any doubts about her ability to step into Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...

's shoes." However, Dave Freak of News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...

, although giving the tour 3 out of 5 stars, naming Ellis' voice is "technically brilliant" and comparing it to Céline Dion

Celine Dion

Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...

's, admitted that it "lack[ed] the personality of Freddie Mercury". Jonathan Geddes of The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...

responded less enthusiastically, admitting that "the set often had a karaoke feel to it", criticising it for being "significantly overdone". Geddes, however, enjoyed the acoustic segments and stated that May, Ellis' "propensity for costume changes" and the power of her voice "couldn't be faulted", naming the latter "outstanding". Ray Philp of Edinburgh Evening News
Edinburgh Evening News
The Edinburgh Evening News is a local newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is published daily . It has a circulation of 68,000 and is owned by Johnston Press, which also owns The Scotsman and many regional titles throughout the UK.Much of the copy contained in the Evening News concerns local...

also commended Ellis' talent yet wrote that "she [didn't] always fit in to proceedings".

Supporting acts

Adam Pascal
Adam Pascal
Adam Pascal is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...

(Royal Albert Hall dates only)
Escala
Escala (group)
Escala is an electronic string quartet, from London, England who rose to fame when they performed on and reached the final of the second series of Britain's Got Talent on ITV1 in May 2008.- Background :...

(Royal Albert Hall dates only)
Vintage Trouble
Vintage Trouble
Vintage Trouble is an American soul and rock band. The band formed in Hollywood, California in 2010.-History:...

(All except Royal Albert Hall, Hampton Court Palace Festival and RAF Cranwell dates)

Setlist

Tour dates

Date	City	Country	Venue
Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
1 May 2011	London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...	England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

}
|-
|align="center"|3 May 2011
|align="center"|Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

Gateshead

Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

|align="center"|Sheffield City Hall

Sheffield City Hall

Sheffield City Hall is a Grade II* listed building in Sheffield, England, containing several venues, ranging from the Oval Concert Hall which seats over 2,000 people to a ballroom featuring a sprung dance floor...

Nottingham

Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

|align="center"|Nottingham Royal Concert Hall

Nottingham Royal Concert Hall

The Royal Concert Hall in the English city of Nottingham, is part of the city's Royal Centre, which also incorporates the Victorian Theatre Royal...

Birmingham

Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...

|align="center"|Birmingham Symphony Hall

Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Symphony Hall is a 2,262 seat concert venue located inside the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, England. It was officially opened by the Queen in June 1991, although had been opened on April 15, 1991. It is home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and hosts around 270 events...

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

|align="center" rowspan="2"|Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

|align="center"|Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

The Edinburgh Festival Theatre is a performing arts venue located on Nicolson Street in Edinburgh Scotland used primarily for performances of opera and ballet, large-scale musical events, and touring groups. After its most recent renovation in 1994, it seats 1,915...

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

|align="center"|Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall is an arts venue, in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is operated by Glasgow Life, an agency of Glasgow City Council, which also runs Glasgow’s City Halls and Old Fruitmarket venue...

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

|align="center"|Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

|align="center"|St David's Hall

St David's Hall

St David's Hall is a performing arts and conference venue in the heart of Cardiff city centre, the capital of Wales...

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

|align="center" rowspan="6"|England
|align="center"|Bridgewater Hall

Bridgewater Hall

The Bridgewater Hall is an international concert venue in Manchester city centre, England. It cost around £42 million to build and currently hosts over 250 performances a year....

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...

|align="center"|Milton Keynes Theatre

Milton Keynes Theatre

Milton Keynes Theatre is a large theatre in Milton Keynes . It opened on 4 October 1999, 25 years after the campaign for a new theatre first started....

Cliffs Pavilion

Cliffs Pavilion is a live theatre in Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, which seats 1,630 and offers an assortment of variety acts....

The Forum, Bath

The Forum was built as an art deco cinema in Bath, Somerset, England in 1934, and has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.It was built by William Henry Watkins and E Morgan Willmott, assisted by A Stuart Gray, with a steel frame covered by Bath Stone...

Hampton Court Palace Festival

The Hampton Court Palace Festival is an annual musical event held in June which was established in 1993. The Festival is known for presenting artists across the music genres such as Sir Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tom Jones, Andrea Bocelli, Van Morrison, Jools Holland, the Buena Vista Social Club,...

Cranwell

Cranwell is a village situated in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire. It is part of the Civil Parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap and is located 3.95 miles north-north-west of Sleaford and 16.3 miles south-east of the county town of Lincoln...

|align="center"|RAF Cranwell

RAF Cranwell

RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...

|}

Notes:

A Ellis performed a matinée show (at 16:00) and an evening show (at 20:00) on this date.

The Band

Stuart Morley: Keyboards
Jeff Leach: Keyboards
Jamie Humphries: Guitar
Neil Fairclough: Bass
Rufus Taylor: Drums
Kirstie Roberts: Backing Vocals
Niamh McNally: Backing Vocals

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