The win of the week

Take That Live at the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff 14th June 2011

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:40:00 +0000

You may or may not know that here at Win of the Week we're all pretty big fans of the Take That album Progress. Recently, I had the opportunity to see Take That live at Cardiff and promised Tom a write up. It's long, just under 3000 words in fact, so I've included a break so as not to clog up the page, but I'd appreciate any feedback anyone might have. --Billy

If you follow pop music with any level of relevancy you'll remember the heralded reunion of Take That as a quartet back in 2006. They followed up their first effort of the decade two years later with their critically acclaimed album The Circus and even if that title was only in reference to the 12 or so tracks which that album comprised of it's an apt description of what's still in store for you if you get to see Take That Live: A circus, of tremendous proportions, and nothing less. The displays on offer range from ridiculous to flat out over-the-top, sometimes in a slightly derivative manner, but don't take that to be a bad thing. Whenever an idea you see on stage has been used before, the band have clearly spent some time tweaking it to make it even more outrageous than it could have been before and ridiculous and over-the-top might be the highest compliments you could pay to a stage-show that spends so much time and effort trying to utterly boggle as many of your senses as possible.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's worth remembering that not only is this the new and improved Take That of 2006, it's the new and improved Take That quintet thanks to the re-inclusion of all-round entertainer Robbie Williams, joining the band for the first time in 15 years.
Understandably, you might anticipate a few awkward glances from time to time but all of the lads seem genuine, even when Robbie decides to throw the audience for a loop ("I didn't leave, Jason, you were in the room when I was fired. You were the one that fired me," pause for nervous laughter, "Awww, come on, where's my big love, Jase!" followed by a warm embrace.)
Naturally, with this being the first tour featuring all five in 15 years it allows for some interesting formatting for a show...

And by interesting formatting, I do of course mean "THERE'S A GIANT BEHIND YOU, JASON!"

I caught Take That on the 14th June at Cardiff's Millenium Stadium accompanied by approximately 65,000 Take That fans. This is pretty much right in the middle of their tour and is the second largest Stadium that Take That will play in the UK behind Wembley (although the Olympic Stadium in Germany where they will close the tour in July may hold a couple of thousand more).
As the show starts, Take That mount the stage as a foursome to kickstart the affair with Rule the World. It's a solid opener which they play forward as if it were a fairly straight gig and does well to get the ball rolling. After swanning up and down the stage a few times, the boys start moving along a catwalkleading to a platform at centre of the stadium before positioning themselves at each corner and beginning a rendition of Greatest Day. So far, so good and they're playing up the audience by taking a quarter of those attending into their grasp. It's a classic boy band trick, focus on a few and steal their hearts and having been in this game for 20 years, Take That certainly know how to deliver the goods.
Hold up a Light is next and before anybody has sung a verse the platform is adorned by dancers, all covered in white dress with white pantomime masks on. The choreography for these dancers is impeccable and the band continue strong, even when literally surrounded by more dancers than one could count and as the song closes each the dancers manage to pull, out of absolutely nowhere, a chain which they start swinging around and the end of that chain lights on fire. Seeing 20 or so dancers doing this in close proximity to each other as well as the most popular band in Britain (whilst they continue singing entirely unfazed) is simply one of those sights that astounds and should be sought out.

It wasn't until the 6th hour of searching that I realized that this scene does not translate well to photographs...

For Patience, the song that bought Take That blazing back into public memory, the band goes back to playing it relatively straight. One key concern, though, is the enthusiasm with which Gary Barlow practically begs the audience to sing along with them, concerning for two reasons: Firstly, asking 65,000 tone-deaf pop music fans to sing along to one of the most difficult choruses in recent ballad history was never going to end well. Second, when 65,000 tone-deaf pop music fans warble along to one of the most difficult choruses in recent ballad history, it becomes nigh on impossible to hear the voices that everyone paid to listen to leading to the final chorus, where everyone sort of half-heartedly hums along so that we might be able to hear the voices that we wanted to hear and the entire mood just sort of shambles along for the brief interlude between Patience and the next performance.
But what a performance is in store next...
Shine may have been from Take That's album Beautiful World, but it's the song that evokes their carnival nature more than any other and they know this. It starts with a rabbit dancing down the catwalk followed by a huge Caterpillar followed by, well, just about every single character from Alice in Wonderland. Amidst the chaotic ritualistic splendour that occurs atop the centre-platform over the next minute or two, you could be entirely forgiven for not notice when the band themselves appear, if not for the inclusion of the music. Dressed in periodic clothing viewed through a tripped out haze, the band go a long way to evoking Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts band and the wonderworld theme is only solidified when you realize that the piano that Barlow is playing is 10 times to big and melted in a swirled curl around his body. No, I don't know how everything got on this small stage. No, I don't know how they're all managing to perform flawlessly. No, I don't especially like the song Shine that much. But am I impressed? Christ, yes, I am.

I would like to tell you what is happening here, it's just that I haven't a goddamned clue myself.

As the band and the circus make their way back up the catwalk (with this songs lead vocalist Mark Owen riding the goddamned caterpillar) the screen back on the main stage props up with the rabbit, now absent from the stage, chilling in Wonderland. The band run up to the screen, open a hatch and jump inside, appearing on the screen. They speak to the rabbit who takes off his head to reveal...oh, you probably knew this was coming, Robbie Williams.

Because nothing says family-friendly entertainment like demonic face-paint.

After a brief video of Robbie running around like an absolute maniac, a hatch opens at the top of the screen (a good 25 feet above the stage floor) and out he jumps. The backing band plays a sustained opening of Let Me Entertain You, and Robbie commands the stage. It's an overused term, but applicable here. He screams, he snarls. He jumps up and down and he doesn't just own the venue, he owns everybody and every ounce of their attention. He grabs a mic and starts howling along to the song. Everybody has always said that Williams is more an entertainer than a singer and no more does it show than when he's roaring along to his anthem. We all know the words, we all know the tune. He dances, screams and jokes in the midst of his most important song and it's delightful. Fireballs erupt across the stage, the heat blitzing the entire arena and Robbie prances around entirely unfazed. His manic energy compared to the clean cut image of the quartet that previously adorned the showfloor say a lot about why they might have gone their seperate ways a decade and a half ago. Take That rely on a circus to carry the tunes, Robbie will get by with a few pyrotechnics to add a little extra punch to the proceedings. They're a choir of angels and, although it's imagery strictly held for rock'n'roll, he is the Devil of the pop world.
Once the music and the audience have died down slightly, Robbie, looks down, starts pulling at his trousers and looks back up. "I've split me keks." he cries with laughter. Looking offstage he's calling out "Do we have any more trousers or am I doing the night in these?" Throwing comedy into the middle of a pop concert, he's more of an entertainer than a singer. He continues to prove this with Rock DJ, another Robbie classic. Like the video to that track, the stage becomes a roller disco with dancers skating up and down the length of the floor weaving in and out of Williams who boyishly chases them around. It's wild and energetic just as it should be and sends the message that although Robbie is sober now, he's not afraid to raise a little hell.

Fortunately, Robbie elected to keep his skin on this time much to the relief of EVERYBODY'S SANITY!

From here, Robbie dives into Come Undone, throwing an entirely different anthem at the audience. It's slower, but he doesn't let up the energy, Singing into the cameras with a cheeky grin so everyone can get a glimpse on the towering screends on either side of the stage.
At this point, the catwalk linking the stage and the center-platform has been pulled down and in its place is a large mobile crane suspending a platform which Robbie jumps onto, lies upon facefirst hanging over the edge and sings Feel. At this point the crane begins moving over the audience and Robbie is literally holding the hands of hundreds of his fans as he sings. It's a nice touch for a song about contact and as Robbie emphasises the song and it's relationship with the people who love the music, he puts in a credible performance as a musician for the first time of the evening. Even if the entire time, he's foolishly pointing out and showing off the hole in his trousers, encouraging fans to take pictures and post them online.
Finally, Robbie gets to, arguably, his most famous song, Angels. It's a song that he plays perfectly: he stands on a stage and sings it and that's it. The backscreen shows Chinese Lanterns taking off and filling the sky and the whole time Robbie holds off on the stunts and jokes for three minutes to deliver his most impressive and arguably, his most important song. Even if Robbie is more of an entertainer than a singer, even if his vocal range is limited, when he stands up and belts a tune out, it's inspiring and Angels at Cardiff is a good sign that Robbies years of entertaining have left him with an instinct for when to play the fool and when to just get up and sing. Here he does the latter.
And at the end of the song he takes his trousers off. Because why the hell not.

Nothing says "Mother would be proud." Like standing trouserless in front of 65,000 Welsh fangirls.

The lights all blow out, the screens turn to static and for a few seconds, there's nothing. Then there's a word. "Standing"
The lights come up and the screen has disappeared. In it's place, there is a wall of water and dancers performing vertical acrobatics up and down the wall, whilst being pelted with Water. Atop the structure is a frame whereupon all five members of Take That stand, singing The Flood. It's a suitably epic introduction and visual metaphor for the song that relaunched this quintet. As the song comes to its climax, Robbie takes a leap off of the structure, bought smoothly down to the stage by wireworks, whilst the other four are bought down through the flood in elevators. They finish the song and this is your first good look of these five enjoying performing live. Everything preceeding this was pre-show entertainment. This is the real Take That, and they're back.

This just in: The Flood...not really a metaphor?

As Mark Owen launches into the verses of SOS, you're treated to a rare glimpse amidst this enthralling circus: Five men holding their own during an up-tempo song on a stage. No dancers, no theatrics. Just some bouncy movement, flashy lights and a great upbeat track. Whilst a giant robotic man gradually emerges from behind the wall of water onto the stage. We'll come back to him later.
As Underground Machine starts to play, the catwalk is raised once more and out of the platform come a number of men looking like Shaolin monks. The sole song from Progress written solely by Williams plays out like a sort of dance-off between the band and the monks with the heavy ounding beat working to focus the attention on the movement from these dancers, all the way through the track until their dramatic exit leap from the platform.
Kidz is arguably the most dynamic and visually fuelled song on display, with the boys all changing into black and white outfits, and steapping to the edges of the platform as performers act out an elaborate chess game directed by the band. Midway through, the entire affair screeches to a halt and suddenly, its a Robbie Williams rap solo lifted directly from Rudebox. It's tough to say whether it was a contractual obligation of Robbies return, a suggestion from another member or a joke that simply did not stop when it should have. Regardless, it's an inspired move working bizarely well with the diversity of songs that have preceeded it so far.

Take That, Chess!

If everything so far has seemed somewhat overblown...well, don't say I didn't warn you at the beginning of this review. Either way, the minimalistic performance of Pretty Things is a welcome sight. Probably the best song from Progress gets a respectful treatment live as the band sing the song on the main stage with a single solitary ballerina pirouetting her way across the platform and catwalk. It's simple, like the song, and like all striking images that simplicity somehow makes the entire affair all the more breathtaking. Pretty Things might have been the one song where the hordes of screaming Take That fans really silenced in order to just take in what was being shown and it was a truly great moment that, more than any other, I'd give anything to see again.

At this point in the show, your appreciation of Take That's earliest works is going to play a big factor into your enjoyment of the show. Personally, I couldn't care less for their earlier ventures but their sweeping canvas of imagery continued on a tremednous scale. This set of the show opened with the band sat around a piano toasting to their careers, starting with a piano medley of A Million Love Songs, Babe and Everything Changes, before launching into a performance of Back For Good, which feels a bit ironic given that Back For Good was written just before the band originally broke up.
Continuing the classic Take That venture, they bounce into Pray, showcasing their older music with an older style, more choreographed synchronised dance moves. It's hugely reminiscent of the style that made them a hot commodity back in '96 and although in any other context in 2011 it would seem embarassing, here it plays out more like an old memory. All the while, that tremendously giant robot is still in the background, this time opening it's arms outwards.

"No seriously, there was a rabbit, and a giant chess game, and an even bigger robot, and ...no, I wasn't high!"

For a moment, the band disappear. The robot lies down on it's back and after a moment, the band emerge scattered all over the thing. Two on its hands, two on its chest and one on it's feet. They're all wearing black jackets studded with LED's that light up in different colours and as the robot begins to move, they bound headfirst into Love, Love, the new single from their recent EP Progressed (which is also being used to promote the new X-Men movie). It's a great track and the boys continue doing it justice until the robot hits the centre platform.
The boys close out the set with Never Forget. They perform admirably for a song so dated and as they do so, the robot begins to stand up until it has essentially built its way up to a standing crucifix position.
But of course, that's not it. We need an encore. It opens with Robbie breaking out one of his slowest tracks, No Regrets. He sings it to the audience, to the band, to everybody. As the strings build up to their climax, the 5 join hands, huddle into a circle around a raised area on the platform and...jump up to it as Relight My Fire begins pounding away. It's an utterly infectious tune and the heart that all of these boys put into the music make it impossible not to enjoy.

What the HELL is that/?!

The show is closed, proper, with Eight Letters, the final song from the album that brought these five back together. It's not the best song in their repertoire but it is ultimately a fitting end to a triumphant show. The boys sing it out as well as they have sung any other song throughout the evening and that's something to be proud of. Was the show perfect? No, nowhere near. It was too scattered to be consistently loved by anyone but the most hardcore fans and some of the performances were dramatically overshadowed by the circus-like staging that Take That have been unable to resist littering their shows with for the past two years. But was it the return of the Take That that many grew up with, was it the experience that any Take That fan of the past few years would want and was it a generally spectacular experience across the board? To all of those questions, the only possible answer is yes. But all of that is moot compared to the big question: Was this show so important to the band that it was worth shelling out an astonishing £15million to get it right? Judging from their expressions, their interactions and the love that Take That have for each other and all of their fans, I can only assume that once again, the answer was yes.

Moral of the story? Transformers ain't got shit on Take That.

Katy perry - Last Friday night MUSIC VIDEO (By ellie moss)

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:47:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

So whats the new obsession of the internet this weeeeek!

Kathy Beth Terry, Katy Perry’s alter ego!

For all of you who don’t know who this is, its part of the theme for the new song and video Katy Perry has just released called ‘Last Friday Night’.

Kathy Beth Terry is a geeky teenager with braces that would blind a magpie and glasses even worse than Deidre Barlow and Elton john put together! But somehow, she turns out quite cute! Being a HUGE Katy Perry fan myself, I LOVE the song and the video and everything about it, Shes never afraid to look ugly or perform and show a gruesome side. She knows she can be sexy but she also knows how to have a good time, thats one thing i Love about her! Even when she gets her makeover she keeps her braces and doesn’t look as beautiful as she could, which really makes the point of the video and isn’t predicable! I cant wait to see what she comes up with when I see her in November, eek :D

This is a FANTASTIC song for a night out, it really gets the crowd going whether your getting ready with girls in your bedroom or hitting the hottest clubs in town. She really knows how to get you partying like there’s no tomorrow!

I just watched the video for the first time, and noticed it has an appearance from Rebecca Black in it, which is pretty cool for her standards seeing as she released that stupid repetitive piece of crap which was ‘FRIDAY, FRIDAY... BLAH BLAH BLAH FRIDAY’ I mean seriously, whoever could keep that on for long enough deserves a gold medal, if you just plain liked it, then tell someone, coz your CRAZY! Starring in Katy Perry’s Video, lucky girl, thought she would have been shot by now not starring in a mega stars music video!

Anywaysss the video is very fun, however the end of it with the parents bit and the talking about all sorts of stuff is pure cringe, it lasts too long to entertain and you just want to turn the video off at this point, songs over. Done. Finito. JUST TURN IT OFF AT THIS POINT! However I do love the whole movie retro feel about it, that does make the video very different to others shes done in the past!

But overall, this song will be one of the top 10 on my playlist this summmerrrr... DJ TURN IT UPPPP!

Peace,

Ellie Moss

The Hangover part 2 (2011) Review!

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:24:00 +0000

Oh you lucky things... another review.. but not from me... but someone special to me. Hope you all like it like i did! :)

Ok, So Mr Dunning has asked me to write a review. I’m the girlfriend, well the fiancée, and I’d just like to tell you first of all, I’ve never written a review in my life! The reason I’m doing this is because Mr Dunning cannot be bothered to get off his back side and see the damn movie so he’s left it to me. [ Thanks babe ]

Now I’ll admit, I watched this online, so I probably can’t even give the best review on it, but I got the gist of it, so let’s see how this goes.

Well, I watched The Hangover 2, I think it’s fair to say that I was pretty excited when this film was released but have been working nonstop and been unable to get to the movies in the USA so have had to resort to watching it online at www.letmewatchthis.com . I was hoping the movie would be totally amazing, after watching the first one and loving it so much I actually went to the cinema to see it three times then begged everyone to get it me for christmas the following year and received it as a present three times! But I was slightly disappointed, not from the film itself, but from the lack of imagination that the writers had during the making of this movie.

To be honest, if you hadn’t seen the first one, you would probably rate this a good movie, but because you’ve seen the first one, it raises the expectations slightly higher to what a usual movie viewing would be. I started watching, and it’s exactly the same effects at the beginning as the first movie, same story line, same song, same genre, just basically the same film, and yet again like the first it takes a while to get into the actual storyline and there’s a lot of messing around at the beginning. The effects are good and the acting is still brilliant. Zack Galifianakis is amazing yet again, as is Ed Helms, the others are good but not as good as the first movie.

The storyline is quite predictable in places with references to the first movie being shown over and over again. To be honest, I think a fair review of the film would be to say that it was the same stuff, still funny but not very different from the first. Different people, same situation. Different location, Same Problems. Overall, the film was enjoyable, and i would watch it again and definitely recommend it to others though I would say don’t get your hopes up too much. There are some very funny moments in the movie and it’s a good laugh.

Hopefully you’ll find this a fair review, if not then sorry it’s not good enough, probably going to get tom to look over this first anyway and make sure it’s okay. Not done one before. If you don’t see another one by me, you know why.. Peace out.

Ellie moss

Google Chrome Advert (UK) - Dear Hollie

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:47:00 +0000

Okay its been a while, My bad but my holidays were calling! Now i'm back... Lets get the ball rolling once more.

I came across the most AWESOME advert for Google chrome on out TV in the UK in the form of Dear Hollie.
I say awesome because, well it just left me in awe and gave me that fuzzy warm feeling of "Nawwwwwwwww"
Its follows the girls [Hollie] life and the character is literately sending the daughter emails in the mile stones of the child's life.

The musical score is the same old prolific piano score which is in basically ALL of their adverts, but this one it just works. Usually im one to think... "Oh, brilliant... :/ " but i don't know, it just applies the cuteness in multiple layers and gels readily together like resin and hardener.

The twist in the end gives the nice warm feeling inside and, well its hard to explain, its just an awe-spiring peice of video. check it out!

Okay so podcast.... end of this week :P

Have a great week people and the podcast will be up soon!

BZZAGENT REVIEW - Benecol

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Sat, 21 May 2011 19:34:00 +0000

All you guys might not know this but i'm an active BZZAGENT. this is where we can product test products from a company and we give our opinion on the products, However its hype free :)

picture from here

So i've been given the task of testing Benecol products. i got given some coupons for 75p off their products and also a free one for anything i wanted. i decided to use the voucher on the Light spreadable butter pack.

Value for money i have to give it 1 of 5 because of the £3.50 price tag, however. i've been using it a few days and the food is so much more tastier and i do feel much better for using their products.

Taste has to be 4 of 5.
I believed until I tried this product I thought, urghhh butter which is healthy, this is going to be rancid. i was pleasantly surprised that the texture and the taster we in fact better!

Packaging 5 of 5. end of.

The packaging is eye catching and nice to look at, very nice colour scheme and details what the product can do to your body with correct use.

I have 2 more vouchers so people near me can have the benefits of having 75p off any Benecol product which is scientifically proven to reduce cholesterol and reduce the change of heart disease! so a win win situation :)

PODCAST!! 19th May 2011!!

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Thu, 19 May 2011 21:45:00 +0000

ITS HERE!!! Latest episode from my self, the resident mr. gill and the Special guest of Josh "Joakes" Oakes
We discuse a mitlitude of things in this episode even moving onto MOVIE NEWS!!!!

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-e3f51e88.html

Check this space for more updates... seriously... Please do :( you wont regret it :D

Loves
x

PODCAST TONIGHT

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:09:00 +0000

Oh yeah, and these as well

Thats right. hold tight... its another exciting show of THE WIN OF THE WEEK.

We have some fun old stuff to talk about tonight, would let you know but we dont know our selfs!!

Also another exciting voyage for the win of week..... TO BE ANNONCED TONIGHT!

BEsure to download your free copy tonight!!

The Win Of The Week Podcast! 9th may 2011

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Mon, 09 May 2011 20:48:00 +0000

Here we go again folks :) Me and our ever popular resident Mr bojangles talk everything gaming! even after the programme did wipe everything the first time around!

We talk:

- Xbox 720
- Nintendos PROJECT CAFÉ
- BF3
and much much more!

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-47ccd7de.html

hope you like the cast for this week!

Much loves!
XOXO

Lego Star Wars 3 (Xbox 360) REVIEW

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Sun, 08 May 2011 18:59:00 +0000

Finally got around to it...

Okay so you might have hazard a guess that in my last VG review I left a nice little Subtle Hint that i would be reviewing a game from the marvel that is "Lego" and the "Tt games" institute. Of course, This is the review on Lego Star Wars 3.

Prelude - Back story

So Pissed off, I rush into my local Media rental centre with Portal 2 in my grasp (As you may remember from a previous review) where i'm happily greeted to the words of "Oh your the portal guy then, Get another game of your choice and well just strait swap it!" My face was froze in shock and awe only comparable to.. well what I can only describe as a shocked "Manga" Face.

I approached the rentals wall and two games caught my eye, Lego Star Wars 3... Or... Call Of Duty Black Ops... Man how much I wanna kill those bastards Einie, Meanie, Miney and Moe.

So i drive home all excited thinking, "YEAH!!!!!! LEGO!!!!!" I come to a traffic light and am forced to stop by the furious, glowing red beacon. when I read the blurb on the back... I look up and drop the case thinking... "I didn't like the clone wars saga cartoons...." turns out, It follows one film (Episode 2) and the cartoons.... Brilliant :/

The studio/Den/My room/Hole - The review begins

So I placed the game disk in the Console, Sat down and waited to get in the game. I'm quite pleasently surprised with the detailing that the developers are starting to put into the Lego genre Games. There's a fight scene in the back ground of the menus which i couldn't do anything but watch. After a while, I got bored and happily pressed play; So far so good.

I get greeted to the comedy that are the Lego cut scenes where it evidently shows that the developers want to include that classic humour which has followed the Lego games series.

The cut-scene ends where i'm quite happily learning the controls in the footsteps of Padmé, Anakin and Obe-wan. a fight with some monster ass things continue and then...

HOLYCHRIST.com!
(Not a real website so i'm aware)

The game engine and the Xbox get one hell of a battering with the sheer amount of graphics and AI it has to read. The screen is FULL of droids... This is absolutely amazing and makes you really kick some ass... makes me wish martin Lawrence was with me... You know what he'll say.. "This shit just got real."

After the initial tutorial level your left in a ship.... I thought, Oh okay Screw you society i'm exploring. i run to the lift... "1/3 gold bricks" (God damn....)

Well i say God damn, I like the collectable features in these collection of games because when going back levels, you have different characters and then use their ability's... I actually found my self loving this later on in the game.

So i figure a couple of levels need playing, I approach the centre console. WOW. The menus are that which would compete with the minority report. I LOVE the way that all the menus are in the same place and not dotted around a massive building which proved tedious in Lego Indiana Jones. Also the details of having to warp to different galaxies to different levels... Om nom nom.

So basically, these features do provide [To me] a vital aspect to the games enjoyability factor. However, when I play games, especially on the Xbox speaking in a party... I. PLAY. GAMES.

I found my self bored within 15 mins of the first level. Its just the fact that my head there was a little voice saying "Hang on, ive basically just done that.... and that... and that" and what used to be fun, rapidly turned into boredom and also being quite tedious. i found me being bored of the Xbox all together :/ Bad times.

So overall this game deserve a nice meaty 8/10. Because to me playability factor in a game is important but the boredom after 15 mins just doesn't give it a right to have a 9.

Next Weeks Round Up!

Next up? Oh my lovelies, you have a few bi-polar choices to look forward too:

My first Gadget review! (Dependant on the outcome of O2's decision on my new phone.)

My second Customer Service review! (Autoglass Windscreen Chip repair/replacement.)
And if I get chance too... Possibly another game review! (Brink Xbox 360!)

Also don't forget, TheWinOfTheWeek pod casts will make another episode tomorrow with me, our regular Mr. billy gill and one of our loveable random Guests) and maybe possibly next weekend??

Oh, and before I go a BIGUP! the Readers in USA, Russia, Singapore and all over the world! Thanks for the ratings!

So untill tomorrow:

You stay fresh... Planet earth.

Customer Service Review O2 Lincoln

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Thu, 05 May 2011 19:04:00 +0000

Picture found on www.google.co.uk
O2 online - Link

Okay so this is going to be one of my more serious reviews and is purely based on the customer service at O2 Lincoln inside Waterside.

As you may or may not know, i am [Not] a proud owner of a Sony Ericsson X10i (BOOM NAME AND SHAME!) and i've had one handset have a "Catastrophic system failure" and the second replacement handset has literately just done the same thing after 5 months. I rang up Sony Ericsson help line and came through to an operator who basically said its O2's problem. I said "Okay, Thanks ill go through them."

DAY 1 - The Prelude

So i ring them up and demand that i have a new DIFFERENT handset. Obviously there was some struggle with tem understanding the situation but they finally got it when I mentioned im not paying the bill. Half an hour on hold went by and they announced "We can give you an Iphone 3GS for 75 pound charge" admittedly it was a good offer, however it was reconditioned and why should i pay for a phone which im not satisfied with. It should ave been free. The operators good will was greatly appreciated but I just couldn't allow them to take me for even more of a ride.

DAY 2 (Today) - The review.

I walk into a busy O2 store with three people behind the popular "Guru bar" Or to me and you, "The counter." I look around at the Very good and well thought out displays, showing offers, latest phones and tablets on offer/sale. A guy wearing the odd shirt out come up to me and says "Sorry for your wait, Can I help" he seemed a nice guy so I explained all of my situation and said "... so its bricked, its a geek term" The term "bricked" as im sure your aware means its useless or to better put it:

[Bricked - An electrical gadget which cannot serve its desired purpose and cannot perform basic operations; I.E Turn on]

So he says "Ahh im not a geek, Ill let you speak to one of these guys" rather jokingly and walks off. Enter the Face palm!!

I finally get greeted to possibly the best employee in the customer service sector I have ever spoken to. Well presentable and great manners, he understood my situation and was extremely knowledgeable about how to sort my situation out with no hassle. A great man to talk too and just made me feel as if I was being truly cared for. I walk in a pissed off irritable bastard, I walk out with a loan phone and feeling pretty good and relived there is good service out there.

So Mr Paulo De Oliveira. Well done you sir, You truly deserve a promotion or some kind of inter-company recognition award for the service you provide!

(I have asked for mr. Paulo De Oliveira's permission for using his name and will be notified on publication.)

SO overall id give the customer service on the phone a 7 out of 10 as its not perfect but it can be improved. However, In store i'd happily give a 10 of 10 Easily.

So if you want a phone with O2 i heavily suggest you go instore!

Mid week update - Best of the internet.... from Today!

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Hey what's happening guys, i've seen possibly one of the best things this week. Comes from a guy called Toby turner. His stuff is pretty good so I really suggest you go check him out. It comes in the form of the Song "Apologize" by onerepublic Ft. Timbaland but its a parody. I do like my parodies as of late so I thought its worth hitting you guys up! (Its below)

[ worth a mention as well that my one and only found this.. so all hurrahs to Miss Eleanor moss please :D]

Hope your all having a good week! tomorrow be sure to look at some more reviews i'm doing in the form of a customer service review at O2 Lincoln and also the game review of Lego Starwars 3.

Peace!

<3

(MUSIC REVIEW) Take that - Progress

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Picture from PLAY.COM

I don't know why but every time I'm out in town with the lads, I have a few too many and then start singing "happy now" by Take that. I think that kinda gave me the idea of writing the review...

So Yes, this albums been out for a few months now and well, Its my first 10 of 10 *****

I remember when i was younger when boybands were on my Kill list and spice girls were on my love list (No point in denying it) so when "Take That" made the news to announce a comeback i thought just like my best mate "Its like the soprano's, ITS OVER! get a new show!" a few years later, im fighting the masive gang of superfans for tickets. I wouldnt say im my self a superfan, but I thoroughly enjoy their output.

Something which ive managed to point out in the band, is that you can really tell there's a sense of friendship (This is before robbie joined back) A sense of unity and they love what they do.

Enter Robbie Williams.

I think it was Howard said in an interview that they cant trust him as of yet but its building. In "Progress" you can just tell there is a sense of unity again, best mates gelling together to make Awe-spiring (Awesome + Aspire) music.

The highlight song to me is "Happy now" which as many Britons saw on their television sets on "Red nose day" They can have fun and are willing to have a laugh. The seriousness of their music is apparent from track 1 (The Flood) but they cans till do stuff like this, Its Refreshing to see there just a group of people like us, not full of them self (I could be wrong but they all do look genuine)

So overall, This has to be one of the best albums I own along side Freezepop (They own.)

If you haven't got their album yet, YouTube or buy it! You WILL NOT be disappointed

(I take no responsibility if you buy it and your disappointed. Sucks to be you.)

Portal 2! Oh GLaDOS would be proud.... SPOILERS - Dont say i warned ya!

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:15:00 +0000

After playing "Homefront", i really needed to get my self out of the infamous video game rut. What better to do that than what i've been raving about for the past month... But portal 2.

I started talking to The ever popular Billy Gill about how this were to link into Portal 1 seeing as "Chell" was left to die as the screen left to blank while large parts of the Aperture laboratories. If you were to buy the first one off steam now, the endings changed, You get pulled back into the lab by an unknown robotic sound. THIS BLEW MY MIND!! for this reason i love Valve. They just seem to have that attention to detail that No other game company seem to have. That extra forcefulness to iron out the impurity even if it is just a few second clip.

So, right the game. Until I immediately started to play, I stood by the fact of "If its not broken, don't fix it." for valves sake, Ill happily stand that to the side. The graphics developed form the 2007 release to the now 2011 release, the graphical improvement is 10 fold! I was blown away taking my few steps and somehow they just seamed to be getting better throughout the game, I think its just the attention to detail in which is placed into everything, The ominous scenery, the nerving sounds and the intense environment you get placed in shortly after "WHEATLY" (Stephen Merchant) wakes you up.

While were on the subject of "Wheatly", He has to be the best character in a video game for the past few years. The witty, clever humour of Stephen merchant and the changeability of a Crazed GLaDOS makes this game just that even more comfortable and humours. Also to add, The award for best Actor to play a character in a video game for a while goes to Stephen Merchant <3

So going through the game, we see the true destruction of the aperture science test chambers as we delve deaper into the heart with your trusty side kick Wheatly. So the test go past and then the tides turn for the worst, eventually you end up falling to the very bottom of the humongous facility. This is, for me, where the game makes it amazing. We discover through the ages of the ancient tests in which CAVE JOHNSON guides you through. Decorated with the old propaganda style posters and the contrast of colours and little details shows you and guides you through the years of Aperture's existence and the unfortunate downfall of Cave Johnson (JK Simmons).

So basicly, the only downside of this game which to me was near-perfect is that of a fundamental Glitch.

If your lucky, you'll get a glitch which will ruin this game. (MASSIVE SPOILER!) as you raise to meet a crazed wheatly you'll get to see that he mentions ways to defend himself in the next 5 minuets of fighting. Well, At this point he should fire bombs at you. on my game, He didn't. you just fanny around for 5 mins and then drop to the floor in tour poison induced death.

(Video on my Youtube page! search thewinoftheweek)

Overall i'm going to give this game a 9 of 10. The best game i've played by far! Please, i beg you. Drop Black ops, Pick up your copy of Portal 2!

Next time what am i going to have a look at? Here a hint!

"Play Well" boys n girls!

HOMEFRONT (Xbox 360) Review!!! SPOILERS

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:16:00 +0000

Whats happening guys, as i type this is currently sat in a lesson (which ive completeated) so please excuse this if its abit "edgy"

Now im gonna Rant about, the dramatic faliure of HOMEFRONT (Xbox 360)
Going to one of my best mates houses and seeing it gather dust, i ask "Are you even playing that?" He hapily replies "Nope" I then take up the chance to borrow the game. As he hands the box over to me he gently smiles. I know know why.

Now imagine my delight when i put the disk in, at the main menu, everything is running incredibly fast. A fast shoot em' up so i can run in guns blazing. screw all stealth missions.

I enter the game to one of the best intros to a game ive ever seen. It kind of reminds me as half life 2 where your on a dull train, instead your being taken through a town in collorado on a bus because the crazed Korean war machine want to sign you up as a piolot in the fictional KPA.

So here i am, In awe of the event leading up to your escape questioning "WHOLY CRAP?! CAN THEY ACTUALY DO THIS?" considdering the whole fiasco over the MW2 airport level, Im supprised this even go to mainstream with this idea.

So here i am runign around with a pistol thinking this game is awesome... I come across a collectable. (1 of 61)... FML.

I HATE COLLECTABLES IN VIDEO GAMES. I know video games arnt very realistic and the game is set in the future, but i pose to you ther reader 3 questions. Why are these collecables in the most stupid locations, Why are they glowing? And where the hell is this person putting these things?
Im all for Replay-abilty but collectables is not the way to go about it, Why cant they make a game like "Heavy rain (PS3)" where all decisions can unlock a different endings, like those books I didnt like [I LOVE <3!] where "Please turn to page 7" would decided your fate.

Okay so im prety impressed with how the game holds itself and the sheer amount of weaponry that i can use. i remeber starting with the pistol in the first level "Why we fight" and then picking up the M15.... The sound ressembling a secret love child of barry white and chuck noris. This meaning the sweet sexual tennor of Mr Barry while while having the punch of chuck noris's hidden fist... Infact, Just chuck noris loking the enemy in the eye. The story line is, in my opinon alright not factic, but alright. In places it can be predicatable and shocking which i love, i love to have compassion to the charecters when effectivly metaphorical human waste hits the metaphorical air blowing device.

One this that RUINED this game for me. the ending. I liek being left on a cliff hanger, especialy the emotional roller coaster this game provides, however when what happends happends. Your left thinking "Oh. No 2 then...." not "WHOLY SHIT! IS THERE A NUMBER 2?!?!" THQ might as well of just put on the screen "TO BE CONTINUED..."

Over all id rate this game as a 3 - 5 orr 6 - 10. I would recomend it a play, but its not my kind of thing.

Have a go at it, and let me know what you all think!!
Peace!

Back and running!! 24/04/2011

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 09:47:00 +0000

HAPPY EASTER!

In this episode we have the Awesome Mr Jonathan Danby Right beside my self and our resident, the ever popular MR. billy gill.

We talk about Porn (Funny names in the adult entertainment sector) We argue... Decide Portal 2 is possibly THE best game ever, and then we rant some more.

NOT forgetting though, our new segment called BIGtom Vs.

Now we should change the name seeing as me and billy are on the same team :/

Anyway give it a listen, let us know what you think :)

We are going to do a segment where were going to answer your questions aswell so please hit us up on Facebook, here or our email address thewinoftheweek@hotmail.co.uk

Till Next week, the download is in below.

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-3b6e80b5.html

Episode 1!!!

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Alright, its not perfect.
actualy making a plan for next week :)

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-17d4c30a.html

Much love!

Trailer!

sirsmudge@hotmail.co.uk (BIGtom) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:25:00 +0000

Hey all! Welcome to my new show!! This is simply the trailer first to get the ball rolling. but do me a favour you guys?? Send me some questions, we will answer them on the show!!

http://www.datafilehost.com/download-78bc195f.html
Next weeks episode will be better :D

Peace out yall!