Crikey! It's Top Gear Live... and it's Loud!
by Tess Tarossa on Nov 5th, 2010One billion people can't be wrong. If you're wondering, that genuinely is how many people watch Top Gear worldwide. No wonder presenter Jeremy Clarkson's ego is the size of a small country. You wouldn't think that a TV program featuring three rather eccentric English chaps doing silly things and talking about, um, cars would garner such a loyal following across the globe. But somehow it has, and for a few years they've been doing Top Gear Live, or "Gear Top Live" as James May inexplicably called it. Thanks to the lovely people at Shell V-Power, Badger went along to Earl's Court in London to check it out...
Jeremy Clarkson opened the show in his true non-PC style ... with a joke about Fernando Alonso's "monobrow". At that moment, we knew we were all in for a treat. Pyrotechnics, loud head-banging music, daredevil stunts, seriously cool cars, and a special mention goes to the driver of the motorcross bike. Amazing.
Robin Reliant Football, naturally
The new Stig was unveiled (and Badger can reveal Stig is, again, white) with a rather amusing accompanying video about the "breeding" of Stigs on a remote, idyllic English farm. Proving a point to Ben Collins then (the former Stig). We saw a brilliant live version of car-football, with the ever-reliable Reliant Robins as the cars of choice (which capsized on several occasions), with 'Captain Slow' aka James May winning against Richard 'the Hamster' Hammond.
An interactive 'Cool Wall' ensured some lively audience participation, with Clarkson of course fiddling the results ("democracy in action" were, I believe, his words). There was even a proposal! Clarkson got very excited and insisted the poor bloke, Wayne, accept the proposal immediately.
Being a good Top Gear fan he duly did. Would you cross Clarkson? No, didn't think so.
All in all Top Gear Live is a brilliant spectacle, especially if you're a fan of the TV series (which, judging by its popularity, you probably are). Just remember your ear plugs!
Badger will be running a competition shortly where you can win tickets for Top Gear Live at the MPH Show in Birmingham... stay tuned folks!
The Live interactive 'Cool Wall'
With special thanks to Shell V-Power.
For more on Shell V-Power and Shell V-Power Diesel, read "Badger's Science Lesson" - where get hands on with the fuel and find out what makes it so great... seriously. For more see here.
oh and i’d love to see a mark webber movie he is the most...
Comments and Discussion
Went to the Birmingham one last year.
TG Live was great.
MPH was rubbish.
Great if you like to look at a small number of mostly old supercars from behind a rope. The only decent exhibitor was Mitsubishi, and they let you sit in all the Evos on their stand.
Totally aggre - Top Gear Live was ace, but MPH just was a little disapointing. Most stands were dealers flogging cars, which you couldn't get close to as they did not want finger marks on them.
Didn't think the TG show or the MPH was as good as last year. MPH seemed to have loads of stallholders desperate to flog you something. Felt like you're at an insurance convention where everyone is trying to flog you something. Won't be going again. For what you pay its a complete rip.