Sunday’s Coronation Concert on the grounds of Windsor Castle is getting royally ridiculed online.
“A cheesy display of undazzling star-wattage,” opined the Financial Times. Variety opined that “so much of the show felt trivial and unmemorable.”
The Evening Standard said “host Hugh Bonneville deserved Oscars galore for declaring the night ‘overflowing with mega-talent’ and then, with unflinching conviction, introducing Olly Murs.”
At iNews, the spectacle was summed up this way: “As a showcase for the arts, the King’s Coronation Concert was not exactly the best of British.”
Katy Perry performing “Firework” at King Charles’ Coronation concert. pic.twitter.com/4Jn9QG3LIV
— Katy Perry Activity (@KatyActivity) May 7, 2023
On social media, viewers did not hold back. “This is a cruise ship concert,” read one tweet. “It's absolutely shocking.”
Lionel Richie’s vocals on his hits “Easy” and “All Night Long” were singled out in several reviews. The Guardian described as “like someone walking barefoot over Lego” and The Evening Standard said that based on his “unnatural” intonations on “All Night Long,” Richie “might have been replaced by an AI getting Lionel Richie slightly wrong.”
New Zealand’s Stuff mentioned “the off-pitch performance by once-great crooner Richie, that raised eyebrows across the crowd.
I thought it was bad when Kermit didn't sound like Kermit...
— Mr_Mac (@gaz_mccarthy) May 7, 2023
...but now Lionel Richie doesn't sound like Lionel Richie.#CoronationConcert
Inner ears issues or just can no longer do it?
— @Amazonvacations (@amazonvacations) May 7, 2023
Lionel Richie sorry but that sounded terrible #CoronationConcert pic.twitter.com/gqsT7prX7r
If anyone finds some lost keys in Windsor they belong to Lionel Richie #CoronationConcert
— David (@realdavidessex) May 7, 2023
Katy Perry, whom The Independent quipped was dressed “as a giant Quality Street” candy, fared better for her performance of “Roar” and “Firework.”
Also performing at the concert were Nicole Scherzinger (who did “Reflection” from Mulan), Andrea Bocelli and Bryn Terfel (“You’ll Never Walk Alone”), Steve Linwood (“Higher Love”), Tiwa Savage (“Keys to the Kingdom”) and Take That (“Never Forget”).
Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' at the King Charles III Coronation Concert.@BBC courtesy#CoronationConcert pic.twitter.com/NU0bXY0Ayc
— Andrea Bocelli (@AndreaBocelli) May 7, 2023
It was incredible to perform live together again for the first time in 4 years and there is so much more to come. We're back for good #CoronationConcert #CoronationOnTheBBC #iPlayer #BBC pic.twitter.com/Rw4oy6M4rZ
— Take That (@takethat) May 8, 2023
In March, it was reported that many A-list music stars, including Adele, Harry Styles and Elton John turned down invitations to perform at the Coronation Concert.
On Sunday night, The Guardian suggested there was a sense “that the show was cobbled together from what they could get.”