GIG REVIEW: Sigrid at Cruilla Festival, Barcelona

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Wednesday 8 July, festival runs through 11 July and Sigrid tours through 5 September 2026

SETLIST: I’ll Always Be Your Girl; Burning Bridges; Plot Twist; Sucker Punch; Jellyfish; High Five; Head On Fire; Mirror; Don’t Feel Like Crying; Do It Again; Have You Heard This Song Before?; Home To You; Dynamite; It Gets Dark; Fort Knox; Don’t Kill My Vibe; Strangers

It’s over 30 degrees in Barcelona’s Parc del Fòrum by the sea as Sigrid takes to the stage as 1 of the opening acts of this 4-day festival which means ‘crossroads’ in Catalan.

  • Read on for reasons including how Cruilla is the perfect soundtrack to both England and Spain progressing to next week’s World Cup semis
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GIG REVIEW: Duran Duran, Scissor Sisters, Nile Rodgers & Groove Armada at BST Hyde Park

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By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN? Sunday 5 July 2026, Duran Duran tour through 3 November 2026

This must be the 8th time we’ve seen them; the last a year to the day at Chelmsford Racecourse. And I always say “They’re better than ever before”.

  • Read on for reasons including Scissor Sisters, Melanie C, Nile Rodgers & Chic & Groove Armada
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for August 2026 starring Cate Blanchett

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Cate Blanchett in Electra/Persona

Blanchett (The Seagull, Barbican) stars opposite Nina Hoss (The Cherry Orchard, Donmar) in Benedict Andrews’ (Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Apollo Theatre) production fusing ancient myth and modern psychology at the Lyttelton at the National 19 August through 10 October 2026. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Abigail’s Party, Kimberley Akimbo and Letitia Wright in The Story
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Confessions II by Madonna (July 2026)

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

Tracklist: I Feel So Free; Good For The Soul; One Step Away; Bring Your Love; Danceteria; Read My Lips; Everything; Love Sensation; Love Without Words; Bizarre; School; Fragile; My Sins Are My Saviour; Betrayal; The Test; L.E.S Girl

Confessions II is the mostly misleading title for this album which isn’t Madonna’s best album for the 21 years since Confessions On A Dancefloor but her best … ever.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is the best album of 2026 so far
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GIG REVIEW: Robyn at The 02

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Friday 2 July, tour runs through 24 November 2026

Setlist: Blow My Mind; Fembot; Talk To Me; Hang With Me; Ever Again; Dopamine; Honey; Life: Love Is Free; Sexistential; Really Real; Love Kills; Be Mine; It Don’t Mean A Thing; Sucker For Love; Light Up; With Every Heartbeat; Missing U; Call Your Girlfriend; Dancing On My Own; Show Me Love

Prince’s Little Red Corvette plays throughout this 20,000 capacity venue as all 5 ft 3 inches of Robin Miriam Carlsson, better known as Robyn, prepares to take the stage for her biggest London gig yet.

  • Read on for reasons including what are the results of switching up to arenas with an album designed to remind of the Body Talk era
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Danceteria by Soft Cell (July 2026)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Danceteria is the name of the New York nightclub where Soft Cell‘s young Marc Almond and Dave Ball would party until the small hours after recording sessions for their 1981 debut LP Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

  • Read on for reasons including Almond’s thoughts on the upcoming final album and its Madonna link
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Emotionally Unavailable by Suede (week beginning Sunday 28 June 2026)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Next month the LP which won our monsta for Best Album of 2025 – Antidepressants by Suede – is released in an expanded version and this is 1 of the new tracks featured on it.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see Suede on tour with the Manic Street Preachers this year
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The B-52s and DEVO Cosmic De-evolution Tour, The O2, London with The Rezillos & Lene Lovich

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By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Saturday 20 June, tour runs through 31 October 2026

Not being a fan of The O2 at dizzying heights, we managed to get arena floor seats and after some argy-bargy with the security (removing high-up signs), we managed to get fantastic views, despite being a seated gig. I think the special early bar helped with that, to be honest. 

  • Read on for reasons including how love rules at the Love Shack
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OMD, Peter Hook and the Light & Andrew Cushin at Guild Hall, Southampton

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By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: 19 June 2026 and touring through 1 September 2026

Loved their early singles, liked most of the later ones, so why haven’t we been to see them before? We love Andy McCluskey when he appears as any talking head, so we knew we’d love them on stage.

  • Read on for reasons including Orchestral Manoeuvres in the sunset, rather than the dark
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