Month: April 2018

GIG REVIEW: Kim Wilde at KOKO

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: KOKO

WHEN: 26/4, tour runs to 29/4/18

SETLIST: Stereo Shot; Water On Glass; Never Trust A Stranger; Kandy Krush; Cambodia; Birthday; Yours ‘Til The End; Another Step; Words Fell Down; Bladerunner; If I Can’t Have You; Rosetta; View From A Bridge; Chequered Love; You Came; You Keep Me Hangin’ On; 1969; Pop Don’t Stop; Kids In America

It’s rare for an act of Kim Wilde’s vintage (first hit 1981) to release a new album (Here Come The Aliens in March) that sits so well in a greatest hits set.

  • Read on for reasons including why you should look out for Scarlett Wilde

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GIG REVIEW: Saara Aalto at Under The Bridge

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Under The Bridge

WHEN: 25/4, tour runs to 10/11/18

SETLIST: Queens; Hån; Dance; Diva; Euphoria; Rise Like A Phoenix; Every Way That I Can; Rock’n’ Roll Kids; No Fear; Don’t Deny Our Love; My Touch; Domino; Calm After The Storm; Dance Like Nobody’s Watching; Con Te Partiro; Half A Heart; Wild Wild Wonderland; Monsters

The Eurovision Song Contest might mean a once-a-year event to you but for this year’s Finnish contestant Saara Aalto it is the culmination of a 14-year quest.

  • Read on for reasons including the highlights from new LP Wild Wild Wonderland

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GIG REVIEW: Sheridan Smith at the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Royal Albert Hall

WHEN: 24/4, tour runs to 29/4/18

SETLIST: Don’t Rain On My Parade; Crazy; I Smell A Rat; Addicted To Love; Dinner At Eight; Mad about The Boy; Superstar; City Of Stars; Hey Big Spender; Anyone Who Had A Heart; Take Another Piece of My Heart; Talking In Your Sleep; My Man; 9 to 5; This Is Me; And I Am Telling You; I Will Survive/Happy

Sheridan Smith takes a sip of what she assures us is water (not vodka), belches and observes: ‘I should have left that one back in Wolverhampton.’

  • Read on for reasons including why we think a second album’s on the cards

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THEATRE REVIEW: Finding My Voice starring Kathleen Turner at The Other Palace

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Other Palace

WHEN: 21/4 runs to 6/5/18

‘I was nude on Broadway at 48,’ remembers this screen legend during a two-hour-plus show of songs and stories which reveal what an interesting character Kathleen Turner is

  • Read on for reasons including why women’s health and meals on wheels is so important to Turner

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THEATRE REVIEW: An Ideal Husband starring Frances Barber, Freddie Fox & Edward Fox

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHERE: Vaudeville Theatre

WHEN: 20/4, press night 3/5, runs to 14/7/18

There are 3 compelling reasons to see this production: Frances Barber, Freddie Fox (pictured above) and Oscar Wilde.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is the best of Classic Spring’s Wilde season so far

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Q&A: The Bridge series 4 starring Sofia Helin and Thure Lindhardt

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHERE: BFI

WHEN: 17/4/18, final series begins on BBC2 in May

‘Every Saga ends’ reads the promo line for the 4th and final series of The Bridge which airs on BBC2 in May – but it might all have finished much earlier.

  • Read on for reasons including how Saga Norén was originally due to die in season 1

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TV PREVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest Final 2018 starring Saara Aalto

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN: 12/5/18

WHERE: Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal

The 63rd Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Portugal for the 1st time ever and we’re predicting the tightest voting for many years with at least half a dozen songs in contention.

  • Read on for our final predictions including the reveal of our 5 potential winners Read More

GIG REVIEW: John Barrowman with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Leicester Square Theatre

WHEN: 13/4, runs to 14/4/18

We’ve always been big fans of John Barrowman but why have we never heard of the wise-cracking pianist and interviewer Seth Rudetsky who brings out the very best of the Torchwood star here?

  • Read on for reasons including how Barrowman’s first audition was his big break 

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THEATRE REVIEW: Instructions For Correct Assembly starring Jane Horrocks, Mark Bonnar & Brian Vernel

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Royal Court Theatre

WHEN: 9/4, press night 13/4 runs to 19/5/18

Hari and Max are mourning the loss of their son but have found a novel coping mechanism, they are going to build a flat-pack replacement of him.

  • Read on for reasons including how illusions are used to great effect here

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TV PREVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest 2018 semi final 2 starring Jessica Mauboy

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: 10/5/18

WHERE?: Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal

Semi 1 is the appetiser for a much stronger semi 2 where we find the first three of four potential winners.

  • Who’s through and who’s on the 1st plane out of Lisbon? Read on for our semi 2 predictions

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