Month: September 2019

THEATRE REVIEW: Brooklyn – The Musical at Greenwich Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE? Greenwich Theatre RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

WHEN? press night 30/9, closes 19/10/19 (press ticket)

‘When you change someone’s life, you change your own’, is the sentiment of this European premiere of a show which breaks your heart before helping you to piece it back together again, beautifully.

  • Read on for reasons including why this press night deserved its standing ovation plus this five stars (and stripes) review

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for October 2019 starring Shakespears Sister

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  1. Shakespears Sister Ride Again tour saddles up at the Palladium

This unlikely reunion may have been over a quarter of a century in the making but Siobhan Fahey and Marcella Detroit have released three excellent, different yet complementary singles this year already, winning both our Song and Albums of the month. The 14-date UK reunion tour kicks off rather appropriately on Halloween and we join the band at the Palladium on Bonfire Night. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Dear Evan Hansen, Lungs, Cher and Mary Poppins

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Charli by Charli XCX (September 2019)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

TRACKLIST: Next Level Charli; Gone (with Christine and the Queens); Cross You Out (ft Sky Ferreira); 1999 (with Troye Sivan); Click (ft Kim Petras and Tommy Cash); Warm (ft Haim); Thoughts; Blame It On Your Love (ft Lizzo); White Mercedes; Silver Cross; I Don’t Wanna Know; Official; Shake It (ft Big Freedia, Cupcakke,Brooke Candy & Pabilo Vittar); February 2017 (ft Clairo & Yaeji); 2099 (ft Troye Sivan)

Charli XCX is arguably best known for a song she wrote for Icona Pop (I Love It was a UK chart topper and a US top 10 in 2012) and a feature with co-write on Iggy Azalea’s US number 1 Fancy two years later.

  • Read on for reasons including Christine and the Queens, HAIM, Lizzo and Troye Sivan

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LAST NIGHT: CABARET REVIEW: Gals Aloud starring Cheryl Hole from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK at the Underbelly Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Underbelly Festival RUNTIME: 70 minutes

WHEN? 19/9/19

Cheryl Hole (pictured centre above) thinks Gals Aloud are more likely to be performing together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the formation of Girls Aloud in 2022 than the actual group.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Cheryl on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK

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GIG REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys at Hyde Park for BBC Radio 2 Live

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Pugmire

WHERE? Hyde Park (press ticket)

WHEN? 15/9/19

If you had to choose the perfect headliners for a Radio 2 festival, it might be the Pet Shop Boys. Famous for matching intelligent lyrics with irresistible synth-pop hooks, and with a 30-year back catalogue to plunder, they could easily entertain thousands of 30 to 50-somethings gathered in Hyde Park on a balmy Sunday evening.

  • Read on for reasons including Bananarama, Clean Bandit, Westlife and Status Quo

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our Best Performance of a Song of 2019 so far

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2018 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2019 so far and what’s to come. Getting Married Today (Company) and Tight Connection To My Heart (Girl From The North Country) are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best performances of a song of 2019 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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INTERVIEW: Ms Humdrum meets her favourite local businesses at Victorious Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey

WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)

WHEN?: 23 – 25/8/19

During a festival, one of the things Mr Humdrum and I like to do, in that quiet slot between bands, is to wander around looking at the stalls.

  • Read on for reasons including Ms Humdrum meeting some of her favourite vendors at Victorious 

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INTERVIEW: Ms Humdrum talks to Tonic Ska Choir at Victorious Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey

WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)

WHEN?: 23 – 25/8/19

During my stint as a reporter at Victorious Festival last month, one of my highlights was to interview two people who work for the charity Tonic Music for Mental Health’s Ska Choir.

  • Read on for reasons including where to join the Tonic Ska Choir

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