SONG OF THE WEEK: Freak Me Now by Jessie Ware & Roisin Murphy (week beginning 1 September 2023)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

That! Feels Good! is our favourite of Ware’s 5 albums and this 4th single from it features former Moloko frontwoman Murphy.

  • Read on for reasons including everything we know about Murphy’s new album and where to see her in London in 2024
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival 2023 day 3 starring Hard-Fi, The GO! Team, Dara O’Briain & The Freestylers

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Sunday 27 August 2023 (press pass)

Hard-Fi rock the Common Stage at their first festival in 11 years. Singer Richard Archer informs us that they usually specify to only play in places with a roof, but they let us off today, thankfully.

  • Read on for reasons including The GO! Team, Dara O’Briain and The Freestylers
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival 2023 starring McFly, Kaiser Chiefs, Inspiral Carpets and The Dhol Foundation (Day 2)

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Saturday 26 August 2023 (press pass)

It’s all about you. A while ago, rumours suggested that the special guest slot was going to be none other than 00s pop/rock boy band sensation McFly.

  • Read on for reasons including Kaiser Chiefs, Inspiral Carpets and The Dhol Foundation
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2023 starring Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

  1. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga

Last year’s televised show celebrating the work of the late great Sondheim was a real thrill and this month stars including Peters and Salonga perform some of the composer’s best-loved songs alongside Haydn Gwynne (The Welkin, National Theatre), Janie Dee (Follies, National Theatre) and Jac Yarrow (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, London Palladium). Runs at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre 16 September through 6 January 2024. Tickets Update: Performances now begin 21 September without Gwynne. Review

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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival 2023 starring Jamiroquai, Pete Tong Orchestra, The Charlatans & Welly (Day 1)

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 25 August 2023 (press pass)

Disco isn’t dead. The first year for a full Friday, kicking off for us with a drumming workshop from DrumNation Tribe at the People’s Lounge.

  • Read on for reasons including Jamiroquai, Pete Tong, The Charlatans and Welly
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival 2023 starring Cian Ducrot, Mae Muller, Welly & Billy Nomates (Day 1)

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: **** (press pass)

WHEN?: Friday 25 August 2023

A fortnight ago Cian Ducrot’s debut album topped the charts in both the UK and his native Ireland and this afternoon he opens his set on the Castle Stage with the title track from it, the appropriately titled Victory.

  • Read on for reasons including Mae Muller, Britain’s best new band Welly, Billy Nomates and The Charlatans
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GIG REVIEW: Welly at The Scoop, Tower Bridge

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

SETLIST: It’s Not Like This In France; Take 5; Home For The Weekend; Shopping; Deere John; Me And Your Mates; Flowers; A Right Royal Show; Big In The Suburbs

WHEN?: Thursday 24 August 2023, tour continues until 22 September 2023

We’ve not fallen quite so much in love with and head over heels for a band as we have with Welly since Pulp in the early 90s.

  • Read on for reasons including why Welly are your next favourite band and will be as big as 90s Blur in 18 months
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Summer Night City by Claire Richards & Andy Bell (week beginning Wednesday 23 August)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

31 years ago Erasure topped the UK charts with their ABBA-esque EP and now lead singer Andy Bell is duetting with Steps frontwoman Claire Richards on the pair’s new single.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Richards performing solo later this year
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THEATRE REVIEW: A Mirror starring Jonny Lee Miller, Tanya Johnson & Micheal Ward at the Almeida

By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: **** RUNTIME: 120 minutes (without interval) UPDATE: This production transfers to the Trafalgar Theatre for 13 weeks from 22 January 2024 Tickets

WHEN?: Saturday 19 August, opens 23 August and runs through 23 September 2023

You join us at the wedding of Leyla and Joel as this play-within-a-play-within-a-play about the power of creating a narrative to perpetuate power begins.

  • Read on for reasons including how the audience were asked to behave as if at a wedding during this production
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SONG OF THE WEEK: These Are The Days by S Club (week beginning Thursday 17 August 2023)

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

One of the saddest stories of the year was the death of former S Club 7 member Paul Cattermole by natural causes aged just 46 shortly after his band announced a 15-date UK tour reunion this autumn.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see S Club on their Good Times tour
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