SONG OF THE MONTH: Abracadabra by Lady Gaga (March 2025)

WORTH A LOOK? *****

Mother Monster’s best single since Born This Way in 2011 finds her experimenting with industrial house and sampling/giving songwriting credits to Siouxsie and The Banshees as she tees up new album Mayhem.

  • Read on for reasons including how we haven’t been this excited in years for a new Gaga album
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 5 starring Scarlet, Saga Ludvigsson & Arvingarna

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 1 March 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Husqvarna Garden, Jönköping

Male soloists have perhaps surprisingly won each of the 1st 4 MF heats and we’ve our fingers crossed for female duo Scarlet (pictured above) to step up on Saturday and break that run with their hard gothic rock.

  • Read on for reasons including Saga Ludvigsson, Arvingarna and Victoria Silvstedt
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for March 2025 starring James Graham’s Punch

  1. James Graham’s Punch at the Young Vic

Author Graham (Boys From The Blackstuff, National Theatre) is enjoying a prolific run of theatre and TV writing including Brian And Maggie most recently on Channel 4. This transfers from Nottingham Playhouse and is based on a book by Jacob Dunne about an impulsive punch that leads to fatal consequences at the Young Vic. Runs 1 March through 26 April 2025. Tickets Cast includes Coronation Street‘s Julie Hesmondhalgh. Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Lady Gaga and Welly albums and double Eurovision winner Loreen live
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THEATRE REVIEW: Alterations starring Arinze Kene at the National Theatre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Friday 20 February, opens 27 February and runs through 5 April 2025 RUNTIME: 120 minutes (no interval)

Kene (2018’s Best Theatre Actor monsta winner for Misty, Bush Theatre) plays tailor Walker in 70s London with designs on a Carnaby Street business who is part of the Windrush generation negotiating aspiration with loss of community.

  • Read on for reasons including how Alterations is laugh-out-loud funny but also illuminating about difference, ambition and sacrifice
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 4 starring Måns Zelmerlöw

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 22 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Malmö Arena, Malmö

The big news this week is the return of 2015 Eurovision winner Mans Zelmerlow and, on the evidence of the 60-second clip, he might not be the runaway 2025 MF victor he appeared to be at the start of the series.

  • Read on for reasons including Tennessee Tears and Andreas Lundstedt
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GIG REVIEW: Welly at Heartbreakers, Southampton

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Thursday 13 February, tour runs through 3 August 2025 with dates being added Tickets

I’ve reviewed these guys so many times, I don’t know how else to say “Go and see them!”

  • Read on for reasons including how Welly will sound Girls Aloud next album
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GIG REVIEW: Patti LuPone: A Life In Notes at London Coliseum

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***** Tour continues through 24 May 2025 Tickets

Setlist: A Song For You; Come-On-A My House; Summertime Summertime; Ebb Tide; We Kiss In A Shadow; Teen Angel; Town Without Pity; I Wish It So; Some People; Lilac Wine; Alfie; Saratoga Summer Song; The Man That Got Away; Those Were The Days; On Broadway; Don’t Cry For Me Argentina; I Dreamed A Dream; The Ladies Who Lunch; Stars; Anything Goes; Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye; I Didn’t Know What Time It Was; Time After Time; Make You Feel My Love; Ready To Begin Again (Manya’s Song); Forever Young

This ornate London theatre has a 2,558 capacity and it’s testament to LuPone’s star quality during this biographical show in which she appears onstage with only 2 musicians that it feels much more intimate.

  • Read on for reasons including how LuPone’s star quality make this gigantic venue fizz with the intimacy of an off-Broadway dive bar
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FILM REVIEW: Nosferatu starring Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin & Willem Dafoe

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: **** RUNTIME: 133 minutes

This is the 1st film we’ve seen Depp in and the daughter of actors Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis is both other-worldly and hugely captivating in a pivotal role that must convince in this tale of 2 very different worlds colliding here.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is a superbly crafted horror from a director at the top of his game
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Polari by Olly Alexander (February 2025)

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

TRACKLIST: Polari; Cupid’s Bow; I Know; Shadow Of Love; Make Me A Man; Dizzy; Archangel; Miss You So Much; When We Kiss; Whisper In The Waves; Beautiful; Heal You; Language

Duets with Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys and Elton John mean the groundwork has been laid and that this 1st official solo album’s predominantly uptempo, 80s-influenced musical theme makes perfect sense.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Alexander on his tour including the London Palladium this year
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2025 heat 3 starring Greczula, Malou Prytz & Annika Wickihalder

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås

Established male MF stars have won the 1st 2 Melodifestivalen heats and this week we believe it’s the turn of newcomer Greczula to shine.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for who will finish where on Saturday
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