Month: March 2025

9 reasons why we can’t wait for April 2025 starring Self Esteem at the Duke Of York’s Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Self Esteem debuts new album at the Duke Of York’s Theatre in London

Rotherham-born Rebecca Lucy Taylor starred in Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End but is perhaps best known as pop star Self Esteem for last album Prioritise Pleasure, in 2021 an album of the month for us. She debuts 3rd album A Complicated Woman at gigs we join her for in London’s West End this month. Tickets are return only. Album out 25 April 2025 Our song of the month is new single 69. Our review of the gig and review of the album

  • Read on for reasons including Here We Are, new Conor McPherson play and Ewan McGregor onstage
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Mayhem by Lady Gaga (March 2025)

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

Tracklist: Disease; Abracadabra; Garden Of Eden; Perfect Celebrity; Vanish Into You; Killah; Zombieboy; Love Drug; How Bad Do U Want Me; Don’t Call Tonight; Shadow Of A Man; The Beast; Blade Of Grass; Die With A Smile

Lady Gaga’s 7th studio album pulls the magician’s trick of reminding fans of Mother Monster at her most successful while also pushing her boundaries musically into more credible territory before, we anticipate, a greatest hits album, world tour and then a career break.

  • Read on for reasons including Mayhem can lay claim to being the best album of 2025 so far
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GIG REVIEW: Loreen at Parel-Lel 62, Barcelona

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Saturday 8 March, tour runs through 16 August 2025

SETLIST: Jupiter Drive; Gravity; Forever; Warning Signs; Hate The Way I Love You; Statements; I’m In It With You; Dreams; Coming Close; Euphoria; Is it Love?; Tattoo

It’s International Women’s Day and while Sweden is choosing its Eurovision entry for 2025 the only woman to have won the competition twice is performing in Barcelona as part of an extensive European tour that reaches the UK and Ireland for 8 dates later this month.

  • Read on for reasons including how this up-for-it crowd responded magnificently to an artist clearly revelling in their enthusiasm for her
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THEATRE REVIEW: Otherland starring Jade Anouka & Fizz Sinclair at the Almeida

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By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Saturday 21 February, runs through 15 March 2025 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

The best bit of this unusual story is trans character Harry finding solace on the hill in Greenwich Park straddling the meridian and appreciating a line that only exists because someone says it does.

  • Read on for reasons including how Otherland feels overthought rather than fresh out of the box
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GIG REVIEW: Marcus & Martinus at 02 Islington Academy

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Wednesday 5 March 2025, tour runs through 23 August 2025

SETLIST: Like It Like It; Die For You; Gimme Your Love; Follow Me; Wonder; When All The Lights Go Out; Wicked Game; Heartbeat; Together; Plystre på deg; Wild Love; Air; Love Flow; We Are Not The Same; Another Life; The Room; Girls; One Flight Away; Elektrisk; Unforgettable

We weren’t expecting that noise – it’s a long time since we’ve been to a sold-out gig where the teenage shrieking is that ear-splitting in response to every little move these 23-year-old Norwegian twins make on stage.

  • Read on for reasons including how the duo’s older material is treated with the greatest appreciation
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THEATRE REVIEW: Punch at the Young Vic starring David Shields & Julie Hesmondhalgh

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Saturday 1 March 2025, runs through 26 April 2025 RUNTIME: 145 minutes (including a 20-minute interval) Update: Transfers to the Apollo Theatre 22 September through 29 November 2025 Tickets

In 2011 Jacob Dunne fatally punched a man in an unprovoked attack and received a two-and-a-half-year custodial sentence for manslaughter of which he served 14 months. 

  • Read on for reasons including how this is the best new play of the year so far
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen Finalen 2025 starring Greczula, Klara Hammarström & Måns Zelmerlöw 

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By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 8 March 2025 Strawberry Arena, Stockholm 7pm UK time

WHERE DO I WATCH?: SVTPlay

We predict that this year’s Melfest does contain a potential Eurovision winner in Basle in May but that it isn’t 2015 victor Måns Zelmerlöw or Spotify comedy chartoppers KAJ.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for how these finalists would fare in Eurovision 2025
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Seagull starring Cate Blanchett, Emma Corrin & Tanya Reynolds at the Barbican Centre

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By Neil Durham

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

WHEN? Friday 28 February 2025, runs through 5 April 2025 RUNTIME: 180 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Zachary Hart (The Constituent, Old Vic) plays the besotted Simon Medvedenko, arrives onstage on a quad bike with a guitar and performs Billy Bragg‘s The Milkman Of Human Kindness and we’re already in floods of tears because, like Chekhov’s gun, we know what’s to come.

  • Read on for reasons including how Blanchett’s Arkadina is extraordinarily monstrous without unbalancing this production
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