SONG OF THE MONTH: Midnight Sun by Zara Larsson (September 2025)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Meteorological summer may be over but Larsson’s 5th album, of which this is the title track, aims to encapsulate a Swedish summer where the sun never goes down.

  • Read on for reasons including how album 5 is business as usual for Larsson
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GIG REVIEW: Suede at Clore Ballroom, Southbank Centre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Tuesday 26 August, tour runs through 21 February 2026

Setlist: Disintegrate; Dancing With The Europeans; Antidepressants; Sweet Kid; The Sound And The Summer; Somewhere Between An Atom And A Star; Broken Music For Broken People; Criminal Ways; Trance State; June Rain; Life Is Endless, Life Is A Moment

Snowblind; She Still Leads Me On; Personality Disorder; Shadow Self; No Tomorrow; Tides; Turn Off Your Brain And Yell; The Only Way That I Can Love You; It Starts And Ends With You; Outsiders

This is not supposed to happen.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was not the gig we expected or wanted
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THEATRE REVIEW: Interview starring Robert Sean Leonard & Paten Hughes at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Monday 25 August, runs through 27 September 2025 RUNTIME: 90 minutes (without interval)

A war correspondent in Ukraine blames himself for the maiming of his photographer, is demoted and sent to interview a New York influencer turned actress he has little interest in.

  • Read on for reasons including how these are 2 people going at each other who it’s difficult to muster much empathy for
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INTERVIEW: Rick Witter from Shed Seven on hairbrush singing, Showaddywaddy, Duran Duran & Victorious Festival

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

I like to explain what kind of fan I am before a review/interview. I tell Rick I’m dead nervous as I’m such a fangirl. We’ve seen the Sheds many times, here at Victorious, in local venues and at the Shiiine On Weekender many times in Butlins. “Don’t be nervous,” he tells me. “I’m a nice guy. We’ll just have a nice chat like we’re round a pub table.” And he is a nice guy.  

  • Read on for reasons including how to select a festival setlist from material going back to the 90s
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Victorious Festival 2025 Day 3 starring Melanie C, Kings Of Leon, Craig David & She’s Got Brass

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Sunday 24 August 2025 (press ticket)

The sun kindly shone on the only UK seaside festival the whole weekend. We all remember the fun we had in the torrential rain during that Prodigy set back in 2018, but it certainly helps when it’s dry. I’m sure I had white Birkenstocks when I went on Friday, but the dust has turned everything brown. 

  • Read on for reasons including Craig David, Kings of Leon, Melanie C and She’s Got Brass
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2025 starring Entertaining Mr Sloane

  1. Entertaining Mr Sloane at Young Vic Theatre

Rizzle Kick Jordan Stephens makes his theatre debut opposite Tamzin Outhwaite (Stepping Out, Vaudeville Theatre) in this revival of the classic Joe Orton comedy. Runs at the Young Vic Theatre 15 September through 8 November 2025. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Stephen Fry in Oscar Wilde, new Divine Comedy and Suede LPs
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Victorious Festival 2025 Day 2 starring Shed Seven, Utah Saints, Public Service Broadcasting, The Pill & Betty Boo

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Saturday 23 August 2025 (press ticket)

In our attempt to fill the sad Welly gap, before we realised that Hot Wax were possibly the new best thing, we knew The Pill, who opened the Common Stage today, were a cert. We’d seen them support Welly in Southampton earlier this year, and we could see and sense the potential.

  • Read on for reasons including Shed Seven, Utah Saints, Public Service Broadcasting & Betty Boo
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Victorious Festival 2025 Day 1 starring The Charlatans, Madness, Ash, Hot Wax and The Mary Wallopers

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 22 August 2025 (press ticket)

There was a different feeling about this 12th annual south coast festival (the two years previous to this, it was held in the Dockyard).

  • Read on for reasons including Charlatans, Hot Wax, Ash, The Mary Wallopers and Madness
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THEATRE REVIEW: Juniper Blood at Donmar Warehouse by Mike Bartlett

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Tuesday 19 August, opens 26 August and runs through 4 October 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including 2 intervals)

What do you get if you cross the desire for self-sufficiency of TV’s The Good Life with the farming techniques of wilding and regeneration seen in Clarkson’s Farm?

  • Read on for reasons including how this is 1 of the most interesting plays 1 of this country’s most celebrated writers has yet penned
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THEATRE REVIEW: Born With Teeth starring Ncuti Gatwa & Edward Bluemel at Wyndham’s Theatre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Saturday 16 August, opens 2 September and runs through 1 November 2025 RUNTIME: 90 minutes (without interval)

Will they or won’t they? There’s real sexual tension between Gatwa’s roistering mentor Kit Marlowe and Bluemel’s in awe fanboy Shakespeare.

  • Read on for reasons including how Born With Teeth boasts plenty of bite, much to chew and lots that’s entertaining to swallow
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