Author: mrmonstagigz

GIG REVIEW: The Bluetones at Wedgwood Rooms, Portsmouth

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

BY: Carron Stacey

WHERE: Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

WHEN: 2/5/18, tour runs to 15/9/18

In 2016, Mr Humdrum and I saw The Bluetones at Shiiine On, Butlins. Maybe it was the nostalgia of my uni days, singing with my bestie to Slight Return, maybe it was the hangover from the night before dancing to Echo and the Bunnymen and The Wonder Stuff, I don’t know, but The Bluetones, supporting Shed Seven that year, were brilliant.

  • Read on for reasons including the link with This Life and The Walking Dead

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: The Writer starring Romola Garai

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: **

WHERE: Almeida

WHEN: 28/4 (matinee) runs to 26/5/18

A theatregoer is asked what she thinks of the play she has just seen and her response is one of the angriest and brilliant outbursts of new writing we’ve seen for a long time.

  • Read on for reasons including why Ella Hickson’s new play doesn’t sustain its blistering pace

Read More

GIG REVIEW: Kim Wilde at KOKO

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: KOKO

WHEN: 26/4, tour runs to 29/4/18

SETLIST: Stereo Shot; Water On Glass; Never Trust A Stranger; Kandy Krush; Cambodia; Birthday; Yours ‘Til The End; Another Step; Words Fell Down; Bladerunner; If I Can’t Have You; Rosetta; View From A Bridge; Chequered Love; You Came; You Keep Me Hangin’ On; 1969; Pop Don’t Stop; Kids In America

It’s rare for an act of Kim Wilde’s vintage (first hit 1981) to release a new album (Here Come The Aliens in March) that sits so well in a greatest hits set.

  • Read on for reasons including why you should look out for Scarlett Wilde

Read More

GIG REVIEW: Saara Aalto at Under The Bridge

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Under The Bridge

WHEN: 25/4, tour runs to 10/11/18

SETLIST: Queens; Hån; Dance; Diva; Euphoria; Rise Like A Phoenix; Every Way That I Can; Rock’n’ Roll Kids; No Fear; Don’t Deny Our Love; My Touch; Domino; Calm After The Storm; Dance Like Nobody’s Watching; Con Te Partiro; Half A Heart; Wild Wild Wonderland; Monsters

The Eurovision Song Contest might mean a once-a-year event to you but for this year’s Finnish contestant Saara Aalto it is the culmination of a 14-year quest.

  • Read on for reasons including the highlights from new LP Wild Wild Wonderland

Read More

GIG REVIEW: Sheridan Smith at the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Royal Albert Hall

WHEN: 24/4, tour runs to 29/4/18

SETLIST: Don’t Rain On My Parade; Crazy; I Smell A Rat; Addicted To Love; Dinner At Eight; Mad about The Boy; Superstar; City Of Stars; Hey Big Spender; Anyone Who Had A Heart; Take Another Piece of My Heart; Talking In Your Sleep; My Man; 9 to 5; This Is Me; And I Am Telling You; I Will Survive/Happy

Sheridan Smith takes a sip of what she assures us is water (not vodka), belches and observes: ‘I should have left that one back in Wolverhampton.’

  • Read on for reasons including why we think a second album’s on the cards

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Finding My Voice starring Kathleen Turner at The Other Palace

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Other Palace

WHEN: 21/4 runs to 6/5/18

‘I was nude on Broadway at 48,’ remembers this screen legend during a two-hour-plus show of songs and stories which reveal what an interesting character Kathleen Turner is

  • Read on for reasons including why women’s health and meals on wheels is so important to Turner

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: An Ideal Husband starring Frances Barber, Freddie Fox & Edward Fox

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

WHERE: Vaudeville Theatre

WHEN: 20/4, press night 3/5, runs to 14/7/18

There are 3 compelling reasons to see this production: Frances Barber, Freddie Fox (pictured above) and Oscar Wilde.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is the best of Classic Spring’s Wilde season so far

Read More

Q&A: The Bridge series 4 starring Sofia Helin and Thure Lindhardt

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHERE: BFI

WHEN: 17/4/18, final series begins on BBC2 in May

‘Every Saga ends’ reads the promo line for the 4th and final series of The Bridge which airs on BBC2 in May – but it might all have finished much earlier.

  • Read on for reasons including how Saga Norén was originally due to die in season 1

Read More

TV PREVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest Final 2018 starring Saara Aalto

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN: 12/5/18

WHERE: Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal

The 63rd Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Portugal for the 1st time ever and we’re predicting the tightest voting for many years with at least half a dozen songs in contention.

  • Read on for our final predictions including the reveal of our 5 potential winners Read More

GIG REVIEW: John Barrowman with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Leicester Square Theatre

WHEN: 13/4, runs to 14/4/18

We’ve always been big fans of John Barrowman but why have we never heard of the wise-cracking pianist and interviewer Seth Rudetsky who brings out the very best of the Torchwood star here?

  • Read on for reasons including how Barrowman’s first audition was his big break 

Read More