We awarded 12 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2016 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2017 so far and what’s to come. James McAvoy and George Mackay are previous winners in this category.
BY: Carron Stacey
WHERE?: London Stadium
WHEN: 3/6
Two admissions – I’m a fair weather Moder, preferring the older pop stuff, my allegiance culminating circa Enjoy the Silence, with Everything Counts as my ultimate favourite.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Dorfman Theatre, National
WHEN: 3/6, press night 7/6 runs to 18/7
STOP PRESS: Barber Shop Chronicles runs at the Camden Roundhouse in summer 2019. Tickets
Barber Shop Chronicles is an ambitious and fun 105-minute play without interval set in barber shops in London, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
OUT: now
TRACKLIST: The Reunion; Something New; Magpie Eyes; Whyteleafe; Dive; Church Pew Furniture Restorer; Take It All In; Popmaster; Underneath The Apple Tree; Out Of My Mind; After Hebden; Breakneck Hill; Heather; Sports Report; Train Drivers In Eyeliner; Unopened Fanmail; What Kind Of World; Sweet Arcadia; Angel Of Woodhatch
Saint Etienne are now out on tour, we’ve had a look at a recent setlist and are disappointed that only five songs from this impressive collection made it to their current live shows.
WORTH A LOOK: ****
OUT: now
TRACKLIST: Doom Or Destiny; Long Time; Already Naked; Fun; My Monster; Best Day Ever; Gravity; When I Gave Up On You; Love Level; Too Much; Fragments
Q: What do Joan Jett, Charli XCX, Sia, Nick Valensi (The Strokes), Dev Hynes and Johnny Marr all have in common?
We were there at the old Wembley Arena for the first Bananarama World Tour in 1989 but founder member Siobhan Fahey took no part in the 40-plus gigs. See her for the first time on tour with the band this winter.
WORTH A LOOK: ****
OUT: now
TRACKLIST: Scared Of The Dark; You Make Me Whole; Story Of A Heart; Happy; No More Tears On The Dancefloor; Firefly; Space Between Us; Glitter And Gold; Neon Blue; I Will Love Again; Scared Of the Dark (Wideboys In the Shadows Vocal Mix); Story Of A Heart (7th Heaven Radio Mix)
‘Did he see me? Or did I just imagine it all? Putting a face on a stranger, a face I find more and more hard to recall.’
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 15/5, opens 23/5, runs to 24/6
We’re at the first preview for John Boyega’s starring role in Woyzeck and it receives a rapturous response.
This year will be our fourth Glastonbury in a row and, although there’s far too much to be excited about to list here, we’d probably pick our first Emeli Sandé gig as the thing we’re most enthused by at the sold-out event which runs from 22/6 to 25/6. Katy Perry’s new album Witness is out 9/6 and Lorde’s Melodrama 16/6 and they both also feature.
WHEN?: 13/5/17
WHERE: BBC1 8pm (link below)
The quirky charm of Portugal’s Salvador Sobral and hope of his song in his native language stole Tuesday’s first semi as rehearsal footage of Italy’s runaway favourite Francesco Gabbani cast doubt over its ability to win.
