LIVE REVIEW: Tina C
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Wonderground
WHEN: 22/7/15
monstagigz loves nothing like a good drag act. And Tina C is nothing like a good drag act. In fact she’s far more musically accomplished and, erm, classy than that. Read More
Author: mrmonstagigz
LIVE REVIEW: Bette Midler
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHERE: The O2
WHEN: 18/7/15
Setlist: Divine Intervention; I Look Good; I’ve Still Got My Health; Do You Wanna Dance; Throw It Away; Tell Him; Bei Mir Bist Du Schon; Waterfalls; Everybody Knows; I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today; I Put A Spell On You; Yakety Sax; Bird In The Hand; Visit From Soph; Beast Of Burden; Spring Can Really Hurt You The Most; The Rose; From A Distance; Stay With Me; Wind Beneath My Wings; Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy; Friends.
Chances to see Bette Midler in the UK don’t present themselves too often. Her last gig here before this six-date tour was at London’s Palladium in the 70s.
THEATRE REVIEW: As Is
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Studio 2, Trafalgar Studios
WHEN: 16 July runs until 1 August
Audience interaction isn’t for everyone but this 30th anniversary of William M Hoffman’s As Is works it brilliantly. Read More
THEATRE REVIEW: Gypsy
WORTH A LOOK? *****
WHERE? Savoy Theatre
WHEN: 11/7/15 runs until 28/11/15
Who’s giving the best performance in the West End at the moment? We’d plump for Imelda Staunton in Gypsy. Read More
SINGLE REVIEW: Black Magic by Little Mix
THEATRE REVIEW: Oresteia
UPDATE: Oresteia transfers to the Trafalgar Studios and runs 22 August to 7 November
Worth a look?: ****
Where: Almeida Theatre
When: 4/7/15 and runs until 18/7/15
Ben Whishaw, star of the next production in the Almeida’s Greek season, is sitting in the venue’s cafe and bar going largely unnoticed as the audience prepares itself for the three-hour-and-40-minute opener Oresteia. Read More
LIVE REVIEW: Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
Worth a look?: ****
Where: Royal Albert Hall
When: 8/6/15
Setlist: Anything Goes; Cheek To Cheek; They All Laughed; For Once In My Life; Sing You Sinners; Nature Boy; The Good Life; Bang Bang; Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered; Firefly; Smile; When You’re Smiling; I Won’t Dance; The Lady’s In Love With You; Solitude; I Can’t Give You Anything; How Do You Keep The Music Playing?; I’ve Got The World On A String; In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning; Let’s Face The Music and Dance; Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye; Who Cares?; I Left My Heart In San Francisco; But Beautiful; The Lady Is A Tramp; It Don’t Mean A Thing
Have you ever taken your dad to a gig?
LIVE REVIEW: Hurts
Worth a look?: ***1/2
Where: Scala
When: 16/6/15
Setlist: Surrender; Some Kind Of Heaven; Miracle; Somebody To Die For; Rolling Stone; Evelyn; Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us; Weight Of The World; Blood, Tears and Gold; Wonderful Life; Sunday; Better Than Love; Illuminated; Stay.
A 12-strong choir joins Theo Hutchcraft and a newly bearded Adam Anderson on stage for their 1st London gig for 20 months.
FILM REVIEW: Amy plus Q&A with director Asif Kapadia
Worth a look?: *****
Where: BFI
When: 22/6/15
Opening nationwide: 3/7/15
The most heartbreaking moment in Kapadia’s follow-up to Senna is when one of Amy’s friends explains how the star told her a career highlight for any other artist, winning five Grammys including one presented by her hero Tony Bennett, was boring without drugs.
LIVE REVIEW: Glastonbury Festival 2015 top 5
5pm Saturday on the John Peel Stage and Y&Y lead singer Olly Alexander is sporting a glittery rainbow top to mark London’s Pride celebrations. A triumphant 12-song set saves the best ’til last with King (monstagigz single of 2015 so far). We’d predict debut album Communion (out 11/7) is more r’n’b than Depeche Mode. Ones to watch. New single Shine available 5/7.
