Author: mrmonstagigz

GIG REVIEW: Charli XCX at The 02

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Thursday 28 November 2024, tour runs through 18 June 2025

Setlist: 365; 360; Von Dutch; Rewind; I Might Say Something Stupid; Club Classics; Unlock It; Talk Talk; Apple; So I; Spring Breakers; Girl, So Confusing; Welcome To My Island; Everything Is So Romantic; Speed Drive; Sympathy Is A Knife; Guess; 365; Party 4 U; Vroom Vroom; Everything Is Romantic; Welcome To My Island; 360; Dancing On My Own; Track 10; I Love It;

Charli XCX describes her biggest London gig to date as a moment she’ll never forget after she duets with Robyn and takes a back seat during an emotional encore including the kindred spirit’s Dancing On My Own.

  • Read on for reasons including how XCX absolutely convinced as an arena act
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FILM REVIEW: Wicked (Part 1) starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande & Jonathan Bailey

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

Released Friday 22 November 2024 RUNTIME: 165 minutes

Q: How does the 1st act of a beloved stage show lasting 90 minutes or so become a compelling film of almost 3 hours?

  • Read on for reasons including how this is visualised with such flair that musical theatre fans should be enthralled
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Film Of 2024

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Here And Now starring Rebecca Lock, Sharlene Hector & Blake Patrick Anderson at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 24 November (matinee) and runs through 30 November 2024 Tours UK and Ireland in 2025 and 2026 Tickets RUNTIME: 155 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

A Steps musical needs a vocalist with the power of the band’s Claire Richards and, luckily for Here And Now, it has 3.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is moving, a lot of fun and a knowing budget Mamma Mia
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GIG REVIEW: Shiiine On Weekender at Butlin’s Minehead Arena

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 15 to Monday 18 November 2024

It’s been a week since the festival so it’s around this time that we have fully recovered and start to lament “this time last week…” As I write, this time last week, I was Day Raving at Bentley Rhythm Ace.

  • Read on for reasons including Bentley Rhythm Ace, Kula Shaker and Lightning Seeds
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Importance Of Being Earnest starring Ncuti Gatwa at National Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Friday 22 November 2024, opens 28 November and runs through 25 January 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Oscar Wilde described this – his final and best loved play – as ‘exquisitely trivial’ and this production is exquisitely cast, perfectly judged and executed with both swagger and flamboyance.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is currently London’s funniest comedy
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2024 starring Sigourney Weaver

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Sigourney Weaver’s West End debut in Jamie Lloyd’s The Tempest

Weaver who starred in the original Alien movies but not this year’s fine newcomer to the franchise Alien: Romulus makes her West End debut as Prospero in this Jamie Lloyd (Romeo and Juliet, Duke Of York’s Theatre) version of The Tempest which we’ve previously seen starring Simon Russell Beale at the Barbican in 2017. Will it be ‘such stuff as dreams are made?’ Runs at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 7 December through 1 February 2025. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including the Palladium pantomime, Welly’s biggest London show and Oliver!
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Big In The Suburbs by Welly (week beginning Saturday 16 November 2024)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

‘Don’t spend a lifetime looking for heaven when you can find it on the A27.’ Five-piece band Welly should know because they’re from Southampton and Brighton which are linked by that major road.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see Welly on tour in 2024 and 2025
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Song of 2024

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or 10th annual monstas if you will, of 2024.

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GIG REVIEW: Bryan Adams at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Tuesday 12 November 2024, tour travels to India, New Zealand, Australia, US, UK, Europe and runs through 5 July 2025

SETLIST: Kick Ass; Can’t Stop This Thing We Started; Somebody; 18 ’til I Die; Please Forgive Me; One Night Love Affair; Shine A Light; Take Me Back; Kids Wanna Rock; Heaven; Go Down Rockin’; It’s Only Love; You Belong To Me; Cloud Number 9; Rock’n’Roll Hell; The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You; Here I Am; I Will Always Return; When The Night Comes; When You’re Gone; Always Have (Always Will); Everything I Do (I Do It For You); Back To You; So Happy It Hurts; Run To You; Summer Of ’69; Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?; Cuts Like A Knife; Straight From the Heart; Hey Baby; All For Love;

You can tell Adams is a photographer because this is the most beautifully visualised arena show we think we’ve ever seen.

  • Read on for reasons including where else in the world you can catch this tour
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