By Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)
WHEN?: 23 – 25/8/19
During a festival, one of the things Mr Humdrum and I like to do, in that quiet slot between bands, is to wander around looking at the stalls.
By Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)
WHEN?: 23 – 25/8/19
Southsea seafront’s festival is in its seventh year and, if the weather is right, it’s unbeatable. Watching bands on the three stages, sweltering in the heat, ships sailing by… But if it rains, like last year, it’s still perfect, but different, and you get to boast for the next year, “I stayed through the rain, I made it”.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHERE? Royal Festival Hall
WHEN? 9/8/19
SETLIST: Intro: Take Me To Your Heart/Never Gonna Cry Again/The Walk/The City Never Sleeps; Love Is A Stranger; I Love You Like A Ball And Chain; I Need A Man; You Have Placed A Chill; I Saved The World Today; Who’s That Girl?; There Must Be An Angel; Miracle Of Love; When Tomorrow Comes; Baby’s Gonna Cry; Thorn In My Side; Here Comes The Rain Again; When The Day Goes Down; I’ve Got A Life; It’s Alright; Missionary Man; Would I Lie To You?; Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves; Sweet Dreams
We’re sitting in the front row next to a fan wearing a Eurythmics tour T-shirt from 1989 and we think the only time we ever saw the band live was probably around then at the old Wembley Arena.
WHERE?: On Blackheath
WHEN?: 13 and 14/7/19 (press tickets)
‘After gallivanting around the world twice, it’s nice to be home,’ says Jamiroquai mainman Jay Kay at the start of this 1st UK gig of the year.
By Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
WHEN?: 30/6/19
It’s been a week since we saw them and my opinion is still the same – one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. Here’s why.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE? SSE Wembley Arena
WHEN? 2/7/19
SETLIST: Dirty Computer; Crazy, Classic Life; Take A Byte; Screwed; Django Jane; QUEEN; Electric Lady; Prime Time; Pynk; Yoga; I Like That; Don’t Judge Me; Make Me Feel; I Got The Juice; Cold War; Tightrope; Come Alive
We are standing towards the back of this 12,500-capacity venue by the mixing desk when we see Lupita Nyong’o wearing sunglasses flanked by security guards rush by.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Wembley Stadium
WHEN? 30/6, tour runs to 2/11/19
SETLIST: Get The Party Started; Beautiful Trauma; Just Like A Pill; Who Knew; Funhouse; Hustle; Secrets; Forest; Try; Just Give Me A Reason; River; Just Like A Fire; What About Us; For Now; 90 Days; Time After Time; Walk Me Home: I Am Here; F**kin’ Perfect; Raise Your Glass; Blow Me (One Last Kiss); Can We Pretend; So What; Glitter In The Air
We marvelled at the acrobatics of the cast in the Bridge Theatre’s production of `A Midsummer Night’s Dream recently but US pop star P!nk takes those skills to the next level here (see picture above).
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? London Palladium RUNTIME: 120 minutes (including 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 29/6, opens 11/7, booking to 8/9/19
We know we’re in safe hands when the always reliable Sheridan Smith channels Eric Morecambe from behind a fake moustache, confiding to the audience: ‘It’s still me.’
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Oslo, Hackney
WHEN? 28/6/19
SETLIST: 10,000 Nights; Fantastic Six; Vacation; Love Sea; Always Up; Boyfriend; What’s Happening; Goldmine; Shadows; Go Go; The Spell; DJ; TMTU; Sing A Song; Heat Wave; Fascination
The afternoon on the day before this gig we discover that its venue has changed from the Borderline in Soho to this upstairs venue at a Scandinavian-named site miles across town in east London.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Victoria Park
WHEN? 26/5 and runs to 2/6/19 (Christine and the Queens tour until 31/8/19)
We 1st saw Christine and The Queens the morning after the Brexit vote and here the French act take to the stage as the results of the unexpected 2019 European elections are announced.
