GIG REVIEW

GIG REVIEW: The Divine Comedy at the Barbican Centre (5-night residency overview)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Wednesday 31 August to Sunday 4 September 2022

‘Same time, same place – this is starting to feel like a full-time job,’ reflects The Divine Comedy frontman Neil Hannon as he arrives on stage at this prestigious venue at 7.30pm for a 5-night residency that will see his band play a total of 113 different songs.

  • Read on for reasons including how Hannon would do a 6-night residency once the band’s released a new album
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GIG REVIEW: Divine Comedy at the Barbican Centre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: 5 gigs, each night between Wednesday 31 August and Sunday 4 September 2022

Divine Comedy frontman Neil Hannon had 1 word to describe fans joining the band for 5 consecutive concerts at this prestigious London venue to hear 10 of the act’s studio albums in full – ‘weirdos’.

  • Read on for reasons including why you wouldn’t need Desert Island Discs if you were shipwrecked with The Divine Comedy
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival at Southsea Common starring Becky Hill, Little Man Tate and Sam Fender

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

Guest review by Alfie, 13 years

WHEN?: Sunday 28 August 2022

Little Man Tate I have waited years to see this band so we fought our way through the crowd waiting for Becky Hill and got to the front.

  • Read on for reasons including Libertines, Sam Fender and Becky Hill
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival at Southsea Common starring Katherine Ryan, Metronomy and Sophie Ellis Bextor (day 3)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Sunday 28 August 2022

So this year, the line up wasn’t totally to my liking but the introduction of the huge names to the comedy tent really piqued my interest.

  • Read on for reasons including Metronomy, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Suede
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival at Southsea Common starring Suede, Little Boots, Metronomy, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Sam Ryder & Example (day 3)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

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

WHEN?: Sunday 28 August 2022

Lean, mean and urging the audience to join in, Suede frontman Brett Anderson seems absolutely on fire during this main Common Stage slot as the sun sinks on a gorgeous day on Southsea seafront.

  • Read on for reasons including how Little Boots apologised for her bangers on the Acoustic Stage
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival at Southsea Common starring Sports Team, Sugababes and Kula Shaker (day 2)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Saturday 27 August 2022

How to fill a field with an atypical festival band and get everyone down really early? Book Sugababes!

  • Read on for reasons including Sports Team, Milton Jones and Joel Dommett
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival at Southsea Common starring Self Esteem, James and Welly (day 1)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 26 August 2022

This year’s Victorious Common Stage was opened by Primal Scream, who last featured in 2015’s lineup, but we arrived as the crowds were heading out post-set.

  • Read on for reasons including Self Esteem, James and Welly
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GIG REVIEW: Bananarama at Lafayette London

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Thursday 4 August 2022

SETLIST: Masquerade; Stay Wild; Intoxicated; Every Shade Of Blue; Move In My Direction; Velvet Lies; Looking For Someone; Let’s Go Outside Audience Q&A Stuff Like That; Bad Love; Brand New; Favourite; Look On The Floor; Waiting For The Sun; Forever Young; Running With The Night; Love In The First Degree

Bananarama may be best known as a trio but it’s easy to forget that they’ve actually been a duo – Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin – for 30 years.

  • Read on for reasons including how the band have other surprises in store to celebrate their 40th anniversary
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GIG REVIEW: Lady Gaga Chromatica Ball at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Friday 29 July 2022, tour runs until 17 September 2022

SETLIST: Bad Romance; Just Dance; Poker Face; Alice; Replay; Monster; 911; Sour Candy; Telephone; LoveGame; Babylon; Free Woman; Born This Way; Shallow; Always Remember Us This Way; The Edge Of Glory; 1000 Doves; Fun Tonight; Enigma; Stupid Love; Rain On Me; Hold My Hand

We’re on the pitch for Lady Gaga’s 1st UK concert in 7 years and she immediately breaks the Pet Shop Boys’ golden rule of touring by opening with the 1st 3 of her 6 UK number ones.

  • Read on for reasons including how Lady Gaga walked through the crowd to dazzle on a mid-arena satellite stage
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GIG REVIEW: Nile Rodgers and Chic at BST Hyde Park

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham and Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 11 July 2022, tour runs to 23 September 2022

SETLIST: Chic Cheer; Dance Dance Dance; Everybody Dance; I Want Your Love; I’m Coming Out/Upside Down; He’s The Greatest Dancer/We Are Family; Like A Virgin/Material Girl; Modern Love; Spacer; Lost In Music; Thinking Of You; My Feet Keep Dancing; Get Lucky; My Forbidden Lover; Let’s Dance; Le Freak; Good Times/Under Pressure/Rapper’s Delight

Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon credits guitarist Rodgers with saving the group in the 80s as he joins the band to play songs he collaborated on them with.

  • Read on for reasons including Rodgers’ thoughts on Madonna whose Like A Virgin album he produced
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