GIG REVIEW: Cian Ducrot at Lafayette, London

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Tuesday 20 September, tour runs to 25 October 2022

SETLIST: I’ll Be Waiting; Not Usually Like This; F*cked Up All The Time; Endless Nights; Crocodiles; Make Believe; Both Of Us; Yellow; How Do You Know?; Hurt So Bad; Something About You; All For You

There is a magical moment during this gig when Ducrot steps away from his microphone, straps on an acoustic guitar and sits in the audience as he plays a song they will eventually sing along with.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Ducrot performing on his UK tour this year
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Autofiction by Suede (September 2022) and GIG REVIEW: Suede at PRYZM

WORTH A LOOK?: *****/****

WHEN?: Thursday 15 September 2022, touring until 25 March 2023

TRACKLIST: She Still Leads Me On; Personality Disorder; 15 Again; The Only Way I Can Love You; That Boy On The Stage; Drive Myself Home; Black Ice; Shadow Self; It’s Always The Quiet Ones; What Am I Without You?; Turn Off Your Brain And Yell

SETLIST: She Still Leads Me On; Personality Disorder; 15 Again; That Boy On The Stage; I Don’t Know How To Reach You; Black Ice; Shadow Self; What Am I Without You?; Sabotage; Outsiders; It Starts And Ends With You; Turn Off Your Brain And Yell; Life Is Golden

It’s the night before Suede release their 9th studio album Autofiction and the run-up to it could have not been more perfect if more than a little rough around the edges – although that, of course, is the point.

  • Read on for reasons including why Autofiction is exactly the sort of album Kate Bush would make if she was wanting to go punk
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GIG REVIEW: The Divine Comedy at the Barbican Centre (5-night residency overview)

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

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

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)

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)

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)

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)

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

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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