GIG REVIEW

GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival, Southsea Common starring The Streets, Stereo MCs, Blossoms and Bad Sounds (day 2)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

We started the day with possibly my best find of the weekend – Bad Sounds. A recommendation from my more indie-friendly friend, but they were anything but indie. My notes state poppy, geeky, funky. I was going to try to craft something cleverer, more succinct to describe them but actually, in the three-words style, they did sum them up perfectly.

  • Read on for reasons including The Streets, Manic Street Preachers, Rag’n’ Bone Man and more from day 2
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GIG REVIEW: Victorious Festival, Southsea Common, starring Madness, Terrorvision, Peter Hook and the Light (day 1)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 27 August 2021

It’s said you get all sorts at festivals. Whilst that is true, we found that you get all sorts en route to a festival here. Walking alongside an elderly man in a mobility scooter, who was blasting out Jim Reeves (or some other crooner) from a ghetto blaster in his basket, turned out to set the scene for our return to festival-land on the south coast.

  • Read on for reasons including reviews of Madness, Terrorvision, Feeder, Peter Hook and the Light
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6 best gigs of all time starring Suede, Shura, Bananarama, Divine Comedy & Lucy Spraggan

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

Covid-19 and the lockdowns that have followed in its wake have meant gig-going has been impossible for most but the arrival of vaccines mean our chances of live concerts this summer are increasing.

  • Read on for reasons including our thoughts on the best gigs of the last six years

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GIG REVIEW: Infinite Disco by Kylie

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: livestreamed 7/11/20 and repeated 31/12/20

SETLIST: Magic; Come Into My World; I Love It; In Your Eyes; Light Years; Supernova; I Should Be So Lucky; Dancefloor Darling; All The Lovers; Say Something; Real Groove; Slow; Monday Blues; Where Does The DJ Go?; Love At First Sight; Last Chance; Magic

Kylie recently appeared on Dua Lipa’s Studio 2054 which reportedly won an audience of more than 5 million smashing all records for a livestream.

  • Read on for reasons including how much of a place livestreams have in 2021 when gigs are impossible

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Q&A/GIG REVIEW: Lucy Spraggan at The Mill in Digbeth

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: 20/12/20 via livestream

SETLIST: Lighthouse; Fight For It; Flowers; Tea and Toast; Sober; Run; Fairytale Of New York; I Don’t Know; It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas; Lucky Stars; Lightning; Don’t Know Nothing About The Blues; Choices; Stick The Kettle On; I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles); Unsinkable

Spraggan’s social media reaction immediately after this show tells you everything you need to know about what it meant to her: ‘It’s been a year since I played with my full band, last night was like a complete dream and there is nothing I love more than making music with those guys.’

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GIG REVIEW: Rainbow In The Dark by Culture Club at SSE Arena

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: 19/12/20

SETLIST: Karma Chameleon; It’s A Miracle; I’ll Tumble 4 Ya; Everything I Own; Move Away; Time (Clock Of The Heart); We Are Gathered Here Today; Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?; Miss Me Blind; Rainbow In The Dark; Church Of The Poison Mind; Girl Gone Bad; Get It On; Karma Chameleon

The fate of this appropriately titled concert very much mirrored what a difficult year it has been for gigs because of Covid-19 – it was postponed in November because of lockdown, switched from the Royal Albert Hall and at the last minute its socially distanced audience was advised not to attend.

  • Read on for reasons including how many new songs the band play tonight

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GIG REVIEW: Dua Lipa in Studio 2054

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

WHEN?: Via livestream 27/11/20

SETLIST: Future Nostalgia; Levitating; Pretty Please; Break My Heart; Untitled (with FKA Twigs); Physical; Boys Will Be Boys; Cool; New Rules; Prisoner (with Miley Cyrus); Un Dia (with J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Tainy); Fever (with Angèle); One Kiss; Real Groove (with Kylie Minogue); Electricity; Rocket Man (Elton John); Hallucinate; Don’t Start Now

Lipa, who was shortlisted for 6 Grammys this week, was originally slated to tour 2nd LP Future Nostalgia this spring/summer with 2 dates at London’s 02 Arena.

  • Read on for reasons including how to get tickets for that rescheduled tour

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THEATRE REVIEW: Night Cap starring Aimie Atkinson with Paul Taylor-Mills

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Theatre Cafe

WHEN?: Available 22/10/20 from 8pm until 29/10/20

SETLIST: Don’t Rain On My Parade (Funny Girl); On My Own (Les Miserables); Whatever (Legacy Falls); Day Of Cries (original); Breathe (In The Heights)

Atkinson was enjoying her 1st West End leading lady role when the world locked down but she’s keen to stress it was no overnight success and urges others not to give up when pursuing their dreams.

  • Read on for reasons including how Atkinson has learned piano in lockdown and written her own songs
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GIG REVIEW: Divine Comedy at the Barbican

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Barbican RUNTIME: 60 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: 14/10/20, new Barbican shows planned for 1-5/9/21 (ticket details below)

SETLIST: Absent Friends; Norman and Norma: National Express; Something For The Weekend; Songs Of Love; Your Daddy’s Car; To Die A Virgin; Becoming More Like Alfie; To The Rescue; A Lady Of A Certain Age; Charmed Life; Tonight We Fly; Our Mutual Friend

‘This has been f**king brilliant. I’ve loved it. Good for the soul,’ remarks Divine Comedy frontman Neil Hannon.  ‘Thank you – that’s the end of the tour.’

  • Read on for reasons including how to see them on tour next year

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