By Carron Stacey
WHERE?: The O2
WHEN?: 30/9
When writing a gig review, I like to explain what sort of fan I am. I was 10 when Tainted Love came out. Of course I loved it. I loved all their 80s hits, loved the naughtiness of their debut Non Stop Erotic Cabaret album of the same year and liked a few of Marc’s solo ballads.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE?: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
WHEN?: 27/9, tour runs to 29/9/18
Tonight is the 45th gig of this 47-date tour and the BBC is filming which means the chance of seeing it on a small screen near you sometime soon seems assured.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE?: Camden Roundhouse
WHEN?: 12/9/18
SETLIST: Dirty Computer; Crazy, Classic, Life; Take A Byte; Screwed; Django Jane; Q.U.E.E.N.; Electric Lady; Prime Time; Pynk; Yoga; I Like That; Don’t Judge Me; Make Me Feel; I Got the Juice; Cold War; Tightrope; So Afraid; Americans
When Monae encourages BAFTA-winning British actress and screenwriter Michaela Coel to join three audience members, including 1 in a wheelchair, on stage for a dance-off during an extended version of I Got The Juice (see 1h 16m in below), you know that you’re witnessing something extra special.
WHERE?: Blackheath (Press ticket)
WHEN?: 8 and 9/9/18
It couldn’t have been more apt that the 5th annual ONBlackheath music festival was opened on its Main Stage by Blackheath singer/songwriter Mancie Baker.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: the Other Palace (Studio)
WHEN?: 29/8/18
Fra Fee repeats his award-winning West End role in Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman on Broadway from October and here proves what an outstanding musical performer he is.
By Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Southsea Common
WHEN?: 26/8/18
I have just got in from the after party. Well, the ITunes disco I curated for my friends at my house downstairs. We are all still buzzing about the main event, but I will review the beginning of the day.
By: Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Southsea Common
WHEN?: 25/8/18
After a rather wet starting evening the night before, life was kind to us and the sun came out, drying our trainers ready for a full day of festival-going.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE?: Southsea Common
WHEN?: 25/8/18
We’ve been to Glastonbury for each of the last 4 years and in this fallow year we think Portsmouth has divulged a closely-guarded secret about its ability to rival pop’s greatest live event.
BY: Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Southsea Common
WHEN?: 24/8/18
Life is all about which choices you make. Wellies or flip flops? Shorts or jeans? Kaiser Chiefs on the main stage or Prince Brandon DJing in Beats n Swing? Whether to tune up your guitar over the DJ playing Martin Luther King’s speech behind you? Whether to give Pete Doherty another chance after last year, or not?
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE?: Scala
WHEN?: 15/8, tour runs to 24/8/18
SETLIST: Good Friends; I Can’t Decide; Big Bushy Moustache; Fit Ain’t One Thing; Laura; Sad Song Backwards; Everything I’ll Ever Need; Take Your Mama; Clothes Off; S.O.B; The Bruiser; Palace In the Sky; I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’; Creep City; Mississippi Delta
The line: ‘The Londoners are swell, and they seem like they adore me’ from new song Mississippi Delta is received rapturously here – and with good reason.
