GIG REVIEW

GIG REVIEW: Saara Aalto at Under The Bridge

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Under The Bridge

WHEN: 25/4, tour runs to 10/11/18

SETLIST: Queens; Hån; Dance; Diva; Euphoria; Rise Like A Phoenix; Every Way That I Can; Rock’n’ Roll Kids; No Fear; Don’t Deny Our Love; My Touch; Domino; Calm After The Storm; Dance Like Nobody’s Watching; Con Te Partiro; Half A Heart; Wild Wild Wonderland; Monsters

The Eurovision Song Contest might mean a once-a-year event to you but for this year’s Finnish contestant Saara Aalto it is the culmination of a 14-year quest.

  • Read on for reasons including the highlights from new LP Wild Wild Wonderland

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GIG REVIEW: Sheridan Smith at the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Royal Albert Hall

WHEN: 24/4, tour runs to 29/4/18

SETLIST: Don’t Rain On My Parade; Crazy; I Smell A Rat; Addicted To Love; Dinner At Eight; Mad about The Boy; Superstar; City Of Stars; Hey Big Spender; Anyone Who Had A Heart; Take Another Piece of My Heart; Talking In Your Sleep; My Man; 9 to 5; This Is Me; And I Am Telling You; I Will Survive/Happy

Sheridan Smith takes a sip of what she assures us is water (not vodka), belches and observes: ‘I should have left that one back in Wolverhampton.’

  • Read on for reasons including why we think a second album’s on the cards

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GIG REVIEW: John Barrowman with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Leicester Square Theatre

WHEN: 13/4, runs to 14/4/18

We’ve always been big fans of John Barrowman but why have we never heard of the wise-cracking pianist and interviewer Seth Rudetsky who brings out the very best of the Torchwood star here?

  • Read on for reasons including how Barrowman’s first audition was his big break 

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GIG REVIEW: Sigrid at 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

WHEN: 14/3, UK tour runs to 24/8

SETLIST: Go To War; Plot Twist; Schedules; I Don’t Buy It; Raw; Savage In Our Blood; Doing You A Favour; Watch Me; Dynamite; In Vain; High Five; Fake Friends; Credit; Strangers; Don’t Kill My Vibe

We’re not here to kill 21-year-old Sigrid Raabe’s vibe but for her Scandipop bangers although it soon becomes clear that there’s much more to her than those.

  • Read on for reasons including why Sigrid shed a tear towards the end of this gig

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GIG REVIEW: Erasure at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: **

WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

WHEN: 23/2/18, tour runs to 26/8/18

SETLIST: Oh L’Amour; Ship Of Fools; Breathe; Mad As We Are; Just A Little Love; In My Arms; Chains Of Love; Sacred; Sweet Summer Loving; I Love Saturday; Victim Of Love; Phantom Bride; World Be Gone; Who Needs Love Like That; Take Me Out Of Myself; Blue Savannah; Atomic; Drama; Stop!; Love You To The Sky; Always; Here I Go Impossible Again; Sometimes; A Little Respect

We first saw Erasure at this very venue, then called the Hammersmith Odeon, more than 30 years ago.
  • Read on for reasons including why the Eventim Apollo atmosphere was so odd

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GIG REVIEW: Ed Sheeran at the IndigO2

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

WHERE: IndigO2

WHEN: 19/2, on tour until 10/11/18 including 4 gigs at Wembley Stadium this summer

SETLIST: Castle On The Hill; Eraser; The A Team; Don’t; Dive; Bloodstream; Happier; Tenerife Sea; Galway Girl; Feeling Good; How Would You Feel?; Photograph; Perfect; Nancy Mulligan; Thinking Out Loud; Sing; Shape Of You; You Need Me, I Don’t Need You

An unforgettable gig is always about its details rather than its headlines.

  • Read on for reasons including the last time Ed played the Indig02

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GIG REVIEW: Áine Cahill at the Union Chapel

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Union Chapel, supporting Billy Lockett

WHEN: 15/2/18

SETLIST: Shoot Me Down; Blood Diamonds; Plastic; Pretty Boy; Paper Crown; Psycho; Bad and Beautiful; Black Dahlia

‘Does anyone here know a Pretty Boy?’ Our new favourite singer is about to launch into her best song in the atmospheric surroundings of Islington’s Union Chapel.

  • Read on for reasons including how Devon brothers Tors were a fine support here

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LAST NIGHT: GIG REVIEW: Bananarama at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith: 9 December 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

WHEN: 9/12, US tour February 2018

SETLIST: Nathan Jones; Robert de Niro’s Waiting; Rough Justice; Aie a Mwana; Cruel Summer; Trick Of The Night; Shy Boy/Boy Trouble; Really Saying Something; Cheers Then; Stay; Preacher Man; I Heard A Rumour; More Than Physical; I Can’t Help It; I Want You Back; Venus; Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye; ‘T’aint What You Do; Love In The First Degree

We’re compiling our end-of-year best-of shortlists in various categories at the moment and this gig will be tough to beat in 2017.

  • Read on for reasons including why Siobhan, Keren and Sara should stay together

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GIG REVIEW: Saint Etienne at SWX, Bristol: 8 December 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHERE: SWX, Bristol

WHEN: 8/12, tour runs to 10/12

SETLIST: Kiss And Make Up; Lose That Girl; Out Of My Mind; I’ve Got Your Music; Who Do You Think You Are; Hug My Soul; Magpie Eyes; Don’t Intend To Spend Christmas Alone; Like A Motorway; Dive; Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Tonight; Nothing Can Stop Us Now; Sylvie; He’s On the Phone; Driving Home For Christmas; Train Drivers In Eyeliner; I Was Born On Christmas Day

We’ve shortlisted new Saint Etienne album Home Counties for a monsta for album of the year.

  • Read on for reasons including why we would’ve liked to hear more Home Counties

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GIG REVIEW: Hurts at O2 Brixton Academy: 7 December 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

WHERE: O2 Brixton Academy

WHEN: 7/12, tour runs to 10/2/2018

SETLIST: Desire; Ready To Go; Some Kind Of Heaven; Sunday; People Like Us; Hold On To Me; Miracle; Rolling Stone; Better Than Love; Sandman; Lights; Walk Away; Something I Need To Know; Wonderful Life; Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us; Wings; Beautiful Ones; All I Want For Christmas Is New Year’s Day; Stay

Current critical opinion would have it that Hurts are somehow trying too hard.

  • Read on for reasons including which old song they played for the first time tonight

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