By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHEN?: Tuesday 12 December, runs through 6 January 2024 RUNTIME: 70 minutes (no interval)
‘I’m not the world’s biggest fan of Christmas,’ confides Johnson at the start of this festive run of a show which is less jingle bells and more jingle hells.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN?: Tuesday 21 November 2023, tour runs through 28 June 2024
SETLIST: Victory; Mama; Heaven; Him; Endless Nights; Rest Of Our Days; How Do You Know; Hurt When You Hurt Me; All For You; Blame It On You; Step Dad; Everyone Who Falls In Love (Has Someone Else They’re Thinking Of); Part Of Me; Thank God You Stayed; I’ll Be Waiting
A year ago we reviewed Ducrot as support on Ella Henderson’s tour and tonight she returns the favour by appearing here to duet on their new Christmas single Rest Of Our Days.
By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum
WHEN?: 17 to 20 November 2023
Our seventh Shiiine (we only missed the first one) and it appears, musically, to have been the best! We review Wonder Stuff, Sleeper, Terrorvision, Inspiral Carpets, John Power, Jesus Jones, A Certain Ratio and Steve Lamacq’s Going Deaf for a Living talk plus DJ set.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***** RUNTIME: 120 minutes without interval
WHEN?: Thursday 2 November, tour runs through 24 April 2024
SETLIST: Nothing Really Matters; Everybody; Into The Groove; Burning Up; Open Your Heart; Holiday; Live To Tell; Like A Prayer; Erotica; Justify Your Love; Hung Up; Bad Girl; Vogue; Human Nature; Crazy For You; Die Another Day; Don’t Tell Me; Mother And Father; I Will Survive; La Isla Bonita; Don’t Cry For Me Argentina; Bedtime Story; Ray Of Light; Rain; Like A Virgin; Bitch I’m Madonna; Celebration
Madonna brings her director’s eye, her actress’s understanding of drama and her musician’s intimacy with her 40-year treasure trove of hits and deep cuts to tell the story of her life – and it’s everything we’ve always wanted from her and the best gig we’ve ever seen.
By Aline Mahrud
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHEN?: Friday 27 October, tour moves to the US and Canada where it finishes 16 November 2023
SETLIST: S Club Party; Love Ain’t Gonna Wait For You; You’re My Number One; Natural; Sunshine; You; Stronger; Bring The House Down; Friday Night; Don’t Stop Movin’; Bring It All Back; Two In A Million; These Are The Days; Have You Ever; Alive; Reach; Never Had A Dream Come True; S Club Party
Bookending The Good Times Tour setlist with 2nd single and number 2 hit S Club Party gives the perfect idea of the vibe aimed for and achieved here.
By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum
WHEN?: Sunday 27 August 2023 (press pass)
Hard-Fi rock the Common Stage at their first festival in 11 years. Singer Richard Archer informs us that they usually specify to only play in places with a roof, but they let us off today, thankfully.
By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum
WHEN?: Saturday 26 August 2023 (press pass)
It’s all about you. A while ago, rumours suggested that the special guest slot was going to be none other than 00s pop/rock boy band sensation McFly.
By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum
WHEN?: Friday 25 August 2023 (press pass)
Disco isn’t dead. The first year for a full Friday, kicking off for us with a drumming workshop from DrumNation Tribe at the People’s Lounge.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: **** (press pass)
WHEN?: Friday 25 August 2023
A fortnight ago Cian Ducrot’s debut album topped the charts in both the UK and his native Ireland and this afternoon he opens his set on the Castle Stage with the title track from it, the appropriately titled Victory.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
SETLIST: It’s Not Like This In France; Take 5; Home For The Weekend; Shopping; Deere John; Me And Your Mates; Flowers; A Right Royal Show; Big In The Suburbs
WHEN?: Thursday 24 August 2023, tour continues until 22 September 2023
We’ve not fallen quite so much in love with and head over heels for a band as we have with Welly since Pulp in the early 90s.
