ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Infinite Things by Paloma Faith (week beginning 15/11/20)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RELEASED: 13/11/20

TRACKLIST: Supernatural; Monster; Gold; Falling Down; Infinite Things; If This Is Goodbye: Better Than This; Me Time; If Loving You Was Easy; Beautiful & Damned; I’d Die For You; Living With A Stranger; Last Night On Earth

We first saw Paloma Faith live by chance when we were waiting for another main stage act at Lovebox in east London a decade ago and it was her personality and way with her hometown crowd that initially drew us in.

  • Read on for reasons including how Sigrid and MNEK are co-writers here
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Straight To The Morning by Hot Chip featuring Jarvis Cocker (week beginning 14/11/20 )

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

Hot Chip caught our ear earlier this year with a fine remix of Daði Freyr’s Eurovision winner-that-never was (clip below) but it is with this dancefloor juggernaut that they really strike gold.

  • Read on for reasons including how Cocker injects the sex here

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BOOK OF THE MONTH: Really Saying Something by Bananarama (November 2020)

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

WHEN?: released 29/10/20

Really Saying Something is the story of the childhood friendship at the heart of the UK’s most successful all-female group.

  • Read on for reasons including how the band might celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2022

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Disco by Kylie Minogue (November 2020)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RELEASED?: 6/11/20

TRACKLIST: Magic; Miss A Thing; Real Groove; Monday Blues; Supernova; Say Something; Last Chance; I Love It; Where Does The DJ Go?; Dance Floor Darling; Unstoppable; Celebrate You

It’s only by experimentation that true pop genius can be appreciated and, if Kylie’s 2018’s album Golden and its shimmy with country was a misstep, then its follow-up, Disco, is more sure-footed for it.

  • Read on for reasons including why Disco is Kylie’s best album for years

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SONG OF THE MONTH: Sober by Lucy Spraggan (November 2020)

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

OUT: now

We were supposed to be seeing the 29-year-old singer-songwriter from Buxton, Derbyshire, this month at the 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire but COVID-19 has now pushed that back to April 2021.

  • Read on for reasons including why new album Choices is shaping up nicely

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THEATRE REVIEW: Crave starring Alfred Enoch & Erin Doherty

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WORTH A LOOK?: **1/2

WHEN?: 2/11/20, runs to 7/11/20 (audience will be online only from 5/11/20)

WHERE?: Chichester Festival Theatre (via Royal Court Theatre online)

RUNTIME: 50 minutes without interval

The 4 main characters in this 1-act play by author Sarah Kane are haunted by subjects including rape, incest, paedophilia, anorexia, drug addiction, mental instability, murder and suicide.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was a brutal introduction to Kane performed engagingly by a fine cast

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PREVIEW: Second Cherry 2020 song contest

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WHEN?: 7/11/20 UPDATE: England’s second lockdown means the RVT show is cancelled but there will be an online show 14/11/20

WHERE?: Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London, and online

Former Melodifestivalen winner Anna Bergendahl (pictured above) is arguably the biggest name in November’s Second Cherry 2020 song contest which concludes, fingers crossed, with a live event in London next weekend.

  • Read on for reasons including where our douze points is going and our other highlights
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November starring A Christmas Carol at the Bridge Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. A Christmas Carol starring Simon Russell-Beale and Patsy Ferran

There are at least 2 other A Christmas Carols in London this festive season but we have chosen this 1 because Russell Beale is always good value and Ferran is an Olivier Best Actress award-winner. Runs 27/11 through 16/1/21. Tickets UPDATE: The 2nd lockdown means this run will now start on 3/12/20

  • Read on for reasons including new Steps album, Rent in Manchester and Kylie’s Disco set
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INTERVIEW: Nicki French on new single Haunted Heart, Christmas show and Eurovision

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

SINGLE OUT: 26/10/20

‘I think everyone is really keen to get back out there to entertain people and to be entertained,’ says monstagigz favourite Nicki French as she launches new single Haunted Heart.

  • Read on for reasons including details of Nicki’s Christmas show with Gareth Gates and Eurovision

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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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