ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Charli by Charli XCX (September 2019)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

TRACKLIST: Next Level Charli; Gone (with Christine and the Queens); Cross You Out (ft Sky Ferreira); 1999 (with Troye Sivan); Click (ft Kim Petras and Tommy Cash); Warm (ft Haim); Thoughts; Blame It On Your Love (ft Lizzo); White Mercedes; Silver Cross; I Don’t Wanna Know; Official; Shake It (ft Big Freedia, Cupcakke,Brooke Candy & Pabilo Vittar); February 2017 (ft Clairo & Yaeji); 2099 (ft Troye Sivan)

Charli XCX is arguably best known for a song she wrote for Icona Pop (I Love It was a UK chart topper and a US top 10 in 2012) and a feature with co-write on Iggy Azalea’s US number 1 Fancy two years later.

  • Read on for reasons including Christine and the Queens, HAIM, Lizzo and Troye Sivan

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LAST NIGHT: CABARET REVIEW: Gals Aloud starring Cheryl Hole from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK at the Underbelly Festival

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Underbelly Festival RUNTIME: 70 minutes

WHEN? 19/9/19

Cheryl Hole (pictured centre above) thinks Gals Aloud are more likely to be performing together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the formation of Girls Aloud in 2022 than the actual group.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Cheryl on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK

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GIG REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys at Hyde Park for BBC Radio 2 Live

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By Neil Pugmire

WHERE? Hyde Park (press ticket)

WHEN? 15/9/19

If you had to choose the perfect headliners for a Radio 2 festival, it might be the Pet Shop Boys. Famous for matching intelligent lyrics with irresistible synth-pop hooks, and with a 30-year back catalogue to plunder, they could easily entertain thousands of 30 to 50-somethings gathered in Hyde Park on a balmy Sunday evening.

  • Read on for reasons including Bananarama, Clean Bandit, Westlife and Status Quo

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our Best Performance of a Song of 2019 so far

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We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2018 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2019 so far and what’s to come. Getting Married Today (Company) and Tight Connection To My Heart (Girl From The North Country) are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best performances of a song of 2019 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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INTERVIEW: Ms Humdrum meets her favourite local businesses at Victorious Festival

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By Carron Stacey

WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)

WHEN?: 23 – 25/8/19

During a festival, one of the things Mr Humdrum and I like to do, in that quiet slot between bands, is to wander around looking at the stalls.

  • Read on for reasons including Ms Humdrum meeting some of her favourite vendors at Victorious 

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INTERVIEW: Ms Humdrum talks to Tonic Ska Choir at Victorious Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey

WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)

WHEN?: 23 – 25/8/19

During my stint as a reporter at Victorious Festival last month, one of my highlights was to interview two people who work for the charity Tonic Music for Mental Health’s Ska Choir.

  • Read on for reasons including where to join the Tonic Ska Choir

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LAST NIGHT: THEATRE REVIEW: MUSIK starring Frances Barber at Leicester Square Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Leicester Square Theatre RUNTIME: 60 minutes

WHEN? 7/9/19, closes 7/9/19

STOP PRESS: MUSIK returns to the Leicester Square Theatre 5/2 – 1/3/20. Tickets

‘About me, the critics lied. I ignored them – and survived,’ sang character Billie Trix in song Friendly Fire (see below) played by Frances Barber in ahead-of-its-time 2001 Pet Shop Boys’ musical Closer To Heaven.

  • Read on for reasons including how this show needs a longer West End run soon

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our Best Gig of 2019 so far

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2018 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2019 so far and what’s to come. Suede (twice), Shura and Bananarama are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best gigs of 2019 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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THEATRE REVIEW: A Very Expensive Poison starring Reece Shearsmith at the Old Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Old Vic RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 3/9, opens 5/9 and runs to 5/10/19

‘The only thing that’s criminal here is the £4 cost of a programme – and that you have to go outside to pee.’

  • Read on for reasons including how League Of Gentleman star Reece Shearsmith is the comic highlight here

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