GIG REVIEW: Janelle Monae & Grace Carter at SSE Wembley Arena

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE? SSE Wembley Arena

WHEN? 2/7/19

SETLIST: Dirty Computer; Crazy, Classic Life; Take A Byte; Screwed; Django Jane; QUEEN; Electric Lady; Prime Time; Pynk; Yoga; I Like That; Don’t Judge Me; Make Me Feel; I Got The Juice; Cold War; Tightrope; Come Alive

We are standing towards the back of this 12,500-capacity venue by the mixing desk when we see Lupita Nyong’o wearing sunglasses flanked by security guards rush by.

  • Read on for reasons including what part Star Wars actress Nyong’o played at this gig

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: On Your Feet at the London Coliseum

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? London Coliseum RUNTIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes (with 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 27/6/19 (matinee), opened 27/6, booking to 31/8/2019

Summer is most definitely with us and this musical of the lives of Gloria and Emilio Estefan featuring their Miami Sound Machine hits might struggle in any other climate.

  • Read on for reasons including how the audience were less on their feet than on their seats

Read More

GIG REVIEW: P!nk at Wembley Stadium

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Wembley Stadium

WHEN? 30/6, tour runs to 2/11/19

SETLIST: Get The Party Started; Beautiful Trauma; Just Like A Pill; Who Knew; Funhouse; Hustle; Secrets; Forest; Try; Just Give Me A Reason; River; Just Like A Fire; What About Us; For Now; 90 Days; Time After Time; Walk Me Home: I Am Here; F**kin’ Perfect; Raise Your Glass; Blow Me (One Last Kiss); Can We Pretend; So What; Glitter In The Air

We marvelled at the acrobatics of the cast in the Bridge Theatre’s production of `A Midsummer Night’s Dream recently but US pop star P!nk takes those skills to the next level here (see picture above).

  • Read on for reasons including which Cyndi Lauper song she covers to great effect here

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Sheridan Smith & Jason Donovan at the Palladium

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

65755422_10157401425065600_8792737424389177344_o.jpgWORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? London Palladium RUNTIME: 120 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 29/6, opens 11/7, booking to 8/9/19

We know we’re in safe hands when the always reliable Sheridan Smith channels Eric Morecambe from behind a fake moustache, confiding to the audience: ‘It’s still me.’

  • Read on for reasons including why Yarrow gets the biggest applause here

Read More

GIG REVIEW: Alphabeat at Oslo, Hackney

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Oslo, Hackney

WHEN? 28/6/19

SETLIST: 10,000 Nights; Fantastic Six; Vacation; Love Sea; Always Up; Boyfriend; What’s Happening; Goldmine; Shadows; Go Go; The Spell; DJ; TMTU; Sing A Song; Heat Wave; Fascination

The afternoon on the day before this gig we discover that its venue has changed from the Borderline in Soho to this upstairs venue at a Scandinavian-named site miles across town in east London.

  • Read on for reasons including what the future holds for Alphabeat

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: The End Of History starring David Morrissey, Lesley Sharp, Kate O’Flynn & Sam Swainsbury at the Royal Court

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE? RUNTIME: 110 minutes (no interval)

WHEN? 27/6, opens 3/7 runs to 10/8/19

Playwright Jack Thorne won an Olivier for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child but is probably better known for his BAFTA-winning Channel 4 dramas including This Is England and National Treasure.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is the best new play of the year so far

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Waitress starring Lucie Jones, Ashley Roberts & Blake Harrison

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Adelphi Theatre RUNTIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 26/6/19 (matinee), booking until 7/12/19

This Tony-nominated musical opened in the West End in February, recently refreshed 2 of its 3 leads and so we decided to check whether it was to our taste.

  • Read on for reasons including how Eurovision’s Lucie Jones makes a likeable lead

Read More

FILM REVIEW: Booksmart starring Beanie Feldstein & Emily Halpern

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

RUNTIME: 105 minutes

OUT: 24/5/2019 (UK certificate 15)

Actress Beanie Feldstein (pictured right above) is actor Jonah Hill’s sister and stars next in the film adaptation of Caitlin Moran’s fine semi-autobiographical novel How To Build A Girl.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is 1 of the best films of the year so far

Read More

ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Madame X by Madonna (June 2019)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: 14/6/19

TRACKLIST: Medellin; Dark Ballet; God Control; Future; Batuka; Killers Who Are Partying; Crave; Crazy; Come Alive; Faz Gostoso; Bitch I’m Loca; I Don’t Search I Find; I Rise

It’s been a good month for albums and The Divine Comedy and Mark Ronson were both vying for this month’s best LP but in the end we awarded the accolade to the Queen of Pop who plays 15 London Palladium shows early next year.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is Madonna’s best album for 14 years

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Present Laughter starring Andrew Scott, Indira Varma, Sophie Thompson & Luke Thallon at the Old Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Old Vic RUNTIME: 2 hours 20 minutes (with a 20-minute interval)

WHEN?: 22/6, opens 25/6, runs to 10/8/2019

Noel Coward died in 1973 and would surely have approved of this queering of his play to emphasise the bisexuality of its lead.

  • Read on for reasons including how Scott chews the scenery as overacting protagonist Garry Essendine 

Read More