ALBUM OF THE WEEK: International by Saint Etienne (week beginning Tuesday 9 September 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Tracklist: Glad; Dancing Heart; The Go Betweens; Sweet Melodies; Save It For A Rainy Day; Fade; Brand New Me; Take Me To The Pilot; Two Lovers; Why Are You Calling; He’s Gone; The Last Time

What do Haircut 100’s Nick Heyward, Yazoo’s Vince Clarke, Xenomania’s Tim Powell, Erol Alkan, Chemical Brothers and Orbital have in common?

  • Read on for reasons including how this is the final Saint Etienne album
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FILM REVIEW: Materialists starring Pedro Pascal, Dakota Johnson & Chris Evans

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

Dakota Johnson plays failed actress turned successful matchmaker Lucy who meets the perfect man, a financier played by Pedro Pascal, at the wedding of a client where her ex is working as a waiter.

  • Read on for reasons including how Materialists undoes a lot of the good work that marked out Song after Past Lives
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Antidepressants by Suede (September 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

TRACKLIST: Disintegrate; Dancing With The Europeans; Antidepressants; Sweet Kid; The Sound And The Summer; Somewhere Between An Atom And A Star; Broken Music For Broken People; Criminal Ways; Trance State; June Rain; Life Is Endless, Life Is A Moment

The 2nd in the black and white trilogy rather than the ballet album that the best band in the world currently had planned.

  • Read on for reasons including how ‘broken’ people will save the world
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AWARDS LONGLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film & Podcasts of 2025 so far (Part 1 of 2)

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You, dear reader, are given the chance to vote in 17 categories from October this year to tell us your favourite theatre, music, TV, film and podcast of 2025.

  • Read on for reasons including 9 of 17 categories of our Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film and Podcasts of 2025 so far
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THEATRE REVIEW: Stereophonic starring Jack Riddiford at Duke Of York’s Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Saturday 30 August, runs through 22 November 2025

RUNTIME: 195 minutes (including 15-minute interval)

Can you ever have too much of a good thing?

  • Read on for reasons including how this is a classy production we’re unsure will repeat its Tonys success at the Oliviers
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GIG REVIEW: Suede at Clore Ballroom, Southbank Centre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Tuesday 26 August, tour runs through 21 February 2026

Setlist: Disintegrate; Dancing With The Europeans; Antidepressants; Sweet Kid; The Sound And The Summer; Somewhere Between An Atom And A Star; Broken Music For Broken People; Criminal Ways; Trance State; June Rain; Life Is Endless, Life Is A Moment

Snowblind; She Still Leads Me On; Personality Disorder; Shadow Self; No Tomorrow; Tides; Turn Off Your Brain And Yell; The Only Way That I Can Love You; It Starts And Ends With You; Outsiders

This is not supposed to happen.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was not the gig we expected or wanted
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THEATRE REVIEW: Interview starring Robert Sean Leonard & Paten Hughes at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Monday 25 August, runs through 27 September 2025 RUNTIME: 90 minutes (without interval)

A war correspondent in Ukraine blames himself for the maiming of his photographer, is demoted and sent to interview a New York influencer turned actress he has little interest in.

  • Read on for reasons including how these are 2 people going at each other who it’s difficult to muster much empathy for
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INTERVIEW: Rick Witter from Shed Seven on hairbrush singing, Showaddywaddy, Duran Duran & Victorious Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

I like to explain what kind of fan I am before a review/interview. I tell Rick I’m dead nervous as I’m such a fangirl. We’ve seen the Sheds many times, here at Victorious, in local venues and at the Shiiine On Weekender many times in Butlins. “Don’t be nervous,” he tells me. “I’m a nice guy. We’ll just have a nice chat like we’re round a pub table.” And he is a nice guy.  

  • Read on for reasons including how to select a festival setlist from material going back to the 90s
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Victorious Festival 2025 Day 3 starring Melanie C, Kings Of Leon, Craig David & She’s Got Brass

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Sunday 24 August 2025 (press ticket)

The sun kindly shone on the only UK seaside festival the whole weekend. We all remember the fun we had in the torrential rain during that Prodigy set back in 2018, but it certainly helps when it’s dry. I’m sure I had white Birkenstocks when I went on Friday, but the dust has turned everything brown. 

  • Read on for reasons including Craig David, Kings of Leon, Melanie C and She’s Got Brass
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