LIVE REVIEW: Inspiral Carpets
By Carron Stacey
WORTH A LOOK: ***
WHERE: Pyramids, Southsea
WHEN: 7/12
They didn’t drag us down
LIVE REVIEW: Brian & Robin’s Christmas Compendium of Reason
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
WHEN: 10/12, also 11/12
Bored of the Royal Variety Performance? Feel the true message of Christmas is somehow lost in the tinsel, religion and Kylie of the season?
AWARDS SHORTLIST: Album of the year
It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2015? Over the next fortnight we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 11 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2015. Read on for the nominees for the monsta for album of the year.
LIVE REVIEW: Marina & The Diamonds
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Palladium
WHEN? 6/12, tour returns to London in February, ticket details below
SETLIST: Mowgli’s Road; I Am Not A Robot; Oh No; Obsessions; Hollywood; Bubblegum Bitch; Teen Idle; How To Be A Heartbreaker; Primadonna; Lies; Froot; Savages; Can’t Pin Me Down; Gold; Forget; I’m Immortal; Happy; Blue
The queue to enter this venue snakes across the road from the theatre to Oxford Circus Tube station as the doors open at 7pm.
THEATRE REVIEW: Barbarians
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Young Vic
WHEN: 5/12 (matinee), runs to 19/12
‘If you treat people like animals, they’ll behave like them.’ It’s an observation by protagonist Paul (rising star Brian Vernel, menacing and brilliant here) referring to football clubs’ treatment of their fans as he waits ticketless outside the only game he’ll miss this season, the 1976 FA Cup final, but it references much else here. Read More
AWARDS SHORTLIST: Gig of the year
It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2015? Over the next fortnight we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 11 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2015. Read on for the nominees for the monsta for gig of the year.
THEATRE REVIEW: Linda
WORTH A LOOK?: ** (on 28/11, **** potential later)
WHERE: Royal Court
WHEN: 28/11, runs to 9/1/16
Is it ever acceptable for a leading actor to carry their script with them while on stage and refer to it occasionally when they have clearly forgotten their lines?
LIVE REVIEW: Public Service Broadcasting
By Carron Stacey
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Southampton Guildhall
WHEN: 27/11
Four times, I’ve seen them: four times. From a tiny pub-sized room in Southampton a few years ago, Victorious last year, through to two normal gigs both this year.
LIVE REVIEW: François and the Atlas Mountains
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Southampton Guildhall, supporting Public Service Broadcasting
WHEN: 27/11
By Carron Stacey
We wanted to see Public Service Broadcasting (PSB), our friend Dave wanted to see these guys. I asked him what they were like. ‘Bonkers’, he replied.
LIVE REVIEW: Madonna
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: The O2
WHEN: 1/12, European tour including 4 more UK shows runs to 20/12
SETLIST: Iconic; Bitch I’m Madonna; Burning Up; Holy Water; Vogue; Devil Pray; Body Shop; True Blue; Deeper and Deeper; Heartbreak City; Love Don’t Live Here Anymore; Like A Virgin; Living For Love; La Isla Bonita; Dress You Up/Into The Groove/Lucky Star medley; Who’s That Girl?; Rebel Heart; Music; Candy Shop; Material Girl; La vie en rose; Like A Prayer; Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend; Unapologetic Bitch; Holiday.
‘Nobody f*cks with the Queen.’ It’s the Queen of Pop’s 1st show of a two-night residency at the venue which last saw her defeated by a tied-too-tight cape at The Brits earlier this year and she’s taking no prisoners.
