GIG REVIEW: Heaven 17 and Pete Wylie at 02 Academy Sheffield

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By Andrew Mosley

WHEN?: Saturday 13 November 2021, Heaven 17 tour the UK and Europe until July 2022. Pete Wylie

Glenn Gregory has just got a new whippet. He tells us this because Associates singer Billy McKenzie gave him his first one more than three decades ago and he’s about to pay tribute to his late friend by belting out a tear-jerking version of Party Fears Two.

  • Read on for reasons including how Sheffield got 2 great bands for the price of 1
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THEATRE REVIEW: Boy Out The City by and starring Declan Bennett at Turbine Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 13 November 2021 (matinee), runs to 13 November RUNTIME: 60 minutes (no interval)

Time spent alone in the country writing during lockdown has been well spent by West End musical theatre and TV star Bennett who has written this 60-minute monologue.

  • Read on for reasons including how we spotted actors Fra Fee and Simon Callow
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best podcast of 2021

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It’s been quite the year, it’s nearing Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2021? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 15 categories for our 7th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2021.

  • Read on for the nominees for the monsta for Best Podcast of 2021 This is a new category for this year
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GIG REVIEW: Jarv Is at Camden Roundhouse

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WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Tuesday 9 November 2021, touring until 12 November 2021

SETLIST: She’s A Lady; House Music All Night Long; Slow Jam; Fat Children; Am I Missing Something?; Sometimes I Am Pharoah; Big Julie; Swanky Modes; C**** Are Still Running The World; Must I Evolve?; Children Of The Echo; Further Complications; Aline; My Legendary Girlfriend

We haven’t seen Jarvis Cocker live for a quarter of a century and when we last did his band Pulp were headlining V Festival in Essex but it felt, for us at least, that they’d peaked with the appropriately titled Different Class album.

  • Read on for reasons including who gets a mention ahead of song C**** Are Still Running The World
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SONG OF THE MONTH: The Tipping Point by Tears For Fears (November 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Duo Roland Orzabal, born in Portsmouth, and Curt Smith toured in 2019 when we saw them at London’s 02 Arena but this is the band’s 1st new single for 13 years.

  • Read on for reasons including everything we know about new album The Tipping Point
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Drifters Girl starring Beverley Knight, Adam J Bernard & Matt Henry at the Garrick Theatre

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

WHEN?: Saturday 6 November 2021 (matinee), opening 25 November and booking to 26 March 2022

RUNTIME: 135 minutes (includes a 20-minute interval)

There are 2 Beverley Knight solos just before the interval of this jukebox musical when she sings I Don’t Want To Go On Without You into Stand By Me at a particularly emotional moment when you remember that she may just be theatre’s greatest current vocalist.

  • Read on for reasons including how Knight is surrounded by 4 top-notch male performers who make this show come alive
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Crave by Years & Years (week beginning 3 November 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Crave is co-written by lead singer Olly Alexander and is an infectious, dancefloor friendly bop which is the 2nd single from the band’s 3rd album Night Call, to be released 7 January 2022.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Years and Years in concert next year including at Wembley Arena
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Dresser starring Matthew Kelly & Julian Clary at Richmond Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 30 October (matinee), back on tour from 18 January 2022 until 12 February 2022

The couple behind us are singing ‘Hitler, has only got 1 ball’ to the music evoking World War Two setting the scene for this 1942-set piece about the relationship of a lead Shakespearean actor and his camp dresser.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Clary and a production of his children’s book series The Bolds before the end of the year
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GIG REVIEW: Little Boots at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club

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

WHEN?: Thursday 28 October 2021

SETLIST: Love The Beginning; Silver Balloons; Mathematics; Motorway; Working Girl; Landline; Crying On The Inside; Get Things Done; Every Night I Say A Prayer; Shake; Remedy; SOS/Dancing Queen/Fernando; Stuck On Repeat; Tomorrow’s Yesterdays

We’re here for Boots’ 1st London gig in 2 years because she doesn’t know when she’ll be playing live as a solo act again as she’s big boots to fill, she’s joining ABBA.

  • Read on for reasons including more about Boots’ new album and her role in the ABBA Voyage shows next year
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THEATRE REVIEW: 2:22 A Ghost Story starring Lily Allen & Hadley Fraser at the Noel Coward Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Wednesday 6 October (matinee), production opens with new cast 4 December running to 12 February 2022 RUNTIME: 125 minutes with a 20-minute interval

This is a review we never expected to write but this production of an outstanding and truly spine-tingling new play is re-opening in London’s West End this winter.

  • Read on for reasons including how good pop star Lily Allen was in her debut West End role
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