AWARDS SHORTLIST: Best Album Of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or 10th annual monstas if you will, of 2024.

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Key by Alison Moyet (October 2024)

WORTH A LOOK: ****

Tracklist: Where Hides Sleep; All Cried Out; Such Small Ale; All Signs Of Life; Can’t Say It Like I Mean It; Fire; Filigree; The Impervious Me; More; Is This Love?; Tongue Tied; My Right A.R.M; So Am I; My Best Day; World Without End; This House; Love Resurrection; You Don’t Have To Go

The bluesy voice, the unforgettable way with an uplifting pop melody, the idiosyncratic lyrics or occasional appearance by French and Saunders in a video – there were always a multitude of reasons to love Alison Moyet across her 40-year solo career.

  • Read on for reasons including how Key unlocks a remarkable songbook that balances nostalgia with modern pop sensibilities
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for October 2024 featuring Oedipus starring Mark Strong

  1. Oedipus starring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville

Director Robert Icke gave us Oresteia (Almeida Theatre) and reimagines another Ancient Greek tragedy starring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville (Talking Heads, Bridge Theatre and film Back To Black) at the Wyndham’s Theatre 4 October through 4 January 2024. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Steve Coogan in Dr Strangelove, Mark Rylance & Lady Gaga
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GIG REVIEW: Tears For Fears & Alison Moyet at The O2

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: The O2

WHEN?: 6/2/19, European tour continues until 21/7/19

SETLIST:  Everybody Wants to Rule the World; Secret World; Sowing the Seeds of Love; Falling Down; Pale Shelter; Break It Down Again; Everybody Loves a Happy Ending; Change; Mad World; Memories Fade; Suffer The Children; Woman In Chains;Advice For The Young At Heart; Badman’s Song; Head Over Heels/Broken;  Shout

Alison Moyet setlist: I Germinate; Nobody’s Diary; Do You Ever Wonder?; Beautiful Gun; All Cried Out; The Rarest Birds; The Sharpest Corner (Hollow); Situation; Only You; Love Resurrection; Don’t Go

Good things come to those who wait and, almost 36 years to the day after we bought Tears For Fears’ debut album The Hurting on cassette, we see them live for the 1st time.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was the debut bow of both acts at this prestigious venue

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May

  1. Sheila Atim headlines Old Vic 200th birthday

Our favourite venue marks its bicentenary with events around the 11/5/18 weekend including an open house, street party, variety night headlined by the Olivier Award-nominated Atim, who starred in Girl From The North Country here last year, and ball. We shortlisted Atim for our 2016 monsta for Best Theatre Actress for her star turn in the all-women Shakespeare Trilogy and she won our 2017 Best Performance Of A Song (see below). We’ve loved how Matthew Warchus has transformed the OV with an emphasis on gig theatre, family entertainment and work with messages. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Eurovision, Tears For Fears, Sir Ian McKellen  and Girls Aloud

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GIG REVIEW: Alison Moyet

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Palladium

WHEN: 15/11, tour runs to 20/12

SETLIST: April 10th; I Germinate; When I Was Your Girl; Wishing You Were Here; Nobody’s Diary; Ski; Beautiful Gun; Only You; The English U; Changeling; All Cried Out; The Man In The Wings; Other; The Rarest Birds; Alive; Situation; Love Resurrection; Whispering Your Name; Don’t Go

‘Here’s a song I wrote 40 years ago – when I was 16,’ Moyet is introducing Yazoo classic Nobody’s Diary during the most hits set we’ve ever seen her perform – and we’ve seen a few.

  • Read on for reasons including which TV star was in the front row of the Royal Circle in front of us

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November

  1. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in London (not Sheffield) this time

Dan Gillespie Sells is frontman of The Feeling and we gave his debut musical the full 5* when we saw it in Sheffield in February. It’s a real celebration of mothers and sons and transfers to the West End 6/11 booking to 21/4/18. Tickets. The soundtrack is an absolute treat but our favourite is cross-dressing musical-within-a-song The Legend Of Loco Chanel. Don’t. Miss.

  • Read on for reasons including Bananarama reunited, Cinderella in Greenwich and Steps on tour

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LIVE REVIEW: Brian & Robin’s Christmas Compendium of Reason

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

WHEN: 10/12, also 11/12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLTGs4fqxBk

Bored of the Royal Variety Performance? Feel the true message of Christmas is somehow lost in the tinsel, religion and Kylie of the season?

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