INTERVIEW: Rick Witter from Shed Seven on hairbrush singing, Showaddywaddy, Duran Duran & Victorious Festival

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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GIG REVIEW: Duran Duran at Chelmsford Racecourse

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Saturday 5 July, tour runs through 31 October 2025

This is the sixth time we’ve seen Duran Duran and in a nutshell, we think they’re better off at their own arena tours, rather than festivals, and better off outdoors, so last night was just perfect.

  • Read on for reasons including how life can’t get much better than this
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GIG REVIEW: Nile Rodgers and Chic at BST Hyde Park

By Neil Durham and Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 11 July 2022, tour runs to 23 September 2022

SETLIST: Chic Cheer; Dance Dance Dance; Everybody Dance; I Want Your Love; I’m Coming Out/Upside Down; He’s The Greatest Dancer/We Are Family; Like A Virgin/Material Girl; Modern Love; Spacer; Lost In Music; Thinking Of You; My Feet Keep Dancing; Get Lucky; My Forbidden Lover; Let’s Dance; Le Freak; Good Times/Under Pressure/Rapper’s Delight

Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon credits guitarist Rodgers with saving the group in the 80s as he joins the band to play songs he collaborated on them with.

  • Read on for reasons including Rodgers’ thoughts on Madonna whose Like A Virgin album he produced
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GIG REVIEW: Duran Duran at BST Hyde Park

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Sunday 10 July 2022, touring until 11 September 2022

SETLIST: Wild Boys; Invisible; All Of You; View To A Kill; Notorious; Pressure Off; Union Of The Snake; Come Undone; Give It All Up; Hungry Like The Wolf; Friends Of Mine; Ordinary World; Tonight United; Planet Earth; Hold Back the Rain; The Reflex; White Lines; Girls On Film/Acceptable In The 80s; Save A Prayer; Rio

A lifelong Durannie. I mostly only sing along to the first two albums, plus a few extras I like. Yes, I’m one of those fans.

  • Read on for reasons including how Duran Duran are more acceptable now than they were in the 80s
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for July 2022 starring Sister Act and Beverley Knight

  1. Sister Act starring Beverley Knight and Jennifer Saunders at the Eventim Apollo

Knight (The Drifters Girl, Garrick Theatre) steps in for original star Whoopi Goldberg and leads a stellar cast including the hilarious Jennifer Saunders (Blithe Spirit, Harold Pinter Theatre), amazing Keala Settle (& Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre) and fabulous Lizzie Bea (Hairspray, The Coliseum). This revival of the musical based on the Goldberg-starring film runs at the Eventim Apollo 19 July through 28 August 2022. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including 101 Dalmatians, Lady Gaga, Duran Duran and Tears For Fears live
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SONG OF THE WEEK: More Joy by Duran Duran feat Chai (week beginning 10 August 2021)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

The Birmingham 80s super group team up with Chai, a four-strong, all-women, Japanese rock band from Nagoya, for their best single since Ordinary World in 1993.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Duran Duran at a London gig in 2022
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LIVE REVIEW: Brian and Robin’s Christmas Compendium of Reason starring Duran Duran

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Eventim Apollo

WHEN: 16/12

There can be few gigs quite like this annual event curated by Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince, from Radio 4’s Infinite Monkey Cage, which we’ve seen for the last three years.

  • Read on for reasons including Sophie Ellis-Bextor singing Nothing Compares 2 U

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