Hurts

AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Song of 2020

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It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2020? Over the next week we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2020.

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Faith by Hurts (September 2020)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

TRACKLIST: Voices; Suffer; Fractured; Slave To Your Love; All I Have To Give; Liar; Somebody; Numb; Redemption; White Horses; Darkest Hour

‘When we started making the album, we knew we wanted to give it everything. We decided to confront our demons, excavate the pain and show you it all. It was difficult, at times impossible, but once it started to come together, we felt like nothing could stop us. We knew we were making something special. Something we were going to be immensely proud of,’ says lead singer Theo Hutchcraft.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see Hurts on tour next year including London gig details

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2020 starring Talking Heads

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  1. Talking Heads at the Bridge starring Monica Dolan and Imelda Staunton

Alan Bennett’s original series of monologues aired on BBC1 in 1988 to much acclaim with a second season debuting on the same channel a decade later. Two new scripts were written for a third BBC1 series in 2020 during which 10 of the originals were remade. To celebrate, the Bridge Theatre stages eight of the latest 12 in four pairs beginning 7/9 and running to 31/10 starring two winners of our Best Theatre Actress monsta Monica Dolan and Imelda Staunton. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sara Pascoe at the Greenwich Comedy Festival, Andrew Scott and new Hurts 

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SONG OF THE WEEK: Suffer by Hurts (Week beginning 5/7/20)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

If debut Hurts album Happiness was about love and loss and its follow up (Exile) about sex and death, then the new material we’ve heard from fifth album Faith (out 4/9/20) feels like a return to the lyrical themes that made their name.

  • Read on for reasons including live reviews from throughout Hurts’ 10-year career

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GIG REVIEW: Hurts at O2 Brixton Academy: 7 December 2017

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

WHERE: O2 Brixton Academy

WHEN: 7/12, tour runs to 10/2/2018

SETLIST: Desire; Ready To Go; Some Kind Of Heaven; Sunday; People Like Us; Hold On To Me; Miracle; Rolling Stone; Better Than Love; Sandman; Lights; Walk Away; Something I Need To Know; Wonderful Life; Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us; Wings; Beautiful Ones; All I Want For Christmas Is New Year’s Day; Stay

Current critical opinion would have it that Hurts are somehow trying too hard.

  • Read on for reasons including which old song they played for the first time tonight

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PREVIEW: 5 reasons why we can’t wait for new Hurts album Desire

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. They’re ever more LGBTQ friendly

Happiness. Exile. Surrender … and now Desire – all four of Hurts’ album titles have spoken to what it is to be an outsider. As their lyrics and music do. Their LGBTQ audience has never been more embraced than for the video for the first single of this campaign (still above, clip below) Beautiful Ones. Fans of recent BBC1 drama Rellik will be familiar with the story line playing out in reverse.

  • Read on for reasons including the video for their best new single for years

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

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Young Frankenstein re-animates the Garrick

The Garrick Theatre had some success earlier this year with Griff Rhys Jones/Lee Mack comedy The Miser and this musical re-working of the Mel Brooks classic looks like it will be puttin’ on the Ritz with a cast including Ross Noble (see above) and Lesley Joseph. Runs 28/9 to February 2018. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sir Ian McKellen, new Hurts and Strictly Comes Dancing does Annie

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