music

GIG REVIEW: Loreen at Parel-Lel 62, Barcelona

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Saturday 8 March, tour runs through 16 August 2025

SETLIST: Jupiter Drive; Gravity; Forever; Warning Signs; Hate The Way I Love You; Statements; I’m In It With You; Dreams; Coming Close; Euphoria; Is it Love?; Tattoo

It’s International Women’s Day and while Sweden is choosing its Eurovision entry for 2025 the only woman to have won the competition twice is performing in Barcelona as part of an extensive European tour that reaches the UK and Ireland for 8 dates later this month.

  • Read on for reasons including how this up-for-it crowd responded magnificently to an artist clearly revelling in their enthusiasm for her
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen Finalen 2025 starring Greczula, Klara Hammarström & Måns Zelmerlöw 

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 8 March 2025 Strawberry Arena, Stockholm 7pm UK time

WHERE DO I WATCH?: SVTPlay

We predict that this year’s Melfest does contain a potential Eurovision winner in Basle in May but that it isn’t 2015 victor Måns Zelmerlöw or Spotify comedy chartoppers KAJ.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for how these finalists would fare in Eurovision 2025
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Abracadabra by Lady Gaga (March 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK? *****

Mother Monster’s best single since Born This Way in 2011 finds her experimenting with industrial house and sampling/giving songwriting credits to Siouxsie and The Banshees as she tees up new album Mayhem.

  • Read on for reasons including how we haven’t been this excited in years for a new Gaga album
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 5 starring Scarlet, Saga Ludvigsson & Arvingarna

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 1 March 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Husqvarna Garden, Jönköping

Male soloists have perhaps surprisingly won each of the 1st 4 MF heats and we’ve our fingers crossed for female duo Scarlet (pictured above) to step up on Saturday and break that run with their hard gothic rock.

  • Read on for reasons including Saga Ludvigsson, Arvingarna and Victoria Silvstedt
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GIG REVIEW: Welly at Heartbreakers, Southampton

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Thursday 13 February, tour runs through 3 August 2025 with dates being added Tickets

I’ve reviewed these guys so many times, I don’t know how else to say “Go and see them!”

  • Read on for reasons including how Welly will sound Girls Aloud next album
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Polari by Olly Alexander (February 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

TRACKLIST: Polari; Cupid’s Bow; I Know; Shadow Of Love; Make Me A Man; Dizzy; Archangel; Miss You So Much; When We Kiss; Whisper In The Waves; Beautiful; Heal You; Language

Duets with Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys and Elton John mean the groundwork has been laid and that this 1st official solo album’s predominantly uptempo, 80s-influenced musical theme makes perfect sense.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Alexander on his tour including the London Palladium this year
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2025 heat 3 starring Greczula, Malou Prytz & Annika Wickihalder

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås

Established male MF stars have won the 1st 2 Melodifestivalen heats and this week we believe it’s the turn of newcomer Greczula to shine.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for who will finish where on Saturday
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THEATRE REVIEW: Unicorn starring Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan & Erin Doherty at the Garrick Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 8 February (matinee), opens 13 February and runs through 26 April 2025 RUNTIME: 140 minutes (with a 20-minute interval)

We’re at dinner with friends the night before we see this and they mention they caught it on its 1st preview.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is hugely funny and the best new play of the year so far
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 2 starring Klara Hammarström, Kaliffa & Eric Segerstedt

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 8 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg

Melodifestivalen showed its strength in depth last week with a 1st heat strong on musical diversity and there is much that is different to again appreciate here in this 2nd outing.

  • Read on for reasons including Kaliffa, Eric Segerstedt & Schlagerz
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Ich Komme by Erika Vikman (February 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

The controversial exclusion of One Morning Left’s hard rock novelty song Puppy from Finland’s Eurovision selection show UMK on 8 February leaves this sticky and sexually explicit joy the clear favourite to triumph.

  • Read on for reasons including how Vikman popped her Eurovision cherry with Cicciolina
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