music

PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 5 starring Scarlet, Victoria Silvstedt & Arvingarna

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 1 March 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Husqvana Garden, Jönköping

Last year we wrote of Scarlet’s Circus X that it boasted ‘the most thrilling climax to a song we’ve heard all Eurovision season’ and its striking visuals would foreshadow the similar styling of Ireland’s Bambie Thug which romped home in 6th beating the Swedish entry, equalling the country’s best result for 24 years.

  • Read on for reasons including underwear model Victoria Silvstedt and former winners Arvingarna
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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 4 starring Måns Zelmerlöw, Andreas Lundstedt & Tennessee Tears

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 22 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Malmö Arena, Malmö

Zelmerlöw is the big favourite to win MF for a 2nd time after triumphing in 2015 with Heroes which finished 3rd in the Eurovision televote behind Italy and Russia but went on to triumph.

  • Read on for reasons including Andreas Lundstedt from Alcazar & Tennessee Tears
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PREVIEW: Benidorm Fest 2025 – Eurovision selection show for Spain – starring Sonia y Selena

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Tuesday 28 January, Thursday 30 January through Saturday 1 February 2025

WHERE?: Palau Municipal d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm

Spain achieved its best Eurovision result for 27 years with the 1st winner of Benidorm Fest – Chanel’s SloMo was 3rd – but the last 2 years have seen finishes in 17th and 22nd.

  • Read on for reasons including Sonia y Selena, Nebulossa returns, Melody & K!ngdom
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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 3 starring Dolly Style, Malou Prytz & Annika Wickihalder

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås

Will it be 4th time lucky for a girl band with a rotating membership to rival the UK’s own Sugababes?

  • Read on for reasons including Dolly Style, Malou Prytz and Annika Wickihalder
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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2025 Heat 2 starring Klara Hammarström & Eric Segerstedt

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 8 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg

Hammarström has made the finalen in each of her last 2 Melodifestivalens and has co-written an entry with 4 of the authors of 2023 Eurovision winner Tattoo.

  • Read on for reasons including Eric Segerstedt and Schlagerz
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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen Heat 1 2025 starring John Lundvik & Albin Johnsén feat. Pa

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 1 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Coop Norrbotten Arena, Luleå

Melodifestivalen turns 65 this year, in 2024 gave us Unforgettable Norwegian twins Marcus and Martinus as victors and we see them live in London in March, the biggest compliment we can pay an act.

  • Read on for reasons including more detail about this opening show’s 6 acts
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Eurostar by Nemo (December 2024)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Next year’s 69th Eurovision Song Contest is in Basel, Switzerland thanks to Nemo, the show’s 1st non-binary winner, with a song that placed 5th in its televote but was the runaway jury winner.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Nemo live in London in 2025
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GIG REVIEW: Culture Club, Tony Hadley & Heaven 17 at The 02

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 15 December 2024, Culture Club tour runs through 21 June 2025

Setlist: White Boy; I’m Afraid Of Me; Take Control; You Know I’m Not Crazy; Boy, Boy (I’m The Boy); White Boys Can’t Control It; I’ll Tumble 4 Ya; Kissing To Be Clever; Love Twist; Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?; Church Of The Poison Mind; It’s A Miracle; Mister Man; Miss Me Blind; Stormkeeper; Changing Every Day; Black Money; Colour By Numbers; That’s The Way (I’m Only Trying To Help You); Victims; Time (Clock Of The Heart); Get It On; Karma Chameleon

Perhaps it was because this was the last night of this leg of the tour but we’ve seen Boy George and his band Culture Club live many times and this was the friendlist and chattiest we’ve ever seen him.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was the warmest and most interesting we’ve ever seen Culture Club
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GIG REVIEW: My Life Story at Camden Dingwalls

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Friday 13 December 2024, next date 14 March 2025

Setlist: Tits And Attitude; Motorcade; Broken; If You Can’t Live Without Me Then Why Aren’t You Dead Yet?; Running Out Of Heartbeats; Numb Numb Numb; Taking On The World; Walk/Don’t Walk; It’s A Girl Thing; Strumpet; Sparkle; #NoFilter; Penthouse In The Basement; Bubblewrap; You Can’t Uneat The Apple; Naked; 12 Reasons Why I Love Her

It’s 12 days to Christmas and 30 years since we 1st saw My Life Story support Cud at Exeter’s Lemon Grove, falling head over heels for their orchestral pop and suited and booted savoir-faire.

  • Read on for the very many more than 12 reasons why we love them
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