PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for July 2020 starring I May Destroy You

  1. I May Destroy You continues

Box sets and binge watching have highlighted how much brilliant TV there currently is but this series, written, co-directed and starring Michaela Coel has actually benefitted from a dripfeed release of 2 30-minute episodes per week. Give it a chance because we really weren’t sure about it until episodes 5 and 6 (aired in the UK Monday 22/6 and Tuesday 23/6/20) which drew on some rather complicated strands and pulled them tight to devastating effect. There’s 6 episodes to go and all are aired on the next 3 Mondays and Tuesdays on BBC1 and available at BBC iPlayer. We should’ve known it would be good because we last saw Coel dancing on stage at one of our favourite gigs.

  • Read on for reasons including new Rufus and The Streets albums and the return of Like 1999

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Fairytale (International) by Saara Aalto (December 2019)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT? now

TRACKLIST: Every Christmas Day; Christmas Without You; Let It Go; Starry Skies; Can I Keep The Pictures?; Fairytale Of New York

Aalto won our Best Album monsta last year for her Wild, Wild Wonderland LP and, although its follow up is only half a dozen tracks long, it signposts an interesting future for her singing original songs.

  • Read on for reasons including why live is where Aalto always excels

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AWARDS: Winners of the 2018 monstas are …

2018’s Best Theatre Actress

  • Sharon D. Clarke in Caroline, Or Change at Hampstead Theatre, now Playhouse Theatre Review Tickets   Lot’s Wife
  • Picture courtesy Caroline, or Change – West End

Screen Shot 2018-12-27 at 16.04.10

  • Read on for reasons including the remaining 13 theatre, pop, film & TV winners

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TOP 6: Best read monstagigz content of 2018

  1. We weren’t very, very, very keen on new Martin McDonagh

Martin McDonagh features twice in this list and wrote/directed the Oscar-winning film Three Billboards in 2018. We were at the 2nd preview for this new play at the Bridge Theatre and weren’t keen: ‘Our problem with A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter is that, while McDonagh could be argued to be skewering the lazy racism of 18th Century Europe of the time, it makes for a very uncomfortable and politically incorrect watch in 2018.’

  • Read on for the rest of the top 6 including Saara Aalto, Aidan Turner, Heathers & Suranne Jones

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: Best Song of the year: 2018

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2018? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2018.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for Song of the year. 2017 winner: New Rules by Dua Lipa

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: Best Gig of the year: 2018

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2018? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2018.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for Gig of the year. 2017 winner: Bananarama at Eventim Apollo

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: Best Album of the year: 2018

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2018? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2018.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for Album of the year. 2017 winner: Melodrama by Lorde

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INTERVIEW: Saara Aalto on her European tour, life after Eurovision & what happens next

One of our favourite stars of the year embarks on a 24-date European tour this Autumn, reflects on Eurovision and what happens next for her in our interview below.

  • Read on for reasons including what Saara Aalto’s message for the readers of monstagigz is

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best song of 2018 so far

We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Goodbye To Yesterday, Can’t Stop The Feeling and New Rules are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 8 best songs of 2018 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best new album of 2018 so far

We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Florence and The Machine, Lady Gaga and Lorde are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 6 best albums of 2018 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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