monstagigz readers have been voting throughout October, November and December for their favourite pop, theatre, TV, film and podcasts of 2025 from our shortlists. Read on for details of our 2025 11th annual monstas winners …
It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.
It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.
It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.
You, dear reader, are given the chance to vote in 17 categories from October this year to tell us your favourite theatre, music, TV, film and podcast of 2025.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN?: Friday 23 May 2025, tour runs through 15 August 2025
AG Setlist: Ride A White Horse; Number 1; Dreaming; Believer; Find Xanadu; Reverberotic; Rocket; Ooh La La; Strict Machine; Fever
SS Setlist: Laura; Better Luck; She’s My Man; Tits On The Radio; I Can’t Decide; Lovers In The Back Seat; Running Out; Take Your Mama; Paul McCartney; Fire With Fire; Mary; It Can’t Come Quickly Enough; Sex And Violence; Any Which Way; Comfortably Numb; Invisible Light; Let’s Have A Kiki; I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’; Return To Oz; Filthy Gorgeous; Music Is The Victim
It’s the Friday night of a bank holiday weekend and we arrive at our seats early to see an extraordinary greatest hits support set from 1 of our favourite pop stars.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
Tracklist: I Do And I Don’t Care; Focus Is Power; Mother; The Curse; Logic, Bitch; Cheers To Me; If Not Now, It’s Soon; In Plain Sight; Lies; 69; What Now; The Deep Blue Okay
There’s a thematic through-line to this album with the final track’s title being referenced in its opening song as Self Esteem sings: ‘We’re not chasing happiness anymore, girls. We’re chasing nothing, the great big still, the deep blue okay – and we’re okay today.’
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN? Saturday 19 April (matinee), runs through 20 April 2025 Tickets for autumn gigs
Setlist: I Do And I Don’t Care; Mother; Lies; 69; You Forever; Logic Bitch; Prioritise Pleasure; Fucking Wizardry; The Curse; In Plain Sight; What Now; Cheers To Me; If Not Now, It’s Soon; Focus Is Power; I Do This All The Time; The Deep Blue Okay
Self Esteem urges us to keep our cameraphones on, ignore the ‘dusty old pervert vibes’ of this esteemed West End theatre and to get up out of our seats and dance if we want to.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
69 is the 2nd single from Rebecca Lucy Taylor’s 3rd album A Complicated Woman and is as sexual as its title suggests.
Rotherham-born Rebecca Lucy Taylor starred in Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End but is perhaps best known as pop star Self Esteem for last album Prioritise Pleasure, in 2021 an album of the month for us. She debuts 3rd album A Complicated Woman at gigs we join her for in London’s West End this month. Tickets are return only. Album out 25 April 2025 Our song of the month is new single 69. Our review of the gig and review of the album
