Month: July 2022

Better Call Saul Season 6b: what’s going to happen next?

Written by Joe McFadden on 11th July 2022. Posted in TV.

What’s going to happen to Kim Wexler? Is her fate doomed or has she got a chance of getting out safely before Lalo Salamanca goes to war with Gus Fring?

Archie:

So, what happens to Kim? As soon as she is established as a major part of the series, that question has lingered, just like Nacho. But we’re coming up to the end of the show and Kim is more significant than ever, so again, what happens to Kim? It would feel lazy to kill Kim. I trust the writers to the extent where if she did die then I know it would be justified, but it wouldn’t seem right that Jimmy could just shrug off her death and stay in the same state, city and even building to practise law, after a supposed death. She moves is my best bet. I imagine Howard getting killed next to her would just be too profound for her. It will show her that she is in way over her head with Jimmy and that she has to run in the opposite direction. But there are other options like prison or the more far-fetched idea of just a platonic break-up with Jimmy. Again, my level of trust in the writers is high but the possibilities are endless – it’s just about carving out the right one.

Joe:

I agree that death would be the easy way out for Kim and wouldn’t do her character justice. It would make sense that for Jimmy’s final transformation into Saul he’d have to lose her, but killing her off would just be a poor example of fridging and wouldn’t do her character arc any justice. Since Season 5 I’ve been firmly on the prison side of the debate. I can imagine Kim doing what Saul never could and willingly face the consequences of her actions which would result in a lengthy prison stay. How this may happen I’m not sure but Howard’s death is bound to be a catalyst for whatever happens next in Kim’s character arc. If Kim were to go to prison, likely taking the fall for the illegal shenanigans her and Jimmy have gotten up to, it would also set up some interesting character choices for Saul and would definitely transition his character into the scummy lawyer that Walter White hires to get Badger out of his trouble with the law.

Following the shocking mid-season finale, how is Jimmy going to change? How will his final transformation into Saul occur? And will we see the metaphorical death of Jimmy McGill?

Archie:

The difference between Jimmy and Saul is stark. His name change was always symbolic and acceptance that he would never meet the lofty moral heights that his brother had of him, so he needed to distance himself from the idea of being Chuck’s sibling. As he sunk into this new identity the relationship with crime in his legal practices has ramped up, moving him firmly into a close relationship with the cartel. But what will be the final change? He’s not even slightly known as Jimmy in Breaking Bad (BB) and in that series he has fully developed into the Saul persona. What will be the final nail in the coffin that tips him over? With Chuck and Howard dead and Kim not in his world, no one of great importance knows him as Jimmy so how will he make that complete transition to Saul. It’s definitely a development we have in store that will be exciting to see.

Joe:

Whatever Season 6b has in store for Jimmy McGill it’s not going to go the way we think. The entire story of Better Call Saul has been about the moral decline of Jimmy McGill and how both his own personal demons and ‘the establishment’ have led him down a dark path, causing him to take turn after turn onto ‘Bad Choice Road’ and turn into the empty, exploitative, and predatory caricature that is Saul Goodman. However, since Season 3 Jimmy has been increasingly and dangerously using Saul Goodman as a mask he can slip on and off, a costume he wears to go and fight perceived injustices against some of Albuquerque’s less reputable citizens; but, like any drug, there is a fine line between using and addiction. We see Jimmy first properly use Saul to process the grief and guilt after his brother’s death and I think the final push over the edge that will cause him to completely eschew his birth name in favour of the Goodman moniker has to be loss of Kim as, after she’s out the picture, there is nothing left to anchor him to the world of the good and prevent him from indulging in his own impulses and fully embracing the decayed morals of Saul Goodman.

**We don’t really see much of Jimmy/Saul’s schemes in Breaking Bad. Why is that and what might happen to see Saul give up his love of scams?**

Archie:

While the distinction between the two shows is clear, it’s a valid question to ask why there are no Slippin’ Jimmy style schemes in Breaking Bad. Obviously, it’s a different show, the focus is not on him and he has clearly changed, the idea of Jimmy pulling off a scheme is so significant in Better Call Saul (BCS), that it seems noteworthy they’re not in BB at all. Perhaps there is an exception to be made here or there for example with Ted’s “great aunt Berget”, but the eccentricity and effort are nowhere close. Again, I think this is largely down to the death of Slippin’ Jimmy, but as we see him on such a high by pulling off the Howard scheme, it seems odd that he would suddenly stop. I imagine that this will be because of Howard’s death. It is clearly not going to end well for Jimmy and this will have such a profound effect on him that he will stop scheming forever.

Joe:

The boring, real world answer is the fact that BB came first and Gilligan and Co had simply not conceived of the idea of Slippin’ Jimmy or that the scummy, funny lawyer from Breaking Bad might be a deeply tragic character so weighed down by guilt and grief that he becomes a parasitical force on society, feeding off of others misfortunes because he can’t bear to process his own actions and hold himself accountable for what’s he done. All that aside though, I think the main answer is that the schemes get bigger and less personal. We know Jimmy is likely to inherit Dr. Caldera’s black book and role as the fixer of the ABQ’s criminal underworld so it would make sense that he’d be more of a director than a player in his own schemes. We also see in Breaking Bad that Saul is quite proficient in money laundering schemes so I’d be tempted to say he never stopped scamming, just made it into his business; and, just like any passion project turned illegitimate local business, it requires employees and a level of management to function successfully and grow. That all being said, however, I think Howard’s death will certainly make Jimmy/Saul think twice about his future scheming and maybe try and keep it to less personal ruses that don’t result in an innocent man’s brains being spilt out over his condo’s interior decorations.

Gustavo Fring versus Lalo Salamanca. What’s Lalo’s endgame and what’s Gus going to do about it?

Archie:

It’s hard to see an end game for Lalo that goes well for him, I think he almost certainly dies, but the question is just more about how long his plan is, who gets dragged down, how many get killed. I can imagine some sort of big showdown between Gus and Lalo, shifting Gus towards his position of power in BB. The character of Lalo has been interesting for Gus. He’s clever, calm and intimidating, and fiercely loyal to his family. I think he was there to show how cold and calculating Gus really is and what he had to sacrifice in order to get where he is. He’s a great representation of cartel life, its core values, and how these values are completely opposed to how Gus runs his drug empire.

Joe:

I think it’s clear Lalo’s endgame has to do with the superlab and some sort of showdown, possibly the final one, will take place in the underground excavation site where Walt and Jesse will chase a fly around a meth lab 6 years later. Lalo has certainly been the best villain in either show (with the exception of Mr Fing himself). His charisma and casual attitude towards killing have made him a force to be reckoned with but he’s the only person who can scare Gus Fring and, given Gus is alive in Breaking Bad, Lalo has to disappear somehow. Whatever happens I hope it serves Lalo’s character arc well and makes him deserving of being the only person to put the chicken man on the defensive.

Surprisingly, we haven’t seen Gene at all so far this season so what’s going on with him and how will the entire show end?

Archie:

Fear has never really been Saul’s driving force. He clearly fears the cartel, Walter White, and the threat of being in prison to some extent, but it’s not what keeps him going. However, in the Gene black and white flash-forward scenes he lives in fear of his identity being rumbled. We don’t entirely know what’s happening to Gene but we do know he’s moving toward his old life again. He clearly misses being Saul, and his interaction at the mall pushed him over the edge. Since we have closure on Walt and Jesse, it would be good to get the same for Saul. I’m hesitant to say much more about it, it’s a cool mystery that I’m happy to let see what happens.

Joe:

With the extended episode order for this final season (13 instead of the usual 10), and his absence from the usual flash-forward in the season premiere, I think it’s safe to say that we’ll be getting an entire episode or two solely dedicated to Gene, possibly even the penultimate or final episode. When we last saw Gene he’d phoned Ed Gailbraith, a.k.a the Disappearer, but then decided he’d “fix it [himself]” after being recognised by a taxi driver following his panic attack at Cinnabon. Like Archie I’m hesitant to speculate further as, if this first part of the season is anything to go by, Gilligan and Gould will subvert our expectations in spectacular fashion. Whatever happens though, it’s clear Jimmy/Saul/Gene isn’t out of the woods yet and we’re in for a treat to see how the show ends.

Click here to see Joe and Archie’s previous article analysing season 6a and asking what it might mean for our favourite character’s fates.

Manchester Opera House prepares for some enchanted evenings

Written by Jay Darcy on 11th July 2022. Posted in Theatre.

South Pacific: one of the most famous musicals of all time – and one of the most controversial.

One might expect a 1949 musical set in the South Pacific to be racially problematic – and, sure, 7 decades later, one might take issue with it representation of race – but it was established, in part, to stand up to racism.

The musical is based on James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book, Tales of the South Pacific – combining several of those stories. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein believed they could write a musical based on Michener’s work that would be financially successful and, at the same time, send a strong progressive message on racism.

The plot centres on an American nurse stationed on a South Pacific island during World War II, who falls in love with a middle-aged expatriate French plantation owner but struggles to accept his mixed-race children. A secondary romance, between a U.S. Marine lieutenant and a young Tonkinese woman, explores his fears of the social consequences should he marry his Asian sweetheart.

The issue of racial prejudice is candidly explored throughout the musical, most controversially in the lieutenant’s song, ‘You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught’. Supporting characters, including a comic petty officer and the Tonkinese girl’s mother, help to tie the stories together.

Because he lacked military knowledge, Hammerstein had difficulty writing that part of the script; the director of the original production, Logan, assisted him and received credit as co-writer of the book.

After they signed Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin as the leads, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote several of the songs with the particular talents of their stars in mind. Several of the musical’s songs have become popular standards: ‘Bali Ha’i’, ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair’, ‘Some Enchanted Evening’, ‘There Is Nothing Like a Dame’, ‘Happy Talk’, ‘Younger Than Springtime’, and ‘I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy’.

The original Broadway production enjoyed immense critical and box-office success, became the second-longest running Broadway musical to that point (behind Rodgers and Hammerstein’s earlier Oklahoma! (1943)), and has remained popular ever since. The piece even won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. However, its racial theme provoked controversy (especially in the southern US), for which its authors were unapologetic.

The production won ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Libretto, and it is the only musical production to win Tony Awards in all four acting categories. Its original cast album was the bestselling record of the 1940s, and other recordings of the show have also been popular. The show has enjoyed many successful revivals and tours, spawning a 1958 film and television adaptations. The 2008 Broadway revival, a critical success, ran for 996 performances and won seven Tonys, including Best Musical Revival.

Chichester Festival Theatre’s critically acclaimed, landmark production of South Pacific is set to embark on a major UK and Ireland tour. Like Sister Act, which recently played at the Palace Theatre, South Pacific is playing in Manchester ahead of a run in London (Sadler’s Wells Theatre) – before touring the UK and Ireland.

The tour stars Julian Ovenden and Gina Beck, who starred in the Chichester Festival Theatre production.

Onscreen, Ovenden is known for Foyle’s War, The Royal, Smash, Downton Abbey, Persons of Interest, Knightfall, The Crown, Bridgerton, and Adult Material. Onstage, he is known, in part, for being in the original productions of Marguerite and Finding Neverland. He has previously starred in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s aforementioned Oklahoma! – as well as Hammerstein and Jermone Kern’s Show Boat.

Beck is known for playing lead roles in notable musicals, such as Miss Honey in Matilda, Glinda in Wicked, Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera, and Cosette in Les Mis. She has previously starred in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music and, like Beck, played a lead role in Hammerstein’s Show Boat (though not the same production).

If you’re unable to get away this summer, not to worry – for South Pacific is coming to Manchester. Coincidentally, it begins its UK tour during a heatwave!

South Pacific plays at Manchester Opera House from 16th until 23rd July, ahead of a month-long residency at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, from 27th July until 28th August. The UK tour resumes in mid-September until mid-November.

Palace Theatre Manchester celebrates 25 years of Lord of the Dance

Written by Jay Darcy on 11th July 2022. Posted in Theatre.

Michael Flatley first found fame starring in Lord of the Dance – which celebrated its 25th anniversary back in 2020. A theatrical show that consists mainly of traditional Irish music and dance, it originated as an interval performance act during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, featuring Flatley alongside fellow Irish dancing champion Jean Butler – and the vocal ensemble Anúna.

Shortly afterwards, husband and wife production team John McColgan and Moya Doherty expanded it into a stage show, which opened in Dublin in 1995. Since then, the show has visited over 450 venues worldwide and been seen by over 25 million people, making it one of the most successful dance productions in the world.

Flatley left the show in late 1995, due to conflicts over creative control. He dreamed of, and put into action, a plan of putting together a dance show capable of playing in arenas and stadiums instead of traditional theatres. That show Lord of the Dance.

Since its premiere in 1996, Lord of The Dance has visited over 1000 venues worldwide and been seen by over 60 million people in 60 different countries on every continent.

The show has gone on to receive unparalleled accolades, and it has broken theatrical records across the globe. Like Riverdance before it, it brought Irish dancing to the world stage and catapulted the art of Irish dance to a higher plane, unprecedented worldwide recognition, and dove straight into the hearts and minds of millions worldwide.

Lord of the Dance has dazzled audiences around the world with its unique combination of high-energy Irish dancing, original music, storytelling and sensuality. The beloved Irish dance show transcends culture and language, soaring into the soul on astounding aerial moves, unparalleled precision dancing and state-of-the art theatrical effects.

Much of the secret to its phenomenal success is that it speaks to all, crossing boundaries of age, gender and cultural diversity. Its timeless, universal appeal has made Lord of the Dance one of the modern-day wonders of the world, a myth to a living legend.

Michael has revived and updated the original Lord of the Dance for new generations of fans. The show, described by the Los Angeles Times as a “showpiece extravaganza”, features more than 150,000 taps per performance as it transports the audience to a mythical time and place, capturing hearts in a swirl of movement, precision dancing, artistic lighting and pyrotechnics.

Lord of the Dance plays at Palace Theatre Manchester from 14th until 17th July – the final stop of its UK tour. After a short break, the world tour resumes in early September, playing around Europe until early December.

Better Call Saul Season 6a: what’s happened so far?

Written by Joe McFadden on 10th July 2022. Posted in TV.

Let’s talk about that mid-season finale.

Archie:

Wow. I don’t know many people who won’t have their jaw on the floor after that. Howard’s dead and who knows what the repercussions of that will be, but, we are now seeing the transition of Better Call Saul (BCS) to Breaking Bad (BB) and what happened to Howard will surely be a large element of the transition. The intricate weaving of what had seemed like two distinctly different parts of Jimmy’s life: the cartel and Hamlin Hamlin McGill (HHM) was stunning. As much as we like Jimmy and root for him in a way, Howard was so often the good guy, it’s almost sad to see him go. It’s also probably the most direct blood on Jimmy’s hands there has ever been.

Joe:

Those final 10 minutes of the episode were truly some of the best television I’ve seen in a long long time – hats off to Thomas Schnauz (Executive Producer and writer-director of ‘Plan and Execution’), this episode was a thrill from start to finish. Circling back to Howard’s death it was sad to see him go but What. A. Death. Patrick Fabian truly shined this episode as well, his final monologue before Lalo pointed and shot was some of his finest work on the show and I hope we see him get a much-deserved Emmy nod next week. Lalo’s entrance was also perfectly executed (pun intended) – the abject looks of horror on Kim and Jimmy’s faces as they saw him emerge from the shadows definitely reflected the audience’s shock at Howard’s demise. I agree it’s sad to see Howard go but his death has really blown open the potential for the rest of the season so I’m excited to see what happens next!

Let’s talk about this season’s other big death – Nacho Varga went out in a cathartic, tragic moment but what does this mean for Mike, seeming as we saw how he was fond of Ignacio?

Archie:

Mike was a bigger part of BB than Jimmy [Saul] and we get to see more of his development during the series. His main battle has been between his relationship with ‘the job’ (something he always insists he has no emotional connection to) and the actual people involved. We saw this in season 4 with Werner Ziegler and being forced to kill him, with Mike falling into a depression as a result. He recovered from that only to see the same thing with Nacho Vargo in the first half of this season. Perhaps due to Nacho’s acceptance of the situation or Mike’s control, we haven’t seen the same level of reaction. Yet, in BB we see an equally cold and clinical Mike, so maybe Ziegler was the final straw which enabled Mike to actually distance himself from his work.

Joe:

Nacho’s death was an unfortunate inevitability of the show. We all wanted him to skip town, get the hell outta dodge, and live out his days far away from the Cartel (not unlike Jesse Pinkman in El Camino) but it was clear from the outset of this season that Nacho had to die. I think for Mike’s character arc I agree in the sense that it’s just another way he’s losing his humanity. Mike in BB is a character who, whilst we still like his noble outlook on life, is a very different man to his BCS days so I think we’ve really got one more possible event left that will complete his transition into the cold killer who butts heads with an ego-fuelled Walter White.

Let’s jump back to Howard and why Jimmy and Kim planned this elaborate scheme. It’s interesting to note Jimmy’s seeming reluctance vs Kim’s desire to pull off the con so how did this reflect on their character growth so far and what might they have in stall for us?

Archie:

Saul and Kim’s relationship is toxic, to say the least. For Jimmy, much of it has relied on his own deception about his law practice and the sticky bleeding of this into his work for the cartel. This came to its climax during the yellow coffee cup incident. This of course blew up in Jimmy’s face and the realisation came that Kim would never be able to trust Jimmy. But she stayed with him. Given all that we know about Kim and how morally sound she tends to be, her acceptance of Jimmy’s plunge into the criminal underworld seems to be her hamartia. However, this is carefully balanced with why Kim loves Jimmy: he’s fun and in the world of stuffy suit-clad lawyers, he doesn’t take himself, or much at all, too seriously. The recent penultimate episode of the series would show that Kim even takes the idea of revenge on Howard way past, and how much Jimmy wants to indulge it. Jimmy is in many ways Kim’s respite from the real world, her escape. This generally plays into Kim’s relationship with Jimmy that she loves to join in with his schemes when they seem almost harmless and grounded in justice. But as we know from the last scene, this prank got out of hand and a man has died because of it. Surely this will be one step too far for Kim.

Joe:

I agree, I think it’s interesting how Kim seems to be the one pushing for this scheme, almost living in a fantasy world where she can indulge her impulses seemingly free from consequence although, as the mid-season finale made clear, these things very much have consequences. Jimmy’s reluctant participation in the scheme, however, is interesting. It’s clear Jimmy still has some sort of PTSD from his ordeal in Season 5 Episode’s 8 and 9, ‘Bagman’ and ‘Bad Choice Road’ respectively, so I believe his reluctance is a by-product of his time in the desert with Mike when he had to drink his own urine and then had a terrifying conversation with Lalo afterwards. This season Jimmy has seemed more and more like a shell of a man, and it is only when he puts on the Saul Goodman persona that he becomes alive. Thus, it’s clear Jimmy is increasingly using Saul as an escape from Jimmy’s trauma to allow himself to function properly, which creates a very interesting idea when tied into Jimmy’s seeming reluctance to go along with the scheme but when he’s Saul Goodman in actually carrying out the plan he becomes alive.

Gus versus Lalo – what’s going on with the cartel and the super lab?

Archie:

Gus emanates control from when we first meet him in BB. It ramps up during BB and this idea bleeds into BCS. He is smooth, calculated, and always seems to be one step ahead of Walt and Jesse in the early days of BB and, as we know, this fades away towards the end of the series. In BCS, it’s the reverse, we see him have almost no power and the cartel in Mexico kills off his close friend and ally. However, through the growth of the Pollos empire, Gus’ standing in the community and handle on distribution saw him have a firm grip on the meth empire. But Lalo Salamanca provides a completely new challenge. With the assumption he’s dead Gus would appear to have complete over distribution ‘North of the border’.

Joe:

The role reversal between Gus and the Salamanca’s is one of the most interesting dynamics in the show because we see Fring on the defensive, terrified that Lalo will reveal up his plans for the underground super lab we see in BB to Don Eladio, Juan Bolsa, and the rest of the cartel. Whatever Lalo’s endgame is (see the next section), his character represents the biggest threat Gus Fring has ever faced up until a chemistry teacher walks into his restaurant. It certainly helps that Tony Dalton is so charismatic as Lalo Salamanca that he may even have some audience members rooting for Lalo’s success, despite us knowing Lalo has to lose for the events of Breaking Bad to take place.

How about the cinematography of this season? What have been some highlights so far?

Archie:

The use of the candle in that final scene was one of the simplest yet expertly placed uses of cinematography I have ever seen from a TV show. Especially as the pacing of the episode is so fast, it slows us down, challenging us to notice subtlety. The series has at all times embraced the limits of cinematography, taking what BB did to another level, evident in the show’s brilliantly crafted cold opens. This gives an overwhelming identity to the show. Not that the show particularly needs it, but it elevates what the show does, and it has always been interesting to what they mean and where they will go.

Joe:

The cinematography and production design of both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul has always been incredible. Somehow, this final season has already stepped up its game though with beautiful shots that evoke tragic symbolism and dramatic irony. I think a special mention must go to Rhea Seehorn for her turn behind the camera in S6 E4 ‘Hit and Run’ but my personal favourite episode(in terms of cinematography) has been episode 3, ‘Rock and Hard Place’. From the cold open to Nacho’s escape through Salamanca territory to his suicide at the episode’s climax, writer-director Gordon Smith did a fantastic job in foreshadowing Nacho’s inevitable death but ensuring he went out not just with a bang, but in a hauntigly-beautiful location that best encapsulates a key theme of the Heisenberg-verse: man’s struggle with his own nature. In his final moments, not unlike Walter White, Nacho truly decides who he is and embraces his own nature as a doomed man thus, upon his death, the natural world embraces his body as we see his corpse filmed at ground level, showing how his nature has been realised in his final moments.

We talk a lot about the idea of Peak TV and how Better Call Saul fits in with not only its parent show but the wider TV landscape in general. Is it really the best thing on TV and has it superseded Breaking Bad?

Archie:

Better Call Saul can firmly say it has achieved something that no other show has ever achieved: the spin-off was better than the original. This is not to denigrate Breaking Bad in any way, it’s culturally and artistically superb, but it is a testament to the heights of Better Call Saul. There is an argument to be had that in The Wire and The Sopranos, TV drama peaked. Other series have arguably come close in Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and some notable others, but look through any ranking of series and those two will undoubtedly come up within the top 3 if not 5, every time. In terms of storytelling, those shows were on par with some of the best movies ever created. Saul fits into this category. It firmly sits in there with the best ever. Whilst it won’t get even half the recognition that Breaking Bad does, it deserves almost double. But the question looms as to: have we hit peak TV? Of course character analysis shows hit our screens frequently, but hardly to the level of Better Call Saul. I can’t look into the future and predict nothing else will come along, but it’s becoming few and far between as to what hits the heights in TV. Shows like Stranger Things, whilst culturally significant and immensely entertaining don’t hit the soul in the same way something like Better Call Saul does. They manifest into fairly surface-level characters with incredible effects and wonderful CGI but don’t throw you into complex people that can change your view on the world itself. But what we need in the zeitgeist is characters like Jimmy McGill. It is the deep meaningful analysis of individuals which makes you question your own character and that is something that TV can bring us. These characters that you travel with for years at a time have a way of burrowing themselves into your life, in a way that film, literature, theatre and other brands of storytelling just can’t. We need the Saul’s of the world in our life, and perhaps their supply is running short. Maybe Saul will indeed be the last of the antihero drama.

Joe:

If Breaking Bad arguably killed off the antihero drama then Better Call Saul is its ghost haunting the TV landscape. I agree with the notion that Saul has eclipsed its predecessor. With Better Call Saul, Vince Gilligan & Co have managed to surpass the past two decades worth of television in crafting a drama so engrossing and tragic that it puts to shame all that has come before it and all that will come after it. Peak TV has been around for just over 2 decades now and, as streaming fragments the quality and increases the quantity of TV to watch, Better Call Saul is almost a relic of a bygone age in that respect. The slow burn quality of the show has allowed it to build on itself, becoming true watercooler television as fans speculate week-in-week-out as to what might happen next. In a time when we’re overloaded with choice and seasons being pitched as “an X hour movie”, Better Call Saul is a welcome break from the onslaught of cheap Netflix shows that never make it past their second season and Marvel’s Disney+ shows which seem afraid to call themselves TV. Shows like The Wire and The Sopranos are easily some of the best TV ever and I think it’s safe to say Better Call Saul will soon be joining the upper echelons of the TV Hall of Fame as its a compelling character drama first, and a piece of entertainment second.

Click here to read Joe and Archie’s second article, speculating as to what might happen in the final season’s second half.

Sam Fender – Live at the Castlefield Bowl

Written by Will Waterhouse on 10th July 2022. Posted in Music.

I arrived at the naturally atmospheric Castlefield Bowl very early and there was already a large group of lads in Newcastle United F.C. shirts and bucket hats surrounding the stage. The bowl never fails to create a certain festival energy.

After watching a stellar set from Sam Fender at Glastonbury (unfortunately on TV), I couldn’t wait to be part of such a passionate, vocal, and hearty crowd. Whilst watching his Glasto set, I experienced the classic festival-envy phrase, ‘god I wish I was there’, and at the time I hadn’t got my tickets for the gig in Manchester. Fast forward two weeks and I was elated to be stood in the front half, 12 feet from the stage…just 3 hours early…

Support Acts: Heidi Curtis and Wunderhorse

Fellow Geordie Heidi Curtis was our first opener. The twenty year old singer-songwriter was powerful and punchy. As the wind picked up and the welcome Manchester spray cooled the crowd, Heidi was charming, entertaining and exhibited a great balance of Adele-esque ballads and Fender-esque grit. Her cover of Chris Isaak‘s ‘Wicked Game’ was a real joy and her drummer and bassist/keyboardist were exceptional.

Next up was Wunderhorse, the guise of former Dead Pretties frontman, Jacob Slater. It was a contrast to Heidi’s set, with black midi-style jerky movement (musically and physically) and tight, punk-fuelled musical practice Wunderhorse’s set was spirited, distorted and fundamentally loud. I loved it. I even caught a tiny glimpse of Sam enjoying the set backstage. He later said that their set was a special moment in their career and that they would do well. I genuinely agree.

Photo: Heidi Curtis – Will Waterhouse @ The Mancunion

Sam Fender

As Sam and his band walked on stage, the 8,000-strong crowd made the Castlefield Bowl momentarily become St James’ Park. A proper roaring cheer.

He said nothing and opened with ‘Will We Talk?’, phones went up…and then immediately down, which meant we had a fantastic atmosphere and the eager crowd knew every word. The hotel garden across from the venue was packed, as were the apartment balconies, experiencing the ‘Sounds of the City.’ The city sounds pretty brilliant.

“Hello Manchester, how are we doing y’alright?”

‘Dead Boys’, ‘Mantra’, and ‘Better Of Me’ brought the crowd to a reflective moment of passion and calm. ‘Dead Boys’ seemed especially poignant to everyone making up the 8,000. There were perfect silences between the verse and chorus and appropriately passionate singing during such a heart-breaking song.

Photo: Sam Fender – Will Waterhouse @ The Mancunion

From this point onward it was nothing but mosh pits, chants, flares, and Sam checking that the crowd were ok. During ‘Howdon Aldi Death Queue’, everyone took advantage of the opportunity to scream “Woah woah woah woah woah that’s less that two metres”, followed by a smoke-bomb-filled rendition of ‘F*ck the Tories.’

“This is a song about m’Dad “

‘Spit of You’ was supported by pictures of people and their parents projected behind the band and that unmistakable Sam Fender bright guitar sound really fills you with nostalgia. This next part seems too fictional to be true, but as Sam sang ‘Spit of you’ a twenty-something year old lad and his dad in front of me sang every word with arms around each other. Schmaltzy I know, but I’m sure they weren’t the only ones doing this, neither of them will forget it.

You could hear Sam’s raspy, robust vocals over the crowd perfectly, and the musicianship of his band is second to none. I never thought I would mosh to a sax solo but it happened, multiple times.

During his encore, the crowd sang the hook to ‘Saturday’ over and over (and quite well it must be said) until he invited the band back on stage to “do it properly.” It sounded fantastic. Of course he egged the shoulder-riding crowd on, and said Mancunians are great to sing along with.

‘Seventeen Going Under’ was accompanied by pyrotechnics and dedicated to The North. It was always going to be good, but it exceeded my expectations. The lyrics were displayed on the huge screen behind Sam, as if anyone needed reminding. Even the crowd on the balconies and in the hotel garden sang along, and how could you not?

Fender closed with ‘Hypersonic Missiles’, his politically fuelled and energetic breakout single. As the crowd continued to sing out the ‘woah ohh’s’ just as I’d watched them do Glastonbury two weeks earlier, Sam left on “You’ve been f***ing wonderful.” It’s true, I don’t think any musician could hope for a more engaged, participatory, and welcoming crowd than the 8,000 at the Castlefield Bowl.

Catch Sam Fender at a festival this summer!

Live Review: Olivia Rodrigo

Written by Ella Robinson on 8th July 2022. Posted in Music.

Olivia Rodrigo set Manchester Apollo alight on Sunday night in a frenzy of purple and sparkles.

The gig had sold out in minutes, and her crowd at Glastonbury proved she was more than capable of filling a bigger venue, but the intimate size was perfect for her first tour, particularly as she catapulted to success when all venues were shut in lockdown. It seemed as though every fan felt genuinely lucky to be there, sharing the moment together.

Whilst her 34-minute album (bulked up with a few covers) made for a short hour-long set, it provided huge variety, more so than some artists who have years worth of albums to call on. Olivia brought punkier sounds into the mainstream in an age of synthetic beats, with ‘brutal’ and ‘good 4 u’ being the epitome of Rodrigo’s high energy live performance.

Her slower, more heartfelt songs felt even more powerful in the setting of the Manchester Apollo with its ornate gold roof. The curtains drew behind her, leaving her alone on stage as she performed a beautiful mash up of ‘enough for you’ and ‘1 step forward, 3 steps back.’

Olivia Rodrigo broke Spotify’s record for the most streams in one day with her debut single in January 2021, but she has had continued success which is rare for a pop artist, bursting onto the scene. That’s not just due to her varied catalogue of music, but her ability to truly connect with her audience. The clip of her duetting ‘Fuck You’ with Lily Allen, to the Supreme Court at Glastonbury rightly went viral, but she has constantly been an incredible role model to her young audience.

She not only had an all-female band – which was amazing for me to witness at 22, let alone for younger audience members – but she truly celebrated them and highlighted their talent with multiple solos and an interlude section.

Olivia Rodrigo has always sought to connect with her audience, with a car wash to celebrate her album release, and SOUR prom, but her song choices on this tour really highlighted how well she knows them. From One Direction’s ‘Olivia’ filling the auditorium before she came on stage, to the cover of Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ she fulfilled every 2000s/2010s pop fantasy. But her other cover ‘Ready To Go’ by Republica revealed a bit more of her as an individual and performer, as not many of the audience members knew the song – it was truly a personal choice.

Her stage presence was exceptional, as she made use of the entire stage (yes, even standing on the piano), steps at either side and sitting off the front of the stage to connect with the entire audience. She encouraged them to sing even louder than they already were. At times, the links between songs were a bit too ‘on the nose’ – “Manchester, do you ever get ‘deja vu’?” – but they were still met with ecstatic screams.

Despite the more minimalist stage setting and overall ‘performance’ compared to other chart-topping artists like Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus, she brought incredible energy and maintained a powerful vocal performance throughout – impressive for any performer, let alone a 19-year-old.

Whilst she didn’t perform any of her unreleased songs like ‘Apocalyptic Crush’ and ‘Gross’, which fans online were hoping for, she did make reference to the Disney+ show which kickstarted her career, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, with a performance of ‘All I Want’, a song she wrote for the show. The audience clearly knew it well, singing along as loudly as they did to any off her album.

Olivia Rodrigo has more cross-gender and cross-generational appeal than some critics may expect (my 21-year-old male friends know all about her love triangle). She tends to get criticism online, or dismissed as teenage girl music as all artists with heavily female ‘fangirl’ followings do, particularly those trending on TikTok, or who were Disney stars. But anyone in the audience on Sunday night cannot deny it was an exceptional show, and the fathers who brought their daughters along, may just have left with a smile.

The video of her singing after the gig at Bunny Jackson’s may have won her even more Mancunian hearts.

Before Olivia Rodrigo hit the stage, Baby Queen provided an exceptional supporting performance with catchy songs meaning fans who hadn’t heard her before (including myself) could still thoroughly enjoy her set and sing along. She certainly brought the energy and stage presence with a similarly varied set and less put together dancing style.

‘Nobody Really Cares’ which was released on Monday, had lyrics reminiscent of Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘jealousy, jealousy’ so she may have won more fans in the crowd that night. The synth was exceptional in ‘Dover Beach’ and ‘Colours of You.’ Being featured on the soundtrack to Heartstopper, the lyrics “Red, yellow, green blue …”, were complemented by the audience holding up their phone torches. Baby Queen seemed genuinely delighted to be there, commenting on the fact she’d played a much smaller gig in Manchester earlier that year.

Overall, an incredible evening which I loved as an adult but would have loved when I was younger too. For many who felt like Olivia Rodrigo’s lyrics captured their feelings in lockdown, thousands of people singing them together was once again proof that they are not alone – it really is “brutal out here.”

UoM vs MMU: Where is the love?

Written by matthewkliszcz on 7th July 2022. Posted in Lifestyle.

The University of Manchester and Manchestester Metropolitan University have been rivals since the 1970s. The Russel Group vs the arts. But is our rivalry still well-founded, or is there a chance for reconciliation between students?

Speaking as someone who has studied at both, I feel endowed with the experience to explain the prejudices and oftentimes the hostility between the two universities. This presents itself in the form of abuse, belittling, and most commonly, harmless insults.

One fine example is a conversation I overheard on a night out between two friends in which Man Met is nicknamed “Man Shit”. These sentiments aren’t uncommon among UoM students, with the mere thought Man Met students causing grimaces to appear on students’ faces. Yet, despite how mild these opinions may be, it fuels the unnecessary antagonism between the universities.

When asked by a friend why UoM is viewed as an almighty superior I was genuinely stumped.

The obvious answer is because its a Russell Group university. However, all that means is the University is historically well established, allowing it to demand higher entry grades. The RG title becomes even less glorified and more elitist when we realise that Russel Groups just specialise in academic subjects. They curb applied skill subjects like sports science which MMU specialises in.

Initially founded as a polytechnic in 1970, MMU has a legacy of specialising in applied skills and the arts. 50 years later, the university still can’t shake the stigma of being a polytechnic, which is where a lot of the rivalry stems from.

What it boils down to is academia vs applied skills. Neither is superior and neither is inferior. However, academia will give you the in-depth knowledge that UoM prides itself on. Ultimately, both of these routes equip students with the skills and qualifications needed for success in their fields.

But can the hatchet between the two universities ever be buried?

Tell me if any of these sound familiar: Excluding an MMU friend from intellectual conversation. Not inviting a UoM student to a party for fear they won’t be much fun. A sense of regret after sleeping with an MMU student.

I have seen these things happen repeatedly, making me wonder why students address rival uni students differently. Not to get all Martin Luther King on you, but I have a dream that we can sweep these facades aside one day. Hey, you may even be proud to sleep with an MMU student!

Growing up in Manchester at a time when degrees were becoming the next best thing since Corrie, I became acquainted with many graduates of both universities. Equally, I became aware of the success both parties have found.

It reminds me of a ‘Big Think’ by James Citrin: Employers partly care about the degree, and predominately focus on the experiences that separate you from the rest of the candidates.

At the end of the day, its up to you whether to attend Hogwarts or MMU, all I’m asking (if you’ll pardon the song reference) is for a little respect: respect between our fellow brethren here in the friendliest city in England. And as if more proof was needed, Steve Coogan went to MMU – who doesn’t love a bit of Alan Partridge?

Live Review: Diana Ross at Lytham Festival

Written by Jay Darcy on 6th July 2022. Posted in Music.

Exactly two weeks after seeing her at the AO Arena in Manchester, I was lucky enough to catch Diana Ross (aka the Original Diva) for the second time, when she opened Lytham Festival in my home county of Lancashire!

Whilst seeing her again after just two weeks is pretty soon, I was in attendance with former Managing Editor of The Mancunion, Georgina Davidson, who had seen her at Glastonbury two days prior!

Further, Ms Ross is my favourite 20th century artist – along with the late, great Whitney Houston, who I cannot possibly see live (I mean, I did see that hologram, but let’s not talk about it). So, how could I possibly pass on the opportunity to see her once more on her first (and farewell) UK tour in 15 years?!

Setting the Scene

We sadly missed the support act, Olivier winner and Brit nominee Cassidy Janson. I interviewed Janson ahead of the world premiere of & Juliet, along with the rest of the main cast. Janson absolutely stole the show when I caught its press night – that Olivier is well-deserved. We could hear Janson from a mile off, and whilst it was disappointing to miss her set entirely, I’ve no doubt that I’ll see her again someday – she is going from strength to strength.

The special guest was Jack Savoretti – who I have liked for years. I had the chance to see him last year but was just a little too busy (as if that’s changed). I first became aware of Savoretti when I was working at Costa Coffee in Next in Manchester Arndale – whilst Costa’s music is questionable, we played Next’s playlist, which includes a nice mix of bops and BOPS – such as Savoretti’s ‘Whiskey Tango’ (which, sadly, he did not sing).

My other favourite “Next” songs, so to speak, were James Cherry‘s ‘Why Don’t You Listen’ and Disclosure‘s ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ (featuring London Grammar). Frankly, the music was the only good thing about working at that store, but let’s not revisit my trauma…

Savoretti’s deep, husky voice is entirely eargasmic. Even his talking voice – which he describes as “transatlantic mutt”, due to his mixed background and constant moving around as a child – is an aural delight.

His music is a blend of several genres: acoustic, alternative rock, folk rock, indie pop, and Americana – the latter being the name of his latest studio album.

Savoretti’s stage presence and calm, collected confidence added to his appeal. He embraced the audience and took us on a musical journey that included an excellent cover of Dusty Springfield‘s ‘You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.’ His wolfish tone rivalled Dusty’s signature smoker’s singing voice.

His set was certainly superior to the one given by Zak Abel at AO Arena – though Abel only found out he was opening for Ms Ross the day before, and whilst Savoretti had a sizeable set, Abel had very little stage time.

She’s Coming Out

The weather was pretty bad. After raining pretty heavily on the drive over to Lytham, it calmed down. That was until Ms Ross finally arrived, when the weather turned. Wet and windy is not a vibe – especially not for the Original Diva. Alas, there was nothing we could do; we just had to embrace it and enjoy ourselves.

Shortly before Ross arrived, a faint rainbow appeared, engrossed in light fog. Ross, as always, came out to ‘I’m Coming Out’, so the rainbow was a nice (albeit unintentional) touch – especially during Pride Month.

Whilst the setlist for Ross’ Thank You Tour has been almost the same at every date so far, the costumes have not. Some artists do not have a costume change but wear a different outfit at every concert. Others have multiple costume changes but wear the same (or similar) set of costumes at each date. Ross, though, has several costume changes at each show – and every costume at every concert is different. They don’t call her the Original Diva for nothing!

She arrived onstage drowning in a huge, blue, coat-like thing, which she later dropped, revealing a glittery, blue, long, skirt and a glittery, white top, with a bat-wing sleeves. Her mermaid-like skirt was fitting, for we were right by the sea!

She then sang ‘More Today Than Yesterday’ – a little-known song but a staple of her concerts – before taking us back into time to her days with The Supremes (or, Diana Ross and the Supremes).

Sadly, the Supremes’ first hit, ‘Where Did Our Love Go’, was omitted from the setlist after the second show of the UK tour, and it has not reappeared since. Instead, the song was replaced with ‘My World is Empty Without You’ – and I know I said this in my review of her Manchester concert, but why would you replace such an important song with that?

Next up was the band’s second hit – and their most notable UK hit – ‘Baby Love.’ This was followed by ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’, ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ and ‘Love Child.’ At the first date, she sang ‘Come See About Me’ in between the two ‘Love’ songs, but that was quickly (and sadly) dropped.

She came back onstage wearing a sleeveless black dress. It was surprisingly simple, but it was paired with a huge piece of purple material – a statement piece, if ever there was one.

To my delight, she began this section with ‘The Boss’, which she had done at the first concert, but the song was then cut from the setlist. It’s my favourite Ross song, so I was gutted that she did not sing it in Manchester – that was until an amazing audience member requested it in the encore (before an audacious audience member requested ‘Home’). It was nice to see Ross stand for ‘The Boss’, after sitting for the entire song in Manchester.

The screen showed a recreation of her star on the Hollywood walk of fame – the message: Ms Ross is the Boss.

Most of the crowd were not as into ‘The Boss’ as I was – it was not a huge hit here in the UK. However, it was followed by ‘Chain Reaction’ – one of her biggest UK hits (albeit not a US hit). She then performed ‘I’m Still Waiting’, which touched on the audience’s emotion, before she got us all grooving with a long-ass performance of ‘Upside Down’ – one of her signature hits.

This was followed by a dazzling dance meets disco medley of ‘Love Hangover’, ‘Take Me Higher’, and ‘Ease on Down the Road’ (her duet with Michael Jackson from The Wiz). Ross then eased on, I mean off, the stage.

She came back onstage wearing a sparkly silver dress and a huge fur coat, giving Cruella De Vil a run for her money – though hopefully the fur was faux, and certainly not dalmatian!

She began this section with the wonderful ‘Why Do Fools Fall in Love’ before a painful rendition of ‘If We Hold on Together.’ She told us that she was going to struggle with it because of the effect the bad weather had had on her voice (and, no doubt, the busy touring schedule – especially at her age). The performance kind of killed the vibe. A woman turned to me and said “oh, stop” – and whilst I thought she was referring to the wind and rain, she was actually referring to Ms Ross! It probably should have been left off the setlist.

Ross then sang what seems to be her favourite song from her new album – ‘If the World Just Danced’ – because she has sang it at every date so far (even the title song, ‘Thank You’, has not been sang at every date – it wasn’t at Manchester, to my disappointment). It was a fun, fabulous performance that got the crowd grooving – even though, I imagine, most of the audience had never heard the song before.

She then lost her coat, revealing long, draping sleeves, before singing another one of my favourite songs from the new album – ‘Tomorrow’ – in what I think was its live debut.

She then returned to her hits, with live performances of ‘Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To’ and ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ – the latter of which was a real riot with the crowd.

She briefly left the stage and returned with a glittery, gold jacket on top of the same silver dress. She sang her glorious cover of Gloria Gaynor‘s signature hit, ‘I Will Survive.’

As in most of the shows on this tour, the encore consisted solely of ‘Thank You’ – the title song from Ross’ latest studio album and her first single (that is not a remix of an old song) since 2006!

As aforementioned, she did not sing it in Manchester, so it was great to hear it live in Lytham. Whilst the other new songs she sang are dance tracks designed to sound modern (albeit a little dated – perhaps intentional, for Ross is not a “modern” artist), ‘Thank You’ is a beautiful blend of old and new. There is a Motown-like sound to it, but it’s also contemporary. It was an epic end to a cold but captivating concert.

Diana Ross’ Thank You Tour has now left the UK, but Ross is playing two festivals in continental Europe – Starlight Festival (Spain) and North Sea Jazz Festival (the Netherlands) – and then returning to her home country of the United States for the last few dates of the tour.

Review: Sister Act

Written by Jay Darcy on 6th July 2022. Posted in Theatre.

Written by Jay Darcy and Jessica Hamilton.

This new production of Sister Act has been incredibly anticipated. The London production was set to star Whoopi Goldberg, the star of the film, but it was postponed because of the pandemic, and she was no longer available. Instead, British theatre legend (and soul sensation) Beverley Knight MBE – a 2 x Olivier nominee – is taking the reins in London.

The Manchester run precedes the London residency, which is followed by a UK tour. It’s sort-of a preview, hence, it has the same cast as London, save for Knight, who only finished her run in The Drifters’ Girl halfway through the Manchester run (but she was there on press night). Instead, Manchester had the sublime Sandra Marvin (Emmerdale) as disco diva Deloris.

Jay Darcy

The Cast

Pre-pandemic, the tour was set to star Brenda Edwards (The X Factor, Loose Women, Songs of Praise), who most recently visited Manchester in Hairspray, and whilst she would have killed it, I am not disappointed to have not seen her, for Marvin was perfect in the role. Whilst she’s no Knight, I’d previously seen her in The Thunder Girls, so I knew she was a force to be reckoned with – but her portrayal of Deloris is something else entirely. Sassy and sympathetic, she stepped into a role that has been played by numerous stars, and she slayed!

Jennifer Saunders was announced alongside Goldberg all those years ago, but unlike Goldberg, she was able to do the new dates. Even better – whilst she’s not doing the tour, she’s playing the role here in Manchester!

The audience erupted into applause when she first came onstage – and by the end of the show, she earned every single clap and cheer!

Saunders is, of course, best known for French and Saunders and Absolutely Fabulous, but she’s also known for Friends, Shrek 2 (she played the fairy godmother, darlings), Jam & Jerusalem, Coraline (alongside Dawn French), Minions, Isn’t it Romantic, The Stranger, Death on the Nile, The Pentaverate (most recently), and so, so much more.

Keala Settle (Sister Mary Patrick) received second top billing on the poster. She is best-known for playing the Bearded Lady in The Greatest Showman (in which she sang the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated ‘This is Me’), but is also known for being in the original casts of Hand on a Hardboy (for which she received a Tony nomination) and Waitress – and starring in Rent: Live. Like Saunders, she is only doing Manchester and London.

Whilst she was as fantastic as always, she was a little wasted. She never really got much time to shine. She’s the perfect choice to take on a role made famous by Kathy Najimy, but the stage version of the character is criminally underwritten.

The cast also included TV icon Lesley Joseph – who is currently playing Sister Mary Lazarus but will be taking over the role of Mother Superior when Saunders leaves the show. Joseph is best-known for Birds of a Feather, but some will recognise her from Absurd Person, Night and Day, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Coach Trip. Onstage, she is known for Thoroughly Modern Millie (first UK tour) and Young Frankenstein (original West End cast).

Whilst Saunders is perfectly cast as Mother Superior, I have no doubt that Joseph will fill her comfortable nun shoes!

Clive Rowe MBE played the male lead, Eddie Souther, to perfection. Best-known for starring in The Story of Tracy Beaker, he is also known for The Evermoor Chronicles, The Kennedys, So Awkward, Will, and Beauty and the Beast. I first saw him in The Prince of Egypt last year.

Rising theatre star Lizzie Bea completed the main cast. She has an incredible innocence to her that made her perfect for the role of Sister Mary Robert.

So, it’s an all-star cast – and they were perfectly cast! This wasn’t a case of casting “stars” to bring in audiences but the stars not being all that great. Every single actor was perfectly cast in this heavenly musical.

The Show

The show began in the convent. It was dark, dull and dreary – but we were quickly introduced to Deloris, singing the show’s main song, ‘Take Me to Heaven’. The two worlds were wonderfully contrast, a brilliant creative decision for those of us who knew what was coming…

The show’s set was spectacular. The main/fixed part of the set were the walls and ceiling of the convent, but countless set came and went, taking us from scene to scene. There were no expenses spared. It’s quite clearly a London production.

The show’s design has a remarkable attention-to-detail. A lot of time and money has gone into making this production a sparkling spectacle. Take the church windows doubling up as disco lights for the dance numbers, or the crazy costume changes. The best example was Eddie (Rowe) ripping off his police uniform to reveal a sparkly outfit and then ripping off that sparkly outfit to reveal his police uniform, as he came out of his fabulous fantasy and returned to his mundane job.

The stage musical is known for not using any of the songs from the film version – which featured well-known songs converted for a Catholic choir. This will disappoint any fan of the film – before I watched theatre regularly, I chose not to see the last tour after finding out that the stage adaptation did not use the songs from the film – but upon watching the show, I didn’t miss them! Sure, I would have preferred it if they were included, but they’re replaced with phenomenal show numbers that make you quickly forget the originals.

Every song in the show is good. There are a couple that start off a little bland – those sang by the two male leads – but even they suddenly transform into dazzling dance numbers. The musical doesn’t give you chance to breathe – we get a sense of what it’s like being Deloris!

I cannot fault anything about this production. It’s different to previous productions, but the creative changes all work wonderfully – e.g. the acclaimed decision to age Deloris up a little, after previously having her played by young women.

I don’t know if Heaven exists, but this musical is the closest we’re gonna get to it before we die and find out (or not)!

Jessica Hamilton

Sparkles, sinners and saints! Sister Act exceeded expectations and delighted the crowd. The 1993 film, starring Whoopie Goldberg, is a tough act to follow, but the production proved a serious competitor, transferring the joy and absurdity of the much-loved film to the stage.

The plot unfolds in a similar way to the film. The aspiring pop-star Deloris becomes witness to a murder committed by gang-leader, and her ex-boyfriend, Curtis (Jeremy Secombe). Luckily, policeman Steady Eddie (Clive Rowe) is by her side to protect her from the vengeful criminal and hides her in a nearby convent under the pseudonym Sister Mary Clarence. Frustrated and far from fame, her only joy is teaching a group of tone-deaf nuns to sing. Under her unorthodox directions, the choir turn into extraordinaries, performing Christian disco music instead of their usual melancholic hymns.

If the point of the show was to present realistic nuns on stage, the performance may have been unconvincing. Though I would like to, I’m yet to see twerking and gyrating nuns. But searching for truth in this fantastic production would have missed the point. The audience enjoyed the show for what it was: two hours of laughter and childlike joy. As soon as Deloris escaped into the convent, the audience followed.

The star-studded cast contributed to the success of the show. Sandra Marvin was perfectly casted as Deloris, her confidence carried in character, and her vocals were breathtaking. Keala Settle was unsurprisingly splendid as Sister Mary Patrick, Lesley Joseph was hilarious as the funky Sister Mary Lazarus, and Clive Rowe excelled at playing the the wholesome “Steady Eddie” – but the standout performance came from Lizzie Bea as the shy Sister Mary Robert.

And, of course, Jennifer Saunders as the strict Mother Superior did not disappoint. Shifting her comedy expertise on to this devoted nun, a simple eyebrow raise was enough for the audience to burst into laughter. Her character was a good mix of serious and silly, her timing was perfect, and her delivery excellent. She was Absolutely Fabulous!

But my favourite performance of the night was by the three Bee Gee-esque gang members singing in pre-pubescent voices, fancying themselves attractive enough to seduce a celibate group of nuns. This hilariously vain performance even received a standing ovation from one overly enthusiastic audience member.

Second to that was the end scene: the nuns ditched their penguin coloured garments for sparkly robes, modest, yet eccentric. It ended the night on a high note.

The glamorous Deloris attracted the attention of many men, including Steady Eddie, Curtis, and most-likely a few audience members. But rather than focusing on romantic love to ‘save’ her, Deloris found herself through sisterhood. Despite their differences, they learnt to love and protect each other. When faced with danger, even the initially reluctant Mother Superior was willing to sacrifice herself for her new friend. the power of sisterhood was clear.

It was also cathartic to watch Deloris transforms from a dependant and unsure party girl into a woman sure of who she wants. I’m sure I wasn’t the only person thrilled as she walked on stage in the fur coat she’s always wanted.

As our fabulous protagonist would say, this show is filled with “glitz, glamour and gay boys” – it’s certainly not one to miss!

Sister Act plays at Palace Theatre Manchester until 9th July. It then has a residency at Eventim Apollo London from 19th July until 28th August, before taking a slight summer break. The UK and Ireland tour then resumes at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on 20th September and is currently running until late January 2024 (yes, 2024, not 2023) – with even more dates to be announced soon!

Review: The Lady Boys of Bangkok – Summer of Fun

Written by Jay Darcy on 6th July 2022. Posted in Theatre.

I have wanted to see The Lady Boys of Bangkok for years. I remember seeing posters for it back home (near Burnley) when I was a child and being instantly inthralled. I was too young to understand the term “lady boy” and was shocked when an ignorant teaching assistant (who recently unfriended me on Facebook for criticising Christian conservatism in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned) told me that the women in the show were in fact “men”.

As I got older, I was surprised that a show as flamboyant and progressive (transgressive, even) as this played in a place like Burnley (small town, small minds, you know)? – but it’s actually coming back to Burnley later this year, albeit for one night only.

It is currently playing at the show’s own transportable venue, the Sabai Pavilion – a most marvellous marquee – outside the Great Hall of the Trafford Centre.

The Show: Act 1

We arrived to the show a little late (I was there half an hour early, but my unpunctual friend was 40 minutes fashionably late – a new record), so we missed the beginning. The titular Lady Boys were just finishing off a routine in black and gold traditional Thai dress. It seemed to be a more sophisticated routine, in contrast to some of the more slapstick scenes. I had always thought The Lady Boys of Bangkok to be more elegant than most drag shows, but the show is both classy and camp – to my delight!

Sure enough, the next routine was more your average drag: a Spice Girls medley! Each Spice Girl was portrayed by a different Lady Boy – and it was obvious who was who. The Spice Girls have never been quite so spicy!

The tributes to queer icons continued, with the curtain rising to reveal Elton John sat at his piano!

He was soon joined by Dua Lipa, and whilst this scene was not quite as entertaining as the last, I loved the costumes – especially Dua’s dressing gown/leotard concoction!

The next two scenes were my personal favourites.

The first was similar to the opening scene, in that the Lady Boys wore traditional Thai dress (performance dress anyway), with the main dancer wearing a Medusa-esque headpiece. Their green and gold costumes were especially regal.

They danced to Narong Sinsawasdi’s ‘Welcome to Thailand’ – and we felt very welcome, indeed.

Then, Shakira took to the stage. Yes, Shakira, Shakira – except not that song. I immediately recognised ‘Whenever Wherever’, even though the first few notes are pretty tame (I’m a true fan). The main dancer wore a sparkling red bellydancing outfit, whilst her backing dancers wore red leotards with single legs.

It was actually a tribute to her Super Bowl performance, but I did not realise this until JLo took to the stage!

Yes, there was also a Lady Boy embodying Jennifer Lopez, wearing a costume similar to the leather jumpsuit she wore at Super Bowl. She was accompanied by the show’s four male dancers as she lip synced ‘Jenny from the Block’. She then left the stage as the guys danced to ‘On the Floor’, before returning in a glittery leotard – complete with pieces of what looked like shattered glass – much like her second Super Bowl outfit.

The set even included a tribute to the empowering, controversial ‘Let’s Get Loud’/’Born in the USA’ portion of the performance – complete with an American flag that “JLo” threw into the audience, only for it to be caught by a member of the crew (who caught quite a few items over the course of the show).

I knew what was coming next: Shakira would be returning. Sure enough, “Shakira” joined “JLo” as the two sang ‘Waka Waka’, much like the original performance. The show even used an actual audio recording from the Super Bowl performance. It was an incredible recreation of the most-watched Super Bowl performance of all time.

The only let-down: the costumes were on point, but they did not wear recreations of the silver and gold costumes that JLo and Shakira (respectively) wore for the joint bit of the performance. That only costs the show 0.00000001% of a point, though.

This was followed by a performance from one of the Lady Boys who is actually male – in drag. This queen seemed to be the leader of the pack – a “mother” of the house, perhaps.

Dressed as Marilyn Monroe, she lip synced to the beautiful, touching ‘I’ve Never Been to Me’ by Charlene. I’ve recently really gotten into Mary McGregor’s cover, so it was a nice surprise to see the song included in the show.

Beautiful, but slow, the scene was, sure enough, upgraded: the queen was joined by Lady Boys in dresses that embodied paintbrushes, before the curtain opened to reveal more paintbrushes and three of the male dancers in pink crop tops and tiny black shorts. What were they lip syncing? ‘Colour My World’ from Priscilla Queen of the Desert – of course!

The main Lady Boy offered a really humorous performance when she lip synced to Connie Vannett’s ‘The Pussycat Song’.

The first act ended with a recreation of ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ from Hairspray. The performance used the same choreography, and even recreations of the costumes, seen in the film. The head Lady Boy played Edna, of course, throwing her skirt into the audience. I’m pretty sure it hit an audience member!

The Show: Act 2

The second act opened with a fabulous showgirl number, with the girls dancing to Pitbull’s ‘Give Me Everything’ (featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer).

The head Lady Boy delivered another one of the funniest performances of the show. Two Lady Boys dragged a (super hot, long-haired) male audience member onstage and put a blindfold on him, before their “Mother” came out and gave him a lap dance.

She had danced sexually with another man earlier on in the show – I think he might have even been a barman – and even ended up on top of him. He looked incredibly uncomfortable and even tried to push her away, but she persisted. This raised the question of consent. I do wonder, however, if this was part of the script: if the man was, indeed, part of the team, he might have been told to act this way.

The second act also included a tribute to Nicki Minaj’s ‘Starships’, with the dancers all dressed in neon – “Nicki” even wore a neon green wig. We could hardly see the dancers’ faces – just the neon clothing and accessories (and wig!). It was a visual feast.

Another scene saw three of the Lady Boys dressed in modern Medieval-style clothing, complete with corsets – and, for some reason, feather dusters. I think it was a sexy maid thing.

I particularly enjoyed the Vengboys tribute – ‘We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)’. Lady Boys meet Vengaboys – should we say, the Vengaboys of Bangkok?

The club-like atmosphere continued, with the Lady Boys leading an audience-participatory conga to Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield’s ‘(Is This the Way to) Amarillo’.

Then, the main Lady Boy was back onstage for a tribute to Whigfield’s ‘Saturday Night’. She ripped the towels off her head and body to reveal a Kris Jenner-like wig and a sparkly, purple, short dress. She succeeded in turning that Thursday night into a Saturday.

The disco medley was a lot of fun. The Lady Boys were transformed into disco divas, complete with afros (perhaps a little problematic, but we move).

The medley began with ‘One Night Only (Disco version)’ from the film version of ‘Dreamgirls’ – it might have been a good idea to begin with the soul version and blend it into the disco version, as happens in the stage musical version – before going on to a cover of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’ and eventually arriving at Destiny’s Child ‘Survivor’.

The backing dancers all ripped off long, golden dresses to reveal black bras and tasseled skirts, before the Beyoncé of the group ripped off her dress, revealing a silver harness and burlesque-like stickers on her nipples – before ripping off her amazing afro wig and letting her luscious locks run free.

The head Lady Boy was then back for a tribute to Tina Turner, lip syncing ‘The Best’.

A highlight of the night came in a recreation of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. The curtain lifted to reveal almost the entire cast – a take on the iconic opening scene of the music video – all covered in lights, lit in a dark blue light that obscured their features.

Gaga’s walk and dance to the bridge was especially excellent.

The night would not have been complete with a dance cover to the Weather Girls’ ‘It’s Raining Men’ (with the main Lady Boy, of course, playing one of the Weather Girls) and a return of Tina for ‘Proud Mary’ – which weirdly turned into Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’!

The Verdict

There were even more scenes than this; I’ve just spoken about my personal highlights. It was a real riot and an epic extravaganza that celebrated both Thai and queer culture – and gave tribute to queer icons along the way. There were no expenses spared, with a superb set, crazy costumes and perfect props.

The Lady Boys of Bangkok took us all over the world – even to Spain for a flamenco routine!

Oh, and one of them even got married to an unsuspecting male audience member.

I knew the show would be lots of fun, but I was surprised by just how extravagant it was.

The Elephant in the Room

The most surprising thing about the show, however, was nothing to do with the show, itself, but, rather, its audience: old, straight and White. It was not like your typical cabaret, where the audience is noticeably queer – and there’s always a few people of colour.

Of course, it’s great to see straight people (especially men) being open enough to go and see a cabaret starring transgender women, drag queens and gay men; I’m just not used to it. There are always lots of straight men at Kunst Kabaret at Albert’s Schloss, but they just accidentally walked into a cabaret night, and their faces scream discomfort – if not even disgust.

Here, though, scores of straight men come to bear witness to a queer extravaganza.

Perhaps the reason this show attracts more straight audiences is because it is long-running and iconic – indeed, it is the largest and longest-running cabaret in the UK, following a 20+ year stint at the Edinburgh Festival – even straight people know about it!

One does wonder, however, if such audience members are there to celebrate the beauty and talent of the Lady Boys, or if there’s more to it. The sexualisation and fetishisation of East Asian women is nothing new, and it’s well-documented that lots of straight men enjoy the company of kathoey (transgender women) when in Thailand. This is very cynical, but I cannot help but wonder why this cabaret attracts straight men whilst others don’t.

Does the show deliberately market itself to straight people? The term “Lady Boy” is dated and offensive, but older straight people are less likely to take issue with it (along with a long list of inappropriate words).

That said, it does seem a little culturally colonial to apply Western standards/values to other countries. Perhaps the term is not considered offensive in Thailand (and, in fact, embraced by trans women and drag queens) – much like “coloured” in South Africa. Then again, is it okay to just dismiss/justify something as “of its time” or place?

We must also not forget the power of reclamation. This show is, arguably, reclaiming the term “Lady Boys”. However, promo material refers to the titular Lady Boys as “men” and “male”. I was surprised by this because I always thought they were trans women, but now it transpired that they were, in fact, drag queens. Upon watching the show, however, I realised that most of the stars were, indeed, trans women – not just men dressed up as women. So, why does the promo material insist on reducing the stars to their biological sex?

The show, itself, never does this. In fact, it is a celebration of kathoey. It is sexy, stunning, stimulating, sophisticated – and, best of all, subversive. It does not demean or degrade its titular Lady Boys, but, rather, allows them to portray themselves as the gracious goddesses that they are.

The Lady Boys of Bangkok is at the Trafford Centre (outside the Great Hall) until 9th July, as part of its UK tour, which ends in early October.

Nuevos Discos, Nuevas Drogas: Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado Live Review

Written by Antonio Ross on 5th July 2022. Posted in Music.

It took five hours on a coach from Manchester to get all the way to Camden. It was my first time there and also my first time seeing Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado live. The Argentinian band (whose peculiar name originated from dialogue in a low-budget sci-fi film which translates to “He killed a motorised policeman”) are a huge deal in the Spanish-speaking world. So, seeing them for the first time in a small venue in London felt like keeping a big secret.

I was there to photograph both the sound check and the show, so I made my way into the venue a couple of hours before the doors opened. I wanted to portray a deeper insight into the moments that precede a music performance and observe the transition from people to icons. My intention was to capture a broader spectrum of the personality of the band, documenting another dimension in addition to their customary energetic stage performances.

There was a lot of movement on and off stage during the sound check. Adjustments were made to the drum kit, bass, guitars, and vocals. It felt like a privilege to listen to Santiago Motorizado, lead singer, performing an acapella snippet of ‘El Tesoro’ (The Treasure) whilst the sound engineers made adjustments. The session was finalised with the whole band playing a bunch of songs with the full-on lighting for the show. It promised an epic night.

London’s Argentinian community gathered as the doors opened. You could really feel the excitement in the room as the anticipation began to build. Once the show started the crowd never stopped chanting and praising the band in between songs. Strobe lights illuminated the whole show while the crowd jumped and danced through the entirety of the 22 songs. Throughout the show, I was constantly approached by members of the audience and told how much they appreciated the band and their music.

The set list included songs from most of their discography, especially from La Dinastía Scorpio (2012) and La Síntesis O’Konor (2017), two terrific albums. Some of my personal favourites were included: ‘Mujeres Bellas y Fuertes’ (Strong and Beautiful Women) which mourns all those women who became and continue to become victims of femicide; ‘Más o Menos Bien’ (More or Less Ok) reflecting on how we live by attempting to keep things relatively stable; ‘El Perro’ (The Dog) a search for a lost and well-loved dog; as well as the insecurity-filled banger ‘Ahora Imagino Cosas’ (Now I Am Imagining Things).

Their music gained huge relevance for me during these last two years of lockdown and this show seemed like a perfect opportunity to showcase indie rock in Spanish. Opening to music from other languages and latitudes will surely bring you pleasant surprises. Check out Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado on Spotify below:

Beth Orton Charms at the AO Arena

Written by Owen Scott on 5th July 2022. Posted in Music.

I’d originally planned to see Beth Orton and Alanis Morrissette on 25th June, but, because Alanis was sick, the show was rescheduled, so to say I was looking forward to the concert on the 30th was an understatement.

Orton’s had a long, successful career. She’s worked with William Orbit, who has worked closely with artists like Madonna, she’s been nominated for three Brit awards and won one, alongside having had her music featured in hit shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy. Here, appearing as the special guest for Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill 25 year anniversary tour, she drew from Central Reservation, Superpinkymandy, and several of her other albums, when choosing songs for the set list.

Beth Orton’s music can be described as many things, but the first word that comes to mind is folky. However, her opening song, ‘Stolen Car’, caught both mine and my friend’s attention. It was loud and was something I almost wish we could have been stood for. ‘Galaxy of Emptiness’ took her sound further into a folktronica direction – almost like a haze that was easy to get lost in.

Photo: Beth Orton’s stage set up – Owen Scott @ The Mancunion

As her set went on, her vocals were what stood out to me the most. They were raw, coming across as very authentic; there were no harmonies that were forced, or came across as contrived. Her voice carries on folk traditions that are refreshing to hear in a stadium setting. This came across especially on the third song of her set ‘Thinking About Tomorrow’, with its soaring chorus and her raw vocals sliding over it.

After the folky, electronic nostalgia of ‘She Cries Your Name’ and the gentler ‘Call Me the Breeze’, she performed ‘Stars All Seem to Weep’ which was a highlight of the set. Where the original song takes its time with its nonchalant electronic instrumentation, here the song was transformed into an intense rock version, with guitars backing up the instrumentals and her vocals. The song’s hook reverberated through the arena, creating a powerful sound.

As her set began to draw to a close, she toned down the energy and took the crowd back into a more folky sound with ‘Pass in Time’, once again displaying her raw vocals. ‘Shopping Trolley’, the only song performed from the 2006 album Comfort of Strangers, was light-hearted in its sound, but described Orton’s journey in overcoming heartbreak, as she sang that although she was “Gonna cry”, eventually she would “Laugh about it, all in time.” Orton finished her performance with the title track from her 1999 album Central Reservation, bringing the show to a joyful close as she detailed the return from a one-night stand.

Beth Orton delivered a charming and engaging performance, laughing along with the audience as she promoted her upcoming record Weather Alive. She’s a clear fit with Alanis Morrisette, as both carry a strong 90s aesthetic and sound in both of their discographies. Her folktronica influences and raw vocals made for a show that was emotional in parts and upbeat in others, keeping the crowd entertained for her whole set.

Check out Orton’s website here, to stay updated on her new album Weather Alive and upcoming tour.

Oh My God!: John Digweed at Manchester Cathedral

Written by millieesmesheppard on 5th July 2022. Posted in Music.

Set in the beautiful medieval Manchester Cathedral, Manchester 360° offered an immersive rave experience on 3^rd June. Headlined by the acclaimed John Digweed, the event combined historic architecture with trace-style techno.

The new event collective Manchester 360° ran the event, which lasted from 5 pm-11 pm. In collaboration with previous 360° events successfully put on in Paris and Geneva, Manchester 360° aims to “offer you unique ways to experience unconventional locations.” The event series gets iconic DJs to perform in the centre of unusual settings, allowing all audiences better sound quality and a greater connection to the DJ.

With the event starting at 5 pm, it felt strange to be having pre-drinks and getting ready at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Weirder still was to arrive at the cathedral to see a gated area being used as a smoking area, fit with bodies strewn across the grass in a way which suggested they had already had too much to drink. The cathedral had been overtaken by a festival atmosphere, fit with portaloos, temporary metal fences and bottled water sold for £3.

Despite this, the event felt surprisingly intimate. By placing the DJ stand in the centre of the cathedral, performers were connected to the surrounding audience. The age range of attendees spanned generations, meaning the event brought together many different groups of people. This was a communal experience, connecting people not only to each other but to the music and the location. The 360° layout also has the potential to make clubbing more accessible for those with disabilities and additional access requirements, as it meant attendees could still be close to the DJ without being in the main crowd, which formed at the front of the deck.

Watching the sunset through the cathedral’s stained glass windows, I was struck by how Manchester 360° had repurposed this building. Initially a club event, complete with sweaty bodies and sticky floors, it may seem distant from religious services yet the use of this cathedral felt purposeful. Through smoke machines and vibrant lighting, we were absorbed into the music. I’m not at all suggesting that a night out could be compared to a spiritual experience, but like a service the event had brought together a range of people, some of whom would not typically visit a religious space.

Whilst the stunning building made the event feel particularly special, John Digweed’s set made the night. The warm-up sets by 09 Liverpool and Hush Hush prepped the crowd for Digweed, but his 3-hour set was by far the main event. By the end of the night, crowds chanted “John Digweed” and swarmed around the deck to grab a photo and thank him for the night.

Manchester 360 has a range of upcoming events, including a set from Darius Syrossian underneath a Concorde jet on the 6^th of August and a set by Sasha at Manchester Cathedral on the 12^th of August. Tickets can be found here.

Madonna gets into the groove with ‘Finally Enough Love’

Written by Owen Scott on 4th July 2022. Posted in Music.

Madonna. It’s a name that conjures up a different image for everyone and when you’ve been in the music industry for as long, and become as synonymous with reinvention, as Madonna has, that’s bound to happen. For me, the first time I remember seeing Madonna was in the 2005 ‘Hung Up’ video, in the pink leotard and with Farrah Fawcett hair. On Finally Enough Love, Madonna celebrates her history of numbers ones on the dance charts, with this abridged 16-track version and a version with all 50 of her #1 dance hits to come. With the album following her extensive career, we’re taken through these career highs, each given a new life in remixes.

The album is organised in chronological order, taking you through Madonna’s musical evolution. We begin in the 1980s. The first two of these songs are taken directly from her first dance collection You Can Dance, itself released in 1987, so they each retain a distinct 80s feel. ‘Like a Prayer (7″ remix edit)’ trades in its iconic guitar intro by Prince to more immediately get into the dance parts of the song, but small elements like this are missed, though ‘Express Yourself (Remix Edit)’ is as anthemic as when it was first released, evoking the energy of her iconic Blonde Ambition tour.

Photo: Madonna 1990 Blonde Ambition tour @WikimediaCommons

Next we’re taken through the 1990s, one of Madonna’s most creative decades, as it was the decade of Erotica, Bedtime Stories and Ray of Light. ‘Deeper and Deeper (David’s Radio Edit)’, from the underrated and controversial 1992 Erotica album, is revived, with the remix enhancing its 90s-house groove, and making it something you could hear in clubs today. This is the same case for the 1990 iconic hit ‘Vogue (Single Version)’, and its strong house groove. The song invites the listener to “Get up on the dancefloor”, which is something of a mission statement for the album. After ‘Secret (Junior Luscious Single Mix)’ sweeps by, ‘Frozen (Extended Club Mix Edit)’ becomes one of the biggest surprises on the album. ‘Frozen’ is a dark, atmospheric song, famous for its slow humming and harmonies, so, for it to work as well as it does here, in a dance context, is surprising.

After this, we’re taken into Madonna’s 2000s era. The psychedelic funk of ‘Music’ is embellished with heavy synths, in ‘Music (Deep Dish Dot Com Radio Edit)’ and gone is the breeziness of the original ‘Hollywood’ as, in the ‘Hollywood (Calderone & Quayle Edit)’, the guitar is replaced with dance beats. ‘Hung Up (SDP Extended Vocal Edit)’ is perfectly crafted for clubs, with the remix opening with an answering machine, hence the song’s name, before rushing into the song’s iconic hook and intricate production. It’s a true standout on the album. ‘Give it 2 Me (Eddie Amador Club 5 Edit)’ is maybe the most gym ready song, with Pharrell Williams-infused beats and uplifting lyrics.

Photo: Madonna performing ‘Hung Up’ 2006 @WikimediaCommons

Going into the 2010s, we have ‘Girl Gone Wild (Avicii’s UMF Mix)’ which is as EDM heavy as before and ‘Living for Love (Offer Nissim Promo Mix)’ which retains its 2010s house sound. The best of the 2010s tracks though are the two Madame X tracks ‘Medellin (Offer Nissim Madame X in the Sphix Mix’) and ‘I Don’t Search I Find (Honey Dijon Radio Mix’, with the former having a flowing guitar sound inspired by the city after which it’s named and the latter having sliding strings that evoke the idea of a fashion show or an intro to a concert.

Overall, Finally Enough Love is a testament to Madonna as the Queen of Pop. Madonna’s greatest artistic strength is her versatility and skill at reinvention, but her mastery of pop and dance pop is obvious on Finally Enough Love. It’s an album perfectly crafted for the dancefloor, or for the gym. Where I’d probably listen to some songs in their original forms, if, for example, I wanted the introspectiveness of ‘Frozen’, their dance versions shine bright here too. With ‘Finally Enough Love’, Madonna proves once again that she’s not just the Queen of Pop, she’s the Queen of the Dancefloor too.

Check out Madonna’s website here and listen to Finally Enough Love here:

Live Review: Gladys Knight at O2 Apollo

Written by Jay Darcy on 4th July 2022. Posted in Music.

I have been anticipating June 2022 for a long time – in the space of a fortnight, I got to see Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, and Gladys Knight – three African-American female icons!

Warwick is being very candid about her tour being her last – it’s billed as She’s Back: One Last Time. Ross has not said as such, but it is her first UK tour in 15 years, and she’s going hard – she closed the Jubilee celebrations, and she’s got the Legend’s slot at Glastonbury – she’s going out with a bang, isn’t she?

Knight, meanwhile, was last in the UK a mere few years ago, and whilst I presumed this tour would be her farewell – like Ross, she’s 78 – I have changed my mind since seeing her. The woman is as fit as a fiddle! It is hard to believe that she is 78 – she looks, and sounds, so much younger. She has aged like fine wine, and her voice, too, has gotten better with age – becoming richer over time. She is showing no signs of slowing down!

Knight’s opening act was Mark Kingswood, a friendly crooner who took the audience back in time. He has a lovely voice, though crooning is difficult – you’re always going to be compared to the greats (and Michael Bublé, of course).

Like Warwick’s concert, everybody stayed sat for Knight’s. Warwick makes relaxed music that you appreciate aurally, so that was not surprising, but Knight’s music is a mix – much of it is sit-down music, whilst some of it is groovy, yet most of the audience stayed sat for the full duration of the show.

Knight began her set with the little-known Gladys Knight & the Pips song ‘Make Yours a Happy Home’, before blitzing through some of her many hits with the Pips: ‘The Nitty Gritty’, ‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’, ‘Baby, Don’t Change Your Mind’, ‘Part Time Love’, ‘Come Back and Finish What You Started’, ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ (the biggest Motown hit until Marvin Gaye‘s version took that spot), ‘Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye’, ‘The Way We Were’, ‘Love Overboard’ – and, of course, ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’, which she saved until last (save the best for last, right?).

She also sang her only solo hit – ‘License to Kill’, the theme from the James Bond film of the same name. Surprisingly, this song was not a US hit, much like Ross’ mega UK hit ‘Chain Reaction.’ This beautiful ballad was wisely placed in between the two brilliant bops ‘Come Back and Finish What You Started’ and ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ – a dramatic tonal shift followed by a return to bop-tastic excellence!

She did not sing the hit collaborations she had as a solo artist – ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ (Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Knight – billed as “Gladys & Friends“), which Warwick closed her concert with, and ‘Missing You’ (Brandy, Tamia, Knight and Chaka Khan).

She sang a few little-known songs and even had a superb section in the middle, in which she covered two songs by The Beatles, including ‘Hey Jude’, which really got the audience going, and Queen‘s ‘We Are the Champions’ – which Queen + Adam Lambert closed their concert with when I saw them last month. This was followed by a gospel section, which heavily involved her three brilliant backing singers, all of whom looked as fabulous as they sounded – especially the older woman with short red hair and red eyebrows!

The only criticism I have of the setlist is that it was a little anticlimactic to not have an encore.

Unlike Ross, with her endless costume changes, Knight stuck to the one (like Warwick) – and she looked splendid. She appeared to be wearing a grey vest and a see-through, sparkly top over it, complete with winged sleeves. Her grey pants had the same mesh-like material below the knees. She looked stunning, without trying too hard.

Gladys Knight tours the UK until the end of the month, with two nights at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29th and 30th June, respectively. She then take a month off, before touring her home country of the US from 30th July until 14th August and again from 8th October until 17th December.

Live Review: Diana Ross at AO Arena

Written by Jay Darcy on 4th July 2022. Posted in Music.

Diana Ross is back in the UK for the first (and final) time in 15 years. Before beginning the UK leg of the Thank You Tour, she closed the Jubilee celebrations. She opened the tour with performances at Cardiff Castle and the Cambridge Club Festival, before playing a few arenas, beginning with the AO Arena in Manchester.

Diana Ross’ opening act was the adorable British-Moroccan Zak Abel – who I had heard of, but I was unfamiliar with his music. Abel only found out he was opening for Ross the day before. He told us that he is a huge fan so it was an honour to be there. He has a stunning voice, and I particularly enjoyed his charismatic performance of the catchy ‘Be Kind’, which involved a little audience participation. It might have been wise to perform his only UK top 20 hit, ‘Unmissable’ (Gorgon City featuring Zak Abel), but Abel instead chose to promote his new music (and his merchandise). It was a sweet showcase of his music, and it was great to see a habibi representing!

Ross was on shortly after Abel. She might be the Original Diva, but she did not keep the audience waiting.

As is tradition, she came out to I’m Coming Out – but not before a video montage celebrating Ross’ career (images of her albums, etc.) played on the screens. Ross began singing the iconic opening of the song, before the curtain dropped dramatically to reveal her backing singers and band. Ross then strutted her way onstage and sang the rest of the song.

She wore a gorgeous, glittery, orange dress, complete with a huge piece of material that formed a cape behind her skirt. At first, she held it in her arms, before letting it drop to the ground. As she moved, it flowed graciously. She looked like a mermaid.

It was a little strange to go from one of her signature hits to the little-known ‘More Today Than Yesterday’ – though the song is a staple of her concerts.

Ross then announced that she would be singing some hits by The Supremes – of which she was the lead singer during their more commercially successful period (indeed, the band was renamed Diana Ross and the Supremes).

Whilst the previous two dates had started with ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ – the band’s first number one single (following a string of unsuccessful singles that lead to the group being named the “No-Hit Supremes”) – it has sadly been cut from the setlist. Instead, she weirdly started this section with ‘My World is Empty Without You’ – one of the few songs written and produced for the Supremes by Motown’s main production team of Hollan-Dozier-Holland to not reach number one on the US charts. The Supremes had 5 consecutive number ones and 12 overall – more than any other group and joint 6th place (with Madonna) amongst artists with the most numbers ones – so why sing one of their lesser hits?

She then sang ‘Baby Love’ – the band’s second US and first UK number one – which was a real riot with the audience, as was ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’ (complete with the routine). It was in between these two numbers that she detached the puffy skirt/cape thing, allowing her to move around more freely and do those iconic dance moves.

The Supremes section ended with ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ and ‘Love Child’. Sadly, ‘Come See About Me’ – which was placed in between these two songs on the first date – has also been cut from the set. I had been so excited to sing, “Smiles have all turned to tears, but tears won’t wash away the fears” at the top of my lungs, but alas…

Ross then went away for her first costume change, only to return in a luscious yellow gown and a massive shawl, complete with sleeves. The rest of the concert was made up of songs from her solo career, beginning with electrifying performance of ‘Chain Reaction’ – her second UK number one (though, surprisingly, not a hit in the US). My dad often played this old banger in his “old banger” of a car; it was my introduction to the legend that is Ms Ross. Steps memorably covered this song, and they performed it at this very arena last year. I always turned my nose up at their covers of ‘Chain Reaction’ and Kylie Minogue‘s ‘Better the Devil You Know’, though they were both fantastic performances. However, nothing quite compares to seeing the original artist of the song perform it live.

This was followed by ‘I’m Still Waiting’ – the song that defined the three years of waiting for this concert (which was postponed twice, each time by a year). This mellow moment was ended abruptly with the unbeatable ‘Upside Down’ – which was actually Ross’ biggest UK chart hit (#2) since the #1 ‘I’m Still Waiting’ (ironically) 9 years prior.

Ross then lost the vivacious but restrictive shawl – for she needed the freedom for the medley that followed. The medley was made up of dance hits ‘Love Hangover’, ‘Take Me Higher’ and ‘Ease on Down the Road’ – the latter being her duet with Michael Jackson from the film adaptation of The Wiz. It was a great idea putting these songs in a medley, what with ‘Love Hangover’ brilliantly transitioning from ballad to disco – and following this with two dance tracks.

In the next set, Ross calmed down a little. She sang ‘Why Do Fools Fall in Love’ and ‘If We Hold on Together’ – the latter of which really spoke to our mindset during the pandemic. Her dress was simpler too. I mean, it was still fabulous, but not quite as extravagant as her first two. It was a polka-dot, light green ball gown with sleeves that hung below her shoulders.

Following this, she performed a remix of her relatively new single, ‘If the World Just Danced’ – t0 the delight of fans who are familiar with her new music. It’s a great song, but I would have preferred it if she sang the titular song of the album, ‘Thank You’ – after all, it is the Thank You Tour. She sang ‘Thank You’ last at the gig in Leeds the following night, as part of a two-song encore with ‘It’s My Turn’ (an audience request).

The penultimate song of this act was the beautiful ‘Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)’, which transitioned into ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ – her second single and first US #1. A radical revision of the original song, one of many tremendous duets by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Ross’ version is known for its splendid spoken word passages and gorgeous gospel influence.

The last act of the main set consisted of Ross’ fabulous cover of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’. Her cover, with the music video featuring RuPaul and other drag queens, made Gaynor’s original look butch in comparison – and this live performance brought the fabulosity. For this song, she wore a glittery black dress with tiny sleeves and detachable feathered sleeves – which glittered too! She completely embodied the disco diva! She sang a tiny reprise of ‘I Will Survive’ in the closing moments of the show, after a two-song encore.

The encore was very casual. Ross walked onstage in a sparkly, relaxed, black blazer and pants. She calmly sat on a chair placed in the centre of the stage. She told us that she would be taking a couple of requests. The first request was ‘The Boss.’ When I tell you I exclaimed “Yes!”, I mean it. I do not shout at concerts, ever, but I was gutted that she had cut my favourite songs of hers from the setlist after the first day. “I didn’t know you wanted it,” she said, bewildered that we would want to see the woman we call The Boss sing the song behind that honorific title.

It would have been great if we she sang ‘It’s My House’ – another single from that album (The Boss), which she sings at some dates – but I was just thrilled she sang ‘The Boss’!

The next request was ‘Home’ – a waste of a request, if you ask me. A lovely, little-known song from The Wiz, which she did not even release as a single (Stephanie Mills, who played the role of Dorothy in the stage musical, released it as a single years after the movie was released). It was a little anticlimactic to end the night on a song that most people do not even know, let alone associate with Ross.

The woman has countless hits – you could have asked for ‘Endless Love’ (her most-streamed song on Spotify), ‘My Old Piano’, ‘Muscles’, ‘Touch Me in the Morning’, ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’, ‘You Are Everything’, or the song that she often ends her concerts with, ‘Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand)’ – but no. Ironically poetic, I guess, for we all headed home after this song…

It might have been a good idea for Ross to put it to the entire audience – take a few requests from the people at the front, shout them out, and see which one gets the loudest applause. There is not a chance in hell that ‘Home’ would have been chosen.

In spite of that, this is, without a doubt, one of the best concerts I have ever been to. It might not have been a mighty production, à la Cher and Queen + Adam Lambert, but Ross puts on a helluva show. The concert is a complete package – with Ross supported by stunning backing singers and a beautiful band – worthy of the woman that defined a generation of music and who is the blueprint of so many female artists who followed.

Klangstof on touring with Pixies and working with Anton Corbijn

Written by Sarah Taylor on 3rd July 2022. Posted in Music.

First formed in Amsterdam in 2015 as a one-man project by Norwegian-native Koen van de Wardt, Klangstof’s dark and ambient indie rock has marked them as ones to watch. Being the first Dutch act to play Coachella back in 2017, and now having caught the eye of Pixies’ frontman Black Francis, The Mancunion caught up with Koen ahead of Klangstof supporting the Pixies at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl on 5^th July, and the anticipated release of their third album Godspeed to the Freaks.

Briefly back in Amsterdam before returning to the touring wagon again, Koen speaks to me over Zoom – I joke that little has changed when it comes to conducting interviews over the past year or so due to, of course, the pandemic. Koen puts a positive spin on things: “This was a really good moment to actually just focus on the writing for two years and at the beginning of this year we just completely stopped writing new music and just focused purely on playing live.”

Klangstof released their EP Ocean View in March this year, which saw them becoming increasingly experimental, exploring new electronic avenues. The EP was recorded at a studio in Holland’s stylish suburb of Haarlem. Ocean View was born out of a surplus of studio time: “We knew that it was still a bit risky to set up a release date for the album just because if we were to release something, we’d want to go on tour and at least earn some money out of our work.”

Time apart from the other band members allowed for a fresh burst of creative energy when they eventually reconnected: “Both for the album and EP we had this idea of really playing together as a band rather than just nerding behind our computers. We actually rented a venue on the small island of Ameland in Holland for three weeks – it’s a bit of a holiday resort. We were near a camping site which had a little pop venue. We decided to make our studio on the stage!”

Klangstof’s third album Godspeed to the Freaks will be released in September this year. Koen revealed to me that this record felt like the first proper group effort from the band, having recorded their debut himself. “I think we did like 20 demos or something over the span of the year and it was a very fast process.” It’s a pretty unusual title for an album, I comment, but Koen explains it was one of the first songs written for the album, telling me: “We just didn’t have a line for the chorus which eventually became Godspeed to the Freaks. In the studio I did some kind of Sean Paul hook [he mimics Sean Paul] and when we went to mix the album and I still had to write this one lyric.”

“Since it was the last thing I was going to write for the album, I wanted it to pull everything together. I thought it was a bit far-fetched or a bit too metaphoric but when we started mixing the album, Sam Petts-Davies (Radiohead, Frank Ocean) said it was sick. It works very well with the story of the album which is in essence about being very honest and waving goodbye to your inner demons. So Godspeed to the Freaks is kind of like your little love song to whoever you don’t want to be.”

A chance meeting with Dutch videographer and photographer Anton Corbijn, best known for his Ian Curtis biopic Control, and his work with bands like Nirvana, U2, and Depeche Mode at a fancy London hotel led to Corbijn agreeing to produce the visual media for Klangstof’s latest album. “It was super nice to meet him, I mean especially cause like everyone in Holland knows Anton Corbijn, he’s really one of the big artists from Holland so I was like should I tell this guy what I want? – it felt a bit wrong. We decided if he came up with a lot of weird stuff that we don’t feel suits us, we can talk to him and figure something out. But his ideas were really cool. With band pictures you usually do feel really awkward. But the great thing about Anton’s way of seeing things is that he’s way more obsessed with everything around you, so you stop feeling like a model and you start to become just part of something more than just the band photo. That was really inspiring!”

Since developing from solo project to full-blown band, Koen highlights the key difference in that “you just have to talk more. We all feel very confident with the fact that we do have to argue a lot in order to get an album done because it’s just a healthy way to do things and the the end result is way better.”

“Now I would never really want to go back to the way I wrote on the first album. If you’re happy it’s great but if you go through some dark s**t it’s kind of hard to be a solo project. You get artists who go on tour and burnout or kill themselves or whatever. There’s a lot of pressure on bands, and right now I feel like every time someone in the band has a bit of a downer or something goes wrong there will always be like three or four people trying to lift him up again.”

Having moved from Norway to the Netherlands, I ask Koen about the differences in their music scenes: “I think on a cultural level, Norway is bit more advanced than the Netherlands. If you look at the pop scene in Norway, they have artists like Sigrid. I remember growing up in Norway that they give a lot of money to cultural stuff so in school you kind of have to play an instrument and you have to be in a band. Those things are really important in Norway and in Holland it’s more about finishing your studies and getting a job. Obviously, they have a lot of great EDM artists, that’s their thing really.”

He explains there’s not a huge rock scene in the Netherlands but recommends Altın Gün. They play Turkish folk-inspired stuff. I think they played Coachella last year.” Of course, Klangstof were famously the first Dutch band to play the iconic festival in 2017. “We played really early and they had some problems with the gates – people couldn’t get in. We were looking at the previous band and there were like maybe five or six people watching and we were freaking out because there was a lot of press from Holland coming. The show itself was sick! We probably had the most nerves ever because we’d been working towards that moment for a year and if you play a bad show there, there’s probably not a chance that you can play in the US anymore. I was very happy after the show but we didn’t hang around too long because our guitar player got really sunburned, obviously [laughs]!”

Klangstof will support Pixies on a slew of tour dates this summer, amongst festival appearances. “The Manchester venue looks insane so we’re very much looking forward to it. Before the show in France, they came right from the US so they were a bit jet-lagged the first night, so we didn’t really get the chance to speak and we’re extremely shy guys especially with rock stars around. But they came into our dressing room the next day to say hi and also, they said sorry for not saying hi the night before, but they were really tired. I think the Pixies are one of the best bands you could do support for because their fans are just real music lovers and I feel like we always tend to connect a bit more with those people.”

When I ask Koen about his ambitions for the future with Klangstof he’s raring to stay on the road: With the second album we did like seven shows and then everything got cancelled and it was sad because we’d worked on an album for two years and it didn’t do quite as much as we thought because we just couldn’t play. I feel like for this album it’s got some of that anger and frustration from those years but we’ve kind of turned it into something positive. I just really hope that we can continue playing until 2024 – that’s like my ideal scenario. I just want to release the album and not come home!”

You can listen to the latest Klangstof EP Ocean View on Spotify here.

Klangstof release their third album Godspeed to the Freaks in September 2022.

Klangstof will open for Pixies at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl as part of Sounds of the City 2022. Remaining tickets are available here.

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