John Grant

Another night to remember for Norwich fans of John Grant

Cast

The hits come thick and fast.

Jason Byrne No Show

This was one of the most enjoyable nights of comedy I've experienced in a long time. Byrne's warmth and empathy was reciprocated by a crowd eager to have a good time. My only misgiving was how far the night strayed from its advertised ambition.

The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria

An ostensibly amusing, but also incredibly thought-provoking, production.

The Surfrajettes

'Easy As Pie', and a deliciously fun night out.

Peatbog Faeries

An all-dancing highland rave in downtown Diss.

Come From Away

The feel-good musical that you will want to see over and over and again

Here You Come Again

Now, that's what I call a jukebox musical.

Samantha Fish

An inspired and crowd-thrilling set.

Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening

This was certainly one of the finest folk performances I have been to in 2024

NOW That's What I Call A Musical

A celebration of teenage hopes and dreams

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

You will believe a car can fly.

Welly

The gospel according to Welly is witty and fun

Murder on the Orient Express

Given that the stage version of Murder on the Orient Express is an entirely new play, one might have expected great liberties to be taken but the reverse was the case - there was an evident reverence for the source text apparent throughout Ludwig's adaptation that tiptoed lightly over the darker themes of Christie's novel, preferring instead to focus on flashes of humour and the cosy familiarity of a tale retold.

Art

Given the acrimony of Brexit, covid vaccination and even the recent Lucy Letby controversy, far from feeling dated, the play feels surprisingly relevant – an exemplar of what happens when we lose the ability to disagree civilly, instead content to take lumps out of family and friends with little regard for the consequential fallout.

Secluded Bronte

An eccentric evening which broke down the boundaries of what we think of as entertainment in way that was challenging, provocative and yet curiously unpretentious and all embracing.

Andrew O'Neill: Geburah

O'Neill's comedy is notoriously hard to pin down, harder still to categorise - a unique and uncompromising voice that is thoroughly entertaining, but also thought-provoking and mind-expanding in a way that is ultimately far more nourishing than a straightforward chuckle.

The Icicle Works

Heartfelt songs about ambitions and dreams, friendship and experience, but mostly about life itself.

Murder Staged

Cheish Merryweather was keen to emphasise the value of critical thinking, investing her audience with a dignified, sober reflection on the machinery of justice, but she was canny enough to indulge a more scurrilous fascination with the macabre. It left me feeling a little uneasy that horrifying photography and unnerving reconstructions were being presented for our entertainment, not least as I found myself being entertained.

Lime Cordiale

Lime Cordiale certainly made a real splash on their first visit to The Adrian Flux Waterfront.

A Chorus Line

This remains one singular sensation. Go see.

Le Vent du Nord

A high velocity performance tonight from Le Vent du Nord, and one that whipped up a storm in the South Norfolk market town of Diss

Wild Fields Day Two

The Highwayman

See this wonderful new musical now, if you can.

& JULIET

A fabulously pop-tastic party, featuring a canon of top tunes from start to finish.

La Tragédie de Carmen

Another fantastic collaboration between Norwich Theatre and Buxton International Theatre. Thank you to Stephen Crocker, and everyone at Norwich Theatre for managing to pull this one off.

Silence! The Musical

A gloriously dark, and very funny, musical stage parody.

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls

A phenomenal show from one of the country's finest folk-punk singer-songwriters

Come Dine With Me - The Musical

An hilarious homage to Channel 4's much-loved television show

I Wish You Well - The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical

Love this show. Catch it if you can before it hits Edinburgh

Kitty Perrin

Kitty Perrin's unique blend of dreamy indie-pop will have gained even more fans following this Pony-Up show

101 Dalmatians - The Musical

A delight for children and parents of all ages.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Life-affirming, inclusive and diverse, and celebrating every type of friendship.

Sting

A cracker of a 'Summer Night', in the beautiful heart of Thetford Forest. .

The 39 Steps

An hilarious comedy, made to look so easy. Pleasure and laughter all of the way.

Brian Butterfield - The Call of Now

An evening that started with foolishness but ended in a Damascene moment of self-awareness

Peter Serafinowicz as Brian Butterfield

In the words of the famous Norwichonian Delia Smith “Let’s be having you come to see my show!" on the 16th June

Séance and Arcade from Darkfield

Séance, in common with all their productions, took place in complete darkness. The audience wear headphones and so experience the narrative almost entirely through sound. If that sounds too close to an audio book, then allow me to disabuse you of that notion.

Grease - The Musical

'Grease' is still very much 'the word'.

Mahan Esfahani - Whispered Spells and Bach NNF 2024

Esfahani was our notional headliner, but one that seemed at his most content when playing with like-minded musicians, all of whom were playing at the top of their game.

Baque Luar - NNF 2024

Baque Luar is all about the beat, and that is what their first visit to Norwich will be remembered for, long after this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival has ended.

An Accident/ A life

Viewed as pure spectacle, this was the kind of grandstanding show not seen at the festival for years, thankfully forestalling what had been a shrinking theatrical component. The bigger question, however, is whether that spectacle served the show's strong autobiographical content.

Laura Misch - NNF 2024

Another wonderfully atmospheric music evening within the Adnams Spiegeltent.

City of Literature NNF 2024

Given some of the impossible choices thrown up by the festival this year, it would be easy to miss out on the events centred around The National Centre for Writing at Dragon's Hall, and in previous years that's exactly what I have done - miss out. Determined not to make the same mistake this year, I dipped my toe into the series of conversations between authors taking place.

Stick In The Wheel - NNF 2024

My favourite late night gig of the Festival so far.

Toast 1 & 2 NNF 2024

A valuable addition to the Festival program, it is to be hoped the Speakeasy tent becomes a regular feature. On the evidence so far presented, it certainly deserves it.

CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND - CHOIRLAND NNF2024

An innovative and illuminating evening of choral music from this world-class Irish ensemble.

Tess by Ockham's Razor NNF 2024

What I witnessed was far and away the best thing I've seen (so far) at the festival - and I've seen a lot - utterly demolishing my previous idea of what is meant by circus, and what I thought could be achieved with the skills involved

Karine Polwart - NNF 2024

A rare, and very special, visit to Norwich from one of Scotland's greatest contemporary folk singers.

Salt

There was so much to admire in this bold production and one, let’s not forget, which filled the Arts Centre to capacity in the middle of the Norfolk and Norwich festival. I find it hard to believe that such an assured production is their first, and while 'Salt' is already a worthwhile contribution to the region's theatre, I’m convinced we can look forward to even greater things to come.

Czech National Symphony Orchestra

A wonderful full-orchestra evening

King Creosote NNF 2024

No one seemed more surprised than Kenny Anderson that he was performing in a building he had previously visited for spiritual comfort, and with the recently restored organ serving as an illuminated backdrop, there's no denying the dramatic impact of gigging in such a glorious setting

Geneva Lewis NNF 2024

The audience for this intimate concert simply wouldn’t let her go, compelling her to take a bow three times with their emphatic applause.

Pongo - NNF 2024

Pongo came, Pongo sang, Pongo danced, and Pongo conquered.

Stillness, Softness... Hinako Omori NNF 2024

An inspired booking by the Festival, and always a pleasure to listen to any kind of live music within the Church of St Peter Mancroft

Lucy and Friends NNF 2024

Lucy McCormick is a brilliant clown, capable of putting herself through endless humiliating scenarios in service to her art, only to then deconstruct the presumption it is art, and then take to task anyone foolish enough to do what I am doing now - trying to make sense of it all.

Dark Tales From the Guildhall NNF 2024

A fascinating insight into strange goings-on that left an abiding impression of unease at what human beings are capable of doing to each other,

Geneva Lewis NNF 2024

Tackling exciting lesser-known pieces with confidence and daring.

Northern Ballet - Romeo & Juliet

For a Romeo & Juliet with that extra rollercoaster ride of emotion and spectacle, look no further.

Antiphony of the Trees - Laura Cannell NNF 2024

Music which harmoniously harnesses the sounds of nature

Ashley Grote's performance of Oliver Messiaen NNF 2024

Oliver Messiaen's compositions are challenging. Certainly, they are distinctive and innovative, but can none the less be hard to immediately grapple with, the intensity of their profound religiosity a shock to the system. But what, after all, is a festival for, if not to test your boundaries?

Eroica By Heart - Aurora Orchestra NNF 2024

A unique, and wholly immersive, audience experience

Drop the Dead Donkey

I dare say that my memory of the TV show itself is rose tinted, but if wallowing in nostalgia is an inexcusable crime then I plead guilty, as critical facilities crumbled in the face of a production that was simply, and unapologetically, silly good fun.

Killer Cults - Emma Kelly

Despite its sensational title, Killer Cults was a relatively sober examination of what makes a cult leader, and how a literally fatal combination of narcissism and psychopathy can lead to disaster.

Edward Scissorhands - Matthew Bourne's New Adventures

I find myself holding back the tears – that is how powerful the finale of this show is.

John Osborne - Norwich : A Love Story

A show packed with moving words and memories about the city we love.

Jesus Christ Superstar

There's no denying this was a musical and visual spectacular to satisfy the most jaded of palates. In writing this, I've had to wrestle with the jumble of songs now roaming my brain as conflicting ear worms do battle.

Calendar Girls - The Musical

The tears and the laughter are still there, collectively delivered with true Yorkshire grit, and stoic Northern wit.

Damian Lewis

A memorable evening on so many counts.

Sam Lee

The quality of the sound at the Art's Centre is always good, but it takes accomplished musicians to make it great. A tad more rockier and jazzier than on previous outings, his faultless ensemble complemented Sam Lee's distinct vocals superbly.

Shrek the Musical

A true gem of a show, faithful to the film’s roots, and yet still honouring its core message that it is OK to be different.

São Paulo Dance Company

A dazzling display of elegance, strength and stamina

Ed Gamble

For all his ribald profanity, Gamble is an unusually old fashioned comic, building up mental pictures in the mind of an audience from a grain of truth, who then laugh loudest at situations that, but for the grace of God, go I.

Bonnie & Clyde

A musical love story, doomed from the start, but with enough heart to steal you away until the final curtain.

Ross Noble Jibber Jabber Jamboree

Dispensing with the notion of a support act, we collectively jumped into the deep end, as he homed in on the brave souls on the front row. It's not unusual for a comic to break the ice with a bit of a chat with the audience before launching into the act, but it quickly became apparent this was the act. At times, he seemed less like a slick comic, and more like the funniest mate down the pub.

Bill Vine - Turbulent Flow

A masterful and moving performance of Bill Vine's latest composition

English Touring Opera - Manon Lescaut

Brave and challenging, English Touring Opera really do deliver 'Opera That Moves'.

English Touring Opera - The Rake's Progress

In this fresh English Touring Opera production, the morality of the tale shines through with a new-found relevance. Bravo ETO.

Spiers & Boden

A scintillating and crowd-pleasing set from folk legends Spiers & Boden, and wonderful to see the Maddermarket Theatre filled to the rafters

Big Country / The Icicle Works

The seventh stop on Big Country's celebratory 'Return to Steeltown' tour.

The Wizard of Oz

Come on Norwich, let’s be ‘aving you, and let’s be off to see the wizard, too.

Joanne Shaw Taylor

There may be bigger, seated, venues on this string of UK dates, but for the intimate, close-up feel of Joanne Shaw Taylor's brand of the blues, Norwich's Waterfront is going to take some beating.

Kitewing

Support local talent. Buy this album. And watch Kitewing soar.

A Family Business

Often, theatre is a device for escaping our troubles, and I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, but for those of us that yearn for more nourishing fare, it's good to know something reliably substantial is still being served up on a China Plate.

The Nutcracker - Varna International Ballet

Completing their triage of Tchaikovsky's most loved ballets.

Swan Lake - Varna International Ballet

Swan Lake is a mouth-watering spectacle. This production becomes the complete dance experience.

Tom Allen

Tom Allen is the master of the pointed question, the cheeky put-down and the witty response

Toast - Dizraeli / Joelle Taylor

'Toast' had moved to Norwich Theatre Playhouse this month, and even in this much larger venue, nearly all the seats were taken

David Eagle - Norwich Theatre Stage 2

A superb one-man show from the accordion-wielding member of the magnificent Young'uns

The Clause

For sheer guts and dedication you had to admire this performance from The Clause

Betty Blue Eyes

An absolute delight from start to finish - a heart-warming blinder of a show.

Alex Kate

The Woman in Black

Such was the atmosphere generated, it was easy to imagine, out the corner of your eye, that you caught a glimpse of the eponymous Woman, such was the descriptive power of the text. Who would have thought that possible with only two actors on a bare stage?

Miloš Karadaglić and Arcangelo Ensemble

A Baroque blinder of a night

Sleeping Beauty - The Fairy's Tale

A magnificent seasonal pantomime of which Norfolk should be really proud.

John Otway and his Band

The appeal of John Otway remains largely inexplicable. He performs the same songs, interspersed with the same patter, and does so with a self-deprecating acknowledgement epitomised by one of the last songs of the night - I Don't Know What I'm Doing, but I Shouldn't Be Doing This. Yet there's something so unremittingly joyous in the chaos and cacophony of an Otway gig, that once you join the cult, it's nigh on impossible to let go. He may not be the Messiah, but he is a very silly boy.

Richard Dawson

A unique talent, and one worth making the effort to discover.

Grayson Perry - A Show About You

Despite ambitions to be the enfant terrible of British art when he won the Turner Prize in 2003, Grayson Perry is officially a National Treasure. His recent reinvention as an investigative explorer of countercultures and communities, albeit in his civvies, offered a clue as what to expect from his live show. What I didn't expect was for him to break into full throated song.

The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers have it all. You simply could not ask for better craic on a Sunday night in Norwich.

The King and I

In these days of real horror and turmoil around the world, perhaps an occasional dose of Rodgers and Hammerstein's theatrical escapism is no bad thing.

The Pigeon Detectives

The levels of energy and enthusiasm (both on and off stage) prove that The Pigeon Detectives are still up for a grand night out. Whatever night it is.

The Good Enough Mums Club

The theatrical experience is witty and well-paced, with a tone that lies somewhere between 'Six' and 'Fascinating Aida'.

Noises Off

First staged forty years ago, Michael Frayn's Noises Off continues to be performed all over the world, and continues to have audiences howling with laughter. With Norwich only its third outing, I got the sense the cast had not yet entirely settled into their roles, but for most part this was a thoroughly entertaining, and mercilessly funny, night at the theatre.

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

The enormity and significance of this concert suddenly sank home, and I felt guilty for simply being free to come along and listen to this great classical music.

Quiz

Anyone under the age of thirty must find it bewildering that such a prosaic misdemeanour is even remembered, let along dramatized for the stage. And yet its grip obstinately refuses to let go. It’s a testament to the quality of Graham's writing that the show was not only entertaining, but gripping, with an ability to surprise in spite of its well-trodden path.

The Full Monty - Norwich Theatre Royal

There is so much more to this stage version of The Full Monty than a titillating knock-off Chippendales show

Ballet Black - 'Pioneers'

Two very different pieces, but one absolutely fabulous evening

Kezia Gill

Kezia Gill's first journey back to Norwich since supporting The Shires at Epic Studios two years ago

The Coronation of Poppea - English Touring Opera

Elements of this fact-based narrative still hold frighteningly true today

Cinderella - English Touring Opera

The experience is a delight from start to finish

Project Dictator

Or, 'Why democracy is overrated and I don't miss it at all'

2:22 a Ghost Story at the Theatre Royal

I don't think I can recently recall seeing a play that so exactly matched my expectations, which was for a jolly night out watching hokey nonsense delivered with style and brio.

The Sherlocks

This was an evening to let the music do the talking

Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells - The 50th Anniversary Experience

A magnificent tribute to one of England's finest modern contemporary rock composers.

James Rowland - 'Piece of Work'

James Rowland's latest show examines friendship, home, love, and loss

Deepdale Festival

Thank you Deepdale – you did it again. This is still my favourite festival of the year, and judging by the number of returning acts and audience members, everybody else's, too.

John Robins in Howl

The promise of a five-star hit at Edinburgh is no guarantee of a good night out - the unique bubble of the Fringe can distort and filter perception - but this was one of most extraordinary, and genuinely unique, stand up shows I can recall seeing.

Fraser Anderson - All We Are

JERRY SPRINGER : THE OPERA

'Jerry Springer : The Opera' still has the power to both shock and make you laugh out loud, and, more importantly, to make you think about the role of the media and of organised religion.

The Bodyguard - The Musical

'The Bodyguard' is one of the most joyous musical experiences to have visited Norwich Theatre Royal in many a year. 100% recommended.

Let's Rock Norwich 2023

The Let's Rock festival is unashamedly a retro festival - often a curate's egg of one hit wonders, war horses and hardy-perennials, but the roll call for Norwich was unusually eclectic. Whether that was by design, or just who they could get, is hard to say, but the inclusion of bands like The Farm and Happy Mondays suggest the festival is starting to take itself more seriously – becoming more about music and less about mullet wigs – which has to be a good thing.

Greatest Days

Norwich Under The Water

Annie - The Musical

The Land of Might-Have-Been

This is definite must-see show. Hats off to Stephen Crocker, and the whole of the Norwich Theatre team, for the courage and conviction to co-produce this wonderful show together with the Buxton International Festival.

John Osbourne

John Osbourne's uncanny ability to draw on universal truths by discussing the particular is the key to all his work, and has never been better than in this outing. What might seem like a wistful nostalgia for times past is underscored by a commentary on the changes that happen in all our lives, as the person we once were becomes as strange to us as the people we once knew

Blood Brothers

And what a moving and powerful performance it was

Paul Weller

Paul Weller has been praised, and rightly so, for continually reinventing himself as time and tide moves on. It would be downright silly to be singing about Eton Rifles or a Bomb in Wardour Street at his time of life........I can’t argue with any of that.

Heathers - The Musical

Floral Image - So Synthesised

Julius Caesar

Plaudits are due to the RSC for performing and touring Julius Caesar, challenging in its structure and content, but while this was a bold attempt to enliven a problematic play, ultimately the embellishments employed buried the narrative under the weight of stage trickery.

Young Frankenstein

Legends of Variety

It’s all too easy to sneer at old fashioned entertainment, and old- fashioned entertainers for that matter, but there seemed a lovely bond between everyone on stage. They are all such consummate pros I suppose that could be confected, but I don’t think so.

The Halle Orchestra NNF 2023

Solem Quartet 2 NNF 2023

Solem Quartet NNF 2023

Leonkoro Quartet NNF 2023

The Bohman Brothers and Richard Crow

The Bohman Brothers and Richard Crow used a table top of home-built instruments, tape cut-ups, spoken word, and all manner of ephemera to create a collage of sound. With these raw materials they produced an intriguing mash up of spoken word, found sound and general bonkersness.

Geneva Lewis & Evren Ozel NNF 2023

Britten Sinfonia NNF 2023

Neil Brand Presents Laurel and Hardy NNF 2023

Its asking a lot to expect Laurel and Hardy to entertain a modern audience in quite the same way as they did a h

Rhiannon Giddens -Francesco Turrisi - NNF 2023

...the concert commences, immediately filling tha vast hall space with the spine-tinglingly soulful vocals that have come to define Giddens' live performances.

Simon Munnery

Munnery is a performer that divides people. You either haven't heard of him, or you consider him a legend. Not a legend in the sense of greatness, but a literal legend - a near mythical character that reinvented comedy. Sandwiched somewhere in between Ted Chippington and Andy Kaufman, he redefined what being a comedian could mean back in the day.

EVEN - Norwich

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Roddy Woomble

Titanic the Musical

Alasdair Beckett-King: The Interdimensional ABK

Aldous Harding

Morganway - Back to Zero

The Zombies - Bruce Sudano

It's an astonishing sixty years since vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent first set up shop, and on the evidence of their performance at Epic they are still fighting fit. Rod Argent's keyboard skills were as nimble as ever, while Blunstone's fine voice was impeccable all night. For men in their late seventies, the combination was little short of astonishing.

The Damned

Devoting a great chunk of your set, especially for a band that has such a powerful back catalogue, to so many songs off of the new album, as yet unreleased, might be thought brave to the point of foolhardiness, but hats off to them for having the confidence and commitment do to so.

His Lordship

His Lordship commanding the stage from the outset and didn't let go, barely stopping for breath in between songs. Their set was over and done with in less than an hour, but was packed so full that I don’t think anyone felt short changed. They may have felt like a lie down and a rest, perhaps, not short changed.

Lottery Winners

Another great night at Epic – once again the sound and lights were spot on, and the staff are always so friendly. Let's hope that Rick Lennox and the team can continue to attract further contemporary and trending music acts like these.

Strictly Ballroom - The Musical

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

....'Sleeping Beauty remains an iconic work, a gothic romance brought to life with all the charisma, charm and wit that we have come to expect from Sir Matthew Bourne

Derren Brown - Showman

Derren Brown, as he so often does, wrapped things up in a broader theme, this time daring to reveal more of himself that we're used to. His humanity has rarely been in doubt, but here we saw some of his fragility when faced with personal trauma, adding emotional heft to his accomplished stage craft

Lucrezia Borgia - English Touring Opera, Norwich Theatre Royal

The Higsons – Run Me Down

Flat & The Curves

Even as an ageing single male, Flat & The Curves provided me with to be one of my funniest Saturday nights ever. Out of those that I can still remember, of course.

Unthank Smith - Nowhere and Everywhere

Wish You Were Dead

Clive Mantle's villainous Curtis lit up the stage, injecting much needed energy into the night with a performance that was both menacing and funny. He got all the best lines too, as if Shaun McKenna had finally got his teeth into a character of substance.

Hollie McNish , Luke Wright

Dylan

The Vagaband - Beautiful World

This is the best Vagaband album yet, and marks the band's progression into brave new territory, but whilst remaining true to their roots.

Paul Foot - Malcolm Head

Coppelia

And thank you, Varna International Ballet, for your first visit to our city. It was an absolute delight to have the opportunity watch you perform. Please, please, please, come back soon.

High Performance

U.S. Girls - Bless This Mess

Peaky Blinders - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

Rozi Plain - Prize

Sister Act - The Musical

A two year delay but well worth it ........

Nuria Graham - Cyclamen

Strings, bassoon, harp, double bass, flute and saxophones all contribute to this effusive concoction of folk fable, premonitory dreams and messages from nature. An early contender for my Album of the Year?

Sh*t Actually

Yippee Ki Yay

A daring and innovative show which is resplendent in its writing, engagingly delivered, and absolutely perfect for the run up to Christmas

A Christmas Carol @ Blackfriars Hall

This was nothing less than a magical, spell binding experience. The company not only offered up the thrill of being told a ghost story by Dickens, but also provided a genuinely entertaining experience for a contemporary audience.

Holly Humberstone

Nic Norton & Alice Morrell - Killing Time

Gong, Ozric Tentacles

The chance to hear the swirling, sonic extravagances of two of the finest practitioners of spaced out, trance infused rhythms on the same night felt almost greedy, like breaking into a second box of chocolates when the first had already given you a sugar rush.

The Book of Will

John Heminges and Henry Condell took it upon themselves to collect and thereby preserve Shakespeare’s work after his death. Lauren Gunderson’s fascinating play takes the bare bones of what we know about their endeavour and builds a compelling narrative, imagining how they might have gone about it, and why.

Mozart's Requiem - Glyndebourne Tour 2022

Glyndebourne Tour 2022 - The Marriage of Figaro

John Ottaway and Wild Will Barrett

In sharp contrast to Otway's puppy like enthusiasm, Wild Willy Barrett mordant disinterest in Otway's buffoonery fails to disguise an obvious mutual affection. No one would seriously argue that Otway has been gifted with the finest singing voice, but he is a proper songwriter when he wants to be.

The Mirror Crack'd

There was much to enjoy in Rachel Wagstaff’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic novel. Susie Blake was excellent as Miss Marple, the plot was pleasingly convoluted yet neatly resolved, and there were some genuine laughs along the way. What a shame it had to be viewed through the prism of Philip Frank's pedestrian direction.

Seth Lakeman

Bodega - Damp Matches

Anoushka Shankar

This was one of only five outings for this world class collaboration, and I’m still scratching my head how we got on the short list. Whatever the reason, hats off to whoever at the Theatre Royal bagged with one.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Wishbone Ash - Hardwicke Circus

Andy Powell tipped us off from the outset that we were in for the long haul, and so it proved with a mammoth two hour set that included their seminal album Argus played in full. He must have had the mathematicians in the audience scratching their heads at the youthful vigour of a man already grown up when it was released fifty years ago.

Turin Brakes - The Concrete Kid

The Lemonheads - Bass Drum of Death

Nerina Pallot

Beabadoobee

Elf Lyons

A closely choreographed assault on the senses, as a combination of story-telling, mime and vegetable annihilation had her audience reeling with laughter and discomfort in equal measure - this ferociously talented performer confronted and questioned tired stereotypes and lazy preconceptions at every turn.

Mamma Mia

Alexander Carson - The Idiot

Public Service Broadcasting

I can’t say this was the best gig I’ve ever been too, but I can say I’m struggling to think of a better one. A perfect marriage of stagecraft and musicianship, it’s certainly the finest thing I’ve seen in Norwich for a very, very long time.

Satellites

Time and Tide

Midge Ure

Graham Norton

Deepdale Festival

Los Bitchos - O

The Penguin Café

Courtney Marie Andrews - Loose Future

The Unthanks - Sorrows Away

Woman in White

Let's Rock Ipswich

Man the Lifeboats - Soul of Albion

‘Soul of Albion’ is an album unafraid to reflect on the state of the nation, and yet still manages to convey the band’s love of a good time and a drink

Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork

.....just read the review

Midge Ure

Goo Goo Dolls - Chaos in Bloom

A great album from start to finish – every song on it could justifiably argue a case for inclusion on a GGD 'Best Of'' compilation

Holt? Who goes There?

If you have never seen The Nimmo Twins, then you better be bloody quick. Their run of shows at Norwich Theatre Playhouse sold out yonks ago. If you are quick, you might be lucky as they are doing a one-night-only show at Norwich Theatre Royal on August 23rd. If not, just “keep on troshin”.

Carlos Acosta - On Before

We Are Scientists - Coach Party

Neither current nor heritage, We Are Scientists remain part of a noughties phenomenon of acts that burned bright with their debut album but never quite matched it, producing literate songs heavily disguised with pop camouflage, just in case anyone noticed how clever they were.

Latitude 2022

Latitude is set in a beautiful park tastefully enhanced with all manner of frills (and purple sheep). There is music, and lots of it, with main stages of mainstream acts complemented by the quirky and intriguing if you dig deep enough, while the manageable layout tempts you to poke about more than your aching feet appreciate. In short, despite the sometimes suffocating branding and sponsorship liveries, it’s a nice place to be.

The Many Lives of Nellie Bly

Life is a learning experience and if like me you had not heard of Nellie Bly then all I can say is ... it is an engrossing show that left me highly impressed, as well as suitably enlightened. Find out More PLEASE

Chicago

not only are the key cast magnificent, but the entire ensemble of dancers, singers and musicians deliver a truly scintillating performance

Priscilla Queen of The Desert

Loved it, loved it, loved it, darlings. xxx

Mark Thomas – Black and White

Ladies of Letters

This theatrical reinvention of 'LOL' certainly had me 'Laughing Out Loud' from start to finish"

Crude Apache

"Crude Apache have created a show that, by delving into local history, makes us also think about workers’ rights today. Bravo!"

Beabadoobee - 'Beatopia'

Destined to be one of the standout albums of 2022, make sure you catch Beabadoobee at Reading and Leeds Festival this summer, or at the Nick Rayns LCR here in Norwich on October 8th. This is going to be the year of Beatopia.

Private Peaceful

“We are spared the graphic horrors, but the message hits its target with dramatic precision”  

Songs of Hope and Protest

Common Lot for, once again, coming up with a community-based show that is entertaining, educational, topical, and inspiring. It does them, and Norwich, proud. Go see it.

Dreamgirls

Fantastic costumes, fantastic choreography, fantastic performances, and fantastic songs. What more is there to say? This production of Dreamgirls is simply supreme, supreme, supreme!!! (There, I said it. Sue me if you dare!)

Anna Meredith

I would not have missed this evening's show for anything. However, twenty four hours on, I cannot help musing on how this was something of an opportunity missed

Levitation Orchestra

Levitation Orchestra's sound is a potent cocktail of uninhibited energy and elegant exploration, bound together by an egality of interwoven

Sean Shibe

Shibe was an absolute gentleman, talking us through each piece, and playing to the wonderfully attentive audience with virtuosic confidence and class.

Peggy Seeger and Calum MacColl

..the sparkle in her eye tonight, and the obvious love shared between mother and son, turned this Spiegeltent show into a wholly unforgettable experience.

Fairytales and Nightingales

These three musical artists delivered a venerable tribute to Jenny Lind that was sensitive, informative and beautifully presented

Gesualdo: Cruel Ecstasy – performed by the Exaudi Vocal Ensemble

The Exaudi Vocal Ensemble took to an otherwise bare stage to perform a selection of Carlo Gesualdo Madrigals that were dripping with melancholy and emotion. Using only the considerable power of their voices, this unamplified concert was the music the acoustics of St Andrews Hall were built for.

Broadside Hacks

...the audience tonight were treated to something rather special, listening to a fresh generation of musicians discover and revive the songwriting treasures of the past

Grand Day Out at NNF READ ON

Last Saturday, it felt like the gauntlet had been thrown down, as a string of shows offered up a truly varied festival experience for those with a strong constitution and keen knowledge of the city’s layout. It just went to show that a festival that has sometimes felt constricted by practical and financial considerations, can, on the day, deliver.

Grace Petrie

Petrie's fierce musical stand for the things that she feels passionate about has triumphantly fired the bellies of another festival audience.

The Golden Cockerel

"With James Conway's direction and Gerry Cornelius' conducting, 'The Golden Cockerel' is most definitely in safe hands"

Sō Percussion and Every Step

Daniel Pioro and Erland Coope

Slowly, very slowly, the sense of something musical emerged, as if the performers were teasingly grappling for out of reach harmony. Only then did Cooper join the party, with delicate, gossamer light touches on the piano. Subsequently, he would play music of sublime beauty, as Daniel Pioro prowled around the performance area, accompanying and complementing faultlessly.

Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask

Les Patterson was an ungracious slob, and while Edna softened in her dotage, it’s worth remembering how she longed to turn Norm’s life support off. Both revealed a cruel streak that ran through Humphries work, perhaps born of the days when he was the bully, not the bullied

Nina Conti - The Dating Show

"There is no one to match her, both with regard to her technical ability and her brilliant improvisational skills. Ironically, she is such a good ventriloquist it's all too easy to forget that everything funny happening on stage is coming out of her head and her tight lipped mouth."

Kenneth Williams: Cult Figure

I think Elmer would argue that the evening was presented as Williams would have constructed it, and as such was guarded where the man himself would have been guarded.

Tess Parks - And Those Who Were Seen Dancing

The album closes with a piano and the sound of rain in 'Saint Michael'. Retrospective and atmospheric rather than apostolic in its tone,

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

This was a great show, well written, well acting, and one which explored challenging themes. How to top that? The answer was in a tiny epilogue, which those hasty to catch the last bus home might have easily missed. To say more would be spoil a lovely surprise, but I will say it left a big, fat silly smile on my face.

Loose Fit - Social Graces

From start to finish this is an absolute peach of an album, a juicy slice of post-punk, pop perfection.

The Nightingales - Rats on Rafts- Ted Chippington

What I got was a seamless set list of quite brilliant, and quite brilliantly performed, tunes.

The Addams Family

For a crypt-kicking delight of an evening, The Addams Family are your perfect ghoulish hosts.

Susanna - Elevation

If you are not already familiar with the work of Susanna Wallumrød (or, come to that, Charles Baudelaire) I would implore you to give 'Elevation' a listen. It is most certainly an album that is all that I cannot leave behind.

The Birds and The Bees

Yes, it is comedy. Yes, it is fun, and yes it is raucous and at times saucy. McDermott's smartly integrated East Anglian references and dialectical nuance will delight local audiences. But, ultimately it is a much bigger picture, and there is so much more for us all to think about and take away from 'The Birds and The Bees'

Magic Goes Wrong

C Duncan - Alluvium

Alluvium's sense of fluidity and pace continues in the cinematic harpsichord-led title track, whilst 'Earth' creates a distinctly retro revisitation of Colin Blunstone on a 1970's Alan Parsons concept album

The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe

....nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle and passion of this version of the Leeds Playhouse production, currently playing at Norwich Theatre Royal.

Private Lives

As a classic drama about love, lust and conflict, 'Private Lives' still takes some beating.

William The Conqueror - Chloe Foy

An Interview with Linus

Finn Doherty - You're Still in My Dreams

Zakoor - Life Cycle

School of Rock

Gong

Basil Brush - Unleashed

Animal Farm

Triffids

For the most part, this was an imaginative, energising and wonderfully original approach to a literary classic.

Samana - All One Breath

it is almost as though the listener has been taken on their own enlightening journey of discovery as well.

Nederland Dance Theater NDT2

I remember when, soon after taking being appointed as CEO of Norwich Theatre, Stephen Crocker made a pledge to continue to bring more world class contemporary dance to Norwich. He has delivered on that promise ........

Kristine Leschper - The Opening Or Closing of A Door

This is a stripped-back work that is overwhelmingly enhanced by the beauty and fragility of Leschper's vocals, creating a naturalistic and folkier feel to previous works, and producing an authentic sense of natural impermeance.

Frankenstein

The use of puppetry to represent Victor’s creation was an absolute masterstroke, and on many different levels.

Seven Seals - Owl Cage

'Owl Cage' is an album that should now be heard way beyond the rugged peaks of the Cumbrian countryside

Skinny Lister - A Matter of Life & Love

Echo and the Bunnymen

Mothermary - I Am Your God

Are they destined to become the next big thing? Who knows? But, for now, I am happy to listen, and wait, and see what happens next.

Cluedo

Cat Power - Covers

Basia Bulat - The Garden

'The Garden' is a collection that has been laid out with love and affection. It emerges as a truly original and fascinating retrospective of this talented artist. Thoroughly recommended.

Kosheen

The Book of Mormon

Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Sound of Music

Tornado and Snowflake: Stewart Lee

'A Load of Old Squit – The Best of the Nimmo Twins'

Dick Whittington and his cat

Make sure that you don't miss out on what will almost certainly the best feel-good night out (or matinee) on offer in Norwich over the festive season.

Robin Good - Pantomime

Robin Good is directed with lashings of local references and a bundle of in-jokes that will delight Norwich audiences – poking fun at our parochiality, our poor public transport links, and our patchy mobile phone reception.

The Neutrinos

Lubomyr Melnyk

My Car Plays Tapes - John Osborne

Handel’s Messiah performed by Glyndebourne

Rake's Progress

Hayseed Dixie

Heaven 17 - Pete Wylie

Dal:um

Ward Thomas

Amy Duncan - Cocoon

Focus

Jonathan Pie: Fake News (Corona Remix)

The Rocky Horror show

Millie Manders and The Shutup

Hands Off Gretel

Wild Paths - All over Norwich

Norwich seemed to shift on its axis just a little for the weekend, offering up one giant playground that not only changed the city but celebrated it. Meticulously curated, Wild Paths presented an astonishing (both in number and quality) array of acts

Sam Lee

Roger Taylor

Echobelly

The Dresser

Sun Atoms - Let There Be Light

Deepdale Festival

Six – the Musical - at the Theatre Royal

One Man, Two Guvnors

Mark Steel

Villagers - Fever Dreams

Police Cops - Badass

Tom Jones

Pavel Kolesnikov at the John Innes Centre

Russell Kane

Paul Lewis at the John Innes Centre

Steven Isserlis and Sam Hayward at the John Innes Centre

Norwich Chamber Music – an interview with Chairman Peter Lawson

NNF 2021 - Tony Cragg at Houghton Hall, PrimeYarc at Yarmouth and Mona Arshi at Cley

NNF 2021 - Manchester Collective and Mahan Esfahani

Sarathy Korwar + Future Cargo

NNF 2021 Abel Selaocoe + Nabihah Iqbal - The Halls

NNF 2021 - The People’s Cabaret

Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg

Sébastien Tellier -

Hinds - The Prettiest Curse

The Jayhawks - XOXO

Richard Walters - Golden Veins

Luke Wright - Stand Up Poetry While Sitting Down at Home

The Unthanks - Diversions Vol. 5

A collection of songs recorded during the Unthanks tour last year, when they returned to their roots, singing unaccompanied and in harmony. More a miscellany of tunes than a curated collection, this is nonetheless what traditional folk music is all about - reflecting on hard times with both stoicism and good humour. It's a timely reminder of happier times, when folk congregated in big rooms and listened to other people singing.

Blithe Spirit

The Red Shoes

Geoff Norcott

John Shuttleworth’s Back

Independent Venues Week - Floral Image

Rambert 2

Drink Rum with Expats

Hayley Ross – The Weight of Hope

Dial M for Murder

Adrien Munden – The Truth is Weaponised

Dripping with melancholy, this is an astonishingly assured and mature work. In an age when we select rather than browse and skim rather than immerse, it’s such a pleasure to fall across an album of such substance.

Graham Fellows discusses his new show, John Shuttleworth’s Back

"Sometimes I have to check myself and think whether John would really say something. I worry that John might be a Daily Mail reader who supports Brexit – I don’t think he is, but sometimes it’s tricky to come down one side or the other..."

Boris + Arabrot

The music itself was full of stark, thunderous menace, counterpointed with moments of surprising delicacy. On occasion I was gobsmacked by the band’s symphonic ambitions; at other times I felt I was listening to little more than a cacophonous row.

Uriah Heep + Diamond Head

The evening inevitably finished on a rousing encore of Easy Livin’ (proving not that every song had to be tricky to be good) and the band grinning from ear to ear as they played. It only served to consolidate the abiding impression throughout, of the strong bond between the men on stage, delighted that they still got to do this for a living.

Glyndebourne - Rigoletto

After the sunshine and warmth of the previous night's 'L'elisir d'amore' the Glyndebourne Tour could not have provided more by way of contrast.

Glyndebourne - L'elisir d'AMORE pt. 1

Glyndebourne Tour in Norwich last night gave me the opportunity to immerse myself for two and a half hours in Italian operatic sunshine, whilst the rest of Norwich shivered in the dark and the cold outside.

Comet Is Coming + Leaftcutter John

Cinderella - Northern Ballet

Northern Ballet are always eagerly awaited visitors to the Theatre Royal, both for their full productions and for their wonderful child-friendly shows (they return in April 2020 with a special version of Little Red Riding Hood). We now have October 2020 to look forward to, and their return with an exciting new production – Merlin

The Amazons - Demob Happy - Mysterines

Guitar music is by no means dead. It has just been resting.

A Taste of Honey

It also says much for this production that a cocktail of an unmarried teenage pregnancy, gay friendships, mixed race relationships, alcoholism and unremitting poverty, could be presented with such defiant stoicism and good humour.

Kate Tempest

After taking their bows together, she and Clare Uchima leave the stage, and an audience that has just given them the biggest, most rapturous, ovation that I can ever remember hearing at the LCR.

Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons - King Creature

..it was with some trepidation that I went along to see him play with his Bastard Sons, and I desperately wanted to like what I found.  What a pleasure it is, therefore, to report what a great band they are....

Trying it On

Why did so many of the Sgt Pepper generation turn their backs on revolution?

Acosta Danza- Evolution

The fluidity of the movement, together with the dancers' phenomenal strength and control, is breathtaking, and lead dancer Zeleydi Crespo has a powerful presence which has the entire audience spellbound

The Membranes + Other Half + Skint and Demoralised

The band was uniformly excellent....

Pizza Shop Heroes @ Stage 2 NTR

Pizza Shop Heroes is a significant and worthwhile attempt to explore the harsh realities of seeking asylum in the UK. It is episodic and uneven, but has a huge heart.

[UNIT] Reach The Moon

Reach The Moon, managed to achieve what many others have tried and failed to do – to recreate the excitement and overwhelming sense of achievement that emerged from that historic moment on July 20th, 1969

Hot Chip and Rosie Lowe

They may have been around for almost two decades, and may not have visited Norwich for a while but, judging by tonight's show, Hot Chip have certainly not gone off the boil.

Wild Paths Festival

Was Wild Paths 2019 a success? Well, you had better believe it. With its incredibly ambitious goals for a first year, booking a ridiculously rich array of artists and venues, but by galvanising a fantastic team of organisers and volunteers, somehow Ben Street had pulled it off – four days and nights of remarkable shows that reinforced Norwich's position on the musical map, and gave the city's music fans plenty to talk about for months to come. Thank you, Ben.

Hawklords

The gentlemen of Hawklords have long since been able to stand on their own feet, a comfortable distance from their Hawkwind association as they prolifically pump out freshly minted material that continues to impress

Emily Jane White - Immanent Fire

Thought-provoking, at times perhaps a little clichéd, but entirely relevant and altogether rather beautiful.

Acid mothers Temple - Our Quiet Friends

Acid Mother Temple are a quite extraordinary genre-defying ensemble of talented Japanese musicians that from the outset delivered  a wall of thunderous sound that was energising, uplifting and just a bit bonkers

Richard Hawley - Get Cape Wear Cape Fly

This was a precious evening of magnificent songwriting, professionalism and performance, all served up by one of Sheffield's finest.

Rambert's 2019 Tour

Rambert's visits to Norwich are always eagerly anticipated, and this programme of three very different yet thematically interconnected pieces, demonstrates Benoit Swan Pouffer's commitment to maintaining the company's proud reputation for taking risks....

Deepdale Festival

if you are looking for a friendly and extremely well-organised weekend that offers an eclectic mix of music that makes you want to dance, makes you want to cry, and sometimes just makes you go want to go 'wow!', then Deepdale is it

Kevin Kendall's Deep Skies Experience

Visit most of the various musical venues in Norwich, and I’ll warrant you will do so with a preconception of the kind of act you’re going to see. The exception is surely Epic Studios, frequently playing host to the eccentric and undefinable that doesn’t easily fit in anywhere else

My Kind of Michael

an evening of knockabout fun with a charming host that was warm and inclusive, but how frustrating that, with a just a little more work and attention to detail, we could have had so much more.

Galli - In The Roundhouse There's Hornets

This surely confirms them as one of the most innovative and original acts to emerge in 2019

Nerija - Blume

Exciting solo performances from each player demonstrate Nérija's collaborative ethic, and the breadth of individual talent within this scintillating project.

BABii - HiiDE

A brilliantly brave debut.

Anglia Square A Love Story

It is a journey that, over the course of two hours, and more than six centuries, tells the tale of two cities....As a result, I am more in love with this city than ever before. Anglia Square included.

The Mousetrap

Armstrong’s ensemble cast looked to be having enormous fun chattering their way through acres of exposition in clipped, received pronunciation, delivering their lines with exactly the right degree of knowing humour, without ever quite lapsing into parody

Solana + Nebula Sun

This was indeed an evening of wide-ranging musical delights, when the sun really did come out and shine

Sharon Van Etten

During the course of the evening we get a chance to hear each and every one of the album's ten track

Foals + Yak + Kiev

Al Murray - Pub Landlord

Al Murray - Pub Landlord

Educating Rita - Review

The Rutles

… the evening was always going to end too soon

10 Soldiers

This production left me wondering at my appraisal of the earlier work.

Claire Grogan of Altered Images

Back in the early 80's Altered Images were one of the biggest pop acts around, with three top 30 albums and six UK top 40 singles between 1981 and 1983. We talked to lead singer and songwriter Clare Grogan, and asked her about the band's initial success, and their continuing popularity more than 35 years after Happy Birthday was first released.

Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque

Colin Currie Quartet (NNF)

The end came too soon, in an evening that had flown by

Bells and Spells (NNF)

Bells and Spells is an episodic, hallucinogenic journey through increasingly loopy vignettes drawn from Chaplin’s weird and wonderful imagination.

Tenebrae (NNF 19)

Stunning soloists, extraordinary harmonies, and flawless execution were evident throughout a performance

Wild Longings

Jess Gillam

What proved consistent throughout the evening was Gillam’s infectious enthusiasm and commitment to her instrument and the eclectic pieces she had chosen to play, something that shone through her brief chats with the audience

The Showhawk Duo

Lisa Hannigan with Stargaze – Live In Dublin

Hannigan's typically sparse and ethereal folk compositions into a sonic panorama that is nothing short of alchemic.

Alexander Carson Album Launch

Tracks like Ghosts and Lovers ably demonstrate what a beautiful album Ellipsism has turned out to be

Jesse Mac Cormack - Now

Jesse Mac Cormack's album debut arrives as a work of scorching atmosphere, panoramic tumbling melodies and vast lyrical spaces

Pepperland

The resultant 60 minute show is a kaleidoscopic and psychedelic delight from start to end.

Andrew Maxwell. Showtime

Shashamané Recommends... Lisa Redford and Galli

The Good, The Bad, and The Queen

Whichever route (musical choices, age, or whatever) brought us here, we were all to experience to one of the most moving and stirring musical evenings that I have attended at the UEA.

The Slow Readers Club

The Slow Readers Club may have cornered the Indie electro doom pop market, such as it is, but they’ve been clearly influenced by some of the finest acts of the last century, mixing up a cocktail of sounds in a way that is both discriminating and imaginative.

Ioanna Gika - Thalassa

Roseate, is undoubtedly the strongest track of the entire album, a powerful mission statement that begins with harp and ethereal vocals and builds to a surging conclusion, complete with pounding drum machine, synth and strings.

Swan Lake

It proved to be as stunning and breath taking as ever, confounding the prejudices of anyone (not least me) who thinks ballet simply isn’t for them.

Idles

this music contains brilliantly crafted slices of wit and irony set out to debunk male toxicity, xenophobia and anti-matriarchy

Rough Crossing

Stoppard’s text constantly reminds us that this is a play about a play, poking fun at theatrical convention, making a virtue of its shortcomings, and openly taking the mickey out of anyone investing too much energy into proselytising art

Hayseed Dixie

A stunning set of imaginative rearrangements, which combined with a healthy sprinkling of their own composition, stretched for over two hours.

The House on Cold Hill

...from the outset, a jolly thrill ride that takes full advantage of the possibilities of live theatre, presenting a classic haunted house story with a combination of impressive stage trickery and winning performances

Skinny Lister – The Story Is...

All in all, another noteworthy collection

Molly Tuttle – When You're Ready

When You're Ready emerges as one of the most impressive and accessible of debut albums

Nic Norton and The County Band – Last Orders

Norwich's Nic Norton returns with another engaging and original collection

Caroline's Kitchen

The chemistry between Elizabeth Boag’s convincingly drunk Sally and Alan Gillett’s character lifted the production just when it needed it

10cc

I know reviews are not supposed to be lists, but when the first five songs are Wall Street Shuffle, Art for Art’s Sake, Life is a Minestrone, Good Morning Judge and The Dean I, it warrants a special mention

The Life I Lead – Miles Jupp

Miles Jupp’s achievement, in bringing to life an actor known for only a handful of roles, and doing so in a way that was utterly engrossing and a complete delight, was surely all the more remarkable given the relative obscurity of his subject

Richard Alston Dance Company

its relentless pace grips and holds right until the very final spin.

Hajk - Drama

tale of two lovers on the precipice of break-up

Fun Loving' Criminals

Tonight, Huey Morgan is definitely 'the man', and Fun Lovin' Criminals do what they do best – leave their audience hungry for more

Lost Voice Guy

His opening salvo is a warning that if I don’t laugh at the disabled guy I will go to hell

Rambert 2

Top marks to the Norwich Playhouse for hosting this debut visit from Rambert 2. The scale of the venue, and the fantastic sound, made this a perfect evening

Romeo and Juliet

Erica Whyman had decided on a contemporary transfer for this 400 year old tale of family feuding, love at first sight, and crossed star destiny, but it is a darker, starker version of the classic.....

Gyða Valtysdóttir - Epicycle

What is so inspiring about Valtýsdottir is her ability to take other peoples music as merely the starting point for what she creates

Focus

The Neutrinos

Graham Fellows

Susanna & The Brotherhood of Our Lady Album - Garden of Earthly Delights

A musical interpretation of Hieronymus Bosch's fifteenth century triptych panels sounds like the kind of recorded oddity that emerges from a crate digging session at the local vinyl fair, rather than a contemporary electronic folk-jazz release.

Bayonne - Drastic Measures

Drastic Measures emerges from the new wave of composer-musician-producers...

Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel

'True musicians do not have a choice', he muses, 'we just have to keep on writing and performing. It is what we do'. Well evidenced at this gig

Andrew O'Neill's Black Magick Fun Hour

A Christmas Carol

An imaginative sixty minute show created around Dickens' iconic 1843 work,

From The Jam + Nine Below Zero

Miles Kane

Even before the house lights dimmed the crowd had started up a chant of 'Miles, Miles - Miles Fucking Kane'

Gilmore & Roberts

Their voices fit together perfectly  and are also comfortable taking lead, usually on their own compositions. But when you listen to the lyrics of each song you realise that the inspiration often comes from a very specific source.....

Jessie J

Whether you are a fan of Jessie or not remains a matter of individual taste, but from what I saw and heard tonight the new material deserves a serious listen – her voice is strong and confident, and the songs are a million miles away from the frothy pop of 2011

Hawklords

Soft Machine

When a band that originally formed in 1966 changes its name four times......Yet I really should not be worried

Camille O'Sullivan

Deacon Blue

The band are currently on a celebratory tour of the UK, and Sunday night at the Theatre Royal was their first visit to Norwich since playing here in 2013.

Dr. Feelgood + British Blues Foundation

Curved Air

Curved Air at The Waterfront

Glyndebourne Cinderella comes to Norwich

Pancrazi is wonderful as Prince Charming, and her parallel appearance as a maid and confidante to Cinderella in Pandolfe's household suggests a dimension of gender fluidity, adding yet another layer of duality, metamorphosis and contrast to the production

Tilting Sky

Johnny Marr

I never got to see The Smiths perform live, and Johnny Marr had packed up his guitar and left The Cribs by the time they played Latitude in 2011, so this gig at the Nick Rayns LCR was to be my first up-close encounter with the legendary guitarist

Rich Hall

Blancmange

Norwich with yet another – Wanderlust - which he showcased at the Norwich Arts Centre on the opening night of his latest tour.

The Velveteers

It started the previous night, when someone suggested that I really ought to check out The Velveteers at Bermuda Bob's Rum Shack. 'They're a bit like The White Stripes', they explained, before adding cryptically, 'But then, they're not'. I'm intrigued, but could actually do with that night in. I file the suggestion under 'poss, but probs not'.

Eivør

I am unsure how the name of Eivør Pálsdóttirremained underneath my radar for quite so long

Macbeth

Glenn Tillbrook

Editors + Talos

Julia Holter - Aviary

Kagoule - Strange Entertainment

Kramies - Of All the Places Been & Everything the End

Kirsty Merryn + Hanna Haas

Jorja Smith

Still Alice

Mark Watson: The Infinite Show

The Vagaband Orchestra in aid of Sistema

Molotov Jukebox + Huw Eddy & The Carnival

Neneh Cherry - Broken Politics

Exploded View - Obey

Justice - Woman Worldwide

Villagers - The Art Of Pretending To Swim

Ray Davies - Our Country

Anna Calvi - Hunter

Gig In The Park, Diss

Dysney Disfunction

Love From A Stranger

WoW Music Festival 2018

The Oli Brown Band

Lost in a Sea of Glass and Tin

Peter And The Test Tube Babies

Rival Consoles

Finn Doherty - The Choice That You Made

David Ford & Beth Rowley

Matt Maltese - Bad Contestant

Falling From Trees - Sleepless Nights EP

Nic Norton and the County Band - Brief Lives

The Orb - No Sounds Are Out Of Bounds

Ben Folds

Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening

Kerry Devine

Hofesh Shechter’s Grand Finale

1549 - The Story Of Kett's Rebellion

The Sixteen: An Immortal Legacy

Talvin Singh

David McAlmont presents 'Billie Holiday At Carnegie Hall'

The Nature Of Forgetting

Grapevine at the Guildhall

The Wilko Johnson Band

Nerina Pallot

Kele Okereke

Art

Czech Symphony National Orchestra

How (not) To Live In Suburbia

MØ

Portico Quartet

Aphra EP Launch

Nerina Pallot

Luke Wright - Frankie Vah

The Audit

Carry On Jaywick

Sarah Darling

Luke Daniels, Phil King and Lucy Grubb

Gallowglass

Editors - Violence

U.S Girls - In A Poem Unlimited

Mark Thomas: Showtime From The Frontline

Grapevine Triple Bill

Open House 4

Boris and Sergey's Vaudevillian Adventure

Grapevine Triple Bill

The Xcerts - Hold On To Your Heart

John Otway

Thomas Truax - All That Heaven Allows

Late Nights / Early Mornings. An Outline

An Outline of Late Nights / Early Mornings

BBC Radio Three: Exposure

Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy

Meadowlark

Sweet Baboo

Mammal Hands

Paddington II

Edgelarks

PINS

Oh Wonder

Reverend Billy & the Stop Shopping Choir

Millie Manders and the Shut-Up

Frogman

Rambert

Beth Rowley

Goodbye Christopher Robin

Show Of Hands

Belinda Carlisle

The Revelation Brothers

Clive Gregson & Liz Simcock -Underwater Dancing

Edgelarks - Edgelarks

Jess Glynne

The howtocuredyslexiaband - Teeth

Anna Of The North - Lovers

The Gunton Festival of Food And Music

The Dead Rat Orchestra - Tyburnia

Camille - Oui

Border Control

Clean Bandit

Come Yew In!

Elbow

Kathryn Williams - Songs From The Novel: Greatest Hits

PIXX - The Age Of Anxiety

Saint Etienne - Home Counties

Echobelly

Meadowlark - Postcards

Speech Debelle - tantil before I breathe

Echobelly - Anarchy and Alchemy

Sunny Afternoon

The Big Moon - Love In The 4th Dimension

Jesca Hoop

Bourgeois and Maurice

Tall Ships - Impressions

John Shuttleworth

Ruby Wax

Fenech-Soler

Space

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Whitney - Queen Of The Night

C Duncan

Seaway

Matt Watson

Rebekka Karijord - Mother Tongue

Open House 1

Odd Box presents Lake Combover and more..

SJ and the Flying Pigs

Dutch Uncles - Red Balloon

Seth Lakeman

Lissie

Big Country

Terrorvision

The Fratellis

Scott Matthews & Kathryn Williams

Bear's Den

Rope Store - Never Had Christmas 7"

Lloyd Cole

Alpines - Another River

We Are Scientists

Agnes Obel - Citizen Of Glass

The Divine Comedy

All Saints

Mogwai's Young Team and Stuart Braithwaite

Norwich Sound & Vision 2016

UB40

Ward Thomas

Goo Goo Dolls

Feeder

Rope Store - Up Until Now

Kate Jackson

The Divine Comedy - Foreverland

Molly Naylor - Badminton

C Duncan - The Midnight Sun

Joan Collins Unscripted

Sonic Youths Autumn Showcase @ NAC

Four young local acts impress.

Class of 2016

Sonic Youths Autumn Showcase 2016

Class of 2016 @ NAC

Good luck to you all.

Abigail Blake - Birdcage EP

9/10

Sea + Air @ The Bicycle Shop

Delightful.

Izzy Bizu - A Moment Of Madness

Benjamin Francis Leftwich - After The Rain

The Ramona Flowers - Part Time Spies

6/10

The Tilting Sky Takeover @ the Waterfront

Every one of these bands I could go and enjoy live again

Ed Harcourt - Furnaces

Lisa Hannigan - At Swim

Bat For Lashes - The Bride

9/10

Ketts Rebellion 1549 @ Heigham Park

An enthralling and illuminating spectacle.

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams @ the Waterfront

One Slambovian hell of an evening

Olympians - Reasons To Be Tearful

7/10

Nahko and Medicine For The People - Hoka

7/10

Coasts @ Open

A calculated crescendo

Jess Morgan @ the Maddermarket

One of the country's finest young folk singers.

Selah Sue - Reason

5/10

Frances @ Norwich Arts Centre

A big star in the making.

Kathryn Williams @ the Bicycle Shop

The audience is totally enraptured with each song

A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Theatre Royal

An evening of absolute professionalism.

onDeadWaves - onDeadWaves

8/10

C Duncan @ Norwich Arts Centre

The vocal harmonies are gorgeous

The Cut III @ Open

A musical Venn diagram,

Lisa Redford - Another Place and Time EP

8/10

Catnip & Claws @ The Murderers

The weekend has most certainly landed.

The Coathangers - Nosebleed Weekend

9/10

Eliza and the Bear - Eliza and the Bear

5/10

Joe Gideon @ Jug Jaws @ Bedford's

An underground vibe in ancient vaults.

Emmy the Great @ NAC

I am definitely on board.

Simon Callow @ Norwich Playhouse

An engaging and informative evening

Joe Gideon - Versa Vice

7/10

She Drew The Gun - Memories Of The Future

9/10

The Ramonas @ The Owl Sanctuary

A quasi-religious experience

Dog's Dinner - Stalker Thoughts

8/10

The Birthday Party @ Norwich Playhouse

A perfectly-pitched production

The Magic E's @ the Waterfront Studio

Get to know your local music scene

Matt Corby - Telluric

8/10

Elton John - Wonderful Crazy Night

8/10

The Crookes @ the Waterfront

Big up support Misty Miller.

Lucy Rose @ Open

We are, once again, helplessly won over.

Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine

9/10

Steve Mason – Meet The Humans

8/10

Miss Nightingale @ Norwich Playhouse

Get a bit of sausage when you can

Eliza and the Bear @ the Waterfront Studio

We all by now know that there is neither an Eliza nor a Bear in Eliza And The Bear.

Lindi Ortega @ NAC

This is never going to quite float my boat

Addison's Uncle fundraising night

A triumph.

Field Music - Commontime

8/10

Gaz Coombes @ Open

Gaz Coombes is no stranger to Norfolk

Rope Store @ B2

I really love this band to bits

Stephanie Kirkham - Tiny Spark

3/10

Eska @ NAC

Not bad at all, Eska

Megson @ NAC

Contemporary folk in all its domestic glory

Tuff Love - Resort

8/10

Rob Bravery - Esque

7/10

Ellie Goulding -Delirium

9/10

Martin Courtney - Many Moons

6/10

Eliza Carthy @ Open

The performance is definitely on a grand scale, with so many individual talents on display

Palma Violets @ The Owl Sanctuary

You see? Norwich does know how to have a good time.

Lesley Garrett @ the Maddermarket

A thoroughly entertaining, impressive and thought-provoking evening

NS&V @ Millennium Library

A truly inspirational idea from NS&V and the library management

BN Deluxe - This Machine

5/10

U.S Girls - Half Free

8/10

Oh Wonder - Oh Wonder

9/10

#360kickflip @ Eaton Park Skate Park

BK & Dad, Midnight Zoo & Claws play live

Stacey Kent @The Playhouse

A warm and superbly talented performance

Sean Hughes @ Norwich Playhouse

Let me laugh with you, Sean, not at you or at others.

Deaf School @ the Waterfront Studio

Forty years later, again they leave us wanting more.

Stereophonics - Keep The Village Alive

7/10

Ryley Walker @ Norwich Arts Centre

Compelling to watch, and to hear.

Dave McCabe and the Ramifications - Church of Miami

5/10

DRINKS - Hermits On Holiday

9/10

The Bohicas - The Making Of

7/10

Annie

A banging good family musical with a great cast and unforgettable songs

Kim Churchill - Silence/Win

7/10

Nicholas Godin - Contrepoint

6/10

Augustines @ The Waterfront

"An arena performance but with the intimacy of a private audience"

Wildflowers - On The Inside

5/10

The Wedding Present @ The Waterfront

The Boy Gedge's two bands play Norwich

Dreadzone - Sound

6/10

Jacqui Dankworth @ Maddermarket, Norwich

The second half appears to kick off with a new-found synergy

Gigspanner @ Norwich Arts Centre

Tonight Gigspanner spun the world thrice over.

Danny and the Champions of the World - What Kind Of Love

8/10

Kathryn Wiliams - Hypoxia

A tour-de force

Sundowners - Sundowners

As sure as night follows day we need bands like The Sundowners.

Nadine Shah - Fast Food

A veritable smorgasbord of reflection and projection

Julian Cope

Saint Julian takes to the Waterfront

Barbarossa - Imager

A beautiful and sensitive album that is a lot more uplifting than you might first expect

I Am Kloot - Hold Back The Night

Banging job.

Amber Run - 5 AM

An ambitious album of pretty average songs.

Addison's Uncle

Addison's Uncle play on Norwich Market

This is the Kit

This is the Kit delight NAC once again

Stornoway - Bonxie

This is indie-folk for the Waitrose generation.

Yila and Friends @ NAC

Totally engaging, beautiful and thought-provoking.

Champs - Vamala

Pick yourselves up, Champs, and try again.

Peace @ Epic

A triumph for Peace

Public Service Broadcasting - The Race for Space

Like eating jam roly-poly without the custard.

Kitty, Daisy and Lewis - Kitty, Daisy and Lewis III

A crowning glory.

Gaz Coombes - Matador

Gorgeous, masterful, confessional, and uplifting.

Submotion Orchestra

Spotlights carve across the stage like a lighthouse on a misty night.

Daisy Victoria - Nobody Dies EP

A truly complex talent whose fame is already set to spread beyond our Norfolk borders.