S’Wonderful For Sam Back Home In Scarborough
Slim and dapper, clean-cut and not unlike Bobby Darin in appearance, the jazz pianist, vocalist and local hero, Sam Jewison, fronted an impressive quintet at Scarborough’s SJT.
Albums: Pulp More
Having made their fans wait nearly a quarter of a century, the appetite for the record is certainly there, but does the material warrant the wait?
A very easy question to answer—a resounding and resolute YES! More is pure Pulp glory. With all the distinctive ingredients that defined their second decade as a band, the era that spawned their most definitive and acclaimed releases, More sees Pulp delivering what the fans will be wanting, without losing the need to show growth in their artistry and a reflection of the changes in both their lives and the music industry within the release.
Albums: Cynthia Erivo I forgive you
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A truly raw record, Erivo does not shy away from the emotional journey that she has undertaken. Erivo revisits a striking feature of her debut record: her unabashed honesty. With heartbreak defining the most tender of moments, the album exposes the depth of Erivo's hurting heart before shifting gear into gospel and R&B-leaning romantic explosions.
The Tension Mounts: I Will Ruin You By Linwood Barclay
The first couple of pages of this psychological thriller got me thinking. We are all shocked by media reports of stabbings and shootings. We live in an increasingly violent society and hope quickly dwindles when such events occur in a school, where our children are meant to be safe. We send our innocents to school each day in the expectation that they will return home unharmed.
Classical Music: Strauss Salome
Edward Gardner leads the Bergen Philharmonic through Strauss's luxurious, psychologically acute score with exceptional skill. The orchestra responds magnificently, delivering terrific dynamics that capture every nuance of the composer's orchestral palette. From the opening's sultry menace to the final catastrophe, the musical storytelling never falters.
Classical Music: Jan Lisiecki - Preludes
At the recital's heart lie Chopin's Preludes, executed with that rare combination of technical ease and interpretive sophistication that marks Lisiecki's artistry. His approach to these familiar works feels freshly considered, each melody shaped with textural delicacy that draws listeners into an altogether different world. The crafted lyricism showcases not merely the pianist's skill but Chopin's mastery of the form itself.
Robbie Williams – Mr Entertainment Rocks Manchester
Subtlety is a word that could never be applied to Robbie Williams; as the former Take That star and now highly successful solo singer arrived at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester for the second of two sold-out concerts, there he was strapped to a rocket in the rafters – then, in the next instance, he was there dangling mid-air before landing centre stage.
Durham Cathedral Announce Events Programme For Magna Carta And The North
Three Summer Shows To Keep The Kids Entertained
A playful new musical, a unique take on Shakespeare, and an interactive family game show adventure are all coming to Yorkshire to help keep children entertained this summer – part of Red Ladder Local’s programme for 2025.
Calamity Jane Rides High in Sheffield with Star-Studded Cast and Swinging Success
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The Deadwood Stage has rolled in from the windy city to Sheffield for the stage version of the well-known and well-loved 1953 film Calamity Jane, the light hearted musical in which Doris Day took the leading role of Calamity. Calamity is a no nonsense type of a gal with a kind heart and a tendency to exaggerate her many exploits.
Lionel Richie Proves Age Is Just A Number With Electrifying Performance
Lionel Richie is a man for whom an introduction is really not necessary. Having joined the Motown group The Commodores in 1968, he rose to prominence as one of the lead vocalists, alongside being a co-writer on defining hits like Easy, Still, and Three Times a Lady.
Film Review: The Salt Path
I haven’t read the best-selling book on which director Marianne Elliott’s eponymous new film is based, though I have it on solid, if anecdotal, authority that the representation is a fair one.
Scouting For Girls In Ilkley And James In Halifax
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Scouting for Girls deliver a Grand Slam in Ilkley. The Ilkley Open remains one of the main events in the summer grass tournaments within the tennis world. Over the years, the series has developed by adding music concerts to the programme, featuring increasingly prestigious acts.
Theatre Takes Centre Stage: Katie Scott on Ripon's Bold Cultural Revolution
As Ripon Theatre Festival prepares for its fourth year, director Katie Scott reveals how a bold vision of collaboration has transformed the cathedral city into one of Yorkshire's most exciting cultural destinations. Katie Scott arrives at Oliver's Pantry armed with statistics that would make any arts administrator weep with joy.
Poem Of The Week: Dark Peak, February By Alison Binney
Dark Peak, February stone walls lean green-furred faces into horizontal hail snowdrops nod huddled heads at mute daffodil spears starlings witter and wheel tumbling to earth like leaves water gnaws the track’s edge where the chaffinch hops under lightning-black twigs catkins dance like drying socks Whilst tangential to the prevailing tenor of her fine new collection, Ali…
Classical Music: Brahms & Contemporaries, Vol. 2
The Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective proves itself a thoroughly accomplished ensemble, communicating with the poise and stylishness that both these works demand. Their programming choices demonstrate thoughtful curation, whilst their performances reveal both technical mastery and genuine musical understanding. This is chamber music-making of considerable quality.
Classical Music: Henry On Tour
Under Toby Ward's direction, Pro Ensemble Victoria delivers performances of exceptional vibrancy and technical accomplishment. The ensemble's balance across all voice parts is exemplary, with soaring top lines supported by underlying harmonies that resonate with both warmth and precision. Their command of intonation, dynamics, and phrasing reveals the inherent beauty of this repertoire whilst maintaining the exacting standards the music demands.
Herbert Howells: Psalm Preludes & Psalms
Like a master craftsman who understands the grain and character of his timber, Howells possessed an intuitive grasp of his materials: the acoustic architecture of ecclesiastical spaces, the tonal palette of the organ, and the melodic contours of his choral lines. Each composition is fashioned with such precision that the music seems to inhabit every stone arch and wooden pew, the sound seeping into the cathedral's most intimate corners.
Classical Music: Madeleine Dring Complete Oboe Works
Dring carved out a successful career writing music and songs for revues and sketch shows across theatre, radio, and television, displaying a facility and wit that contemporaries compared to Gershwin. Sadly, the ephemeral nature of such work means much of her output has been lost to time.
Albums: ESKA – The Ordinary Life of a Magic Woman
Ten years since her Mercury Prize-nominated debut, ESKA returns in full force with this new body of work that is bold, mystical, and personal.
Bruce Springsteen - Still The Boss In Liverpool
Arriving at Liverpool’s Anfield stadium for the first of two concerts as part of his current Land of Hope and Dreams tour, the singer – often referred to as The Boss, along with his E Street Band – made this a night to remember and definitely worth the wait. Surprisingly, Springsteen has never played a concert previously in Liverpool.
Bourne's Midnight Bell Mesmerizes York Audience In Triumphant Return
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This is dance exploring different love stories. Matthew Bourne’s Midnight Bell was first made in 2021 inspired by the loneliness of lockdown. It returns on tour this year and certainly did not disappoint in York. The theatre was at full capacity and the audience were entranced and taken in totally by the show which mesmorised them right from the start.
Opera North And Kirklees Council Announces The Kirklees Concert Season 2025-26
Opera North and Kirklees Council has announced the Kirklees Concert Season 2025-26, with a programme designed to appeal to those experiencing live classical music for the very first time, alongside seasoned concert-goers. Garry Walker, Opera North Music Director, who will be conducting the opening concert, said: “The Orchestra of Opera North is unique among professiona…
Shortlists For Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel Of The Year 2025 And McDermid Debut Award Revealed
Harrogate International Festivals has announced the shortlists for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2025, the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious crime fiction award, and the McDermid Debut Award for new writers. The winners of both awards will be revealed on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Thursday 17 July.
New Chief Executive Under Starters Orders At Magna Science Adventure Centre
South Yorkshire’s landmark science and steel heritage visitor attraction has appointed a new chief executive to forge its future. Richard Hammill has been appointed to the top job at Magna Science Adventure Centre having formerly been Chief Operating Officer and Clerk of the Course at Pontefract Racecourse.
Picture You Dead
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For fans of the Peter James books featuring DSI Roy Grace, this stage adaptation is a must see. Picture You Dead is the seventh theatre production and has been adapted for the stage by award-winning writer Shaun McKenna, is directed by Jonathan O’Boyle and is by far the best to date.
Vivaldi By Candlelight At Sheffield Cathedral
Internationally renowned chamber orchestra London Concertante will perform at Sheffield Cathedral on Saturday 14th June at 7:30pm, presenting a stunning evening of classical music in a breathtaking, candlelit setting.
Takuya Taniguchi -The Taikoist And Tengu Taiko Drummers
Top Japanese soloist Taiko performer Takuya Taniguchi and York’s own Tengu Taiko Drummers teamed up to bring us an exhilarating show of dynamic contemporary rhythms and traditional Japanese music. From the dynamic opening number, Hyakki Yagyo (Night Parade of 100 Demons), composed by J. Hardwick/A.
Album: Sports Team Boys These Days,
Sports Team Boys These Days I'm In Love (Subaru); Boys These Days; Moving Together; Condensation; Sensible; Planned Obsolescence; Bang Bang Bang; Head To Space; Bonnie : Maybe When We're 30 Label: Bright Antenna Sports Team has had a rather successful half-decade.
Paul Is Game For A Laugh
Paul Hendy isn’t joking when he talks about his lifelong love of comedy. He’s serious about the art of making people laugh and can trace that interest - some might say obsession - back to Christmas Day 1972. “I’m six years old, sitting cross-legged on the brown swirly carpet in front of the television. Two men in brown suits are on the screen.