Olivia Dean’s definition of love
Dean’s wholesome audience knows every word of her songs
ByMusic venues
Kingmakers of the album charts
How Banquet became the UK’s most influential record store.
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Landlordism is killing culture
Music venues, pubs and cinemas are struggling to survive under rentier capitalism.
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The contradictions of Arctic Monkeys
In the run-up to their headline Glastonbury set, the band defied the creative arc of their late career by shutting…
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Why we should save O2 Academy Brixton
The police’s suggestion that the venue should shut is an unimaginative, narrow-minded decision that pits the state against culture.
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Why Jeff Beck was the best guitarist in the world
Jeff Beck’s astonishing virtuosity was always driven by emotion – and he kept challenging himself until the end.
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William Orbit: “If you confound Madonna, a red mist comes down”
The producer worked his magic with Britney Spears, All Saints and Blur. In his sixties a drug binge and breakdown…
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Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing “takes advantage” of music fans
Coldplay, Harry Styles and Bruce Springsteen have profited from ticket prices that rise with demand to many times more than…
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The raucous return of Pussy Riot
As Vladimir Putin escalated his war the Russian punk rebels performed in Canterbury, urging him to “jump up into hell”.
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Notes on the Proms
At my 350th Prom, there are queues no longer, and the BBC coverage has changed. But familiar pieces still stimulate…
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Which city could host the 2023 Eurovision Cong Contest?
The BBC has announced the shortlist of seven cities all vying to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023.
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Corporate culture is ruining live music
The rise of tiered ticketing, VIP packages and cordoned-off areas is destroying concerts. Just look at the Rolling Stones.
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In a fractured world, Glastonbury is a much-needed sanctuary
Festivals are easily romanticised, but alongside the glitter and the dancing they demonstrate how humans might better live together.
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Why Grace Jones matters more than ever
At the 74-year-old’s Southbank Centre gig, it’s clear that the political and aesthetic reverberations of her art are still being…
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“Everybody knows the Leadmill”: the campaign to save a Sheffield cultural landmark
“This had better be an April fool’s joke,” said Jarvis Cocker, whose band Pulp played their first gig at the…
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Inside the Southbank Centre’s “laughable and terrifying” mass job cuts and shift to “start-up” culture
Europe’s largest arts centre will look to further commercialisation to recover from the coronavirus crisis.
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“Music venues rely on free movement”: Will a no-deal Brexit affect your favourite bands?
Whether classical orchestral players or pop artists, musicians will almost certainly feel the repercussions of a no-deal Brexit, if the…
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Killing an Arab: The Cure try to reclaim their most controversial single
Can a song about murdering an Algerian ever be benign?
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He gave a total stranger $50,000 in cash: the strange, multi-million dollar empire of Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Kate Mossman meets the man behind one of the world’s wealthiest rock bands.
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