By Melanie Adams. Forget fluffy bunnies and cute little chicks, this Easter there’s an elephant that is taking centre stage! Yesterday, my four-year-old son and I ditched the Easter egg hunts for an elephant hunt as The Elmer Adventure has arrived at the Theatre Royal Winchester this week. And...
Entertainment Reviews
Review: Better Joy, Joiners, Southampton
By Darren Grayer. Formed in 2023, Better Joy is the creation of Manchester based singer/songwriter Bria Keeley. She began writing songs at university before forming the band which then released four singles in 2024, followed by last month’s six track ep, Heading Into The Blue. The band have been...
Review: Shôn Dale-Jones, The Point, Eastleigh, 4 April 2025
By Laura McCarthy. Entering the intimate setting of The Point’s studio space, I was struck by the sense of familiarity in the room as Shôn Dale-Jones shook hands with us, with every audience member, with warm compassion radiating from his eyes. Immediately, Dale-Jones came across as genuine, and when,...
Review: Mind Games, The Arch, Winchester
By Anita Foxall. The Arch in Winchester hosted an amazing evening of music and performances on the 27th of March. Stewart Taylor performed his new ’Virtually There’, a compelling show that takes the audience on a virtual reality journey. Last year, I experienced part of this show in a...
Milly Thimaras’ Southampton album launch
By Charlie Hislop. Milly Thimaras appeared on the local music scene from London a while back, and next month she launches her new album ‘Bullets’ with a special charity gig at Papillon on April 25th in conjunction with the charity War Child. ‘Bullets’ has been in the making for...
Review: Beans On Toast with support from William Crighton, The Joiners, Southampton
By Spring Wise. I arrived at The Joiners very shortly after doors, and the place was already buzzing and glowing (25/3/25). The crowd brought a summertime festival vibe to a Tuesday night in March and love was in the air. William Crighton, all the way from Australia has the...
Review: Welly Instore, Vinilo, Southampton
By Katie Isham. As a Welly newcomer, I was excited to experience the fun and frolics live at their Vinilo Instore on Tuesday (25/3/25) teatime. As a woman of a certain age, I was also excited to be out on a school night, and even more excited by the...
Review: Hamilton, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
By Graham Hiley. Photos by Danny Kaan. If you’ve never seen Hamilton then you really do need to be in the Room Where It Happens. If you have already seen this magnificent musical, You’ll be Back. And if you have been living under a rock and have no idea...
Review: Dilettante, Heartbreakers, Southampton
By Darren Grayer. Francesca Pidgeon is probably known best for her work as multi-instrumentalist in BC Camplight’s excellent backing band. Her own band, Dilettante, arrive at Heartbreakers in Southampton for a second visit (18/3/25), having jetted back to these shores less than 24 hours previous after playing at...
Southampton Calling – Welly’s debut album, Big in the Suburbs, is an authentic voice of our city
By Sam Wise. Elliot Hall, the young songwriter whose nickname gave Welly its moniker, is a lightning ball of energy on stage. Having watched the band tear up Southampton’s Heartbreakers in their recent homecoming show, I was fascinated to see how such a high intensity experience would work in...