Gig Review: Kid Creole & The Coconuts at the Roundhouse, Camden
Jun 22 2025- Attractions
- Last Updated on 23 June 2025
- Monica Costa
There are concerts, and then there are celebrations. The Roundhouse in Camden became the latter on 21 June 2025, as Kid Creole & The Coconuts returned to a city that has loved them since the early ‘80s – this time for a glittering, bittersweet goodbye as part of the Bye Bye Birdy Tour.
From the photographers’ pit – just me and one other lucky lens-holder – I watched as ‘Kid’ August Darnell bounded onto the stage like a man half his age. At 74, he was pure energy, commanding the stage with the same charisma I remember from 1999 when I saw him in London’s What a Night! musical – my very first musical in the UK and the night of my first date with my future husband. Seeing August again, same city, same flair, was like stepping into a time capsule infused with sequins and soul.
Gig Review: Benson Boone’s American Heart Album Launch at O2 Academy Brixton
Jun 17 2025- Attractions
- Last Updated on 18 June 2025
- Monica Costa
On Monday 16th June, I had the privilege of witnessing a rising star cement his place in modern music history. The setting: O2 Academy Brixton. The event: the official London launch of American Heart, the long-anticipated debut album from American singer-songwriter Benson Boone.
Boone, whose career took off after his standout appearance on American Idol (where he withdrew early to carve his own path), has since performed on global stages including Coachella and the GRAMMYs. His recent collaborations, notably with Queen legend Brian May, are a testament to the sheer range and respect he has earned in the music world – even at the tender age of 22.
A day with the Dickens Dynasty: Celebrating 100 years of the Charles Dickens Museum
Jun 10 2025- Attractions
- Last Updated on 10 June 2025
- Monica Costa
Monday 9 June 2025 was no ordinary Monday. In the heart of Bloomsbury, at 48 Doughty Street – the only surviving London home of Charles Dickens – history came alive in the most extraordinary way as the Charles Dickens Museum marked its 100th birthday. Even more poignantly, the day also commemorated 155 years since the passing of the great author himself.
To celebrate the centenary, the Museum opened its doors to the public free of charge, with a truly one-of-a-kind twist: the rooms were stewarded not by curators or volunteers, but by seven living descendants of Charles Dickens. Yes, seven. As a writer and editor, I had one of those rare pinch-me moments, finding myself not only in their presence but interviewing several of them throughout the day.
