The Stage Debut Awards, the only awards devoted solely to recognising breakthrough theatre talent both on and off stage, today announces that submissions for 2024 are now officially open. The live ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 29, and promises to be an unforgettable night celebrating the outstanding achievements of upcoming performers and creatives who have made their professional debuts on stages across the UK over the past 12 months.

This much-anticipated annual fixture in the awards calendar will be hosted again at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London. On the night, a mix of the industry’s freshest talent and a starry who’s who of established names will be entertained by Theatreland’s most exciting artists, performing musical numbers up close in this intimate space. Tickets will go on sale soon.

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For the 32nd edition of the Raindance Film Festival, the UK’s leading indie film festival is moving up the festival calendar. Migrating away from the autumn, this transitional edition sees Raindance occupy a new midsummer slot with all the brilliance and lustre that the summer season commands. Running 19 – 28 June, host cinemas are Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho, and The Prince Charles Cinema in central London, and Genesis Cinema in east London. The House of Raindance industry hub and the Raindance Immersive Summit (18 – 19 June) will once again be hosted at Wonderville on Haymarket. The 9th Raindance Immersive runs in VRChat 1 – 30 June.

Raindance basks in the radiance of summer with a programme of relevant, radical, and glorious premieres of must-see features and documentaries. An advocate of new and vibrant voices, this year’s selection prioritises the work of first and second-time filmmakers like never before. This year, 90% of the films screening in competition are debut features, re-enforcing the Raindance mantra as a place to discover and be discovered.

“Raindance is known as a festival of discovery,” says Raindance founder Elliot Grove. “Ever since Raindance launched back in 1993, year after year Raindance has developed a reputation as the place to discover and be discovered. With our newly determined and defined focus on first and second-time filmmakers, we continue our campaign of championing new voices and the edgy, under-the-radar films that we at Raindance love so much. Come and join our midsummer celebration of the very best new indie cinema and see what you discover. All we are saying is give film a chance.”

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Courtesy of Marc Brenner.

To achieve sobriety is a great thing, for anyone who has directly been affected by alcohol and drug addiction, whether that be you, yourself, or a family member or loved one, the impact of addiction is destructive and heavy. Unresolved traumas dealt with by attempting to source out a means of escapism and resolution. Reprising her award winning role Emma – Denise Gough shows once more why People, Places and Things still resonates a decade on – in a day where we talk about wellbeing and mental health more so.

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Today, the prestigious Spanish Riding School of Vienna announces its upcoming UK tour with dates in October 2024 in London and Aberdeen with tickets on sale from 10am on Friday 24 May via LiveNation.co.uk.

Arriving in the UK adorned with dazzling white deerskin saddles, gold bridles, luxurious velvet saddle pads and iconic uniforms, eight riders and up to 26 horses will present the performances on the tour, showcasing perfectly synchronised routines to the sound of classical Viennese music.

Celebrating the Riding School’s return to the UK for the first time in eight years, the opening appearance of the world-famous snowy-white Lipizzans, loved by Queen Elizabeth II, will take place across three days on Friday 18^th, Saturday 19^thand Sunday 20^th October 2024 at London’s OVO Arena Wembley.

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In 2024, MEO Kalorama festival makes its return to the idyllic Parque da Bela Vista on the 29th, 30th and 31st of August. Now in its third year, MEO Kalorama provides attendees with a unique blend of musical exploration and cultural immersion. Based in the vibrant city of Lisbon, the end-of-summer festival is the perfect choice for adventurous, music and sunshine lovers.

The festival unveils its initial lineup, a dynamic range of artists that embodies diversity, representation, and inclusion, encompassing established icons and emerging talents, alongside a blend of long-anticipated comebacks and exciting premieres. MEO Kalorama is proud to welcome Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem, Sam Smith, Jungle, The Smile, The Kills, Ana Moura, The Postal Service + Death Cab For Cutie, Overmono, Yard Act, Ana Lua Caiano, English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Glockenwise, Nation of Language and Vagabon. 

It’s been almost two decades since we first heard ‘Losing my Edge’, ‘Drunk Girls’, or ‘Daft Punk Is Playing at my house’ by LCD Soundsystem who will no doubt ignite the crowds at MEO Kalorama into dancing and singing. Massive Attack stands central to music history, credited with bringing trip-hop to the world alongside Portishead and Tricky. Their legacy remains essential making them a must-see at the festival.

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Europe’s biggest festival excitingly announces the first headliners and 35 names for the first wave of acts to descend the stages; the first headliners include Stormzy, Fred again.., Sam Smith and Martin Garrix. Taking place from the 7th to the 12th of August 2024, the Island of Freedom will also welcome the likes of AMÉMÉ Blondshell, Crystal Fighters, Eris Drew & Octo Octa, Fontaines D.C., Four Tet, Honey Dijon, Joost, Joesef, Joker Out, Louis Tomlinson, L’Impératrice, MEUTE, Nia Archives, Dom Dolla, Nova Twins, Overmono, Pip Blom, Warhaus, plus more to be announced.

Six-dayand 3-day tickets and accommodation options for Sziget 2024 are now on sale. Spanning over 6 days, every year Sziget transforms Budapest’s Óbuda Island into the ‘The Island of Freedom’, evolving the site into a choose-your-own-adventure arena that welcomes thousands of visitors from over 100 countries. For 2024, music fans can expect a rich variety of entertainment with more than 50 areas celebrating music, theatre, cabaret, comedy, art and much more.

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Bilbao BBK Live, the heartbeat of the Spanish festival scene, will be returning to the breathtaking Kobetamendi in Bilbao. Taking place on the 11th, 12th and 13th of July 2024, the infamous event has confirmed the first huge wave of artists, with the likes of The Prodigy, Massive Attack, Jungle, Overmono, Ezra Collective, Floating Points live, Underworld, Noname, JPEGMAFIA, Jordan Rakei, Death From Above 1979, Parcels and more will become an integral part of the festival’s community.

The Prodigy, the iconic pioneers of the electronic dance music scene will be making the masses dance. Overmono, the dynamic duo with a genre-defying mix of pop, techno, chillwave, R&B, and more are poised to shake up the Bilbao BBK Live stage. Massive Attack, the originators of trip-hop, make a momentous return, weaving a sonic tapestry that spans hip-hop, dub, soul, and R&B. Their performance at Bilbao BBK Live is an unmissable chapter in the festival’s history.

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Today Multi-award-winning legendary Celtic Irish folk heroes Clannad announced that they will play a very special show at London’s the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 30^thOctober to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the BAFTA-winning ‘Robin of Sherwood television series.

Tickets for Clannad’s The Royal Albert Hall show will go on presale from Wednesday 22 May at 10am local time with general on sale following on Friday 24 May at 10am local time via LiveNation.co.uk. Mastercard cardholders in the UK have special access to preferred tickets from Friday 24 May at 10am. Visit www.priceless.com/music to find out more.

The Royal Albert Hall performance will be the band’s only live performance of 2024 and follows the conclusion of their In a Lifetime – Farewell Tour which wrapped up in the USA last October.
The band announced the exciting news today during the ‘Herne’s Arrow’ commemorative event which brought all the actors and crew involved in the television series back together to celebrate the anniversary with fans alike. Michael Praed, Ray Winstone, and Jason Connery were among the event attendees.

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©Tristram Kenton 05-24

His Majesty King Charles III joined the audience for a special gala performance to celebrate The Royal Opera’s longest serving Music Director, Antonio Pappano.

His Majesty joined the audience in congratulating Antonio Pappano on more than two decades at the musical helm of The Royal Opera.

Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera, said:

“It was a huge honour to welcome His Majesty to this wonderful evening, alongside the remarkable Orchestra, Chorus and an unrivalled ensemble cast of dear friends and long-time collaborators. While tonight was a tribute to my time at Covent Garden, it was also a celebration of singing, drama and the power music has to change us and enrich lives.”

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Wunderhorse announce their biggest UK & Ireland tour to date for autumn 2024, following news of forthcoming album, Midas, arriving on 30th August via Communion. Recorded at Minnesota’s Pachyderm Studio (birthplace of Nirvana’s In Utero & PJ Harvey’s Rid Of Me) with producer Craig Silvey (The Rolling Stones, The National, Florence + the Machine), Midas is the band’s second LP, following 2022’s debut Cub.

Midas adopts an unpolished recording process which captures the visceral atmosphere of Wunderhorse’s lauded live performances. Frontman Jacob Slater explains:

“When we first went into the studio to make this record, the only thing we were sure about is how we wanted it to sound; very imperfect, very live, very raw; no frills,” Slater says of the new album. “We wanted it to sound like your face is pressed up against the amplifiers, like you’ve been locked inside the bass drum.”

This autumn, the band’s headline shows will see them step into bigger, iconic venues, which include a stop at London’s Brixton Academy. You can catch the visualiser for their new track July here…

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