Duff McKagan, Islington Assembly Hall review – Guns N' Roses bassist revels in the spotlight

★★★★ DUFF MCKAGAN, ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL Guns N' Roses bassist revels in the spotlight

There's a lot of love for the rock 'n' roll survivor at this intimate London gig

Guns N’ Roses members do love a side project, from Slash’s Snakepit and Conspirators to Axl’s stint as AC/DC frontman.

The Souvenir review – Joanna Hogg's most emotionally wrenching film yet

★★★★★ THE SOUVENIR Joanna Hogg's most emotionally wrenching film yet

Love is hell in Knightsbridge in romantic autobiographical drama

Joanna Hogg’s melancholy autobiographical drama The Souvenir cuts too close to the bone. That’s a compliment: like Sally Rooney’s equally unsettling first novel Conversations With Friends, Hogg’s movie almost forces the viewer to relive that shattering early romance, founded on collusion and self-delusion, that reordered her or his universe for all time.

CD: Kano - Hoodies All Summer

★★★★★ CD: KANO - HOODIES ALL SUMMER A career best for an MC at the heart of grime

A career best for an MC who's been at the heart of grime since its inception

Of all grime's original generation, Kano has a strong claim to being the greatest rhyme-constructor in the old school hip hop sense of dense rhymes packed with multiple meanings. Add movie star looks and a penchant for fur coats in photoshoots and he was most young grime fans' tip for following Dizzee Rascal into the big league.

Prom 47: Schönheit, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Nelsons review - Bruckner doesn’t quite take flight

★★★★ PROM 47: SCHONHEIT, LEIPZIG GEWANDHAUS, NELSONS Bruckner doesn’t quite take flight

Ravishing sounds from thoroughbred Germans, undermined by sluggish tempos

After Thursday night’s concert I celebrated the Proms’ exploration of unfamiliar repertoire via the CBSO. The following evening saw the festival diving back into mainstream repertoire – as it must also do – conducted by the CBSO’s previous music director.

Prom 46: Kanneh-Mason, CBSO, Gražinytė-Tyla review - brilliant programme, brilliant playing

★★★★★ PROM 46: KANNEH-MASON, CBSO, GRAŽINYTĖ-TYLA Brilliant programme, brilliant playing

Blend of familiar Elgar with undervalued Weinberg shows the Proms at its best

Let us never tire of singing the praises of the Proms, nor ever take them for granted. For two months concerts, many of which would be the highlight of any ‘normal’ week, keep coming night after night. And for all that it is a critic’s job to comment in detail and find fault where necessary, it is also helpful sometimes to step back and say: the Proms is an astonishing festival which we should be grateful to have.

Eels, Hammersmith Apollo review – dark, swampy and endlessly entertertaining

★★★★ EELS, HAMMERSMITH APOLLO Dark, swampy and endlessly entertaining

Mark Oliver Everett thrills with eclectic covers and rich pickings from his back catalogue

"Would you mind if I jammed on my new... castanets?" We’re halfway through Eels’ triumphant set at Hammersmith's Eventim Apollo and this is the kind of question we’ve come to expect from frontman Mark Oliver Everett, AKA "E".

Prom 39: Morison, BBCNOW, Chan review - a night of inspiring firsts

★★★★ PROM 39: MORISON, BBCNOW, CHAN A night of inspiring firsts

The young Scottish mezzo-soprano shines in a vivid Errollyn Wallen premiere

A clever programme, a vivid premiere, a Proms debut for an exciting young conductor and the first appearance there by Catriona Morison since she won the 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World: all this provided grist to the mill for a sold-out Prom that was more than the sum of its impressive parts. 

Josienne Clarke, Green Note review - world-class melancholia hits its mark

★★★★★ JOSIENNE CLARKE, GREEN NOTE World-class melancholia hits its mark

Stripped to the bone: the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner returns

It’s been a period of upheaval and change for singer-songwriter, and compelling interpreter of traditional ballads, Josienne Clarke. These days she’s a Rough Trade artist, now sailing solo seas away from her long-time musical partner, producer and arranger Ben Walker.