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Forget The Form Book — This Eurovision Final Is Anyone's To Win
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
After two wildly different semi-finals, the stage is finally set for what feels destined to become one of the most unpredictable Eurovision Grand Finals in years. If Semi-Final One felt like a cautious warm-up, Semi-Final Two blew the contest wide open — and now the bookmakers, fan polls, and even long-held assumptions about the winner suddenly feel far less certain.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Visual arts
Review: Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience In York
Steve Whitaker
Features Writer
Photo by Janay Peters on Unsplash
An episode of Doctor Who of several years ago featured a cameo role for Vincent Van Gogh. Uplifted from the Arles of the 1880s by the good doctor, and deposited in the present-day Musée d’Orsay, the artist is reunited with many of his canvasses at an exhibition curated by an art expert (Bill Nighy).
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Review
Classical Music: Schubert Symphonies 5 & 6
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
There is no denying that Järvi is a master of detail, and precision is again the hallmark here. He and the Bremen players conjure a sound world of real elegance and composure, and the minutiae are laid out with such clarity that the effect becomes quietly infectious. The result is the melodious young Schubert in the company of a conductor who has his own pronounced view of what the music wants to say.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Interview
In Conversation Ella Clayton
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Ahead of the release of her second album Could It Be You?, East London singer-songwriter Ella Clayton is entering a bold new chapter. The record captures the emotional complexity of modern relationships, self-doubt and personal growth through eleven intimate, soul-soaked songs.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Review
Albums: Peter Gabriel - Live At Womad 1982
Graham Clark
Music Correspondent
Available for the first time, Peter Gabriel’s performance at the WOMAD festival in The Showering Pavillon at The Royal Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet in July 1982 provides a perfect reminder of what was to become a legendary performance.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Making A Difference
Lynne Dobson
Children's Art Writer
Lydia's presentation
I was honoured to be invited by an ex-student of mine to her final degree presentation. I have known Lydia since she was a young girl in primary school, where she joined my art club, so it's been wonderful to be part of her journey through to adulthood and see everything she has achieved.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Music
Classical Music: Mozart Horn Concertos
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
Who could fail to be charmed by a Mozart horn concerto? All four were composed for Joseph Leutgeb (1732–1811), the Vienna-born virtuoso who built his reputation in the imperial capital before settling in Salzburg, where he and Mozart became firm friends – and the butt of some of the composer's most affectionate teasing.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Interview
In conversation: Fiaa Hamilton
Graham Clark
Music Correspondent
Photo: Chris Dengineer
Immersed in music since childhood, Fiaa Hamilton was just eight years old when she became a carer for her mother – a time when songwriting provided her with a therapeutic outlet of her own. Three years later she was in foster care, and music again proved to be important, this time as a way to express her emotions as her life changed so dramatically.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Review
Albums: The Hoosiers Compassion
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
What may initially have been dismissed by some as playful eccentricity has matured into a distinctive artistic voice — one capable of adapting to changing musical landscapes without losing its character. The album may not demand attention in a loud or dramatic way, but its warmth, sincerity, and understated craft make it one of the band’s most quietly rewarding releases.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Music
The Mini Magic Flute
Liz Coggins
Features Editor
Opera North’s bitesize version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute returns to festivals and arts venues across the North this summer offering a fairy tale opera for all the family. Mini Magic Flute packs fun, fantasy and enchanting music into a 40-minute story, making it perfect for all ages to experience their first taste of opera.
12:00 AM 16th May 2026
Visual arts
Setting The Stage: 70 Years Of The Eurovision Song Contest Opens At The National Science And Media Museum
The National Science and Media Museum hasunveiled new temporary exhibition Setting the Stage: 70 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, going behind the scenes of the world’s largest live televised music event. The exhibition invites visitors to explore the technological history and innovation at the heart of the competition, contributing to its enduring legacy today.
P.ublished 15th May 2026
Festivals
Festival Expansion Celebrated At Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026
Steph McGovern and Val McDermid Photo: Gerald Binks
Harrogate International Festivals has announced the launch of the Swift Half Stage at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s largest celebration of criVme fiction, taking place in Harrogate, 23-26 July.
P.ublished 15th May 2026
Interview
In Conversation Everyone Says Hi
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Riding the momentum of their acclaimed self-titled debut album, indie-pop supergroup Everyone Says Hi return with their first release of 2026, the shimmering new single Just Like That. Lifted from the band’s forthcoming sophomore album, due later this year, the track leans into a warm, psychedelic indie sound packed with groove, texture and undeniable hooks.
P.ublished 15th May 2026
Theatre
Legally Blonde: Guilty As Charged For High-Energy, Feelgood Factor
Sharon Cain
Lifestyle & Leisure Editor
Amber Davies as Elle Image by Matt Crockett
I must have had my own blonde moment when the highly acclaimed Legally Blonde film with Reese Witherspoon hit our screens in 2021, grossing 142 million dollars worldwide and shaping fashion trends. Determined not to let the 2026 stage production pass me by, I was at the front of the queue for the upbeat romantic comedy and its timeless appeal.
P.ublished 13th May 2026
Music
Eurovision Semi Final 2
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Semi-Final 2 feels like the more unpredictable of the two Eurovision semi-finals this year. While there are a handful of songs that look like near-certain qualifiers, much of the line-up sits in that dangerous grey area where staging, live vocals, and running order could make or break a country's chances.
P.ublished 13th May 2026
Interview
In Conversation: Charmian Devi
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Charmian
Canadian/British artist Charmian Devi is entering a bold new chapter following the release of her debut solo album Diamond Hour in May 2026. After living in Montreal, New York City and London, she has now relocated to Brighton, UK, where she is continuing work on her second album, Till Eternity Breaks.
P.ublished 13th May 2026
Review
The Magic Of A Good Song Tara Maclean
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Occasionally you see an artist, and they just capture your heart in a way you'd never anticipated. Tara MacLean may be a quarter of a decade into a recording career, but as she spends time exploring her Irish and Scottish roots, the Canadian singer/songwriter has been spending more time on these shores and has been building a strong British fanbase.
P.ublished 16th May 2026
Morrissey Announces Northern Concerts.
Morrissey's influence and music legacy are irrefutable. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in British pop as well as one of the greatest lyricists of his generation, Morrissey has achieved 25 top ten album placings in the UK: 15 solo and 10 with The Smiths. His 1992 concert at the Hollywood Bowl broke The Beatles' record as the fastest-ever sell-out at the Bowl.
P.ublished 15th May 2026
Blackpool Dance Festival Celebrates 100 Glorious Years
The Blackpool Dance Festival 2026 has seen competitor entries almost double to 9,197, as the centenary year draws dancers from more than 50 countries to the iconic Empress Ballroom. The Winter Gardens is preparing for the world’s largest and longest-running dance competition, which takes place from 16th–29th May 2026 in the Empress Ballroom.
P.ublished 15th May 2026
Music
James Morrison Rediscovered On Tour
Twenty years ago James Morrison released his debut album, Undiscovered - a collection that was packed full of memorable and melodic songs, all delivered in his trademark raspy and soulful voice. The record was a huge commercial success around the world, being the launchpad for a career that has flourished vividly since.
P.ublished 13th May 2026
Visual arts
Spectacular ‘Luminarium’ Brings Magical Experience To Harrogate
Luminarium – a giant walk-through art installation – will bring colour, calm and sensory bliss to The Stray in Harrogate this summer. Created by the world-renowned Architects of Air and designed by Artistic Director Alan Parkinson, this monumental inflatable structure, designed to be gentle, inclusive and open to everyone, will transform The Stray from 11 to 14 June.
P.ublished 13th May 2026
Interview
In Conversation: Midge Ure
Few artists have CVs that read as impressively and variedly as Midge Ure's. From his emergence from the Glasgow music scene in the mid-seventies via the group Slik, whose debut single Forever and Ever reached Number One on the singles charts, to then becoming a member of the punk group The Rich Kids, and then a few years later, he diversified musically with Ultravox.
P.ublished 12th May 2026
Theatre
Pioneering Yorkshire Theatre Companies Join Forces For Exciting New Collaboration
(L-R) Alex Mitchell, Silent Uproar artistic director, and Cheryl Martin, artistic director of Red Ladder Theatre Company, Leeds, 2026 Photo: Mark Ratcliffe
Red Ladder Theatre Company and Silent Uproar – two boundary-pushing theatre companies – are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership, showcasing the North of England’s rich seam of playwriting talent.
P.ublished 12th May 2026
Music
Grassroots Music Venues Unite For Everywhere At Once Weekend
More than 400 grassroots music venues across the UK will unite from June 26 to 28, 2026, for Everywhere At Once — a three-day celebration staged on what would have been the Glastonbury Festival weekend. From Falmouth to Aberdeen, over 2,000 artists will perform across hundreds of live music events, spanning genres and showcasing the diversity of Britain's music scene.
P.ublished 12th May 2026
Theatre
Kynren Reveals Latest Details Of Spectacular Viking Live Show Ahead Of Summer Opening
Land of the Vikings will feature combat and dramatic stunts
A large-scale Viking battle show featuring fire, combat, stunts and a community torn apart by internal conflict will be one of the headline attractions when Kynren – The Storied Lands opens on 18th July.
P.ublished 12th May 2026
Review
Stephen Sanchez - Old School Soul In Manchester
Graham Clark
Music Correspondent
Stephen Sanchez Photo: Graham Clark
When support act Tors called the Manchester Academy crowd one of the politest they've played to in the city, it spoke volumes about the fanbase Stephen Sanchez attracts. His music — old-school soul wrapped in a modern delivery, somewhere between Mika without the innuendo and James Blunt without the self-mockery — pulls in a thoroughly mainstream audience.
P.ublished 11th May 2026
Sixteen Bands, Two Stages, One Perfect Day
Goldsounds is undoubtedly one of my favourite music days of the year. One day, one venue, 2 stages, 16 bands ! A joyous celebration of new music and bands. I knew very little about most of the bands playing and had done no pre-listening, so it was just a question of oscillating between the rooms to catch as many bands as possible across the day.
P.ublished 11th May 2026
Music
Eurovision 2026: Semi-Final One Predictions
The road to the Grand Final begins with what looks set to be one of the most competitive and eclectic semi-finals in recent Eurovision memory. Semi-Final One offers everything Eurovision fans could ask for: riotous party anthems, dramatic ballads, polished radio pop, bold staging concepts, and even a closing burst of metal.
P.ublished 11th May 2026
Review
Sporty Spirit Soars As Melanie C Electrifies Manchester
Back in the day Victoria Beckham was involved in a famous chart tryst with Sophie Ellis-Bextor as she launched her solo career with the Dane Bowers/True Steppers collaboration Out Of Your Mind. Fast forward 26 years, and Melanie C is currently locked into a big chart battle with KNEECAP as both acts attempt to achieve their first-ever #1 charting album in the UK.
P.ublished 11th May 2026
Music
Conan Gray Casts A Spell On Manchester's Devoted Coneheads
Conan Gray has only once graced the UK official Top 20 singles, back in 2020 with the anthemic Heather. However, while the album that spawned his biggest commercially successful UK single, Kid Krow, reached number 30 in the official album charts, each subsequent release has charted higher than the previous.
P.ublished 11th May 2026
Music
Genius, Construction, Or Carefully Managed Myth?
Andrew Liddle
Guest Writer
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
I remember watching a television documentary in which George Martin, speaking quite matter-of-factly, referred to Yesterday as something he had ‘written’ - while a caption on the screen attributed the song to John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
From Living Room To Arena: The Gladiators Live Experience Brings The Iconic Show To Life
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Back in 1992, ITV launched their equivalent of the hit US series, American Gladiators. While the show had done well Stateside, there was little anticipation that the UK equivalent, Gladiators, would become the 8-series phenomenon that ended in 2000 with a diminishing viewership of around 6 million.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Music
In conversation: Leo Sayer
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Leo Sayer
After more than five decades on the road, beloved British music icon Leo Sayer is preparing to return to the UK in autumn 2026 for what will be his final full nationwide tour. While he insists he is not retiring completely, Leo says the tour marks the end of an era as he begins to slow the pace of live performances after 54 years on stage.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Books
'Yes, M’lady': A Thorn in the Rose By Samantha Lee Howe
Artis-Ann 
Features Writer
When the book arrived, I flicked through it initially and spotted the phrase, ‘Mel…the motorbike’ and thought this may just be for me. The prologue is set in London in 1941 and we’re introduced to Mel Greenway, on her nineteenth birthday, the day ‘the letter’ dropped through the letterbox, the letter inviting her to enlist.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Review
Albums: Now That’s What I Call 70’s Soul
This comprehensive four-CD compilation concentrates mainly on the first half of the seventies when soul music was at its peak.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Review
Classical Music: Brahms & Contemporaries, Volume 3
This release is another triumph in what has been a marvellous three-volume traversal, and the news that Kaleidoscope's exploration of Brahms alongside his lesser-played contemporaries is to continue beyond the piano quartets — pairing the master with further unjustly neglected voices — is very welcome indeed. On this evidence, one can hardly wait.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Review
Classical Music: Lionel Rogg Organ Works
Born in Geneva in 1936 and Professor of Organ at the city's Conservatory until 2002, Rogg has also been a composer of quietly persistent originality, and it is to this side of his work that Anne Page now turns in a thoughtfully chosen recital for Regent. The programme she has assembled covers a wide range. At one end sit the modest Neuf pièces brèves; at the other, the substantial Hommage à Takemitsu, the radiant Yorokobi-Pièce Joyeuse, and two virtuoso toccatas, which frame the disc with an appropriate flourish
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Music
Albums: Eurovision Song Contest 2026
The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is now literally just around the corner. The bookies have been favouring Finland ever since Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkonnen romped to victory with Liekinheiten at this year's edition of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. However, with 35 entrants competing to take the crown from Austria's JJ on May 16, there is plenty of new music to discover at this year's contest.
P.ublished 9th May 2026
Interview
In Conversation: Tara Maclean
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Tara MacLean
Singer-songwriter Tara MacLean is bringing something special to the UK this May with her Songs & Stories Tour—a series of intimate performances that promise more than just music. Known for her soulful voice and deeply personal songwriting, Tara blends melody with storytelling, inviting audiences into the heart of her creative journey.
P.ublished 8th May 2026
Music
In conversation: Deco
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
Photo courtesy Deco
Deco return with Dreamhouse, the serotonin-soaked title track and first single from their forthcoming second album: a confident, uplifting statement that introduces a bold new chapter for the Nottingham-born five-piece.
P.ublished 7th May 2026
Music
The CBSO Announces New 2026-27 Season
CBSO, Kazuki Yamada Photo: Andrew Fox
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) has announced its 2026–27 Season: a year of artistic ambition, civic pride and musical breadth under Music Director Kazuki Yamada. The season brings together major symphonic journeys – including Beethoven and Mahler cycles – with new commissions, international touring and landmark moments such as the CBSO Chorus’s 1000th performance.
P.ublished 6th May 2026
Trentham Live Returns For It’s 5th Year
The Trentham Estate are delighted with the return and complete line-up to their 4-day event TRENTHAM LIVE 2026 taking place in the stunning surroundings at Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire from Thursday 20th August through to Sunday 23rd August. Over four days at the historic gardens and lakeside setting, the event will showcase a strong live music line-up.
P.ublished 6th May 2026
Interview
Eurovision26 Bandidos De Cante
Portugal has long held a distinctive place in the Eurovision Song Contest—an identity shaped by authenticity, musical heritage, and the quiet confidence that culminated in its landmark victory in 2017. That win didn’t just mark a high point; it reaffirmed the country’s commitment to songs that feel rooted rather than manufactured, intimate rather than bombastic.
P.ublished 4th May 2026
Books
Poem Of The Week: Happiness By Blake Morrison
Happiness ...but the occasional episode in a general drama of pain THOMAS HARDY Cloudless skies, old roses coming into flower, a breeze flicking through The Mayor of Casterbridge. Toasted granary bread with damson jam, a pair of goldfinches on the bird-feeder. The whiff of fennel and rosemary, the farmer’s quad bike leaving the field.
P.ublished 3rd May 2026
Books
A Century Of The Thistle: Hugh Macdiarmid And Scotland’s Modernist Voice
2026 marks the centenary of a landmark in Scottish literature, though so far little appears to be happening to mark the occasion. Hugh MacDiarmid, whose A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle reshaped Scottish poetry through inventive language and modernist ambition, might not have been surprised by the lack of fanfare.
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Review
Albums: Melanie C - Sweat
Sweat is an album that lives up to its title. Melanie C has made something of a name for herself with her dance-leaning anthems, and Sweat is chock-a-block full of them. Yet, these aren't just meaningless dance floor anthems with filler lyrics; she has retained the honesty of her lyrical approach that has become something of a signature of her solo releases.
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Review
Albums: Sarah Jane Morris And Tony Remy - The Sisterhood 2
Graham Clark
Music Correspondent
The album starts off with a folk tune, Longing To Be Free, dedicated to influential American folk singer and activist Peggy Seeger. The emotion in Morris’ voice comes through on the track, she herself sounding like a reformer and aiming to lead the way.
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Review
Albums: Kacey Musgraves Middle of Nowhere
Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
Arts Correspondent
From the opening track, there is a sense of ease that runs through the record. Acoustic guitars shimmer instead of twang aggressively, percussion stays loose and organic, and melodies unfold with an inviting softness. But beneath the comfort is sharp craft. Musgraves has always had a talent for writing lines that feel conversational until they suddenly land with a sting, and Middle of Nowhere is full of those moments.
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Music
Jazz: There's a Yearnin'
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
There’s a Yearnin' There’s a Yearnin Music for Winds and Voice Cruxifiction (not a word) (Lederer); Dolphy Wind Sextet; Coleman Forms and Sounds 1,2,3; Nelson/lyric LaRose Images; Lem and Aide; Nocturne; There’s a Yearnin’; Three Seconds Little (i) Music, May 2026 Jeff Lederer's Ther…
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Music
Classical Music: Arcadi Volodos Plays Schubert And Schumann
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
Seven years is a long silence from a pianist of Arcadi Volodos's stature, and the wait for a new recording from the St Petersburg-born musician has been considerable. His return, captured live in the architecturally arresting surroundings of Frank Gehry's Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, finds him once again in the company of Schubert, to whose music he has devoted some of his most penetrating recorded statements, and turning for the first time on disc to Schumann's Kinderszenen.
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Review
Classical Music: French Orchestral Favourites
The programme itself is a familiar parade of favourites — Dukas's Sorcerer's Apprentice, Debussy's Clair de lune, Chabrier's Marche joyeuse, Ravel's Une barque sur l'océan, Saint-Saëns's Danse macabre and selections from Bizet's Carmen Suites — and the playing is, as one would expect from this hand-picked ensemble, exquisite.
P.ublished 2nd May 2026
Manic Street Preachers And Suede Announces Co-Headline Tour
Two of the UK’s most pioneering and celebrated bands Manic Street Preachers and Suede have announced a co-headline tour of some of the UK’s biggest arenas for autumn 2026. The tour kicks off at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on 28th October, before hitting stages in Leeds, Manchester’s massive new Co-op Live, Cardiff Utilita Arena over two nights, London’s O2, Birmingham, Nottingham and Bournemouth.
P.ublished 1st May 2026
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