Sam Fender: People Watching review – a lonely yet brilliant document of fame
The North Shields singer-songwriter wrestles with how far life has propelled him away from his roots on his musically adventurous third album
Saya Gray: Saya review – oddball heartbreak anthems bounce around pop history
There are some self-consciously experimental moments, but the Toronto musician’s genre-mashing songs of heartbreak are often focused and fresh
Motionless in White review – gothically glam US metalcore will put a grin on your face
Backed by skeletons, cheerleaders and chainsaw-wielders, Chris Cerulli and co dispense any heavy metal menace in favour of a charming sense of fun
Uriah Heep review – after 56 years, progressive heavy rockers bid a blistering live farewell
They may not have created any true rock touchstones, but they still have the powerhouse vocals and guitar skills to get the audience on their feet
Sam Fender: People Watching review – subtle social realism at stunning blockbuster scale
On his third album, produced by the War on Drugs, the North Shields singer-songwriter shows just how gifted he is at pairing stadium choruses with sharp, bleak vignettes
Billie Eilish review – snarls, seduction and moments of sheer rapture
At one point the singer soars on a pedestal far into the air – a glorious new-age leader exorcising her heartache
Myles Smith review – Brits Rising Star award winner clearly has hidden depths
The Stargazing streaming sensation gives his young fans what they want, but there’s evidently more to him than earworm singalongs
Kylie Minogue review – Tension world tour kicks off with euphoric show stuffed with hit after hit
RAC Arena, PerthThe first stop on Kylie’s biggest tour in two decades reminds us that Australia’s queen of pop has always been a genius at reinvention
Cyndi Lauper review – a freedom fighter’s swan song
Forty years after her feminist breakout hit, the New York singer bows out of live performance with a show rich in colourful pop and personal anecdotes, while never losing sight of women’s basic rights…
Bartees Strange: Horror review – frustratingly timid genre-mashing experiment
With producer-to-the-stars Jack Antonoff on board, the anarchic American rocker offers glimpses of inspiration but fails to follow through
Horsegirl: Phonetics On and On review – a minimalist indiepop masterpiece
With Cate Le Bon as producer, the Chicago indie trio’s second album is a quantum leap, full of poignant restraint and lyrical clarity
Hamish Hawk review – Jarvis Cocker-esque Scot shows why he’s at the edge of the big time
Also channelling Elvis and Scott Walker, the charismatic singer’s character softens as he moves from bold songs from latest album A Firmer Hand to older tracks
Cyndi Lauper review – still showing her true colours in fun farewell tour
There’s still no-one else like the 71-year-old star: she gives rambling speeches and accidentally hits someone with a recorder, but her voice punches through the chaos
Maribou State review – UK duo turn darkness into light after existential crisis
With Chris Davids recovered from a brain condition, the electronic act’s first tour in years is full of committed, emotionally resonant performances
Biig Piig: 11:11 review – long-awaited debut hovers on the edge of clubland
Switching between English and Spanish vocals, Irish singer-songwriter Jess Smyth’s genre-hopping set feels most at home in the quieter moments