Loyle Carner, whose stage name is a spoonerism of his given name Benjamin Coyle-Larner, continues to establish himself as one of the most distinctive voices in British hip hop. The 30-year-old rapper from Croydon is building momentum following the release of his fourth studio album ‘hopefully!’, a project that has already been met with critical acclaim and is set to anchor a worldwide tour later this year.

Carner’s reputation has long been tied to his willingness to combine vulnerable lyricism with immersive production. On ‘hopefully!’, the instrumentation is shaped by airy percussion loops, soft layers of synth ambience and lightly strummed guitar lines.

The track ‘home!’ exemplifies his approach, incorporating natural percussion textures alongside the chatter of young children to create a sonic world centered on themes of family and fatherhood. Having become a father of two in recent years, Carner reflected on the process in an interview with Junkee, stating: “I still want to celebrate my family because that’s one of the most important things in my life. It’s trying to find a way of maintaining a mystery or an abstraction as to who they are but still being able to celebrate them in a way that’s meaningful to them when they grow up and listen to it. It’s a really hard thing to navigate. I’m learning, I guess, bit by bit.”

The album’s artwork, featuring Carner’s face marked with felt-tip pen scribbles, reinforces its thematic focus on parenthood and childhood perspective. ‘hopefully!’ follows ‘hugo’ (2022), an album that drew inspiration from Carner’s complex relationship with his father and that propelled him to wider international recognition.

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Carner introduced the new material on a major stage earlier this summer, premiering ‘hopefully!’ at Glastonbury alongside artists including Jorja Smith, Sampha and Ezra Collective. The performance was met with strong reception, and the album went on to reach No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart. Later in the season, he stepped in for Michael Kiwanuka at We Out Here Festival, headlining the slot to a sold-out crowd.

As his forthcoming tour approaches, Carner has confirmed a lineup of support acts reflecting his collaborative ethos. Dublin rapper Rejjie Snow will join the bill, bringing his genre-blurring style and smooth delivery. Also appearing is Brooklyn rapper and skateboarder Navy Blue, recognized for his introspective verses and textured production. French singer Léa Sen, who previously collaborated with Carner on hugo, contributes her distinctive, soulful presence, while London’s Brian Nasty offers a multi-disciplinary approach that captures the city’s restless creative energy.

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Carner’s four-night residency at London’s O2 Academy Brixton this November sold out immediately, underscoring the continued growth of his audience. Following the UK performances, he will bring hopefully! to stages across North America and Australia. In keeping with the family themes that underpin the album, Carner has expressed a desire to have his children join him on portions of the tour, a gesture that reflects the personal experiences at the core of his latest work.

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Tickets go on general sale at 9:00am on Friday, March 7, available here. 

The official show dates are:

Thursday, June 12

Friday, June 13

Saturday, June 14

Sunday, June 15

Thursday, June 19

Friday, June 20

Saturday, June 21

Sunday, June 22

The announcement follows a series of teasers broadcasted across London earlier this week; projections stating ‘You are here (again).’ were spotted across notable locations, including Shoreditch’s High Street Overground station. The phrase refers to the band’s ’You Are Here’ tour, a 2024 fall residency at the Knockdown Center, New York City. 

LCD Soundsystem’s UK show dates have been highly anticipated for a while now; the band have previously sold out a six-night residency at the same music venue in 2022. Murphy and co. last performed on this side of the pond at last year’s Glastonbury and All Points East festivals. Now, fans can look forward to an extended set list from the band at an estimated 4500 capacity per night. 

Murphy’s musical outfit are also set to embark on a US headline tour this spring, before making eagerly awaited appearances at both Primevera Sound, Barcelona and We Love Green, Paris festivals, June 4-8 and 6-8 respectively. In a press release for the former, the band revealed an up-coming album in 2025. This follows the release of new single ‘X-Ray Eyes’ late last year – the first taste of LCD Soundsystem’s forthcoming material. However, Murphy still leaves the official release date up to the imagination of the listeners, saying: “So there’s a new LCD song called ‘X-Ray Eyes’. It’s the first single of what’s shaping up to be a new LCD Soundsystem album. Don’t ask me when that is, because we are still working on it. But it feels very good to be putting out new music.” 

In 2022, Murphy revealed the reasons behind the band’s preference for residencies over bigger shows via a lengthy Facebook post. He mentioned that this format suits the group better since they can prioritise recording new material. The frontman stated, “There’s a thing with tour, also, where you invest so much time, energy, and cost into “getting ready” that you wind up touring for ages just to make it worthwhile…[residencies] and maybe we’ll do something like that every year. Just stay in shape, if that makes sense. And just make records along the way.”

Known for alternative rock/electronic classics such as ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ (2010) and ‘All My Friends’ (2007), LCD Soundsystem is the creative outlet for frontman James Murphy, accompanied by his array of musicians, producing an entirely unique Grammy Award-winning sound. Forming in 2002, the band have released five studio albums to date via DFA Records (of which Murphy is co-founder), including the critically acclaimed self-titled debut LP in 2005. Their last album ‘American Dream’ (2017) received a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, its featured single ‘Tonite’ winning Best Dance Recording, a remarkable quindecennial mark of their career. 

See below for the set list that gig-goers can expect at the 2025 London ‘You Are Here’ shows:

1. Get Innocuous!
2. I Can Change
3. You Wanted a Hit
4. Tribulations
5. Daft Punk Is Playing at My House
6. Thrills
7. Tonite
8. Movement
9. Other Voices
10. On Repeat 
11. Someone Great
12. Losing My Edge
13. Home 

Encore:

14. Yr City’s a Sucker

15. New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down

16. Dance Yrself Clean

17. All My Friends 

For ticket purchases and more information, visit LCD Soundsystem’s official website. 

It goes on to say: “This was a mix so giddy, creative, genre-blurring and downright fun that it could only be considered equal to a full-length album — which is exactly what happened, tallying Album of the Year and Album of the Decade accolades from the likes of The New York Times, Spin, The Face, Pitchfork and more, and shifting over half a million copies globally”.

We have been informed that the album will get the deluxe reissue treatment — with Richard Young’s famous original photography for AHORS returned to its proper place after being saved from the depths of legal trouble.  And finally, this groundbreaking mix will be made available on streaming services for the first time ever. So, a new generation of fans will be able to hear a piece of electronic music history on DSPs.

The special one-off concert will kick off AHORS‘ 20^th-anniversary celebrations. 2manydjs will be performing alongside Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Kittin, and other 2002-specific special guests yet to be announced at the O2 Academy Brixton on Saturday, December 17^th. Tickets go on sale on Friday, October 7^th and are available here.

The Dewaeles continue to promote cutting-edge electronic music through their Ghent studio and record label DEEWEE, including the catchy “Topical Dancer” by Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, one of 2022’s most lauded electronic-pop albums. They’ve also maintained a strong remixing streak, giving artists like Róisin Murphy, Peggy Gou, Robyn, Sylvester, Fontaines D.C., Wet Leg, and Marie Davidson their distinct jagged-yet-refined electro touch. Despacio, the roving audiophile soundsystem that the Dewaeles undertake alongside LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, completes the picture.

Together with like-minded collaborators like Erol Alkan, Tiga, and Jacques lu Cont, 2manydjs brought a rock ‘n roll mentality to club culture and sent dancefloors into a frenzy. The Dewaele brothers rose to the top of dance music thanks to their distinctive sound, which managed to be both incredibly credible and enormously scalable, and from which they never descended. AHORS served as their genre-defying calling card.

The press release finishes: “Their long-awaited DSPs drop and 20^th-anniversary party in London will rubber-stamp over two decades’ worth of work. As ever, it’s Stephen and David Dewaele connecting the past, present and future like no-one else; as they say, “doing it the hard way since 2002.”

As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt.2 20^th Anniversary Party:
17/12/2022 – O2 Academy Brixton – London

Since then, Fred has shared new music featuring Swedish House Mafia and Future ‘Turn Out the Lights Again..’ and ‘I. Jordan (‘Admit It (U Don’t Want 2)’. His Boiler Room set in July 2022 received critical acclaim and fans have been long awaiting his follow-up. “I really truly really really wanna say thank you so so much for all of the love on this @boilerroomtv” he wrote on Instagram reflecting on the performance, “I can’t tell you how much it means.”

Before the release of the new album, he shared clips on his Instagram of him sharing songs from Actual Life 3 with fans at his shows and to strangers on trains via AirDrop and filming their reactions. “Okayyyy SO I am so so really very VERY happy to say that Actual Life 3 will be out on October 28th!!!!! You can pre-order it today and the first song is out nowwwww!!” he said on Instagram. The post also revealed he will be playing shows across Europe alongside a hometown gig at his “favourite venue ever”, Brixton Academy. Tickets go on sale on Friday 23rd September but fans can get early access to tickets if they pre-order the album from the official store before 2 pm on Wednesday 20th September. “I really really can’t wait”, he said.

Despite his debut album being released in 2021, Fred had received notable acclaim working as a producer for some of the biggest recording artists today. He worked with Ed Sheeran on his fourth studio album, No.6 Collaborations Project, and is credited with writing and/or producing 12 of 15 of the tracks. His credited songs collectively held 14 weeks at Number 1 in the charts. Prior to this, he co-wrote ‘Shotgun’ with George Ezra which also reached number one, and worked with Demi Lovato, Clean Bandit and Rita Ora. He went on to win Producer of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards and he still continues to write and produce songs for artists including Ed Sheeran, Stormzy and AJ Tracey.

Fred Again.. UK tour dates:

08/12/22 – O2 Academy Brixton – London

They wrote the caption, “We can’t wait to perform for you all at home,” which accompanied the Instagram TV video of the group, hilariously unprepared, practicing and filming the announcement online from their individual homes, where they are currently in lockdown.

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Tickets for the performance, titled ‘Live From London’, are on sale now at £10 per person, and the show will air around the world – find the full list of timezones at the end of this post. According to TicketMaster, the set will contain hits such as ‘Charlemagne’, ‘I Can’t Stand It’ and ‘Your Girlfriend’, as well as many more.

Not only will this be an incredible opportunity to see the band play live, but with the Melody VR app, viewers can virtually join the band on stage and get a 360° view of the show using virtual reality headsets. This follows virtual shows from the likes of Fontaines D.C., Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, and Tom Grennan at the famous venue.

Melody VR CEO Anthony Matchett said, “MelodyVR’s mission is to use our innovative technology to make sure artists can keep staging amazing shows and fans can continue to experience and enjoy the live music that they love.”

Having previously held the successful Wireless festival online, Melody VR decided to take more shows online during the Covid-19 pandemic. Matchett continued, “Live From O2 Academy Brixton is another exciting venture in partnership with Live Nation. Virtual shows are here to complement and support live entertainment, and we are proud to be working with the rest of the industry to ensure that live music doesn’t stop.”

Blossoms have had a busy year releasing and promoting their latest album ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’, which came out back in March 2020. They have a tour coming up in March of next year in lieu of the cancellations currently caused by Covid-19, and they recently shared a new Christmas single ‘It’s Going To Be a Cold Winter’. At the start of November, the documentary ‘Back To Stockport’ came out, showcasing their gig at Stockport County FC’s Edgeley Park in 2019.

Here is the full list of times for the ‘Live In London’ gig:

03/12/2020 – UK (GMT) – 8.30pm
03/12 – Europe and Republic of Ireland (CET) – 9.30pm
03/12 – USA West (PST) – 12.30pm
03/12 – USA East (EST) – 3.30pm
04/12 – Australasia (AUD) – 7.30am

“With a set-list packed with tracks from their recent, much-praised album Duck and anthems such as ‘I Predict A Riot’, ‘Oh My God’ and ‘Ruby’, Kaisers will provide the rock‘n’roll celebration we’ve all been waiting for. Groundbreaking livestream technology will transport fans from sofa to stage, for a one-off show full of immersive features and surprises.”

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HUMANS! We’re bringing the DUCK tour to your living rooms on 28th November, 8pm GMT, when we’re broadcasting a very special gig live from @o2academybrix! @melodyvirtual Tickets are a tenner and you can get them right now – more info in stories!

Публикация, споделена от Kaiser Chiefs (@kaiserchiefs) на Ное 12, 2020 в 12:07 PST

The iconic Brixton Academy have adapted efficiently to the ongoing government restrictions on live events, starting an exclusive livestream series broadcast worldwide via MelodyVR. The next few acts on their busy calendar include punk rockers Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (13 Nov), global sensation Burna Boy (18 Nov) and Dublin favourites Fontaines D.C. (23 Nov) before Kaiser Chiefs deliver their signature indie rock straight to your living room at the end of the month. The event will be available worldwide starting at 8pm GMT and can be watched on live streams through the MelodyVR app. In case the app is not available in your country, or your phone is not compatible, there is also a web player alongside further information and download links at the official MelodyVR website. 

At the beginning of the year, Kaiser Chiefs briefly continued their Duck tour from 2019 before the pandemic shut down all performances in March. The band was getting ready to perform at numerous summer festivals but had to posptone all for the time being and are offering a one-off chance to ‘get the full gig experience from the comfort of your own home‘.

We’d have loved to take on a summer festival tour, but for obvious reasons we couldn’t do that. If you caught the tour earlier this year, re-live a great night, and if you missed it you can get the full gig experience from the comfort of your own home — Kaiser Chiefs (@KaiserChiefs) November 12, 2020

Kaiser Chiefs released their seventh studio album Duck in July 2019 via Polydor Records. The album peaked at #3 at the Official UK and Scottish Albums Chart, outperforming its predecessor Stay Together (2016). The record was received moderately well by critics and fans, but failed the match the global success of their earlier chart topping Education, Education, Education & War (2014), Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007) and the six time platinum debut Employment (2005).

Most recently, the Leeds indie outfit released a special Halloween song ‘Zombie Prom‘ with a comic lockdown-inspired music video.

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Haaave you seen our Zombie Prom video yet? Watch it now – link in bio!

Публикация, споделена от Kaiser Chiefs (@kaiserchiefs) на Ное 5, 2020 в 10:48 PST

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We’re playing a livestream show at Brixton Academy on the 23rd of this month. Brixton was one of the last places we played to an audience and it was a really special show for us. It’s a weird thing to be playing a show to an empty room, regardless of the size or esteem of it. Maybe even more so because of that. But hopefully with you there we can get back some kind of ghost of that feeling, even if it’s not quite the same. Tickets are on sale now: Link in Stories / @ticketmasteruk . . @o2acadmeybrixton @melodyvirtual

A post shared by Fontaines D.C. (@fontainesband) on Nov 11, 2020 at 1:06am PST

The interactive event on the MelodyVR app will allow fans to watch the performance from multiple angles which will enhance the audience experience we are lacking during the COVID-19 global health crisis. Fans will be able to view the show on smartphones and VR headsets. The show will be available to watch across the UK, USA, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Fontaines D.C will be returning to the O2 Academy Brixton, which is where they played their biggest sold-out London headline show to date. Speaking about the event the band said in a press release; “Brixton was one of the last places we played to an audience and it was a really special show for us. It’s a weird thing to be playing a show to an empty room, regardless of the size or esteem of it. Maybe even more so because of that. Hopefully though with you there we can get back some kind of ghost of that feeling, even if it’s not quite the same.”

This news comes after Fontaines D.C released their second album A Hero’s Death in July of this year and debuted at #2 in the UK charts. The Irish band are set to play tracks from this album and from their breakthrough debut Dogrel.

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Our second album ‘A Hero’s Death’ is out today. Writing this record last year meant everything to us, the support you’ve shown us since it’s announcement means just as much. We want to give a special thank you to everyone at @partisanrecords & of course Dan Carey. Not to forget those who manage to still put up with us on a daily basis: Trevor Dietz, Emma Greengrass, Sara Stokes & Ian McAndrew. And thank you to Nick Launay and Adam Greenspan for helping us figure this record out. Go raibh maith agaibh. Grian, Deego, Curley, Tom, and Carlos. X Buy or stream our new album now, link in bio.

A post shared by Fontaines D.C. (@fontainesband) on Jul 31, 2020 at 1:00am PDT

Fontaines D.C. at O2 Academy Brixton is exclusively available to experience on MelodyVR. To be part of the live experience, download the MelodyVR app at on.melodyvr.com/app. After purchasing a ticket, which you can do here, you will receive a redemption code and simple instructions on joining the stream will be sent to you.

Fontaines D.C will also be touring the UK in 2021 to support their A Hero’s Death album, the dates are below.

01/05/2021 – Corn Exchange – Edinburgh
03/05 – Rock City – Nottingham
04/05 – Forum – Bath
06/05 – Mountford Hall – Liverpool
07/05 – Manchester Academy – Manchester (SOLD OUT)
08/05 – Manchester Academy – Manchester (SOLD OUT)
10/05 – De Montfort Hall – Leicester
11/05 – O2 Academy – Leeds (SOLD OUT)
12/05 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
14/05 – Barrowland – Glasgow (SOLD OUT)
15/05 – Barrowland – Glasgow (SOLD OUT)
17/05 – Corn Exchange – Cambridge
18/05 – O2 Academy – Sheffield (SOLD OUT)
20/05 – O2 Academy – Birmingham
21/05 – Great Hall – Cardiff (SOLD OUT)
22/05 – O2 Academy – Bristol (SOLD OUT)
24/05 – O2 Academy – Bournemouth
25/05 – O2 Guildhall – Southampton
27/05 – Alexandra Palace – London

The live gig took place at the 02 Academy Brixton on the last stop of the band’s UK tour for their 5th studio album Everything Else Has Gone Wrong. The Live at Brixton show took place on November 8th, 2019 and was on the heels of the bands three year long hiatus.

I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose – Live at Brixton. Out Dec 11. Preorder/presave and check out new IHTB merch https://t.co/wEizGbAth8 pic.twitter.com/a6D16qQ2oM

— Bombay Bicycle Club (@BombayBicycle) November 9, 2020

Bombay Bicycle Club made their comeback last year with their 5th studio album after breaking up the band in 2016 to pursue solo projects. Before the hiatus the band had released 4 albums, 2 EPs and played headlining shows around the UK, United States, Asia and Australia.

The band consists of 4 original members, Jack Steadman on lead vocals, Jamie MacColl on lead guitar, Suren de Saram on drums and Ed Nash on bass. Their breakout album So Long See You Tomorrow was the band’s first chart topping release and gained them immense popularity in the UK by 2014.

Their most recent music release was the 2020 EP Two Lives that was dropped back in July. The EP consists of 3 acoustic versions of songs off their 2019 album and includes its name sake, a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s Two Lives.

The EP was largely recorded in front-man Steadman’s house during the Covid-19 Coronavirus quarantine lockdown. All proceeds from Two Lives are being donated the charities Chineke! Foundation and Youth Music.

The singles Let You Go (Acoustic), Racing Stripes (Acoustic) and Two Lives were then later released. The indie band’s upcoming live album will be released as a double LP with the original 2009 album as well. It will be released via Mmm…Records and Caroline International and will be available on vinyl, digitally and CD versions and bundles. 

UK PRE-ORDER UP!@BombayBicycle – ‘I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose – Live At Brixton’

Stunning live set from Bombay Bicycle Club featuring their debut album recorded at Brixton Academy.

Deluxe version with debut album added.https://t.co/Z7UGf48OJe pic.twitter.com/kYiQT6e1Yl

— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) November 9, 2020

There are no upcoming Bombay Bicycle Club UK tours for the rest of the year or into 2021 yet due to continuing safety concerns surrounding the global pandemic. However, the band will be performing for at Hurricane Festival in Scheessel, Germany from June 18th to June 20th, 2021. 

Tickets for the festival can be found here. The upcoming album is now available for pre-order on Bombay Bicycle Club’s website as well as new merch for the promotion of the upcoming live album all available here. 

The band relayed all the details to followers via social media, revealing that they’ll be playing on Friday 13th November at 8pm BST, and fans will choose the setlist as well as being able to “invade the stage” virtually. General sale tickets will be sold from Wednesday 14th October at 10am, and tickets bought before midnight will allow a chance to be shown on stage.

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Brixton. By Request. We’re getting back on stage via the powers of @melodyvirtual, and you are all coming with us. You are going to pick the setlist (), and invade the stage via giant screens looming over us.⁠ ⁠ We’ll see you @o2academybrix on Friday 13th November. Tickets bought before 23:59 on Wednesday 14th October put you in with a chance to be on the stage. Screen space is limited so get your tickets fast  General sale starts 10.00am BST on Wednesday.⁠ ⁠ Our shows, in person or virtual, aren’t right without you all involved.

A post shared by Frank Carter &The Rattlesnakes (@andtherattlesnakes) on Oct 12, 2020 at 2:06am PDT

⁠Frontman Frank Carter gave more insight into the show, saying, “There are few places like O2 Academy Brixton, a venue where you feel the history every time you walk out onto the stage. Our sold out Brixton show a few years back was wild and we had to create a live album from it.”

This specific show has been dubbed ‘Brixton By Request’ in the ‘Live From O2 Academy Brixton’ series, and it will feature live versions of songs from the band’s new deluxe rendition of their 2015 debut album ‘Blossom’. Announced in June, it was disclosed that in addition to the ten original tracks, there will be fifteen unreleased songs.

Carter said of the release, “It all started with Blossom, an incendiary record as visceral as it was chaotic. An experiment in capturing pure emotion. To commemorate this prestigious event we have curated a special version of the album. Included with the original studio recordings are three previously unheard tracks that were recorded in the same session. We listened to them recently and sadly enough they sound as though they were made for the year 2020.”

The upcoming performance follows that of Tom Grennan who kicked things off last week on Friday 2nd October, debuting new material and playing his most popular hits. He commented, “Nothing can replace the thrill of live music, especially in a venue as iconic as O2 Academy Brixton.”

Grennan will host a virtual performance on the 2^nd October, after his headline show at the academy, which was supposed to take place back in May, had to be cancelled. Apart from hits like “Found What I’ve Been Looking For” and “This Is The Place” he will also play some new tunes that he’s been creating during lockdown. The concert will be livestreamed via state-of-the-art virtual reality technology and will be broadcasted on the Melody VR app.

The 25-year-old said that rehearsals have been an “emotional experience”. “It’s weird at the moment. It doesn’t smell like Brixton or feel like it at the moment – it’s just not had anyone in there for a while. Hopefully I can help breathe some life back in to it. It’s going to be a wicked gig.”

Buzzing to announce that I will be doing a 360° interactive livestream direct from @O2academybrix on Friday 2nd Oct! This is going to be special with unreleased songs and surprises to be revealed! I want you all to be involved. Be ready to book your tickets Wednesday 10am pic.twitter.com/RIBCfgg9Gw

— Tom Grennan (@Tom_Grennan) September 14, 2020

The singer admitted that he’s quite “nervous” about the show, as he hasn’t used his voice in a while due to cancelled shows and tours. “Usually I use my voice every day, especially when I am on tour. So its a bit like going back to the gym. I am a bit out of practice. But I’m excited.”

Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, 16^th September at 10am here, with a Live Nation presale taking place a day earlier on Tuesday, 15^th September, at 10am. To gain access to the presale, you have to register to Live Nation prior to the sale. According to the ticket website, the show on the 2^nd October will start at 20:30, with doors “opening” at 19:00. They’re promising “an exclusive and very special virtual performance”, including “never-before-seen material, and major surprises on the night, you will have the best view in the house for this immersive production, guaranteed.”