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The Week Ahead from Monday 20th Feb 2012: X Factor Live, Rammstein, Simple Minds, Joan Baez, InMe, Seth Lakeman, Melanie C and more

Posted: 12 years ago

A big week for music awaits - we would have listed Tuesday's BRIT Awards ceremony with Blur, Adele and Coldplay as one of the key dates in the industry calendar - but it's sold out. So how about the X Factor Live tour, Rammstein's explosive shows or Simple Minds' 5x5 albums jaunt? Or perhaps the soon-to-be-sold-out Little Dragon, InMe and Joan Baez tours? Failing that, you could grab yourself some classic literary shows from DH Lawrence or Shakespeare. Sorted.

All prices are exclusive of booking fees.

This week:

Tours

Most of the best seats are being snapped up for this year's massive arena tour featuring the winners Little Mix and the other finalists. Most of the shows, from the opening pairing in Manchester (Sat and Sun) to the closing quartet in Cardiff still have face-value tickets available, priced from £27.50.

'80s rock legends still sell, with proof provided by the success of their upcoming '5x5' tour which starts in Birmingham, the only date with any face-value tickets left (priced at £37.50). All other shows from Glasgow to Dublin, are sold out (apart from some Premiums).

Expect fire, theatrics and an awesome show from the Germanic metallers, starting with the O2 Arena on Friday night. Tickets for that show and Birmingham and Dublin are sold out of face-value tickets, while Newcastle onwards still have a limited amount left at £42.50.

Essex rockers mark the imminent release of new album 'The Pride' with a UK tour, starting with a rare show in Sheerness on Wednesday, followed by Brighton, Weymouth, more West Country shows, then further north, and back in London on 31st March. Tickets £10 to £12.50 (Aberdeen sold out).

The former Spice Girl will be taking her new album 'The Sea Lives' on the road beginning at the Manchester Club Academy on Saturday, followed by Newcastle, Glasgow, Sheffield, London (Islington Academy) and more, before the final gig in Birmingham on Friday 2nd March. Tickets start at £15.

His sixth album, 'Tales From the Barrel House', is due a re-release in more copious quantities in the spring and extra tour dates have been added in preparation. This first leg starts in Manchester on Thursday night, followed by several more before a Plymouth homecoming show (with the BBC Concert Orchestra). £17 upwards.

Sweden's electro-hipsters managed to sell out their last UK tour in the autumn, but there are still some tickets up for grabs for most of the dates. Leeds on Thursday precedes a NME Awards Show in London on Friday and a string of gigs across the UK until Bristol on 2nd March. £13.50 to £17.

It's a privilege to witness this US folk-roots legend perform such an extensive tour once again, so it would be foolish to miss this latest jaunt which starts on Thursday in Tunbridge Wells (sold out), followed by shows all over the UK. Last stop is Brighton and tickets cost upwards of £33.

Her first leg around these shores takes in Belfast on Friday, then several stops throughout southern Ireland, before heading across the sea to Glasgow for the second leg from 10th March. She will wind the tour up in York on 23rd March and tickets cost from £20 upwards.

First stop is in Brighton on Friday, followed by Plymouth, Swansea, Coventry and more during the next month or so, including bigger club nights in Bristol, Manchester and Sheffield. His own events with Youngman weigh in at a tenner or less, while the bigger line-ups command prices from £12 to £17.

Theatre, Comedy and Arts

The Daughter in Law The Daughter in Law
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Salford's Lowry theatre is the location for D.H. Lawrence's celebrated tale of a bitter miner's strike in 1912. A mismatched couple, miner Luther and social butterfly Minnie, are set to wed, but against the family wishes with conflicts ensuing. The play runs from Thursday to 10th March - tickets cost from £13.

You can catch a Shakespearian double-bill at London's Etcetera Theatre next week - the So It Goes Theatre Company tackle Othello and Much Ado About Nothing on the same nights from Tuesday to 4th March. Each performance costs £8-£10, with one show following straight after the other.

Yes, Prime Minister Yes, Prime Minister
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After the success of the West End version of this classic '80s TV satire, you can now head to Woking to catch a week-long residency from next Monday to Saturday inclusive. Watch the hapless Jim Hacker squirm his way through another scandal - prices start at £20.50.

Happy clicking!

Paul Pledger