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Back Home tour (3/2008)
Concert Review
Manchester M.E.N.

(manchestereveningnews.co.uk)

It's too easy to knock man-band Westlife. There are jokes about their choreography (shifting off their stools), their roles within the band (two sing, two just stand there) and their never-ending supply of ballads (have they got a love-song factory?). But ten years on, here they are packing out arenas.

They open the set with 'Hit You With The Real Thing' from the album 'Face To Face'. Dressed in boiler suits, they resemble extras from Top Gun. The fans scream at heartthrob Nicky Byrne, as the band goes all up-tempo, silencing the ballad bashers. They are backed by some delicious Dreamgirls style backing-vocalists World Of Our Own is another cannon in their arsenal as it is not recycled.

 

Westlife.org - The Site for Westlife Fans

The crowd, including former Hollyoaks’ star Jodi Albert (Kian Egan’s fiancée) and photographer Kevin McDaid (Mark Feehily’s boyfriend) adore this band and do not see them as ‘boring’ – the label which they are so often given. Some of the syrupy ballads like 'What Makes A Man' are trademarks of this band and no gig would be complete without them. As for the famous stools; they only come out once during an accoustic set.

The lads’ voices vary, but lead vocalist Shane brings emotion to every song he sings. Feehily’s vocals bind the tracks, as his range is as slick and polished as the gig itself. At times he does look bored with the set list but, his ill-fitting clothes do not help the poor bloke, as he can hardly breathe. Byrne and Egan’s vocals are nowhere near as impressive but, they make up for this with humour and playfulness.

'The Easy Way' is Motown meets N-Sync, with camp dance routines to boot. The boys have a good time, kicking back to this one, sampling The Jackson’s ABC along the way. An ill-advised medley incorporating 'Sexy Back' into 'Blame It On The Boogie' reminds you how Louis Walsh can get it so wrong sometimes.

The lads look embarrassed, as their dancing ability is on a par with Gary Barlow. Leave it Louis! Michael Buble’s 'Home' is the standout track, as it genuinely moves the crowd. As the fans file home, you realize that, despite the odd boring moment within the set, where the lads are placed at the back of the stage singing even more M.O.R tracks, Westlife do put on a good show. Granted, they will never be cool but paint would never watch them dry.

 

 

 

 


Westlife.org - The Site for Westlife Fans

 

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