As they embark on their final farewell tour, taking in numerous dates up and
down the land, it seems appropriate to reflect on what a pop powerhouse
Westlife have been in a sterling 14 year career that has seen them do it all.
They smashed every record going, and in the process, recorded some of the
finest pop songs of the modern generation.
People may scoff at their street credibility, but they
cannot argue with stone cold facts. The figures are staggering, and their
legacy will last long after they have gone. Whether or not a band emerge to
replicate their vast success remains to be seen (perhaps One Direction prove to
be the real heirs to the once boyband, now manband’s crown), but one thing is
for sure; there will only ever be one Westlife, and the arena is packed tonight
to see the band say their goodbyes to the diehard fans that have followed them
from day one.
I am by no means a diehard fan, but they have hits; lots of
them; and I was keen to see them one time before they departed, using the cover
of “taking my mother to see them” as perfect fodder to cover a genuine desire
to see their live act. The sheer number of hits in their arsenal is simply
staggering, and in tonight’s career spanning greatest hits set, the crowd gets
their entire repertoire, delivered for (reportedly) the final time.
Whether they return in the future remains to be seen (I do
expect a “glorious return” one day in the far future), but tonight is about
celebrating their journey, and just how far they have come.
The support is ultimately forgettable, save for a rather
enjoyable girl group by the name of Vanquish, who tick all the right boxes for
me personally; from what I recall, they have a couple of tunes too. Lilygreen
& Maguire play a politely received set, but Westlife is the only band the
crowd here tonight wants to see, the support providing nothing but filler here,
as the manband’s long awaiting appearance on stage draws ever closer.
Opening with an enormous What About Now (I still refuse to
look at it as anything other than a Daughtry song!!) is a masterstroke, and
sets the tone for what is to come over the course of a two hour set which is
heavy on hits. What Makes A Man and My Love quickly follow, as the band quickly
collect their stride, and enter into their comfort zone from which there is no
going back.
It is a highly professional and entertaining masterclass in
how a boyband/manband should put on a arena show, with a satisfyingly big
production which never threatens to take the spotlight from the four members of
the band, allowing their performances to shine. Shane may have a great voice,
but Mark Feehily is an absolute beast, showing once more why he has one of the
finest voices around. It pierces the show throughout, often shining well and
truly above the accomplished vocals of his band mates, and often bringing a
chill to the spine. His voice is utterly mind blowing, and much like Gary
Barlow in Take That, his voice has just got better and better with age.
Tonight wouldn’t be half the spectacle without the hits
though; a riotous rendition of Billy Joel’s immortal Uptown Girl is massive, If
I Let You Go, which is still one of their finest songs (and one of the best pop
songs ever written) is incredible and the rest of their sterling back catalogue
all make an appearance – Queen of my Heart, Swear It Again, Home, You Raise Me
Up, it’s all here tonight. Another highlight is an absolutely breathtaking run
through of When You’re Looking Like That, yet another one of their best tracks,
which goes down a storm.
There is an entertaining in somewhat superfluous medley
section of popular chart hits, which proves watchable enough, but it is the
band’s own material which elicits the biggest reaction here tonight. They enjoy
some humorous banter with their crowd, basing a section of the show entirely on
reading the signs (many of which are pure filth) held aloft in the front few
rows, suggesting something of a long standing tradition dating back a few
years. As the band also take to the sky and fly over head mid set, bringing the
show to the nether regions of the arena, they make the vast arena surrounding
feel almost intimate in nature, whilst performing their hits all the while.
World Of Our Own kick starts their encore, before the
inimitable Flying Without Wings brings tonight’s proceedings to a close. Mark’s
voice once more rises above, punctuating a perfectly crafted pop song with
vocal brilliance, giving every single person within the arena goosebumps in the
process. As they close off with their defining anthem and send their fans in
Nottingham home with a bittersweet feeling of elation and sadness, the thought
of never seeing them live again sinks in.
They will be back, and until then, they have given their
fans the perfect send off, and a worthy reminder of their pop brilliance.
Stunning.
(Scott English cover) / Seasons in the Sun (Jacques Brel cover) / Swear It Again / Home (Michael Bublé cover) / You Raise Me Up (Secret Garden cover) / World Of Our Own / Flying Without Wings
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