Post by katrien on Mar 22, 2005 16:36:00 GMT 1
*SPOILER* -Fans for Life
FOR a band that suddenly lost a member when Bryan McFadden quit to launch his solo career, the remaining members of Westlife certainly don't seem lost without him.
The Irish foursome performed to sell-out audiences at the Hallam FM Arena on Friday and Saturday nights - and were treated to their usual adoring reception.
Songs have new vocal arrangements, each perfectly-choreographed routine has been changed and the band simply does more of the songs Bryan was never involved with.
In a concert which had everything – from the first early hits when Westlife was just starting out, to the popular Rat Pack numbers performed on their most recent album, Mark, Nicky, Shane and Kian had everyone on their feet from start to finish. Even the slushy ballads, including Unbreakable, Flying Without Wings and Mandy had people dancing along.
And the unexpected covers of Footloose, Burn Baby Burn and Pretty Woman really got the crowd going.
A highlight was the start of the Rat Pack section, where the stage was transformed into a Las Vegas-style bar and the band performed old favourites such as Smile, She Says So, Mack the Knife and Let There Be Love.
A sign of how popular the band has become over the years was when Kian asked people to put their hands in the air if they had been to a Westlife gig before. There were very few newcomers.
And judging by how many people had gone to the effort to customise T-shirts and decorate banners declaring themselves Westlife's number one fans, there is certainly a lot of competition out there for that title.
The good news for fans is the best shots from the two Sheffield concerts will feature on a DVD of the latest tour, which will hit the shops later this year.
From the moment the foursome made their dramatic entrance on to the stage, by marching past their fans from the back of the Arena to the front, the audience were deafening in their applause and adoration.
Westlife were just as appreciative, repeatedly thanking Sheffield for making them feel so welcome, before vowing to return next year.
Be careful of the stampede to the ticket office.
FORTY-nine-year-old Liz Bell left hubby Kevin at home to make his own tea - while she partied with Westlife backstage at Sheffield's Hallam FM Arena.
Mum of two Liz joked: "I told my husband if I got lucky I could be away all weekend.
"I might be almost 50 but I'm Westlife's biggest fan. So I left him to make his own tea - and that's a one off."
But truck driver Kevin, aged 53, had no reason to worry back home in Woodlands Road, Woodlands, Doncaster. Home care assistant Liz was chaperoned by their daughter, Stacey, 27.
Factory worker Stacey, of Doncaster Lane, also Woodlands, won the dream date for her mum in a Star meet and greet competition.
She correctly named the Irish boy band's new album, the Rat Pack-themed Allow Us To Be Frank.
Chart-toppers Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan were perfect gentlemen as they posed for photos and signed autographs.
And in an exclusive chat with The Star, Westlife quashed rumours that the band is splitting up and this would be their last tour.
Gossip has been rife since Bryan McFadden quit a year ago and their current outing, initially billed as The Red Carpet Tour, was morphed into a Number One's Tour of greatest hits.
Some suggest it spells the end. But after 12 number ones, 34 million record sales and almost seven years together - an eternity in boy band terms - they say it isn't yet time to say goodbye.
Mark revealed they are making a new album.
He said: "There's no truth at all in the rumours. We've got a lot more to give."
FOR a band that suddenly lost a member when Bryan McFadden quit to launch his solo career, the remaining members of Westlife certainly don't seem lost without him.
The Irish foursome performed to sell-out audiences at the Hallam FM Arena on Friday and Saturday nights - and were treated to their usual adoring reception.
Songs have new vocal arrangements, each perfectly-choreographed routine has been changed and the band simply does more of the songs Bryan was never involved with.
In a concert which had everything – from the first early hits when Westlife was just starting out, to the popular Rat Pack numbers performed on their most recent album, Mark, Nicky, Shane and Kian had everyone on their feet from start to finish. Even the slushy ballads, including Unbreakable, Flying Without Wings and Mandy had people dancing along.
And the unexpected covers of Footloose, Burn Baby Burn and Pretty Woman really got the crowd going.
A highlight was the start of the Rat Pack section, where the stage was transformed into a Las Vegas-style bar and the band performed old favourites such as Smile, She Says So, Mack the Knife and Let There Be Love.
A sign of how popular the band has become over the years was when Kian asked people to put their hands in the air if they had been to a Westlife gig before. There were very few newcomers.
And judging by how many people had gone to the effort to customise T-shirts and decorate banners declaring themselves Westlife's number one fans, there is certainly a lot of competition out there for that title.
The good news for fans is the best shots from the two Sheffield concerts will feature on a DVD of the latest tour, which will hit the shops later this year.
From the moment the foursome made their dramatic entrance on to the stage, by marching past their fans from the back of the Arena to the front, the audience were deafening in their applause and adoration.
Westlife were just as appreciative, repeatedly thanking Sheffield for making them feel so welcome, before vowing to return next year.
Be careful of the stampede to the ticket office.
FORTY-nine-year-old Liz Bell left hubby Kevin at home to make his own tea - while she partied with Westlife backstage at Sheffield's Hallam FM Arena.
Mum of two Liz joked: "I told my husband if I got lucky I could be away all weekend.
"I might be almost 50 but I'm Westlife's biggest fan. So I left him to make his own tea - and that's a one off."
But truck driver Kevin, aged 53, had no reason to worry back home in Woodlands Road, Woodlands, Doncaster. Home care assistant Liz was chaperoned by their daughter, Stacey, 27.
Factory worker Stacey, of Doncaster Lane, also Woodlands, won the dream date for her mum in a Star meet and greet competition.
She correctly named the Irish boy band's new album, the Rat Pack-themed Allow Us To Be Frank.
Chart-toppers Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan were perfect gentlemen as they posed for photos and signed autographs.
And in an exclusive chat with The Star, Westlife quashed rumours that the band is splitting up and this would be their last tour.
Gossip has been rife since Bryan McFadden quit a year ago and their current outing, initially billed as The Red Carpet Tour, was morphed into a Number One's Tour of greatest hits.
Some suggest it spells the end. But after 12 number ones, 34 million record sales and almost seven years together - an eternity in boy band terms - they say it isn't yet time to say goodbye.
Mark revealed they are making a new album.
He said: "There's no truth at all in the rumours. We've got a lot more to give."
