Gig review: Westlife in Christchurch

Irish boy band Westlife are in New Zealand for their first tour, and tickets for the shows sold out in record time. Reviewer Vicki Anderson checks out their Christchurch show.

Westlife
Where: Westpac Arena, Christchurch
When: Wednesday, May 7

Question: What has eight legs and crawls around the stage at the Westpac Arena mooing?

Answer: Westlife debating whether Irish cows moo or maa after a front-row fan handed them a stuffed sheep named Colin.

Last night’s concert sold out in nano seconds. I guess they’re a secret pleasure for many of the 9000 people present.

None of my mates would dare to accompany me. One said: “If you ever need it, I’ll give you a kidney mate, but I won’t go to Pondlife with you”.

Judging by the size and fervour of the night’s crowd, a mix of both men and women of all ages, Westlife fans are a devoted lot.

I met eight members of a fan club called Westgirls who had come up from Invercargill - and many dutiful husbands were certainly among the crowd.

Westlife - Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan - are consummate professionals. They are a commercial pop band and to their credit they don’t pretend to be anything else.

Urged on stage by the impatient audience’s fervent clapping, the band had the crowd instantly on their feet swaying and igniting their lighters.

As they launched into their first number Hit You With the Real Thing, resplendent in matching suits bought yesterday from Sergios as their luggage didn’t arrive with them, a woman near me burst into tears.

Before the show I had a slice of pizza which had less cheese than Westlife’s set - but it was all fabulously kitsch.

Fans were treated to a spectacular show in two segments - an upbeat, boisterous dancefest and a ballad-filled acoustic second half.

Celebrating their 10th anniversary, the group performed a wide repertoire from their back catalogue, including crowd favourites World Of Our Own, Something Right, What Makes A Man, Home, Unbreakable Mandy and Uptown Girl - which almost became a karaoke-type singalong.

The set also included a variety of covers, such as Justin Timberlake’s Sexy Back, Michael Jackson’s Blame It On the Boogie and Kool & The Gang’s Get Down On It.

I’m sure after last night’s craic of a show fans will be dead keen to have the barnyard back.

source: stuff.co.nz

Nightline charms Westlife

Over the past decade boy bands have come and gone and so have the number of people who admit to being fans.

So when Nightline found out Westlife were coming down under, straws were drawn to decide who would get to do the interview, until it became clear there was a closet fan amongst us… Charlotte Tonkin.

Over the years Westlife have sold 36 million records, won loads of awards, and captured many hearts, including my own.

And while they were feeling the love in Christchurch today, they were also feeling a bit chilly.

“My God it’s cold, by the way,” says Nicky Byrne, the short one.

“There are very few  ten, 12, even fifteen-year-olds out there now.  Our crowds have changed, like a lot of the girls who were 15 are now 25,” says Byrne.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker hogged the quartet from the start.

“So do I just shut up and leave you to ask the questions,” he asked.

Yes!  But he did not, and then a local fan commandeered the Irish lads, leaving me with no choice but to woo them with food, local food, Pineapple Lumps.

Which went down so well I forgot to listen to what Mark was saying…

“This is nice by the way, a bit dangerous though, you could pull a tooth out,” says Shane Filan.

Then it was onto some searching questions…

“Who’s the most likely to leave the toilet seat up?”  “All of us.  We’re men,” says Westlife.

Not a great start.

Mirrors are also a must have for the boys.

“I think we’re all very vain,” was the Westlife answer.

Pretty boys? Maybe, but also very sweet and nice enough to let me have a photo.

And for the record that was the first time they had ever had a Polaroid picture taken.

source: TV3

Westlife set to wow NZ fans

Irish boy band Westlife are in New Zealand on their first ever tour here.

They performed in Christchurch on Wednesday night, one of five concerts planned around the country. They play two shows in Auckland, one in Wellington and one in New Plymouth.

Westlife started out 10 years ago as a five-member boyband, though today they are a man-band quartet after one member left.

They have more number one hits in the UK than the Rolling Stones - 14 to be exact, beaten only by the Beatles and Elvis.

With hits including Seasons in the Sun, Swear it again and Flying without Wings, Westlife is one of the most successful modern bands of all time, having sold over 36 million records globally.

Westlife have been to New Zealand shores once before, but only to promote a new album.

This time with a glut of five shows, of which three have already been sold out, the boys say it will have huge payoffs for them and their New Zealand fans.

“We’re gonna see our fans face to face tonight and throughout the whole tour, which for us is the best part,” says Mark Feehily, Westlife band member.

Despite all the fame, they remain level headed blokes, saying the fame could all be over tomorrow.

As a special gift to their Kiwi fans, Westlife will be releasing a New Zealand only edition of their “best of” album featuring all their greatest hits.

source: tvnz.co.nz

Irish boy band arrive in Christchurch

Ten years after they burst onto the pop music scene and almost 40 million records later Irish boy band Westlife have finally touched down in New Zealand.
Watch video

The band staged a media conference in Christchurch this morning, ahead of their first concert in New Zealand, a sell-out, at the Westpac Arena tonight.

The band members said they were enjoying Christchurch’s hospitality and the relative anonymity it offered, despite the near freezing temperatures.

“My God it’s cold by the way,” band member Nicky Byrne said, adding that the band had already been into town scouring shop racks for winter woollies.

Concerts are also scheduled in Wellington, Auckland and New Plymouth during the next week.

Their hits include Swear It Again, Flying Without Wings, If I Let You Go and Uptown Girl.

source: press.co.nz

Turn Around Tour - World Of Our Own captures

I’ve added new dvd captures of the World Of Our Own performance from the Turn Around Tour 2004 dvd. More dvd captures will follow the next days.

Turn Around Tour - What Makes A Man captures

I’ve added new dvd captures of the What makes a man performance from the Turn Around Tour 2004 dvd. More dvd captures will follow the next days.

Turn Around Tour - My Girl captures

I’ve added new dvd captures of the My Girl performance from the Turn Around Tour 2004 dvd. More dvd captures will follow the next days.