Stay Another Day... and a Little Bit More
Manchester Opera House
Monday 22nd October 2007
7/10
THERE IS something faintly depressing about nostalgia tours, especially when nobody is particularly nostalgic for the starring acts. The half-empty Opera House is the setting for a night to remember the glorious B-list of 1990s boy band pop, East 17 and 911.
The evening begins with a support appearance by Friday Hill. Fronted by Kenzie (famous for appearing on Celebrity Big Brother and subsequently dating Jodie Marsh), the three former members of Blazin' Squad give a fully live, guitar-based set. Rather than relying on the Blazin' back catalogue, the group ignore their past to bravely perform new material. Unfortunately, this left the crowd rather unenthused. Apart from a misjudged cover version of I Want You Back by The Jackson 5, the only real excitement generated during Friday Hill's set was the anticipation for the headline acts. This is a shame, as their vocal harmonies are more impressive than any tired rendition of Flip Reverse ever could be.
911 immediately bring back memories of Saturday mornings spent watching Live & Kicking, and of Smash Hits magazine with its pull-out song lyrics. Lead singer Lee Brennan still looks like a teenager, though Spike and Jimmy haven't aged as well. However, the pint-sized trio's dancing is as fantastic as ever before, and I surprised myself with how many of the hits I still knew the words to (thanks, Smash Hits!). Highlights of the set included Don't Make Me Wait, Bodyshakin' and Love Sensation.
Topping the bill were Walthamstow's finest, East 17, who open with an enthusiastic version of Steam and follow it up with the wonder that is Deep, which still sounds as unintentionally hilarious as it did in 1993. The current line-up is notable for the absence of chief songwriter Tony Mortimer, and If You Ever could have benefited from its original cameo by pop's favourite eye-patch wearer, Gabrielle. Nevertheless, Brian Harvey still has one of the most soulful voices in pop, as proved on Hold My Body Tight and Each Time.
I left the Opera House feeling a mixture of bemusement and sadness. It had been an entertaining night out, and I couldn’t help feeling that whilst Take That and the Spice Girls are selling out arenas, two of the top pop bands of the 90s deserved better than a poorly promoted theatre tour.
Jon Gabony
Went to the concert in belfast back in december. Wasnt really interested in 911! but East 17 Were brilliant!!! Love them Guys
well we went 2 the belfast gig an had a great time,this gig hadnt got a great big crowd neither but that can only be blamed on the shit promotion,it was great seen 911 an east17 preform again,it brought back many youth memories...we havnt got any regrets about travelling from dublin to see the gig in belfast,we all had a great nite an would do it all again :-)
friday hill use to be in blazin squad they obv want to show thier new style of music so friday hill are not blazin squad anymore so y would they perform blazin squad tracks??
anywhooo every1 there got a taster of thier new stuff that they havent performed infront of a crowd so it was a special night for them
I also left the Opera House feeling a mixture of bemusement and sadness. It should have been a celebration of cheap 90s boyband pop, but it wasn't enjoyable in any way - as a shameless pop stomp, a warm, fuzzy trip down memory lane - not even in an ironic way. I've never walked out of a gig before that night.
Friday Hill's "fully live set" consisted of one guitar and a backing CD, but they were only a warm-up act for 911 so I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
As for 911, there's something rather undignified about a manband dancing around that energetically at their age, like the idea of paying £35 to see The Sex Pistols (a bunch of fat sweaty ex-punks albeit at the opposite end of the spectrum to 911) leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I also expected to remember more of their songs than I did. Maybe Friday Hill had already numbed my senses by then.
East 17 were the biggest disappointment of the night - their limited set included one or two new songs (always a bad idea at a nostalga night), their Gabrielle duet without Gabrielle, and the rest of their songs without their lead singer. As an exercise in banality it was breathtaking. By the time they got round to their speed-ska re-interpretation of whichever bloody song it was, my patience had finally expired.
Brian Harvey bitched about the lack of free bottled water at every possible opportunity, like a diva not quite realising that they're actually playing a half-empty manky old opera house well past the arse-end of their career.
Worst. Gig. Ever.
ANYBODY GOT ANY WATER?!
Pity I couldn't spot the Student Direct reporter in the crowd, I'd have asked to borrow their rose tinted glasses.
The concert was a total waste of money - looked like not enough tickets were sold and those who should have been the circle - ended up being "upgraded" to the back of the stalls.
I agree Friday Hill should have played safe with Blazin' Squad tunes. Friday Hill complained about the lack of water to drink.
After listening to 911, I realised I'd totally missed their songs when I was younger - didn't recoginse a single one. Again they complained about a lack of water!
East 17 was good - but I was feeling I needed to see Tony to bring a smile to my face and enjoy the night. He wasn't there and Brian did his best - also dehydrated - a fan bought him a bottle of water. 911 were watching from boxes, but even they got bored, I noticed they were gone not long into East17's performance.
All in all, poor management, Blazin' Squad should have stuck to that - doing the songs that would have got the crowd going, it was pretty much like watching a school christmas panto. Would definately think twice about going to something similar.
well i really enjoyed the show apart from E17 it was great, atmosphear was great ans so wew friday hill
get a life, u can not please everyone