October 28, 201113 yr 1st one! :dance: Evergreen Will is still our Pop Idol If Will Young had any first night nerves at the start of his latest tour he certainly didn’t let them show. The singer was at the Oasis leisure centre last night and proved he still has the star quality that saw him voted Pop Idol winner all those years ago. Kicking off with some of his newer material, Will had the crowd onside immediately – even though they had to stay seated. From schoolchildren making the most of being able to stay up late on a schoolnight, to pensioners who fancied a sing-a-long, the audience was a real mix of people from Swindon and the wider area. Saying hello to the crowd for the first time, Will said he was delighted to be back in the town, following his last show two years ago. “It's very nice to be here, especially as this is the most local gig for me being a local boy,” he said. “Although it is very hot under this beret. “The nice people who came to see me last time might remember I told a story about the last time I was here, as a child, and I cracked my chin open on the swimming pool. “That’s the little scar under my chin, a permanent reminder.” Will rattled through his impressive back catalogue, including hits such as Your Game, Grace and Light My Fire. But the most well received songs of his 90-minute show had to be his number one hit Leave Right Now and a haunting version of his first number one, Evergreen. He did manage to cause pandamonium at one point in the show when he made his way out into the audience and stood on one person’s chair. Carley Young, 25, of Pembroke Park said: “He’s absolutely fantastic and gets better every time.” Whether you are a fan if Will Young's or not, there is no denying he is a consummate professional who knows how to please a crowd. - Stephanie Tye http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/resourc...6/?type=display
November 4, 201113 yr Author Belfast We kicked off the whole music week in Belfast by a non music week concert in the form of Will Young. What fantastic stage presence, and fun, and a voice so much better than you would expect. He did a totally amazing cover of Kate Bush’s Running up that hill. The guy is so personable and obviously very well loved by all the screamers in the audience. The best night of his tour to date apparently!http://thebelfasttimes.wordpress.com/tag/will-young/ Nottingham Friday, November 04, 2011 Profile image for Nottingham Post AFTER trying his hand at TV acting last year in the long-running detective series Miss Marple and then again earlier this year in Sky Living's surprise ghost drama hit Bedlam, original Pop Idol winner Will Young is back doing what he does best. Now with a third number one album under his multi-talented belt, Young was aiming to prove a few people wrong after what was described by some as a "slightly disappointing" last visit to the city in 2008. He silences the doubters early on as we are taken on an enjoyable 90-minute journey of his back catalogue of hits, with a few new ones thrown in to smartly balance things out. The wondrous Changes and the insanely loveable cover of The Doors' Light My Fire are early highlights. Young is helped by a talented backing band of drums, guitars and keyboards, along with a sensational set of female singers. The charismatic singer has come a long way since his 2001 Pop Idol win and while his first album is still admirable enough, it's only when he's performing his more impressive recent material (Outsider and Losing Myself) that he seems most at ease. The night's only downside comes in the shape of the disappointing 2005 hit Switch It On, although still performed admirably, it's a song I prefer to forget. It's the only weak link in five albums' worth of otherwise great material. After a rousing response for monster hit Leave Right Now, Young heads off for a quick wardrobe change before making his way back onstage for the inevitable encore. A breathtaking rendition of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill is up first and is quickly followed by a fresh reworking of debut number one hit Evergreen. We are then cleverly introduced to the band in song, with Young using a made-up rhyme for each member to the tune Hit The Road Jack. Current album hit Jealously is last up and shows Young's new edgy dance sound, arguably his best work to date. That brings the curtain down on a truly memorable evening. While some talent show winners, including Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward and Leon Jackson have disappeared, this shy lad turned pop prince showed why he's still here, 10 years on. Edited November 4, 201113 yr by truly talented
November 4, 201113 yr Author Ipswich Seems they couldn't wait to post. Will Young in concert at the Regent Ipswich: Stunning performance from pop idol Will Young at Regent Theatre Friday, November 4, 2011 10:23 PM Will Young, Ipswich Regent,Last night Incredible as it may seem velvet-voiced Will Young has been wowing crowds for almost a decade. Time flies when you are having such fun and for Will, 32, ten years have raced by as he’s bounced bopped on a glorious musical journey. Pop Idol 2002 winner Will last night thrilled a sell-out Ipswich crowd of more than 1,600 people. This was a musical super-show with hits and news songs combining in joyous harmony. I’m sure many in the crowd were close to tears as some of the words and music combined. This was Will’s first return to Suffolk since a celebrated Regent gig in 2008 - and, if anything, the passion of his fans has grown even stronger. The throng was on its feet from first number and danced and swayed through a 90-minute set. Will’s voice is the crowning glory but the musicianship of his eight-piece band has to be applauded. The band’s skills came shining through in a stunning cover of Come On Baby Light My Fire and Who Am I. But I couldn’t pinpoint a less than brilliant song all night, not a note out of place. Will remains a spellbinding spectacle, utterly at the top of his game and I’m sure all his fans would turn up every night if they could. A small team go to every tour date! After an hour or so Will changed shirt and donned a jacket for his final numbers and the wine-like voice seemed to transcend on to a higher plain. This veteran rocker still loves his powerhouse tracks but the pitch and passion in Will’s voice and the quality of the music melt all hearts, mine included. This was another fabulous Regent night! Come back soon, Will, you said you adore us but Ipswich truly loves you! Nigel Pickover http://www.eadt.co.uk/entertainment/music/...eatre_1_1118310 He couldn't be more complimentary if he tried. :w00t:
November 4, 201113 yr Ipswich Seems they couldn't wait to post. http://www.eadt.co.uk/entertainment/music/...eatre_1_1118310 He couldn't be more complimentary if he tried. :w00t: Isn't it a fantastic review Gill :cheer: :cheer: Roll on Newcastle :cheer: Hope my keyboard keeps on working during the tour :rofl: Love Di xxx
November 4, 201113 yr Author Isn't it a fantastic review Gill :cheer: :cheer: Roll on Newcastle :cheer: Hope my keyboard keeps on working during the tour :rofl: Love Di xxx Week tomorrow Di :dance:
November 5, 201113 yr What awesome reviews Will's getting and so thoroughly deserved, you can keep all your so-called flavour of the monthers, I'll stick with my solid 10 year man. :heart: Roll on next monday the 14th. :yahoo:
November 6, 201113 yr Excellent review by Electroqueer. Live Review: Will Young “The Echoes Tour” at The Regent, Ipswich November 4th 2011 By Mandy Rogers From the moment his band and backing singers first touched stage, dressed in Burberry macs taking up their positions via entering a free standing door set at mid-stage. The culminating arrival of Will Young additionally dressed with a navy beret looking very Frank Spencer, and with a tiny glint in his eye, you immediately sensed that the evening was going to turn into something memorable. As the band launched into the introduction of forthcoming single “Come On” - Will whipped off his mac and beret, and beckoned the crowd to their feet, which is where we remained throughout his 90 minute set. And what a show stopping set it was, featuring the bulk of his hit singles and showcasing a selection from his latest album “Echoes”. From the off-set a charismatic Will had his audience fully engaged with his silky soulful deliveries of new tracks “Come On”, “I Just Want A Lover” and “Hearts On Fire”, further pulling out all the stops with some truly sublime performances of “Changes”, “Your Game” and “Light My Fire” from his back catalogue. However, it was the poignant performances of “Outsider” with the spotlight turned directly upon Will, now seated watching a TV, back-dropped by a projection of the cartoon “Popeye” that tugged at our hearts. Leaving a silent audience fully absorbed. Further magic happened during Will’s faultless rendition of “Silent Valentine” that resulted in a cascading shower of red tissue paper hearts descending down upon the stage, that scored the nights first real touching WOW moment’s. Then after, once more, he draw gasps from his adoring audience on “Personal Thunder” as he leapt from the stage wandering freely amongst the swaying crowd, who by now were mostly balanced on tip-toes with necks craned so as not to miss a split nano-second. Mini me included! A personal highlight for me, came in the form of “You and I”, Will’s soaring vocals combined with the tracks overall euphoric ambience, reached in and hit my core, spot on. From goosebumps to buzzzin, as Will sent the venue shaking, fit to burst it’s walls with the Hot Gun raunchiness of “Switch It On”. All too soon the encore was upon us, falling to a cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” that saw a debut on Dermot O’Leary’s show on Radio 2. A real surprise choice in his Pop Idol winning debut single “Evergreen” that unlike its original incarnation, which I have never liked so much, had now undergone a beautiful transition and evolved into a spellbinding, touching ballad, showing off Will’s growing maturity as an artist. To an injection of humour as Will set about plugging his tour merchandise. Primarily one item that I had clocked whilst entering the venue, coincidently promising myself I would just have to buy before I left for home. This was done in a QVC style fashion with jingle accompaniment, and it was hilariously funny. To ending the night and sending his adoring fans back on their way back home on a rousing upbeat notes of “Jealousy”. It is impossible at times to remember that Will Young has been in the business now for 10 years, because all of his songs are of such a timeless quality that you’d think they were brand new. But Will IS this seasoned performer, who first touched our hearts through daring to challenge Simon Cowell’s comments on Pop Idol, and then went on to win it. However, now it is his complete package of talent, passion for his craft, together with charisma, sincerity and absolutely flawless performances that make him the star that he is now and will no question further propel him as a major artist that will be around for decades more – no doubt about it. There was a lot of love flowing in the Ipswich Regent last night and I happily took some of that away with me as I exited the venue, together with my favoured choice of kitsch souvenir tea-towel, adorned with a posed Will in his “Jealousy” lyrca cat suit firmly in my hand. I just can’t wait to tell all my friends that Will Young is in my kitchen doing my dishes! Will Young’s current album “Echoes” is now available through iTunes http://www.eqmusicblog.com/2011/11/live-re...r-4th-2011.html
November 7, 201113 yr Liverpool Echo GIG REVIEW: Will Young at the Liverpool Empire (GALLERY) by Jade Wright, Liverpool EchoNov 7 2011Add a comment Recommend inShare WHEN the X Factor judges ask if any of the contestants could sell albums, I have to admit that in most cases I'd say no. Years of watching reality TV competitions shows me that irrespective of their ready made Christmas number one single, even the winners of these shows fade into obscurity, stumbling from one reality show to the next in order to keep some kind of profile. So to see Will Young still selling out national tours 10 years on is testament to his extraordinary appeal. The Empire crowd whooped and whistled from start to finish, delighting in every song. More than that, they seemed to delight in him, calling to him in every quiet moment, proposing marriage and telling him they loved him. From the end of the first song, new single Come On, the crowd were on their feet. “Oh I'm so happy to be in Liverpool,” grinned Will, addressing the crowd with his childlike Alice in Wonderland delivery. “What is it about people here? they’re so friendly. You ask someone the time and ten minutes later you've got their life story.” From there it was on to a barrage of radio friendly hits – the pounding disco of Hearts Are On Fire, the plaintive Changes and sing-along funk of Your Game. He took a step back to the Pop Idol days with Light my Fire, the song that got him into the live finals of the show. For Silent Valentine, red heart confetti rained down on the stage, although not on the crowd (“They’d make me pay a clean-up fee” he explained, before playfully sprinkling some hearts over fans in the aisle). Ever the joker, he donned a curly wig and moustache for Who am I? and You and I, before powering into the bass-heavy George Michael-esque Switch It On. As he finished the main set with the quieter Leave Right Now, he had a backing group of thousands, as the soft hum of the crowd sang along with every word. An encore of Kate Bush’s Running Up that Hill, along with Evergreen and Jealousy, showed that in 10 years he’s built up an impressive body of work. However he was initially discovered, he’s gone on to prove that he is a genuine Pop Idol. Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-e.../#ixzz1d11c9XEC
November 8, 201113 yr Really great reviews. In particular loved the Ipswich ones. :cheer: I too would love to say Will Young's in my kitchen doing the dishes. :lol:
November 9, 201113 yr Oxford, another fab one. Will Young UK singer performing material from his recent 6th album Last week Will Young gave a faultless performance in the Oxford stop on his current UK tour. It has been 10 years since Will Young won Pop Idol; and, whilst many other TV talent show winners have come and gone, Will has an unquestionable talent as a vocalist and performer and with 3 No.1 albums he has carved out a credible musical career that has longevity and a wide demographic appeal. Will Young is touring his current album Echoes, and so many of the tracks on the new album were performed, such as the recent hits ‘Jealousy’ and ‘Come On’; the set also included several of his hits from the past decade, and one of the show’s highlights was an excellent cover of the Kate Bush song ‘Running Up That Hill’, not to mention his rendition of ‘Light My Fire’. Will demonstrated his expertise in stagecraft with an innate ability to be completely at ease with himself and his performance whilst engaging with his audience with sincerity and humour. The band, backing vocalists, staging, choreography, lighting, and sound all played their part in providing an excellent night of live music. Thoroughly recommended. http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/reviews/feature/6464/Will_Young
November 12, 201113 yr :D Will Young proves Pop Idol with Echoes of nudity Review: Where many other home-made popstars have faded, Will Young has prospered, bringing his latest number one album Echoes to town tonight. Will Young: Evergreen career ten years on Supporting one of reality television's biggest success stories in a sold-out O2 Academy, the pressure was intense for support act Jodie Marie tonight. With the audience a bit like a hareem, clutching bated screams in their throats, the 20 year old from Wales managed to captivate with her old soul, taking their minds off the guy candy long enough to avoid hospitalisation. Meek and mild in character with a vocal beyond her years, Jodie Marie is simplistic, much like her name, but sings from an infusion of old broken hearts and hints of the deep South, to warm the crowd gently for the entry of that delightful chap, Will Young. Dressed in a uniform of macs, the band tonight enter via a solitary doorway centre of stage not dissimilar to that of Downing Street. Taking their place on cubes of panelled risers, the last man through the door gets the biggest cheer of them all, his spindly legs delivering him front of house for new single Come On. The down-tempo electro track has fans on board from the 32 year old's first line, his distinct vocal soaring above the uplifting instrumental foundations. Will has all the likeability you could hope for and ends the track by jumping around the stage, all four limbs swinging in opposite directions, like an excited toddler screaming "Glasgow" ever so politely. Having released his third number 1 studio album in August, a decade in the spotlight has not seen the star fade. Performing with a five- piece band and three backing vocalists, the Jools Holland setup suits his sharp, charismatic show. Known for his acting as well as his music, the endearingly lanky star plays up to the screaming crowd in Changes. Not sure whether they want to mother him or turn him, he's happy to perform to please, clumsily scaling the drum riser to the slap bass of super-funky Your Game. Relaxed and seemingly ad-libing, a valiant attempt at the highland fling leads to a game. Teasing the audience, Will reveals he bought three items from an antiques shop and if the crowd can guess which was most expensive, he'll remove his shirt. Leaving that thought brewing a jazz lounge rework of early single Light My Fire leads to the first big sing-a-long of the night before Mr Young delves back into his acting career. Seated and fixated on a vintage tv screen, melancholy track Outsider is a glorious Kate Bush-esque track, though much of the Friday night crowd failed to appreciate it, chattering throughout. Keeping sombre Silent Valentine is performed similarly before thawing to a volume swell upon the descent of red paper hearts from the ceiling. Leave Right Now closes the set with another mass sing-a-long, though it's the encore that really lights fans' fire this evening. Beginning with a stunningly spacious cover of Running Up That Hill, Will Young's enigmatic vocal lends itself to the bewitching track. The acoustic Evergreen which follows then pleases fans that have been there from the very start. Back to his charming antics, the showman introduces his spectacular band by adding his very own on the spot little ditties to Hit The Road Jack. A natural comedian, Young sticks to his word from the beginning of the show and his shirt is thrown to the floor for a topless rendition of glitzy electro single Jealousy, the last track of the night. With the Echoes of his success resonating tonight, Will Young proves there's certainly one Pop Idol left standing. With that victory it's no wonder he had his top off. http://entertainment.stv.tv/music/278757-w...hoes-of-nudity/
November 12, 201113 yr Extreme Close up! :wub: KennyMathiesonKenny Mathieson Singer Will Young at the O2 Academy in Glasgow last night, correctly identifying the only photographer in the pit! :-) http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennymathieson/6337220320/
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