Can it really be 20 years since Will Young won Pop Idol and began the journey that has seen him deliver numerous hit records, stage and screen and entertain millions around the world?
Well, here we are at the sold-out Pavilion Theater in Bournemouth all these years later and Will proves that the voice that started it all is still as distinctive and moving as ever.
As the lights went out, a voice clip of the soft tones of Simon Cowell critiquing one of Evergreen’s Will’s Pop Idol performances played over the PA system before he took the stage resplendent in pants , a bright white jacket and shirt.
Accompanied by two excellent backing vocalists and a five-piece band who performed flawlessly throughout the concert, Will delivered an almost flawless performance to the delight of the crowd.
The set list included songs spanning the entire 20-year career, from soul and dance to pure pop songs.
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It’s easy to forget how many great hits he’s had over the years, from Grace to Old Time Love, Evergreen and many more – and tonight was a celebration of some well-deserved success in an industry that can seeing artists be number one and then disappear a few months later.
Will has a laid-back stage presence that really creates a relaxed atmosphere and removes that distance between the crowd and the people on stage, making for an intimate concert that the crowd loved every minute of.
Will engages with the crowd throughout the show, including his need for a mid-run comfort break which may have been a bit of oversharing and a story with a number of strands which, although than entertaining, lasted a bit long, but that could be forgiven as it was followed by the wonderful Old Time Love.
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One of my favorite moments was a moving version of Changes that could have come straight out of Philadelphia or Detroit in the Motown years.
A special mention must go to the three crew members seated aft who take care of the sound and light desks. The light show was perfect and while many gigs I go to are too loud, too bass or treble, the sound tonight was absolutely perfect.
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The evening ended as it should with a wonderful version of my favorite Will Young song, Leave Right Now.
With no encores to follow, it was the perfect end to a wonderful evening of pure entertainment.
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