Blue - Bring it on loud with a 'Roulette' of songs!

October 25th 2013

Oxford, o2 Academy, UK

*****

Take That better watch out because 2014 is going to be a Blue year!

Blue ***** were giants in the Pop industry for years with the band even representing the United Kingdom in the Eurovision song contest with a song called 'I Can' and they most definitely can now because they boys are right back on track and at their best again. The Blue boys have not released an album in years and people have wondered if their is still interest in the band, but after they joined the Big Reunion show this year their was no doubt that people still loved the band.

Their was still quite a few doubters that wondered how they could Sell Out a whole UK tour so quickly, Some dates Sold Out in seconds and extra dates were added to the tour to meet demand. Well I think these Sold Out dates were a result of their great new album 'Roulette', which is a see's the band back on top form and I think maybe is their best to date. On this tour Blue are showcasing loads of songs off this album to the delight of all their fans that have been waiting for new material for years.

They open the show with one of these great new tracks 'We've got Tonight' which already the fans seem to know all the words to, they look and sound like they never gone away and the dance moves are better than they have ever been. Tonight's show is a really stripped back one with a live band and only a minimum of lights, not like the big shows they did when they were last on the scene. They continue with 'Bubblin'' off their 'Guilty' album a song that I never was a big fan of it before they break into great versions of the singles 'Fly By' and 'Too Close' which are greeted like the old friends they are.

'Too Close' was originally recorded by the R&B band Next and was a big hit in America for them, but Blue really made it their own in the UK and now more people in this country know this song as a Blue song. While these songs are going on and I am taking pictures Antony is making me laugh loads with pranks and I think this is some of the appeal about Blue, they are good fun loving guys and friendly to everyone they meet and I think this is also why they are still so popular.

'Little black Box' is one of the best songs off the new album and the band joke about it being about rude things before they break into it, so their is laughs all round which are continued on one of the bands more ridiculous songs 'You make me Wanna'. Both these songs give the concert a good relaxing friendly atmosphere.

They then delight you with two songs of their latest album before they take you back to the past with their cover of the Stevie Wonder song 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' which is really enjoyed by the older generation in attendance who remembered the song the first time around. They also great the bands cover of 'Sorry seems to be the hardest Word' with the same appreciation, it still seems unbelievable that they actual dueted with Sir Elton John on this track and took it all the way to number one back in 2002. This must have been one of the highlights for Blue in their whole career.

This blast from the past is followed by another one of the bands early singles 'If you come Back' which is a great Pop song and still has the impact it always did and then the sexiest moment in the evening show is an amazing version of 'Break me Down' which is very sexual and seductive and of a very high standard, this songs reminds me of American R&B songs of the 90's and is one of my personal highlights of the bands performance.

This song really takes me back to the sound I listened to when I was a lot younger and it's great how Blue have recreated it on their new album 'Roulette'. The band seem to know how to mix the set up with slow numbers to up tempo numbers and mixing up the songs from all their albums while still showcasing their new material some of which had Dance beats that got everyone up on their feet or real meaning like 'Hurt Lovers' which was one of the bands first singles off 'Roulette'.

They also can suddenly put in a really catchy number to their set like the new song 'Break my Heart' and the big hit 'One Love' which gets everyone throwing their finger in the air and no it's not their middle finger this song is about love, having only one person that is right for you. This song brings the main set to a close and you realise that Blue are going to finally be back at the top of their game again and will be joining the likes of Take That, One Direction and The Wanted in Sold Out arena tours soon.

The encore is for me very good with them playing two of my favourite Blue songs, the anthem Esq. beautiful 'Breathe Easy' which is just breath taking and 'All Rise' the song that probably took Blue to stardom in the Pop World and started off their journey. If you have not seen one of the Blue shows on their comeback tour you really missed out and make sure you catch them when they tour in 2014 it's well worth it.

Brilliant Pop show by the boys!!! even though at time the sound levels in the smaller venues that the band have been playing in has been a little too loud, with the musicians sometimes drowning out some of the vocals. This is also not helped by the screaming of all the girls in the audience, some of which should have known better being in their mid to late thirties or older! but then again this is Blue.

Blue - Setlist
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We've got Tonight
Bubblin'
Fly By
Too Close
AYO
Little black Box
You make me Wanna
Sing for Me
Paradise
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Homs
Sorry seems to be the hardest Word
If you come Back
Broken
Break you Down
Hurt Lovers
Break my Heart
One Love
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Breathe Easy
All Rise