2003
Various gigs featuring Will in 2003..
Killerton 2003
'Will lights fans' fires!' - Sunday Independent
Express & Echo - Killerton
'The triumphant return of Exeter's adopted son, Will Young'
WILL'S SETLIST
Ticket To Love
Cruel To Be Kind
Love Struck
Dance The Night Away
Alibi Of Love
Roxanne
Over You
You and I - Acoustic with Joseph
Fields of Gold - Acoustic with Joseph
Light My Fire - Acoustic with Joseph
Time Enough
Lover Won't You Stay
Superstition
Evergreen
You And I
Pop idol sings to a cheering, screaming audience.
The triumphant return of Exeter's adopted son Will Young was hailed a success by the thousands of fans who enjoyed his performance last night. Pop Idol Will, accompanied by screaming and chanting from the crowd, sang to almost 6,000 people in the grounds of the Killerton Estate, near Exeter. The chart-topping singer's performance, the popular highlight to this year's Exeter Festival, was his first solo concert. And with the sunlight gently fading in the west, he showed a fresh side to his musical talent, singing some of his own songs - heard for the first time.
The biggest audience he had previously enjoyed in Devon was at the city's Barnfield Theatre when he took part in the musical Oklahoma, in front of 400 people. That was back in his Exeter University student days.
Last night, people had converged from all over the world to witness his developing talent. Well before Will arrived on stage, the fans were chanting the name of their idol. When he arrived on stage, Will opened with new song Ticket to Love. With his tight rhythmic band stirring up some soulful sounds more new songs followed, all in a similar jazzy pop style, including the up-tempo swing of Dance The Night Away and the slow ballad Alibi of Love. As the light receded, fans held aloft lighters, glow sticks and even wore flashing bunny ears, adding to the atmosphere.
In his second set, songs included an acoustic version of Fields Of Gold by Sting and Light My Fire by The Doors. The emphasis on covers continued with Superstition (Stevie Wonder) and a epic version of his biggest hit Evergreen. The encore You And I was equally spellbinding and delighted the, by now, ecstatic crowd.
Afterwards, Will declared the event a success. He said: "The first half was amazing and I when I went into the second half I did not think it could get any better but I was totally overwhelmed. The crowd was amazing."
Many fans had brought banners but one in particular caught Will's eye and after the show he invited the two people who made it backstage. Michaela Ford, 31, from Plymouth, was desperate to see Will live after following his progress from the Pop Idol days and came armed with a banner she had made proclaiming her and her friend's loyalty: "We Will If You Will". Michaela said: "Ever since we bought the tickets we wanted to make a banner and we were not sure what to put on it. A friend came up with it in the end. "We will remember meeting Will for the rest of our lives. He said he was really pleased to meet us and he hugged and kissed us. It was like a dream come true. He was the perfect gentleman. I will never forget it."
Rachael Tooze, 30, also from Plymouth, said: "We are just two housewives and this has been something absolutely special for us." Of his decision to meet his two lucky fans Will said: "When you're on stage one of the first things you see are the banners - so it's great when you see what an effort people have made. "It really makes you laugh when you're on stage when you see a really funny banner."
Support acts Streetheat and singer/songwriter Sarah Bennett also drew praise.
Among the queue of fans that stood waiting for the gates to open at 6pm to secure a place at the front were three teenagers from Exeter. Charlotte Howell, 15 - who was accompanied by her sister Stacey, 13, and friend Rachel Froud, 18 - said: "We got tickets straight away when we heard about the concert. I spent £20 voting for him on the phone when he was on Pop Idol. My favourite song is Evergreen. "He is just amazing and he used to live just down the road from us."
Her friend Rachel, who could go one better having actually met Will before he was famous, said: "I served him at his graduation ball. Even though he wasn't well know then, I still got to speak to him!" A fan who said Will and his music has helped her battle through ill-heath, Carol Popham, 59, from Essex, wore a T-shirt with a picture printed on it of when she and her granddaughter met Will at the Prince's Trust concert this year at Wembley.
Carol - one of many people at the concert who were members of the singer's Officially Devoted to Will Young' website - said: "Last year I was diagnosed with ME and suffered from depression and Will has helped me get through it. He is just superb and I love him to bits. I also suffer with nerves so it was really hard for me to be here today, but I'm so glad I did. Without him I wouldn't be here today."
Drew Crawford, 34, of Croydon, who was given tickets for his birthday last week said: "I really enjoyed the dance stuff. The Stevie Wonder number was brilliant. I thought the new stuff was good." He said it was good to know money from the concert was going to Positive Action South West - the Exeter-based AIDS awareness charity