Friday's Child - Arena Tour
Set-List
Friday's Child
Out Of My Mind
Love Is A Matter Of Distance
Light My Fire
Very Kind
Save Yourself
Dance The Night Away
I Love You More Then You Will Ever Know
Free
Evergreen
Over You
Stronger
Love The One You're With
Leave Right Now
In The Stone
You and I
Your Game
Also Performed
Eye Of The Tiger (27/11/04)
Manchester Evening News - Source
Whatever happened to Gareth Gates? The pop pixie's career seemed to last all of a few hours (and that's generously not including the clocks going forward). He was pipped to the winner's podium of Pop Idol by Will Young - who filled the venue last night. Will has clung on to his 15 minutes of fame for nearly three years now. He's the archetypal "boy you can take home to meet mother"; a sexily sexless pop star. As unthreatening as Kylie pre-Michael Hutchence.
However, judging by the lusting screams and wolf-whistles of the (mainly female) audience, he definitely has it. Will enters to the soaring funk of Friday's Child, the titular track of his current album that Jay Kay would sacrifice his extensive Dodgy Hat Collection for. Followed by an entourage of dancers, he wears a bowler reminiscent of Goldfinger's Oddjob.
Thankfully, he doesn't decapitate an audience member, although it would make a damn good encore. There's plenty of nice-touch set-pieces (based round the theme of a theatre). Musically, Will is a class act. Tracks such as the gospelly Your Game and the sinuous and tender Very Kind bristle with sheer funkiness.
Suaveness
His voice, charged with soul suaveness, reclaims possible non-runners like Westlife cast-off Evergreen and Light My Fire. We get a new song, "about a person trapped in a situation and unable to get out of it". As ever, there's some ballady filler - usually signified by the dancers totally disappearing.
Frustratingly though, the chap doesn't seem entirely aware of his own dynamism. Put it down to being the opening of his first Arena tour, but you'd get better banter from a speak your weight machine. Interviews reveal him to be charming, charismatic and above all, funny. Use it, kid!
If only Elton John or Robbie carried a donor card allowing doctors to transplant chutzpah, Will would be laughing all the way to competing internationally. There's a choreography-riot to end the show, and no encore. He should have thrown the hat.
David Smyth - Evening Standard - Source
Wembley
The career trajectory of other TV talent show successes such as Hear'Say, Michelle McManus and Gareth Gates suggests that the experience is akin to being shoved out of a hot air balloon wearing concrete boots.
Will Young's continued popularity since winning the first Pop Idol contest, however, implies that allowing the public to choose their own stars wasn't such a bad idea after all. His second album, Friday's Child, has sold more copies in the UK than anyone but Dido over the past 12 months.
While his rival Gates briefly became a puppy substitute for fickle nine-year-olds, Young, like Westlife, has tapped into a far more faithful market - their mums. The absence of glowing, flashing tat in the audience at last night's concert proved that his is a more mature fan base, albeit one still almost entirely female.
Young often gives the impression that his music has outgrown the pop world, too, covering songs by Donny Hathaway and the Isley Brothers, and airing a video montage of himself to the sound of Sam and Dave's Soul Man before his entrance. Nevertheless, while he could have spent the entire show dewy-eyed beside a grand piano, there were plenty of pop touches here, including streamers and dancers in complicated underwear. He even managed a few costume changes, although he wound up in a trilby, smart shirt and trousers every time.
Initially, the fussiness of the stage show meant that his fine singing was drowned out by the nine musicians, four backing singers, eight dancers and jazzy visuals on five screens. When things calmed down later, on ballads including Stronger and a pretty new one, Save Yourself, his fluid voice had the space to meander at leisure around the notes.
True star quality continues to elude him, but since his 2002 emergence the songs have got better and better. He will not fall to earth for a long time yet.
musicOMH.com - Source
Before we begin it’s probably worth noting that the last time I made the trek up to the atmosphere-free aircraft hanger that is Wembley Arena it was to see Radiohead, so I’m hardly a typical Will Young fan.
I had rather fixed ideas about who would be though: I was expecting a crowd full of squealing teenage girls, middle-aged mums who think he’s “lovely” and, of course, a sizeable gay contingent. And though all these groups were certainly present, so were coupley mid-thirties types, families, and hordes of excitable women: a true cross-section. Whatever you want to say about Will, it’s clear that he’s surpassed his TV talent show survivor status in a way none of his Pop Idol peers can come close to.
The evening opened with Friday’s Child, the title track from Young’s second album, which most critics seemed to agree had a certain soulful edge. Initially appearing in silhouette, a trilby-sporting Will slinked down the stairs flanked by a troupe of dancers. Surrounded by capable session musicians and backing singers with considerable vocal clout, this number set the tone for the rest of the night: slick production, sharp choreography, a backdrop that was all red velvet and starscape lighting. Young’s dimples projected on a series of large screens much to the delight of a good chunk of the audience, both male and female, who sighed with contentment every time he smiled.
The bigger, glitzier numbers worked best, employing Latin beats and mellow melodies; an impeccably dressed Young gliding about the stage in a Justin Timberlake fashion. This is the kind of thing he excels at. Love the One You’re With had the whole arena on their feet and even drippy Pop Idol ballad Evergreen was given a rather funky reworking.
Recent single Leave Right Now was rather flat in comparison and marooned in the spotlight for the more low-key numbers he did tend to flounder slightly. As for his voice, well, while it is strong and tuneful, it’s occasionally prone to a nasal shrillness that can grate (and, I’m sorry, but his version of Light My Fire is still completely indefensible). Not that anyone minded much, even his endearingly inept between-song banter was met with much whistling and whoops of “We love you, Will!” The audience were here to see Young do his thing and he gave them exactly what they wanted: cute, clean-cut and charming throughout. At one point, as he got down on his hands and knees and crawled flirtatiously to the edge of the stage, an audible orgasmic flutter went through the crowd and this chilly, sticky hall in grubby North London suddenly felt like quite a cool place to be.
Daily Mail
The setting was closer to a west End musical than a pop concert- with dancers streamers and a backdrop of 30's Manhattan. But beneath the Tinseltown Glitz Will Young used the 3rd show of his debut arena tour to reiterate his credentials as a Pop Idol with staying power. There were times when Young's sweetly expressive voice was overshadowed by the size of his 18 piece band and the dynamic moves of the 8 dancers.
The bigger stages needed plenty of dressing but this concert lacked some of the warmth that came with the Summer tour. That said he overcame a natural reticence to impose himself on a polished set that leant heavily on last years Friday's Child album whilst throwing in a few twists and turns. Unlike most of the Pop Idol crew who can hold a note but not much else - Young can really sing. He puts genuine feeling into his better songs and strayed from the recorded versions of his older hits.
In his banter the clean cut star was engagingly dippy. He regularly forgot which number was supposed to come next and repeatedly threatened to tell a rude joke which never materialized. As he walked away from the microphone he revealed a self-deprecating streak with a comedy stumble. But his fans mainly women of all ages, had come primarily to hear his voice and they were not disappointed. Stronger and Leave Right Now were sung with real commitment Love Is A Matter Of Distance was infused with a funky flair and even the mawkish EG was given a makeover. Wills instincts are leading him increasingly towards smooth jazz and soul. He excelled on a cover of Donny Hathaway's I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know and a supped up take on the Temptations hit, Papa Was A Rolling Stone.
He also sang a new song- Save Yourself - "Its good to write when you are feeling confident" he said. Young takes his show to Newcastle tonight and Manchester on Sunday before visiting Birmingham, Nottingham, Cardiff, Brighton Belfast and Glasgow. He then returns to the studio to finish his 3rd album
Among his collaborators are Eg White the man behind Leave Right Now and Anglo-Indian producer Nitan Sawhney. The journey from PI puppet to credible crooner continues.
Newcastle Journal
Will Young bounced on stage last night at Newcastle Arena to a crowd eager to see the boy next door Pop Idol prodigy in action. For the first few minutes though the gig was like something out of the Thomas Crown Affair. An ensemble of dancers trouped on stage all dressed in the same black suits and bowler hats.
Spotting Will Young was like playing a game of Where's Wally? But then he appeared out of the dancers, touching his hat like a young Michael Jackson, holding a pose like a dancer out of Madonna's Vogue and burst into Friday's Child, the title song from his latest album.
It was not hard to miss Will on stage, his choreographer made sure of that. His numbers flowed and he jumped about with an energy even Robbie Williams couldn't match. Will gave the audience exactly what they wanted. A couple of Elvis shakes and some sensual Latin hip jives and the crowd of mainly late twenties to early thirties women were screaming like pre-pubescent schoolgirls at a Take That concert.
The night had all the theatrical awe of a carefully crafted London catwalk. Will waltzed about on stage, his dancers minxing behind him. He took the audience exactly where they wanted with jazzed-up versions of Light My Fire and Evergreen. They held their mobiles up to the stage and sang down their phones like it was one of the most touching things that had happened to them this year. Their excitement was ignited when Will exclaimed that the Newcastle crowd had given him and his band the best reception they had ever had.
At times Will ad-libbed to the point of sounding like a frightful version of Mariah Carey with his "no, no's" and "mm mm's" at every bridge. His little ramblings between songs risked the arrogance of Madonna. But however people chose to criticise Will as a manufactured Pop Idol, last night proved he really has star quality to take a song and make it his own. He has every right to be confident with himself.
He sang like a man with the passion not just for winning a reality TV show but the hearts of people who flock to see him. Their standing ovation was testimony to that.
Sheffield Star
He may be the most successful act to come out of Pop Idol but Will Young has left the TV show that discovered him so far behind it seems almost an insult to mention it. He always was a cut above the other contestants whose careers have already floundered but these days Will sings and performs like a superstar.
His sell out concert at Sheffield Hallam Arena last night was a masterpiece funky, soul jazz singing combined with nifty dancing (and trilby hats) to take on Justin Timberlake. And a stunning stage set with moving video screens to rival even Madonna. The show began with Fridays Child the title track from his current album. Images of bathing belles dived out of the screens in front of an opulent red velvet curtain aglow with dimmed golden lighting. Will – dressed in a succession of hats, pin striped shirts and casually flung braces – was joined by Moulin Rouge style dancers in basques, garters and fishnet stockings. The whole show had a classy, vintage, silver screen feel – much more of a theatrical performance than a mere pop concert.
The images on the screens were magical – an angel swaying on a rope swing, the earth revolving in space, a staircase leading into infinity; a galaxy of glittering constellations; earthy, Cuban colours straight out of the Buena Vista Social Club. Will sang and danced in front of a curved six segmented mirror until the ‘mirror’ turned out to be another video screen and his ‘reflection’ danced by itself. He hit every note with an effortless style that made being an award winning, record breaking, critically acclaimed artist sound easy. ‘They call this work, its not really’, he admitted.
The material concentrated mostly on his current album he performed all 11 of the songs but it also featured hits from his first. His debut single, Evergreen, was treated to an updated re-working and Light My Fire, which Simon Cowell famously unfathomably canned as ‘average’ crackled.
The slower, more intimate songs, Leave Right Now and Love is a Matter of Distance showcased Will’s pure, spine tingling vocals, while the vibrant up tempo Love The One You’re With, Dance The Night Away and Your Game has the whole Arena on its feet. Will has a universal appeal the audience spanned junior children to mums and dads to grannies. Much of that is surely due to his sheer ‘niceness’ and vulnerability never more so than when his trouser zipper broke mid concert and one eagle eyed fan informed him ‘Your flies are open’. Even after two hours of cute sexy hip wiggling you still want to take Will home for a big hug and a cup of tea.
But mostly his huge fan base is thanks to his natural talent. Will has an amazing unique voice, an ability to make every song his own and a flair for performing live. The show closed like a carnival with coloured streamers bursting from the ceiling as Will danced on the T Shape stage.
Birmingham Evening Mail
Sheer Will Power
Will Mania hit Birmingham as the original pop idol made his long-awaited return to the stage. Thousands of screaming fans welcomed Will Young like a prodigal son as he returned to the NEC Arena after a two year absence. On that occasion, Will was a member of the Pop Idol tour which followed the end of the television series' search for a star. But this was the Pop Idol winner in all his individual glory, with a strong soul, jazz and funk style very much present in his music.
Will, accompanied by a troupe of eight dancers and an outstanding backing band, was into his stride from the off, performing the title track from his recent Friday's Child album. The cheers grew loudest as Will, sporting a snazzy style in headgear, made use of the stage extension which took him into the heart of his adoring fans.
Will, on only the second date of his new UK tour, said it was a "pleasure and great fun" to be back in Birmingham before reeling off a string of favourite songs. Other offerings from the Friday's Child album included the funky Dance the Night Away and the gentler, laid back sound of Love is a Matter of Distance. And there was a new song for fans, the soulful Save Yourself, resulting from Will's time spent in the studio. But it was the big hits which really got the fans joining in on a mass singalong, in particular debut single Evergreen and the follow-up Light My Fire.
Sunday Mirror
The curse of TV talent shows may have already claimed Michelle McManus and David Sneddon (remember him?) but Will Young is living proof a star can emerge from the process. Two albums in, Will has left his Pop Idol days long behind him and his current UK tour includes three dates at the top venue of Wembley.
By anyone's reckoning, the boy has done good. Typically though, it's not Will's style to throw a flash celebration of his great year. He'd rather stick to what he's good at. In a bowler hat, red cravat and braces - OK, so he's not exactly the snappiest dresser in pop - he spent much of the night I saw him facing the crowd behind his microphone with just his band for company, effortlessly reminding everyone why they voted for him on Pop Idol.
While his occasional dance routine is entertaining enough it's his voice that is really faultless, particularly in his jazz-tinged rendition of Light My fire and slow numbers like Evergreen. Unfortunately, Will was not quite as slick when he spoke to the crowd between songs and it was hard not to cringe as he politely bid us good evening, told us helpfully the next song was "a very sad one" and for some reason gave us a whole four songs notice to sing happy birthday to a backing singer.
But while spontaneity may not be Will's strong point, he only has to start singing and this enthusiastic crowd is utterly charmed. Just spare us the conversation next time, Will.
Friday's Child
Out Of My Mind
Love Is A Matter Of Distance
Light My Fire
Very Kind
Save Yourself
Dance The Night Away
I Love You More Then You Will Ever Know
Free
Evergreen
Over You
Stronger
Love The One You're With
Leave Right Now
In The Stone
You and I
Your Game
Also Performed
Eye Of The Tiger (27/11/04)
Manchester Evening News - Source
Whatever happened to Gareth Gates? The pop pixie's career seemed to last all of a few hours (and that's generously not including the clocks going forward). He was pipped to the winner's podium of Pop Idol by Will Young - who filled the venue last night. Will has clung on to his 15 minutes of fame for nearly three years now. He's the archetypal "boy you can take home to meet mother"; a sexily sexless pop star. As unthreatening as Kylie pre-Michael Hutchence.
However, judging by the lusting screams and wolf-whistles of the (mainly female) audience, he definitely has it. Will enters to the soaring funk of Friday's Child, the titular track of his current album that Jay Kay would sacrifice his extensive Dodgy Hat Collection for. Followed by an entourage of dancers, he wears a bowler reminiscent of Goldfinger's Oddjob.
Thankfully, he doesn't decapitate an audience member, although it would make a damn good encore. There's plenty of nice-touch set-pieces (based round the theme of a theatre). Musically, Will is a class act. Tracks such as the gospelly Your Game and the sinuous and tender Very Kind bristle with sheer funkiness.
Suaveness
His voice, charged with soul suaveness, reclaims possible non-runners like Westlife cast-off Evergreen and Light My Fire. We get a new song, "about a person trapped in a situation and unable to get out of it". As ever, there's some ballady filler - usually signified by the dancers totally disappearing.
Frustratingly though, the chap doesn't seem entirely aware of his own dynamism. Put it down to being the opening of his first Arena tour, but you'd get better banter from a speak your weight machine. Interviews reveal him to be charming, charismatic and above all, funny. Use it, kid!
If only Elton John or Robbie carried a donor card allowing doctors to transplant chutzpah, Will would be laughing all the way to competing internationally. There's a choreography-riot to end the show, and no encore. He should have thrown the hat.
David Smyth - Evening Standard - Source
Wembley
The career trajectory of other TV talent show successes such as Hear'Say, Michelle McManus and Gareth Gates suggests that the experience is akin to being shoved out of a hot air balloon wearing concrete boots.
Will Young's continued popularity since winning the first Pop Idol contest, however, implies that allowing the public to choose their own stars wasn't such a bad idea after all. His second album, Friday's Child, has sold more copies in the UK than anyone but Dido over the past 12 months.
While his rival Gates briefly became a puppy substitute for fickle nine-year-olds, Young, like Westlife, has tapped into a far more faithful market - their mums. The absence of glowing, flashing tat in the audience at last night's concert proved that his is a more mature fan base, albeit one still almost entirely female.
Young often gives the impression that his music has outgrown the pop world, too, covering songs by Donny Hathaway and the Isley Brothers, and airing a video montage of himself to the sound of Sam and Dave's Soul Man before his entrance. Nevertheless, while he could have spent the entire show dewy-eyed beside a grand piano, there were plenty of pop touches here, including streamers and dancers in complicated underwear. He even managed a few costume changes, although he wound up in a trilby, smart shirt and trousers every time.
Initially, the fussiness of the stage show meant that his fine singing was drowned out by the nine musicians, four backing singers, eight dancers and jazzy visuals on five screens. When things calmed down later, on ballads including Stronger and a pretty new one, Save Yourself, his fluid voice had the space to meander at leisure around the notes.
True star quality continues to elude him, but since his 2002 emergence the songs have got better and better. He will not fall to earth for a long time yet.
musicOMH.com - Source
Before we begin it’s probably worth noting that the last time I made the trek up to the atmosphere-free aircraft hanger that is Wembley Arena it was to see Radiohead, so I’m hardly a typical Will Young fan.
I had rather fixed ideas about who would be though: I was expecting a crowd full of squealing teenage girls, middle-aged mums who think he’s “lovely” and, of course, a sizeable gay contingent. And though all these groups were certainly present, so were coupley mid-thirties types, families, and hordes of excitable women: a true cross-section. Whatever you want to say about Will, it’s clear that he’s surpassed his TV talent show survivor status in a way none of his Pop Idol peers can come close to.
The evening opened with Friday’s Child, the title track from Young’s second album, which most critics seemed to agree had a certain soulful edge. Initially appearing in silhouette, a trilby-sporting Will slinked down the stairs flanked by a troupe of dancers. Surrounded by capable session musicians and backing singers with considerable vocal clout, this number set the tone for the rest of the night: slick production, sharp choreography, a backdrop that was all red velvet and starscape lighting. Young’s dimples projected on a series of large screens much to the delight of a good chunk of the audience, both male and female, who sighed with contentment every time he smiled.
The bigger, glitzier numbers worked best, employing Latin beats and mellow melodies; an impeccably dressed Young gliding about the stage in a Justin Timberlake fashion. This is the kind of thing he excels at. Love the One You’re With had the whole arena on their feet and even drippy Pop Idol ballad Evergreen was given a rather funky reworking.
Recent single Leave Right Now was rather flat in comparison and marooned in the spotlight for the more low-key numbers he did tend to flounder slightly. As for his voice, well, while it is strong and tuneful, it’s occasionally prone to a nasal shrillness that can grate (and, I’m sorry, but his version of Light My Fire is still completely indefensible). Not that anyone minded much, even his endearingly inept between-song banter was met with much whistling and whoops of “We love you, Will!” The audience were here to see Young do his thing and he gave them exactly what they wanted: cute, clean-cut and charming throughout. At one point, as he got down on his hands and knees and crawled flirtatiously to the edge of the stage, an audible orgasmic flutter went through the crowd and this chilly, sticky hall in grubby North London suddenly felt like quite a cool place to be.
Daily Mail
The setting was closer to a west End musical than a pop concert- with dancers streamers and a backdrop of 30's Manhattan. But beneath the Tinseltown Glitz Will Young used the 3rd show of his debut arena tour to reiterate his credentials as a Pop Idol with staying power. There were times when Young's sweetly expressive voice was overshadowed by the size of his 18 piece band and the dynamic moves of the 8 dancers.
The bigger stages needed plenty of dressing but this concert lacked some of the warmth that came with the Summer tour. That said he overcame a natural reticence to impose himself on a polished set that leant heavily on last years Friday's Child album whilst throwing in a few twists and turns. Unlike most of the Pop Idol crew who can hold a note but not much else - Young can really sing. He puts genuine feeling into his better songs and strayed from the recorded versions of his older hits.
In his banter the clean cut star was engagingly dippy. He regularly forgot which number was supposed to come next and repeatedly threatened to tell a rude joke which never materialized. As he walked away from the microphone he revealed a self-deprecating streak with a comedy stumble. But his fans mainly women of all ages, had come primarily to hear his voice and they were not disappointed. Stronger and Leave Right Now were sung with real commitment Love Is A Matter Of Distance was infused with a funky flair and even the mawkish EG was given a makeover. Wills instincts are leading him increasingly towards smooth jazz and soul. He excelled on a cover of Donny Hathaway's I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know and a supped up take on the Temptations hit, Papa Was A Rolling Stone.
He also sang a new song- Save Yourself - "Its good to write when you are feeling confident" he said. Young takes his show to Newcastle tonight and Manchester on Sunday before visiting Birmingham, Nottingham, Cardiff, Brighton Belfast and Glasgow. He then returns to the studio to finish his 3rd album
Among his collaborators are Eg White the man behind Leave Right Now and Anglo-Indian producer Nitan Sawhney. The journey from PI puppet to credible crooner continues.
Newcastle Journal
Will Young bounced on stage last night at Newcastle Arena to a crowd eager to see the boy next door Pop Idol prodigy in action. For the first few minutes though the gig was like something out of the Thomas Crown Affair. An ensemble of dancers trouped on stage all dressed in the same black suits and bowler hats.
Spotting Will Young was like playing a game of Where's Wally? But then he appeared out of the dancers, touching his hat like a young Michael Jackson, holding a pose like a dancer out of Madonna's Vogue and burst into Friday's Child, the title song from his latest album.
It was not hard to miss Will on stage, his choreographer made sure of that. His numbers flowed and he jumped about with an energy even Robbie Williams couldn't match. Will gave the audience exactly what they wanted. A couple of Elvis shakes and some sensual Latin hip jives and the crowd of mainly late twenties to early thirties women were screaming like pre-pubescent schoolgirls at a Take That concert.
The night had all the theatrical awe of a carefully crafted London catwalk. Will waltzed about on stage, his dancers minxing behind him. He took the audience exactly where they wanted with jazzed-up versions of Light My Fire and Evergreen. They held their mobiles up to the stage and sang down their phones like it was one of the most touching things that had happened to them this year. Their excitement was ignited when Will exclaimed that the Newcastle crowd had given him and his band the best reception they had ever had.
At times Will ad-libbed to the point of sounding like a frightful version of Mariah Carey with his "no, no's" and "mm mm's" at every bridge. His little ramblings between songs risked the arrogance of Madonna. But however people chose to criticise Will as a manufactured Pop Idol, last night proved he really has star quality to take a song and make it his own. He has every right to be confident with himself.
He sang like a man with the passion not just for winning a reality TV show but the hearts of people who flock to see him. Their standing ovation was testimony to that.
Sheffield Star
He may be the most successful act to come out of Pop Idol but Will Young has left the TV show that discovered him so far behind it seems almost an insult to mention it. He always was a cut above the other contestants whose careers have already floundered but these days Will sings and performs like a superstar.
His sell out concert at Sheffield Hallam Arena last night was a masterpiece funky, soul jazz singing combined with nifty dancing (and trilby hats) to take on Justin Timberlake. And a stunning stage set with moving video screens to rival even Madonna. The show began with Fridays Child the title track from his current album. Images of bathing belles dived out of the screens in front of an opulent red velvet curtain aglow with dimmed golden lighting. Will – dressed in a succession of hats, pin striped shirts and casually flung braces – was joined by Moulin Rouge style dancers in basques, garters and fishnet stockings. The whole show had a classy, vintage, silver screen feel – much more of a theatrical performance than a mere pop concert.
The images on the screens were magical – an angel swaying on a rope swing, the earth revolving in space, a staircase leading into infinity; a galaxy of glittering constellations; earthy, Cuban colours straight out of the Buena Vista Social Club. Will sang and danced in front of a curved six segmented mirror until the ‘mirror’ turned out to be another video screen and his ‘reflection’ danced by itself. He hit every note with an effortless style that made being an award winning, record breaking, critically acclaimed artist sound easy. ‘They call this work, its not really’, he admitted.
The material concentrated mostly on his current album he performed all 11 of the songs but it also featured hits from his first. His debut single, Evergreen, was treated to an updated re-working and Light My Fire, which Simon Cowell famously unfathomably canned as ‘average’ crackled.
The slower, more intimate songs, Leave Right Now and Love is a Matter of Distance showcased Will’s pure, spine tingling vocals, while the vibrant up tempo Love The One You’re With, Dance The Night Away and Your Game has the whole Arena on its feet. Will has a universal appeal the audience spanned junior children to mums and dads to grannies. Much of that is surely due to his sheer ‘niceness’ and vulnerability never more so than when his trouser zipper broke mid concert and one eagle eyed fan informed him ‘Your flies are open’. Even after two hours of cute sexy hip wiggling you still want to take Will home for a big hug and a cup of tea.
But mostly his huge fan base is thanks to his natural talent. Will has an amazing unique voice, an ability to make every song his own and a flair for performing live. The show closed like a carnival with coloured streamers bursting from the ceiling as Will danced on the T Shape stage.
Birmingham Evening Mail
Sheer Will Power
Will Mania hit Birmingham as the original pop idol made his long-awaited return to the stage. Thousands of screaming fans welcomed Will Young like a prodigal son as he returned to the NEC Arena after a two year absence. On that occasion, Will was a member of the Pop Idol tour which followed the end of the television series' search for a star. But this was the Pop Idol winner in all his individual glory, with a strong soul, jazz and funk style very much present in his music.
Will, accompanied by a troupe of eight dancers and an outstanding backing band, was into his stride from the off, performing the title track from his recent Friday's Child album. The cheers grew loudest as Will, sporting a snazzy style in headgear, made use of the stage extension which took him into the heart of his adoring fans.
Will, on only the second date of his new UK tour, said it was a "pleasure and great fun" to be back in Birmingham before reeling off a string of favourite songs. Other offerings from the Friday's Child album included the funky Dance the Night Away and the gentler, laid back sound of Love is a Matter of Distance. And there was a new song for fans, the soulful Save Yourself, resulting from Will's time spent in the studio. But it was the big hits which really got the fans joining in on a mass singalong, in particular debut single Evergreen and the follow-up Light My Fire.
Sunday Mirror
The curse of TV talent shows may have already claimed Michelle McManus and David Sneddon (remember him?) but Will Young is living proof a star can emerge from the process. Two albums in, Will has left his Pop Idol days long behind him and his current UK tour includes three dates at the top venue of Wembley.
By anyone's reckoning, the boy has done good. Typically though, it's not Will's style to throw a flash celebration of his great year. He'd rather stick to what he's good at. In a bowler hat, red cravat and braces - OK, so he's not exactly the snappiest dresser in pop - he spent much of the night I saw him facing the crowd behind his microphone with just his band for company, effortlessly reminding everyone why they voted for him on Pop Idol.
While his occasional dance routine is entertaining enough it's his voice that is really faultless, particularly in his jazz-tinged rendition of Light My fire and slow numbers like Evergreen. Unfortunately, Will was not quite as slick when he spoke to the crowd between songs and it was hard not to cringe as he politely bid us good evening, told us helpfully the next song was "a very sad one" and for some reason gave us a whole four songs notice to sing happy birthday to a backing singer.
But while spontaneity may not be Will's strong point, he only has to start singing and this enthusiastic crowd is utterly charmed. Just spare us the conversation next time, Will.