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For
the week beginning 24th May 1999.
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the Boyz arrive on stage at the N.E.C. in Birmingham on Wednesday. |
The Boyz played two nights at the NEC in Birmingham Here are some of the photos taken at the gig, showing the twenty foot high video wall used so even those right at the back could scream when Stephen looked into the camera! |
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The Boyz
were given a hero's welcome on their return to their hometown of Dublin
this weekend. The band are midway through a European and UK tour, and
stopped off in Dublin for a massive international press conference to
launch their Greatest Hits album 'By Request', and to celebrate their
massive, open air, sold out show at the RDS.
| The day started with a press conference at the historic Dublin Castle attended by media from all around the world, including the Irish premier Bertie Ahern and his two daughters.After a short introduction the group took the stage and fielded questions from Korea, Holland, Singapore, Germany- basically everywhere on the planet. An interesting question about architecture and how it relates to Boyzone was thrown in Keith's direction as he studied architecture at one point. BP Fallon, (who had the loudest suit in the hall if not Ireland) was mentioned, as he has written a book on the group to mark the release of their 'By Request album'. |
| After the conference Ronan, Mikey, Keith, Shane and Stephen left for their sound check at the massive RDS stadium, where they were due to play in front of 30,000 people later that evening. As the day drew on and the crowds filed into the grounds, the tension mounted-and by the time Westlife took the stage the audience were really ready to hear live music. Backstage it was all frantic last minute activity as last minute musical adjustments were made and friends like Emma Bunton were introduced to the band. Emma was visiting Ronan and his wife Yvonne for the weekend. As darkness fell, and the big screens were switched on, the level of anticipation amongst the young crowd rose. Luckily the rain held off. |
| The band, true to form - as always - played solidly through their back catalogue of instantly recognisable songs. Like old friends coming round for tea their songs are as friendly to the ears as the good-looking band are to the eyes. Favourites with the audience seemed to be 'A Different Beat', to which the audience delighted in copying the bands dance. 'No Matter What' was sung along to by the crowd, and Ronan's 'When You Say Nothing At All' saw the crowd swaying in time with each other. If Boyzone are one big family then the audience are definitely an extension of that. |
| Afterwards the band arrived at the nearby concert hall for a spectacular party that featured dancers in cages, 'Massive Boyzone Heeds' - as seen on TFI Friday. There were also monsters and loads and loads of free Guinness! After the show the band went for dinner (and possibly to bed) before heading for the airport the following morning. From there they took a private flight to Modena in Italy, where they were due to perform at a concert for Pavarotti's Warchild charity, alongside Mariah Carey and other big stars. Twenty four hours in the life of the only group to have two UK number ones was pretty hectic, and we were only in June...just! |