Allison Maund reports from behind the scenes of the tour for Boyzone Magazine

Take a look at the review of the RDS gig from Siobh�n McMahon.

"Right, break for lunch - back in an hour!" boyzone production rehearsals for the long awaited Live by Request greatest hits tour have been in session for just 20 minutes. And Keith Duffy (the person responsible for this comedy catering call) is already up to mischief. The whole team is assembled on stage - the boys, musicians, dancers, various crew members sorting out last minute construction on the set, a choreographer called Shaun. And a show producer called Lou. Production rehearsals are the final practice stop before first night and it' s a busy scene. In the past few weeks, the boys, their dancers and musicians have been holed away in various secret locations working on what is set to be boyzone's biggest and most spectacular show to date. As you'd expect, being that it's the boys greatest hits show.

The boyzone brigade has landed in Brighton with full effect. It's a bank holiday weekend and Brighton front is awash with crowds, unaware that behind closed doors of Brighton Centre, Boyzone are hard at work. Well kind of. Ronan has jumped behind the wheel of a yellow forklift truck parked in front of the stage, attempting to start it's engine. Fortunately for him Lou drags him off before he has any success in that department. Mikey is sitting on the stairs in a New Radicals style hat, plonked over a set of personal headphones, in a world of his own.

Meanwhile, Shane is trying his hand at being a cameraman, before Ian the production manager summons him back onto the stage. Stephen is hiding out in the auditorium, tucked away under his baseball cap - and eventually, Shaun the choreographer is forced to admit defeat for a little while. "OK, take five minutes- then back to work"�

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Ronan and Stephen are standing in catering, bacon sandwiches in hand, laughing hysterically. The night before, French and Saunders performed a comedy boyzone sketch during their show - but far from being offended, the piece has received an official boyzone vote of approval, and the boys spending all day laughing about it. Rehearsals kick off early, as at this stage, time is precious. But even so, boyzone don't appear to be feeling the strain just yet. During Keith's rehearsals for Where Have You Been, Shane breaks into a comedy rock guitar playing session - while during a By Request run through. Ronan decides to rehearse a Blankety Blank Supermatch Game sketch instead�And later Duster lets off some steam with a mad bashing session on the drums.

The afternoon brings a final run through before dress rehearsals - and as tiredness begins to rear its comedy head, Mikey Graham's running about the stage doing his mentler impression, yelling, "I've lost it!".. at the top of his voice. Shanno, meanwhile seems to be taking everything in his stride, and chills out during dinner time by taking a bike ride on Brighton Pier with his mate Chris. The evening's dress rehearsal ends up postponed until the following morning , and is replaced with one final run through to iron out last minute hitches instead. During Love Me For A Reason - meant to be a grown up version so the boys can leave behind the original dance routine - the boys just can't help throwing in bits of the old moves anyhow, just for old times' sake.

At the end of the song, Shanno practices his special show chat the way that only Shanno can� "Tonks very much, you's are all rappid!" At last, when this final run through of the day is finished, the boys head straight to tour manager Mark for a post mortem�Ronan is keen to know the verdict. "So do we have a show?" Opening night will soon reveal all�

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"Come in if you're gorgeous!" Shane stands in boyzone's dressing room, having a pair of trousers hems altered. The long awaited dress rehearsal is all set to begin after lunch. Duffy has been distracted on his way down to change into the first outfit by trying on a selection of fancy trainers, which have been left inside the production office. Then he gets his hands on a can of spray mount being used to make up the props for the show's By Request section, and for a moment it seems like boyzone's dress rehearsal will have to commence one member down� But he makes it to the stage eventually - minus his trousers.

As a special surprise for the boys, security Chief Barrie has brought three fans from outside the venue to rehearse By Request - and as Duster leaps about in his pants, the trio look on with disbelief. When the first night arrives at last, boyzone gather on a staircase behind the stage, while dancers limber up around them, and everybody is hoping that their hard work of the previous two weeks will pay off. But as they leap into their familiar pre-show good luck hugging session, it' shard to imagine anything could possibly go wrong.

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After a familiar disaster free night, Wednesday dawns and finds Ronan ready to begin a filming session for Just For You, discussing the night before and telling Producer Jeff how much he loved the new version of Love Me For A Reason. On the horizon in the background is a very run down looking Brighton pier, while an aroma of fish and chips lingers in the air. Ronan's voice is suffering after four solid days of rehearsals, so vitamin c and hot honey and lemon are definitely the order of the day. And only 19 more shows still to go�

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Following a well needed day off, the boys have arrived in Scotland to play their longest run at the same venue. Outside their favourite Glasgow hotel, mayhem has broken out - fans have been gathering there for days, and extra security has had to be called in to control the chaos, when the boys arrive back after their runner from the venue following that night's show. Boyzone leave the venue looking particular cuddly in their brand new customised towelling robes - Shane heads on to the bus with his robe hood pulled right over his head, his trademark big boots poking out underneath. While Stephen is busy pointing out how fantastic having his name embroidered on the lapel, is to anyone whose listening.

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Mikey sits with boyzone backing vocalist Ian, Darae and Dianne inside a Fully Booked dressing room, discussing how many songwords were forgotten the night before. Next door the rest of boyzone are buttering bits of toast for breakfast like their lives depend on it, because it's a very early start for a show day. But Fully Booked presenter Tim Vincent was obviously impressed with their performance on the programme anyway, since he accepts their invitation to the show the same evening. Duster JR Jordan has arrived too, and is helping make his own special Access All Areas laminates when Ronan rushes in on a mission "If everyone coming to the gigs buys our single, " he declares "We'll have a number 1, I reckon"�

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This was the evening Ronan emerged out of the silver box at the start of the show at Newcastle Arena yelling, "Hello Glasgow!" He's still laughing about it as he heads onto the bus once the show's over, giggling "Goodnight everyone, sleep well�" Later Mikey sits in the hotel bar, tucking into a round of sandwiches and checking out the brand new issue of boyzone magazine. He's especially interested in the Mikey lookalike photo which appeared in Yourzone. "Just goes to show," he smiles "that there's hope for everybody!"

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Boyzone's tour bus pulls away from their Newcastle hotel, there are tears from a little girl who sits on a wall with her big sister to wave goodbye. Ronan has already been on the bus raiding crisps and biscuits - he's travelling in a smaller vehicle with baby Jack, and apparently the refreshments on his bus aren't quite up to the same standard. Meanwhile, Keith is celebrating his successful pop debut presenting the Pepsi Chart, and later at the venue receives faxes of congratulations from some big names in TV world who were more than impressed. But he doesn't have time to get too big headed about it, since he's too busy looking for his mobile phone - which eventually turns up hidden under a pile of towels in boyzone's dressing room.

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The boyz are No1 with You Needed Me, so it's quite appropriate that as has become the tradition, Wembley stadium is the boyzone family venue. Stephen's sister Michelle and Brother Tony are over, as are Keith's cousins, and Ronan's brothers and sister. They're sharing a very VIP guest list with the likes of Will Carling, Brian May, the B*Witched twins, and some of the All Saints girls, so the backstage bar is full to the brim. And Duster gives them all a show to remember later on when he unveils his special Irish flag underwear during Where Have You Been for the very first time.

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Outside boyzone's Manchester hotel the pavement is awash with fans - while the hotel foyer is brimming over with even more. The hotel staff rush around about trying to control the crowds, as at any moment a brand new bride is about to make her grand entrance. Later at the venue, just ten minutes before they're due to go on stage, the boys pose for photo's in the very unglamorous location of the local ice-hockey's team showers, for the special boyzone interview series which appeared in the Sun newspaper the following week. It's Jordan Duffy's last show before he returns home for a few days, so Keith asks him if he wants to join his Daddy on stage. His feelings are made more than obvious as he rushes off in the opposite direction at high speed�

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Following a full day of high speed entertainment at a special boyzone rally driving day out, when the boyzone bus pulls up outside their rambling Cardiff countryside hotel after the evening's show, they unintentionally manage to gatecrash yet another wedding reception. But in the end no harm's done- because luckily the new bride is just as fascinated by the boyz stepping out of their tour bus, as the big collection of fans waiting for them. Nobody finds out what the new husband reckoned to the whole situation, however�

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Stephen's busy showing off his band new Palm III organiser, and Barrie Knight is talking end of tour pranks. Since the final show in Dublin is being filmed for video. Birmingham will be playing host to an unofficial end of tour show, Dianne the backing vocalist is celebrating her birthday, and boyzone serenade her as she blows out her candles.

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The day of boyzone's ever-outdoor concert, and as you'd expected, its raining. But boyzone are undeterred. They've spent a whole morning playing host to the world's press at a special conference to launch their greatest hits album - because today in Dublin, its boyzone day. As Ronan heads off stage following a slightly damp soundcheck he's grinning ear from ear. "you don't get better than this!" he smiles And you don't really� That evening the rain holds off for boyzone as they play their best show of the tour to a 25,000 strong home crowd -and then take the whole night afterwards to celebrate six exciting in the music business. Ronan was right, you really don't get much better than this - but then, on the other hand, boyzone probably will. see also special feature