RETURNING after their last concert in Malaysia in 2019, veteran pop group Westlife made a welcome comeback by taking us down memory lane with all of their best hits.
Westlife was formed in 1998 by Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, and Brian McFadden. They swiftly made an impact with their debut single Swear It Again. McFadden eventually left the group in 2004.
The most recent Westlife tour bears the name of the group’s most recent studio album, Wild Dreams. The two-day concert, which was organised by Trumpet International, took place on Feb 23 and 24, at 8.30pm at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
On the 23rd, I joined a crowd of more than 8,000 fans and had one of the happiest days of my life. Enthusiastic fans filled the stadium to watch the Irish boy band play live. There were loud and distinct yells and cheers. A young and gifted Malaysian singer named Daniel Chuer gave the opening performance of the show, singing Whitney Houstand’s I Have Nothing and Erni Zakri’s Ku Bersuara.
The lads came out in black and white outfits and started off their performance with Starlight, a song from their 2021 album, precisely five minutes after Daniel thanked the audience and departed the stage. They excitedly waved to the crowd, and then sang Uptown Girl by Billy Joel and When You’re Looking Like That.
Feehily paused his singing to say: “Sing with us.” The audience was up and jumping by the time the guys were performing Fool Again and If I Let You Go, and they sang along in a near-flawless pitch that left the band impressed. They expressed their gratitude to the crowd for their support over the previous 23 years, in response to a banner that read: “Love you since 1999.”
“Thank you Malaysia, you people made us feel at home,” they said.
They then started singing My Love. Now, this was the song that was my introduction to Westlife. Words cannot begin to describe how moved I was to see Westlife sing the songs I used to jam to when I was a little girl.
The boys appreciated seeing us fans fill the arena with our singing during this song, which received the loudest applause. The boys were on fire, almost literally. They were certainly giving their best for each song.
Next, they performed their very first hit, Swear It Again. Naturally, the passionate enthusiasm of the audience helped enhance the performance even further.
They momentarily exited the stage and then came back wearing matching silver waistcoats. The band also performed a medley of ABBA tunes, including Mamma Mia, Take a Chance on Me, I Have a Dream, Dancing Queen, and Thank You for the Music, to everyone’s delight. Feehily was singing especially well, hitting the high notes with ease.
The fans appeared to be having the time of their lives. And it wasn’t just them; the lads were also moving about the stage, from side to side, and even performing basic choreography. They never once appeared to be exhausted. Their enthusiasm persisted the entire time.
They returned to the stage after a colourful outfit change, and pleased the audience even more by singing a cover of Barry Manilow’s well-known hit Mandy, changing the word “Mandy” to “Malaysia” in the lyrics.
This was followed by other popular songs like I Lay My Love On You and Seasons in the Sun.
The highlight of the night wastheir performance of World of Our Own. The members performed a short catwalk to some excellent rhythms that had the audience going crazy.
Following another wardrobe change, the mood took a more sentimental turn with Flying Without Wings, Hello My Love, and their closing song, You Lift Me Up.
Many of the fans were visibly emotional and had their hands in the air while enjoying the song.
Throughout the show, the band members also cracked several humorous jokes. Everyone could be heard shouting their hearts out as Byrne asked the crowd to scream “Westlife! Westlife!” He then made a joke, saying: “We’re too old, I can sense the energy is decreasing.”
The members also had some lovely moments of interaction with the fans while holding flash-lights, explaining that they needed it for their social media accounts and that they did the same thing in every other country.
They had a great set list and kept the crowd amused through out. Being around hundreds of people who were highly passionate about their music was great.
The powerful vibes that dominated the whole concert were simply amazing as they synchronised their vocals with their dancing. The LED screen, lights, and audio quality, I must say, were also outstanding.
In fact, these aspects heightened the show’s energy, and of course, the audience’s knack for turning the concert into a karaoke session was really astounding. I enjoyed every minute of it. A true dream come true, this!
