MICHAEL BALL & ALFIE BOE // THE SSE HYDRO, GLASGOW
BALL AND BOE BACK TOGETHER BRING THE GREATEST SHOW TO THE HYDRO
★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe have a great camaraderie on stage. Ball, the biggest West End musical star on the circuit and Boe, the country’s leading tenor just gel, like Morcambe and Wise or Ant And Dec, comfortable with the classics, the big West End or Broadway numbers or even ransacking the pop charts. They do what they do, and they do it well.
Opening with The Greatest Show, the aptly titled track sets the pace for the evening, Michael Ball confidently strutting his stuff around the stage, at ease with his surroundings and the tasks at hand, and Alfie Boe, the more serious of the two, but still beaming a smile that would light up the third tier of this huge arena, he dashes from one side of the stage to the other as they swap lines in the opening number, before coming as one during the chorus. Supported by a large orchestra and a number of backing singers, they nearly lift the roof of The Hydro, Ball punching the air in delight at the end of the first number, receiving a standing ovation from the Glasgow crowd of all ages.
A varied setlist includes old chart favourites such as I Knew You Were Waiting For Me and Somethings Gotten Hold Of My Heart and the big numbers from The West End shows such as Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom Of The Opera, to One Day More from Les Mis.
More chart ballads - Something Inside So Strong and Youre The Voice before the obligatory Love Changes Everything, Ball’s big hitter from Aspects Of Love, the song that ultimately put him on the map. More West End classics followed on, Circle Of Life and He Lives In You, from The Lion KIng. As the first set drew to a close, it was time for a finale of Queen music. Who Wants To Live Forever, The Show Must Go On and Friends Will Be Friends had everyone in the arena on their feet, hands in the air and voices joining as one, as the duo took their bows and left the stage for a well earned break. They returned for a rousing rendition of the Sinatra classic My Way and ended with everyone jiving in the aisles to a medley of tunes from the 78 musical smash Grease, including Greased Lightnin’, Youre The One That I Want and closing the show with We Go Together, the song that also closed the movie.
Much may be said of the contents of this evenings show, be it an abundance of cheesy nostalgic pop or songs from the shows or overdose on the dramatic Broadway and West End classics, but no one can deny these guys know how to entertain. Ball and Boe work well together and bust a gut on stage to put on a show. Something for everyone, an audience of all ages and no one left the venue feeling they’d been short changed. A top night out, definitely a show to see live.
SETLIST: MICHAEL BALL & ALFIE BOE - THE SSE HYDRO, GLASGOW - 22.02.2020
The Greatest Show
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - (Aretha Franklin & George Michael cover)
You’ll Be Back
Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart
Sunrise, Sunset
Army
A Thousand Years
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Not While I’m Around
Some Say Love
Something Inside So Strong
You’re the Voice
Love Changes Everything
Run
Anthem
Stars
Bring Him Home
One Day More
Circle of Life
He Lives In You
Who Wants to Live Forever / The Show Must Go On / Friends Will Be Friends
ENCORE:
My Way
Grease / Greased Lightnin’ / You’re the On That I Want / We Go Together