BILLY OCEAN // ROYAL CONCERT HALL, GLASGOW
LEGEND BILLY OCEAN WOWS GLASGOW CROWD WITH BLISTERING SELL OUT SHOW
★★★★★ (5/5)
BILLY OCEAN PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S ROYAL CONCERT HALL - 13.09.2021
PICTURE BY: | STEPHEN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY
The legend that is Billy Ocean once again wowed the audience at a packed, sold out Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, and relived the heyday of the 80s, giving his army of fans and followers a most enjoyable and highly anticipated night out, after a few postponements due to the covid pandemic.
Warming the Glasgow audience up for this evening were a trio of singers, entertaining the crowd with a greatest hits of Motown and soul classics, with tracks made famous by Marvin Gaye and Whitney Houston amongst others. They had the packed auditorium on their toes from the first minute, and got them ready for a party when the main man hits the stage. Their short set was well received and they made way to set the stage for the rest of the evening.
Billy Ocean was born in Trinidad and Tobago and his family relocated to London when he was 10 years of age. He worked as a tailor in Saville Row and sang around the clubs in his late teens where he was discovered as a man with potential. He released his debut album in 1976 along with his first hit single Love Really Hurts Without You. He followed this with another trio of top 20 singles including another number two single Red Light Spells Danger then faded slightly until he changed record labels and hit the heights again in the mid-eighties with a run of 12 UK chart hit singles including his only UK number one, When The Going Gets Tough, from the soundtrack of the movie The Jewel Of The Nile. All these hits and more would be showcased tonight.
After a bit of a slow start, the first few bars of Love Really Hurts Without You was like an electric shock going through every seat in the venue, as the whole crowd were up on their feet singing along word perfect and dancing round their handbags, in the aisles and along the front of the stage. But it wouldn’t be a Glasgow gig without someone taking things too far, as right on cue one audience member jumps up on the stage to shake hands with the man, before being slightly restrained by security. Billy seemed unruffled as he continued his classic song.
The big numbers followed, it wouldn’t be a Billy Ocean gig without Suddenly, There’ll be Sad Songs, Red Light Spells Danger, Get Outta My Dreams and the show climaxing with When The Going Gets Tough and Caribbean Queen and as he took his deserved plaudits, the crowd filtered into the Glasgow night.
Billy Ocean is a born entertainer, and is one of those artists you just don’t appreciate how many big hits and well knows songs he has until you hear them played live, and he plays them so well. He glides around the stage, singing and dancing with moves a performer half his age would be proud of, backed up perfectly by a band and backing singers one of which is his daughter Cherie, and what a fabulous sound they make. It’s a party atmosphere from start to finish, like listening to a greatest hits of the 80s cd but played out live before you, it’s just a great night out. Catch Mr Ocean if you can, he’s the coolest guy you’ll see all year!
