Night 1: Boyzone at Emirates – A Rollercoaster of Emotions

PHOTOS AND REVIEW BY DAMIEN HARVEY

Boyzone at Emirates Stadium – Two for the Road Tour – Night 1 of 2

Going into the first night of Boyzone’s final ever tour at Emirates Stadium, I knew it was going to be emotional. I’ve grown up with these songs, so knowing this is the last time we’ll ever see Boyzone on a tour like this made the whole night feel really special before it had even started.

The setlist was packed with so many classics. Hearing songs like Picture of You, Love Me For A Reason, Words and Father and Son live again was incredible. The whole stadium seemed to be singing every word, and it genuinely felt like everyone had been transported back to their youth for a couple of hours.

The biggest surprise of the night was definitely seeing Mikey Graham come out. I don’t think many people expected it, and the reaction from the crowd said it all. Mikey sat on a stool in the middle of the stage and spoke to the audience about how amazing it felt to be there and to have reached the point where Boyzone were performing stadium shows. He looked genuinely emotional, and it was lovely to hear him tell everyone to enjoy themselves, have fun and go back to their youth for the evening.

After his speech, he broke into Words while the rest of the band returned from a costume change, and it was one of my favourite moments of the entire show.

That said, while it looked like a fantastic reunion on the surface, I couldn’t help but notice a few things. Ronan and Shane seemed genuinely happy to have Mikey back on stage and embraced him several times throughout his appearance. Keith, however, didn’t seem to acknowledge him very much at all. There was one point where Ronan and Keith were out on the long walkway while Shane stayed by Mikey’s side. Obviously none of us know what goes on behind the scenes, and I could be completely wrong, but from where I was sitting it felt like there might still be some unresolved issues there. It didn’t ruin the moment, but it was something I couldn’t help noticing.

Another moment that divided my opinion came halfway through the show when Keith brought out Brian McFadden from Westlife and Boyzlife. Together they performed their new song Chills, which had been released that very day.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoyed the song. It was catchy and Brian got a great reaction from the crowd. But I couldn’t help feeling it was a bit of a promotion for Boyzlife rather than something that belonged in Boyzone’s farewell show. On a night that was supposed to be all about celebrating Boyzone and their incredible career, it felt slightly out of place. Maybe that’s just me, but I would have preferred the focus to stay entirely on Boyzone.

One of the most emotional moments of the night came during One More Song. While the band performed, the screens filled with the names of loved ones people had lost. Seeing thousands of names appearing while everyone sang along was incredibly moving, and you could feel the emotion around the stadium.

Then there was When The Going Gets Tough, which turned into a full-on spectacle. A boxing ring was set up on stage and the band performed inside it before the song ended with confetti exploding everywhere. It was one of those fun, over-the-top concert moments that had everyone smiling.

For the final three songs, the band moved onto a raised platform at the end of the stage, giving more fans a chance to see them up close. By this point the atmosphere was unbelievable.

The night ended with Life Is A Rollercoaster, which felt like the perfect way to close the show. What made it even more special was seeing Micky come back out one last time, this time standing rather than sitting on the stool. As the song ended, Ronan and Micky shared a hug that felt completely genuine, and it was a lovely image to finish on.

Overall, I had an amazing night. The hits were there, the crowd was fantastic, and seeing Micky back on stage with the band was something I never thought I’d witness. There were a couple of moments that made me raise an eyebrow, particularly the Boyzlife promotion and what looked like some distance between Keith and Micky, but they didn’t take away from what was ultimately a really special evening.

As farewell tours go, this was a celebration of everything that made Boyzone so loved in the first place. It was nostalgic, emotional and a reminder of just how many memories these songs hold for so many people.

SETLIST:

1. A Different Beat
2. Love Is a Hurricane
3. So Good
4. Isn’t It a Wonder
5. Coming Home Now
6. Baby Can I Hold You
7. You Needed Me
8. All That I Need
9. Words
10. Better
11. Gave It All Away
12. One More Song
13. Key to My Life
14. I Love the Way You Love Me
15. Father and Son
16. Every Day I Love You
17. Chills
18. When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
19. No Matter What
20. Who We Are
21. Love You Anyway
22. Love Me for a Reason

Encore

23. Best Night of Our Lives
24. Picture of You
25. Life Is a Rollercoaster