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A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson.
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When your son is keen to go to a concert for “that one song” it’s hard not to be dubious about the cost of the tickets. However when it’s Rick Astley (whom you have loved since the 80s) and the support acts are The Lottery Winners (who I have been wanting to see for ages) and Belinda Carlisle (who, let’s face it, everybody loves – especially my husband apparently) it becomes an easier decision.
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The Are We There Yet? tour was only hitting Glasgow in Scotland, so it meant a family road trip and a day off work and school. This, of course, added to the attraction, especially for the younger member of the family. OVO Hydro is such a spectacular venue we were all happy to go back there for another evening of fun, and even managed to get tickets in our preferred area – on the second level, close to the front – so you get a good clear view over everyone’s head. This is important when one of you is a little shorter than the others and his young ears also prefer not to be too close to the incredibly loud speakers.
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The Lottery Winners were first up, the lead singer is quite a character and a bit of a comedian so their set was a lot of fun. He asked us to treat him like a rockstar and scream and shout when he came on stage, which admittedly only worked to a certain level as a lot of people had not bothered to come that early – more fool them. During the interval I commented to my boys that I would love a system where people who were keen to see a lesser known support band could use the empty seats down the front to fill the space before the seat’s bookers arrived. Highly impractical but would add to the experience for those of us that never want to miss “the next big thing”, and for the band, who currently look out on empty seats!
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Thom Rylance explained to us that he suffers AC/DC… oh no he meant ADHD, and that he wishes his younger self could know that he would get to play the Hydro, even if he was not the headliner, yet. He then sang us his Letter to Myself, which he penned to his teenage self to let him know some of the life lessons he has since learnt. He told us about their album Anxiety Replacement Therapy doing well in the charts, and paying for his go pro style video which he used during the next song. We got taught to sing along to Much Better which was a really feel good song and we sang along to the chorus with big grins.
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Next up was the stunning and amazing Belinda Carlisle. Unfortunately she has already danced too much on the tour and needs a knee operation so was trying to sit on a stool. She obviously loves dancing though, so I just hope her doctor wasn’t in the audience to see how little she sat on the stool! She still gave an amazing performance, every song was a hit that we all knew and loved. We were all singing along joyously, watching her shimmer and shine on the stage. Her set was: We Want The Same Thing, Big Big Love (her latest song and well worth checking out), I Get Weak, Circle in the Sand, Summer Rain, Live Your Life Be Free, Leave a Light On and ended with the epic Heaven is a Place on Earth.
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The production on this tour was quite something else, with big screens at the back and special effects showing the artists and their musicians from different angles as the show went on. There were not any pyrotechnics or crazy flashy lights but your eyes were drawn to the stage at all times, except during Cry For Help when we all lit up our phone torches and made a magically sparkly room full of lights. One very lovely touch that he did have, which I have not seen before, was a lady signing everything he said and sang. I actually found myself watching her some of the time, although I cannot read sign language. Accessibility is important these days and although I am sure deaf people would have felt the beat it is lovely to think they could also enjoy the stories and the lyrics.
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Rick Astley took to the stage amid a crescendo of screaming and clapping. He had quite a line up of musicians with him, who also turned out to be very talented, each with their own speciality. He took us for a journey through some of his newer songs, some of his older songs and yes at the very very end we were “there yet” and did get the classic Never Gonna Give You Up! It was worth waiting for, and the run up to it was equally as enjoyable, although I didn’t know the words of his newer songs to sing along. It was only when double checking a set list online to write this that I realised that the “real love” that I heard was actually Maria Love! He did know I was there after all, another song about myself to add to a very self centred playlist that includes Blondie and Santana.
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We did get two covers: As it Was by Harry Styles and Highway to Hell, the AC/DC song that Rick has become well-known for doing. He did explain that he keeps trying to find different cover songs that suit his current lineup, but they keep going back to this one and I certainly wasn’t complaining! It was much better seeing it live than watching it on Youtube. He also told us that his daughter is getting married to Paul from Glasgow soon, and we all gave Paul a very loud cheer, poor chap!
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Rick said that most of his songs have been written for his wife and that he realised after writing it that Driving Me Crazy could be taken in a different way than he had written and intended it to be taken. It is a fabulous song and I am sure Mrs Astley took it the right way as she will know him better than any of us screaming fans in the audience! Each of the musicians got a chance to do a solo and get a name check. We had Simon Merry on drums, Adam Evans on guitar, Rob Taggart on keyboards and Julian Cox on bass, not forgetting Jim Knight, Barnaby Dickinson and George Hogg in the brass trio. They each had a go on one of the spotlight stages at the side of the main stage at some point too so the audience down the front got a better look at them! All very carefully choreographed.
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At the end of the concert my son commented that he knew more of Belinda’s songs then Rick Astley’s but he had enjoyed both of the sets. He even got his phone out to take a little video during the last song, which is high praise indeed from a hooded teenager.
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Part of me thinks this should not have been advertised as Belinda supporting Rick, they are both amazing singers who many of us have loved since the 80s and grown up listening to their songs. However I do not think anyone will begrudge Rick Astley taking the leading light. He has proven that he is more than “that one song” and demonstrated what a fabulous musician and singer he is. Did any of us know he could play drums before his Glastonbury performance last year, but apparently his Dad got him a drum kit as a child, presumably the guitar actually came later. Rick Astley put on an amazing performance, it was a fabulous show. We all went away singing, with huge smiles on our faces and memories that will never die. What more can you ask for?
Further information including future tour dates: https://www.rickastley.co.uk/
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Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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