All Rise! The bad boys of British pop are BACK

2013 has been a year of reunions. Some have resulted in reincarnations of former musical glory and some have been completely disastrous resurrections of pop music’s better-off dead. ITV’s reality sensation ‘The Big Reunion’ has paved the way for boy bands and girl groups from the 1990s to step back into the limelight for one last helping of fame and fortune.

On Thursday night Blue stopped off at the Plymouth Pavilions to perform to a sell-out crowd of their fans from the glory days alongside support acts Keedle and Loick Essien, as they travel around the country on their UK Tour. Lee, Duncan, Anthony and Simon are on a mission to reignite the flames of their career in the pop industry and promote their new album ‘Roulette’.

Blue made such a good job of things the first time round that there has been widespread concern about the possible successes and failures of their new work. Although I have never been a huge follower of the group, I have always recognised their talent and respected them for what they do, so admittedly I was amongst those skeptical.

What the ‘boys’ did on Thursday night was nothing short of admirable. Other than the manifestation of what can only be described as middle-age spread for 50 percent of the group, it was impossible to tell we are a whole decade away from Blue’s original heyday. Their performance was exciting and energetic and vocally they were exemplary.

They performed every well-known ballad and every number one hit they’ve ever had to rapturous applause and a wave of enthusiastic chanting and participation from the crowd, but the big surprise for me was the reception their latest material received. Old or new, every member of the audience made the most of every lyric that came from the stage. Blue’s latest single ‘Hurt Lovers’ went down just as well as the band’s timeless classic ‘One Love’.

There is absolutely no denying that Blue have cracked the formula for the pop group revival and with plenty of stops left on their UK Tour it’s just as well - my only hope is that there’s a good physio on their management team.