A1 - Live Review (Here We Come - A1)

Member Name: mccannalex

Product:	Here We Come - A1
Date:	17/02/01 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Live band. Intimate Venue and of course Ben

Disadvantages: Christian - who all the girls seem to hate

News Just in!!!!!!! A1 aren't actually the devil's offspring. Its a surprise to most people who know them as those b*****ds who ruined "Take On Me" but a sad old pop kid like me always knew they could do better.. Its a strange choice of venue, more accustomed to Snooker competitions than gigs, but A1 can join that dubious list of Jimmy Nail and Mel C as the venue's most recent highlights. Thankfully the A1 boys are a lot easier on the eye, and don't the girls know it. After an hour of not too subliminal advertising for the single, the album, the website and everything under the kitchen sinked skyline, the guys finally hit the stage.

With a trio of single's "Believe", "Summertime Of Our Lives" and "Same Old Brand New You" they couldn't really fail. The latter sees the guys moving to what you could call N'Sync or Backstreet Boys Territory and its probably the only time tonight when the new songs work. Believe it or not, but the band all in there early 20's, have already reached that mature stage. So what we get is not just a backing taped mime but the addition of, shock horror, a live band, live vocals and even the odd tinkling of the ivories by the guys themselves.

In typical boy band style everyone has a favourite and its the cute, baby faced features of Ben that wins over the teenage girls (and a splattering of teenage boys). Saying that though there isn't much competition, Paul and Mark are just average guys and the less said about Christian the better. I think a reasonably sized section of the crowd said it best when hushed boo's filled the arena each time he spoke. The ultimate highlight tonight is the Motown pastiche of "Ready Or Not". One of the all time pop singles even rivalling the early days of Take That, who they used to model themselves on. With a selection of ballads like "Like A Rose" and "Everytime" and a cover of Ricky M
artins "Livin' La Vide Loca" they manage to please everyone in the audience. With only a couple of low points in the set, the terrible cover of the Beatles "She Loves You", Christian's solo song and the ill advised "Take On Me" cover. It has to be said though that the latter's dance routine stretches the boundaries of comedy to a Number 1 chart position.

After a near 2hr set the guys leave the stage and the mass of teenage girls rush outside for a glimpse of their heroes leaving in a blacked out van. For me the pub seemed to beckon me in. But you know if Ben asked you to "Take On Me", you wouldn't exactly say no would you.

Alex McCann

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