Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Crazy crazy nights...
» Belfast crowds best say band ahead of gigs » Tickets for May dates to go on sale tomorrow
WESTLIFE mania descended on Belfast yesterday as the Irish boyband were greeted by hoardes of screaming fans outside the SSE Arena.
And Shane, Nicky, Kian and Mark revealed they have added a third date to their Twenty Tour at the venue next year.
Mark Feehily said: “This city and this whole territory in general has always been hugely important to us.
“We could be down in Australia or South-east Asia and people ask where is your craziest audience and in a good way, in the kind of loud, fanatical way, Belfast is always the first place that comes into our heads.”
Alluding to the screaming fans pressed up against the glass doors of the arena to get a glimpse of their idols, Nicky Byrne said: “If what’s out there is anything to what the shows are going to be like back here next spring/summer then it’s going to be incredible.
“Our very final show as well in SSE the last time, the fans and ourselves included were so broken-hearted.
“I remember looking out and when you’re on stage you can see the first 10 rows, maybe 11 and literally everyone was crying, it will be nice to come back this time around and see the smiles because that’s the last memory we have of here.
“We can’t wait to get back to the party atmosphere.”
Shane Filan added: “Westlife fans are sacred, especially in Northern Ireland, there is something special here and there is a reason we’ve played 60 nights here and we don’t know what that is but we’re happy to be that band.”
With a new album due to be released in January, the boys confirmed Ed Sheeran has written some of their new tracks which they hope will help them fit into the current pop music scene.
Shane said: “The new music is great, we’re very excited about it, we’ve only recorded a few songs but the main thing we said we wanted to do when we came back was to try and be better and make music that’s going to fit in with the current charts now.
“We’re obviously working with Steve Mac who has been our main producer over the years and has worked with amazing artists including Ed Sheeran.
“It’s great that Ed is involved [with the new album] and to have his songs and they are amazing songs.
“So we just have to wait and see what the fans think – but we’re very excited about it.”
■ Westlife will kick off the Twenty Tour in SSE Arena on May 25 next year for three nights. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am.
If what’s out there is anything to what the shows will be like then it will be incredible NICKY BYRNE AT THE SSE ARENA IN BELFAST YESTERDAY