Steps are back and better than ever

Steps, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

POP’S happy heyday is back to stay as Steps delivered all the hits and so much more. 2017 seems to the year of the comeback – some have been a hit with fans, like Bananarama, others like Bros have failed to capture past glories. However Steps, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary in style, have also found the magic formula. With a hit album and singles behind them, the pop sensation have defied all their critics and are possibly better than before.

Opening with their comeback hit Scared of the Dark, the group – Claire, Faye, H, Lee and Lisa – came on stage with a production more in tune with a Broadway spectacular than a pop concert. From that moment on it was a master-class in happy go lucky pop music, some from a bygone era, right up to date with their new material from the comeback smash, Tears on the Dancefloor. The mix of old and new songs was perfect.

To cover all bases, a few of the older songs were put together in a medley that some groups today would die for. For example the pairing of Better Best Forgotten with Last Thing On My Mind was pure genius. Thankfully, the group also looked to the future and played what are easily the best songs from their new album, namely the aforementioned opener, No More Tears on the Dancefloor, Neon Blue and their latest single, their cover of Delta Goodrem’s Dancing With a Broken Heart. Which for me, along with Neon Blue, was the best song of the night.

As with any Steps show, a big part of it is the crowd interaction, and as usual this did not disappoint. As were the many costume changes.

The Cardiff show was acting as a homecoming for locals H and Lisa.

Steps were always about forgetting your troubles and being happy, which in today’s current climate is just what we need and they deliver it in abundance. Let’s hope we get more good times from the band and that we don’t have to wait another 20 years for it.

Steps are back at the Motorpoint on December 10. Call the Box Office 029 2022 4488 for tickets.

David Prince