Westlife brought the house down at Manchester's Co-op Live arena, kicking off the first of three sold-out shows with a 20-song set packed with their biggest hits from the past quarter century.
Before the band even took the stage, the screaming had begun. A sea of millennial women and their mums prepared to party with Ireland's biggest exports.
Two Hours of Nostalgia
"Are you ready for two hours of nostalgia?" asked Shane Filan as the band opened with 2002 hit World of our Own. "Who had a Westlife poster on their wall? This should bring that poster to life," added Nicky Byrne.
With 14 UK and Irish number one singles and 11 number one albums, the band had plenty to choose from. Uptown Girl, What About Now and Starlight came one by one, a stellar line-up of nostalgic pop delivered with pure unadulterated serotonin in spades.
A Trio on Fine Form
Initially a five-piece, original member Brian McFadden left in 2004. Now performing as a trio since Mark Feehily announced a break due to ill health, Westlife were on fine form in Manchester despite their reduced numbers.
Flying Without Wings writer Steve Mac was in the audience, watching his hits land one by one. Kian Egan took to the electric guitar for When You're Looking Like That, mashing it up with Guns & Roses' Sweet Child of Mine.
A Bingo Card of Delight
From confetti and fire to synchronised dancing, it was a veritable bingo card of delight from the ballad kings. There was even a drone light show during You Raise Me Up.
An acoustic section on a central B stage lent an intimacy to the 22,000-capacity stadium. Nicky brought his 13-year-old daughter onto the platform for a rendition of happy birthday and a sparkler-topped cake.
Shane's voice was as pitch perfect as in 1999. With Mark amiss, Nicky and Kian were able to shine all the more brightly. Harmonies were tight, key changes euphoric.
"They look like they're having a brilliant time," noted my mum, who I'd brought along for the ride. Her camera roll is now 99% pictures of Shane. And she was right. Shane, Kian and Nicky beamed like cats with Waitrose finest cream all night long.
A Masterclass in Pop Perfection
New arrangements kept things fresh. For Flying Without Wings, Westlife's national anthem, Mark's parts were done by the band's incredible backing singers, breathing new life into the song and providing a fitting tribute.
By the time the encore came, ending the set with Swear It Again, the song that started it all, you could have powered a small town with the joy in the room. With two more nights to go in Manchester before they move on to Belfast, Westlife are just getting started.
