nu westlife is gestopt - wie van WL blijf jij volgen
westlife forever
12-11-2013
WESTLIFE ... WEETJES.. NEWS ..deel 1
Westlife with Partners At The Ivy Club
Members of boy band Westlife and their partners are pictured after enjoying a very long night at The Ivy Club to celebrate getting back to work after a year-long break. Having arrived at 8pm, Shane Filan and Wife Gillian left at 0015. Mark Feehily and Boyfriend Kevin left at 0230 and Kian Egan and Wife Jodi Albert left at 3am after reportedly having an argument inside. The pair put on a smile as they left, but the tension was still visible!!! London 13TH SEPTEMBER 2009 MATRIX
'What About Now' Artwork Unveiled! Check out the single sleeve for Westlife's upcoming new release 'What About Now'. It hits the shops on 26th October, with the download available from 25th October.
Monday November 16 2009 Westlife star Nicky Byrne is set to make a return to the limelight this week, following the death of his father, Nikki Sr (60). The Dublin singer (30) will step out to the Four Seasons hotel in Dublin tomorrow afternoon, alongside bandmates Mark Feehily, Shane Filan and Kian Egan, as the group officially launch their brand new fragrance, Westlife X. The name of the scent relefects the group's ten years in the pop business. The star, who is married to Georgina Ahern, daughter of former Taoiseach, Bertie, hopes to ease himself back into work slowly following the devastating loss of his dad. Sligo native Mark said: "He's coping very well and is as good as you can be so soon after your best friend in the world passes away." The popular foursome will make a return to the stage on Wednesday night when they perform at this year's Cheerio's Childline Concert at the O2.
Westlife take over GMTV - and Nicky Byrne does the weather Westlife took over GMTV this morning - helping presenters Andrew Castle and Emma Crosby with the regular fashion, weather, film and TV reports. As the Irish lads presented GMTV for an hour, Mark Feehily led a top-to-toe viewer makeover, and Nicky Byrne gave a helping hand with the snowy weather report. Looking forward to the weekend"s top telly picks with Richard Arnold, Shane Filan admitted he"s addicted to Desperate Housewives. He said: "I have to admit I"m a big fan of Desperate Housewives. Myself and my wife always watch it, it"s a great programme. After two or three episodes I was just glued to it." The singer confessed Sex and the City could be next on his Christmas wish list, adding: "One step at a time, Desperate Housewives first!" Kian Egan was also on hand to offer his review on the new Sherlock Holmes movie and Avatar. Speaking about Guy Ritchie"s new movie, Kian said: "There a lot of big action scenes - it"s a really, really powerful movie. I think it"s going to be a big one."
EGAN'S SHOCK AT LOSING FATHER Irish singer KIAN EGAN is convinced his life changed forever the day his beloved father died. The Westlife star's dad, Kevin, passed away earlier this year (09) after a battle with cancer, and his death hit the 29 year old hard. Egan says, "For anybody that loses a parent or someone quite close it changes your whole view on life. It makes you view life in a different way. "What was extremely important before - how successful we were as a band - kind of disappears a bit. That's not really what life is about even though (my dad was a) massive fan of Westlife. My dad used to go out and buy the paper every day to see if we were in it."
07 Jan 2010 by Villy Westlife are nominated in the Best Irish Pop Act catrgory at the Meteor Ireland Music Awards that will take place on 19 February at Dublin's RDS! The lads will also perform on the night! GET VOTING!! http://www. meteor.ie/ VOTE WESTLIFE - BEST IRISH POP ACT Fans outside Ireland can vote by filling in the Mobile Number gap with a number starting with 085 and seven random numbers after that
The full chart of the 10 most influential Irish celebrity twitterers according to Tweetlevel are: 1 Graham Linehan TweetLevel score = 73 2Rick O'Shea TweetLevel score = 65 3 Dave Moore TweetLevel score = 63 4 Mark Little TweetLevel score = 59 5 Nicky Byrne TweetLevel score = 59 6 Mark Feehily TweetLevel score = 53 7 Sean Moncrieff TweetLevel score = 51 8 Dermot Whelan TweetLevel score = 49 9 Ray Foley TweetLevel score = 45 10 Des Bishop TweetLevel score = 4
Proud Dad Shane Filan welcomed the newest addition to his clan, baby Shane Peter into the world this weekend -- but it seems the Westlife star won't have much time to bond with the young tot. The Diary can reveal the singer will have to leave his new arrival and namesake in the capable hands of wife Gillian, while he and bandmates, Nicky Byrne, Cian Egan and Mark Feehily take to the studio to lend their vocals to Simon Cowell's new charity single, a remake of REM's Everybody Hurts. The foursome are expected to jet out in the coming days to begin recording the single in London, which the media mogul is hoping to have on the shelves as early as next week, in a bid to raise funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Among those signed up to join the Flying Without Wings singers is Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, Robbie Williams and Cheryl Cole. And while Shane is reluctant to leave his new bundle of joy so soon, a family insider explained how the generous star was determined to do whatever he could for those in need. "He's hoping to go ahead with the single as long as he and the boys don't have to go any further than London to record it," he explained. "Then, naturally, he'll be taking some time off to spend with his family." Shane and Gillian's third child was born shortly after
I've been listening to our new bside called please stay .. It's the song I sung in the church for my dad he always believed it wud suit me.. He was bugging me to push us to record it..he was right ! Can't wait for you guys to hear it and thanks to mark and steve for making it ! Single hopefully out in march it's sounding excellent .. nicky
Brian launches a Twitter rant against former Westlife mates Friday February 05 2010 Brian McFadden has launched a furious tirade against claims by his former Westlife bandmates that he'll never perform with them again. The Australia-based star (29) took to his Twitter page to express his frustration in the wake of the story. Reports emerged earlier this week about how Westlife has ruled out reuniting with McFadden, after he left the band in 2004 to pursue a relatively unsuccessful solo career, but joked how they may sing with him again in a sociable situation. Asked if they would ever re-unite with Brian again, amid rumours that Robbie Williams will rejoin Take That, two of the band members shot down the suggestion. "No . . . he doesn't live in this country and he's not in the music industry any more. He has a new life in Australia. We're all still very good friends, but he left Westlife for a reason," said Kian Egan. His sentiments were echoed by fellow star Shane Filan who said: "I'm sure we'll sing with Brian again one day. It might be in a pub -- it might not be on the telly." One of Ireland's most successful acts, the lads have sold 45 million albums worldwide and scored 14 number one hits in Britain. However, Brian clearly wasn't happy with the guys' comments as he retorted angrily to them shooting down any reunion with him. "Apparently I'm not in the music industry anymore, hmmn OK then," he stated. He followed it quickly with another comment on his Twitter page: "I will announced my PUB tour next week...lol" and then wrote: "I better stop making this album then.... you learn something new about yourself everyday. " Huge speculation has surrounded the next career move for the former Westlife star, who's now based full-time in Australia with fiancee Delta Goodrem. Although he has always insisted that he was happy pursuing a solo career, suggestions that he's no longer in the music business have clearly infuriated the Artane-born star. Now he has set his sights on a TV career after joining forces with Australian broadcaster Kyle Sandilands. And Sandilands said that given McFadden's time in Westlife, he reckons he's in an ideal position to make the documentary. "It follows what happens in a group and how you take a boy band and market them," said Sandilands. "It will go through how a song is written, what life is like on the road because he (McFadden) has experienced that and hearing his stories and his journey and all the shenanigans, we thought it would be appealing," he said. "It's more a documentary, not a reality show, and how they go from five guys to a Westlife or 'N Sync."
06/02/2010 HUGE congrats to Westlife star MARK FEEHILY who has gone and got himself engaged. He popped the question to photographer boyfriend KEVIN McDAID (who used to be in the boyband V) in Ireland. A source said: "Mark and Kevin met in Dublin five years ago. "So they went back to celebrate their anniversary. They were out for dinner and decided they were ready to take their relationship to the next level. Mark is very excited." What About Now singer Mark told me in November that marriage was the next step for him so I'm glad he's made it official.
21/11/2009 MEGASTAR Mariah Carey is teaming up with WESTLIFE again for an exclusive single. She told me the secret after I was the only journalist to be given an XS All Areas pass when the world's biggest selling female singer arrived in town this week. In our eXSclusive chat she revealed she can't wait to work with KIAN, NICKY, MARK and SHANE again. Mariah said: "They're very exciting artists and I love them." She last worked with the lads in 2000, and Against All Odds topped the charts. But this time the record will ONLY be released in Britain. "I want it to be the next single here and different to the rest of the world," she said. "I can't wait to do it. " Mariah, 39, was in London to switch on the Christmas lights at the Westfield Shopping Centre.
It's Mother's Day, but as they laugh about old times, Nicky and Yvonne can't escape their grief. Eddie Rowley Midway into their exclusive SWM photo shoot, Nicky Byrne turns to his mum, Yvonne, and asks if she'd like a glass of champagne. The Westlife heart-throb has been attentive all afternoon, making sure his quietly-spoken mother feels relaxed and comfortable as she poses with him for our special Mother's Day feature. It's her first formal photo shoot for a newspaper, but Yvonne, a serene and glamorous 50-something mother and grandmother, is taking it all in her stride and enjoying the range of designer outfits she's getting to model. Yvonne is dignified and compased in front of the camera. And in the interview that follows, her warm and enagaging personality shines through. Clearly, in the glances they exchange throughout our afternoon together in a plush suite of Dublin's La Stampa Hotel, mam and son adore each other - and their relationship is charmingly like brother and sister. Nicky agrees with this obervation, but quickly points out that he's always respected his mother's authority: "I always saw Mam as the boss in the house," he reflects. "Dad was more lenient. You could get away with anything with Dad, but he always stressed: 'Never bring the guards to the door.' "But Mam was more strict, and she ran the household. She had a look, and all she had to do was give you 'the eyebrow'. If you got that look, that was it, you knew you were in trouble." Yvonne smiles. She doesn't betray an ounce of self-pity in conversation, but it's impossible not to sense the sadness and loss she hides. Her idyllic life and the lives of her three kids, including Nicky's older sister, Gillian, and younger brother, Adam, were shattered last November when her husband, Nikki, died suddenly at work from a heart attack at the age of 60. Like a lot of wives and mothers, Yvonne run the home. She took care of her children's needs and made sure all the bills were paid. Nikki handed over his wages and never worried about the bills. But it's obvious that Yvonne is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her loving husband. "While I looked after everything, Nikki was the backbone to the whole thing," she acknowledges. "He was so easy-going and so positive. He had a great attitude, 'Just go for it, it's a great opportunity' he'd say. Even for this shoot, he'd have been saying last night: 'It'll be grand, go and do it,'" Nicky admits that he didn't inherit his father's laid-back personality: "I'm a worrier like mam," he says. "I'm already worrying about the kids and they're not even three. If Georgina went out for a night and I was at home in bed, I'd be worried, Iwouldn't sleep unless I got a text or a call from her. Mam was like that when we were growing up. " Conversation then turns to Yvonne's obsession with house cleaning. "Mam is addicted to cleaning," Nicky laughs. "All my mates slag her about it. Her famous saying 'nothing done'. She's forever saying: 'I have nothing done.' When Bertie was Taoiseach he had a slogan: 'A Lot Done, More To Do.' My pals used to say to mam: 'Oh here she is, nothing done, more to do.'" Yvonne then admits she was up at six-thirty that morning 'to get everything done' before she met SWM at lunchtime. Nicky chips in: "Everything done means not just beds made - the kitchen floor has to be scrubbed, even though she scrubbed it last night before she went to bed. Noone has walked on it for eight hours but it has to be cleaned again. " Yvonne then tells a story against herslef, how at the church of the day of her husband's funeral a female friend apologised for not calling to the house. "Thank God you didn't because it's upside down," Yvonne replied. Nicky laughs. He reminisces about his early memories of his mother, how she used to rub Nivea cream on his face when he was a child, dipping her finger in and then putting a blob on his cheeks, forehead and nose before rubbing it in. He adds: "And she always blessed me with holy water at the front door on the way out. " Yvonne tells how she was heart-broken when Nicky left home at the age of 17 and went over to Leeds United to try out for a career in soccer. "I used to go into his bedroom, open the wardrobe door and smell his aftershave," she reveals. And I always set his place at the table for him. I always felt that some day he might just appear, and he did surprise us on a couple of occasins." She vividly recalls the day Nicky came home from school and announced that he had met the girl he was going to marry. He was 14 years old and the girl was Georgina Ahern. When he became his girlfriend, Nicky would take Georgina home for lunch. "From day one, Georgina became part of the family," Yvonne says. "She's lovely; Georgina would never see a fault in anybody." Nicky remembers how his mother used to serve them tea when they were courting. "We'd be sitting in watching telly and she'd bring in a little table with the tea on it," he says. Then he turns to Yvonne and adds: "It was proper impressing, you couldn't have done it any better." Yvonne can still lure her son home with the promise that she'll cook his favourite breakfast fry-up. "I miss Mam's fry-up, especially when I'm away. I remember when I went on my stag to Marbella with the lads for a weekend, and that Sunday on the way back I called Mam from Malaga airport and asked her if she'd cook breakfast for all the lads after three days on the beer," he says. So the six lads were there with Mam and Dad and my brother, Adam, and we tucked in to a big fry. Memories like that will live with you forever." Yvonne says that success with Westlife hasn't changed Nicky. "I don't think he's changed and my neighbours and friends all say, 'God, he's still the same, he's never changed.' Over the years he gave us the opportunity to move house but we never did and I know secretly he still loves driving down the avenue." As he gets set to celebrate Mother's Day with Georgina and mum, Yvonne, Nicky acknowledges that he has been fortunate in life, despite the loss of his beloved father. "I had a nice, stable background growing up," he adds. "Mam and Dad were happy together. We all sat down to dinner together every single night as a family. I was blessed with that. And I really appreciate that."
Vivo Westlife, Kelly Clarkson and SA artists Nadia Neophytou | Yesterday Thousands of fans attended an exclusive concert at Sun City on Friday night featuring Westlife and Kelly Clarkson. The show was a celebration of the new VW Vivo Polo and around 6000 music fans were there. Westlife played all their hits on their return visit to South Africa. Just a bit of fun really, just a bit of getting out there, sing songs, get into the crowd. It was good fun really, a band member said. Clarkson, Freshly Ground and The Parlotones helped ensure the Vivo Polo was a success. Westlife said they would be back in South Africa soon.
29.03.10 Kian & His Ladies at Krystle... We don't know how long it takes to name a new born baby, but if after a year you are still calling your child "you there" or " thingamajig " or "whatsyerbleedinface" then someone really should call in Child Services. On a completely unrelated issue, Westlife's Kian Egan brought his STILL unnamed Girlband to Krystle at the weekend
Westlife Nicky tells Brian -- you're too old for a boyband
April 01 2010 WESTLIFE'S Nicky Byrne has had a pop at his former bandmate Brian McFadden.
The chart-topping star (30) couldn't resist poking fun on Twitter at Brian (29), who has now reinvented himself in Australia. Brian, who has denied reports of a split from fiancee Delta Goodrem, was writing this week about how excited he was to start auditions on Australian Idol. A considerable coup for him, he's sitting alongside pregnant X Factor star Dannii Minogue and Kyle Sandilands putting the nation's fame seekers through their paces. Writing on his Twitter page, he said: "Just about to start Perth auditions. If you have talent and think you're good enough, just say so!" Yet his former bandmate Nicky raised a few laughs by posting on Brian's page: "What you auditioning for now? You're too old to be in a boyband now horse. " Although Brian declined to comment back publicly, this isn't the first time he has butted heads on Cyberspace with his boyband pals. A few weeks ago, he launched a furious tirade against remarks made by two Westlife members who rubbished suggestions he'll ever perform with them again. He quit the group in 2004 to pursue a solo career -- and the band has since gone from strength to strength, selling more than 40 million records globally.
Apr 2 2010 Westlife Nicky Byrne on playing Anfield, Simon Cowell and nights out in Liverpool MOST musicians dream of playing Wembley, clocking up number one hits or selling millions of records. Not Nicky Byrne. He done all that, but the Westlife crooner achieved his real ambition when he played football alongside his heroes at Anfield. There was a charity match last year with a celebrity team playing a Liverpool legends side, explains Nicky, 31. I was down to play on the celebrity team, but when I got to the hotel, King Kenny asked if I wanted to play on the Liverpool team instead. I thought I was dreaming. Everyone was there Alan Hansen, John Barnes. It was a proper boyhood dream. Then Jamie Redknapp passed the ball to me in front of the Kop and I got that cheer, the cheer you hear them talk about, and it was perfect. He wasnt just making up the numbers. Before joining Westlife, Nicky was a professional football player, joining Leeds United as a goalkeeper in 1995, and was a squad member of the FA Youth Cup winning team of 1997. That was how I first got to know Liverpool, he explains. I travel back and forth on the ferry, and I stop off in Liverpool. It,s a great city, the closest city in character you can get to Dublin. Eventually, after years of splitting his time between Ireland and a footballing career in Leeds, his apprenticeship was up. My contract ended when I was 19, says Nicky. I tried other clubs, but by then I was getting into music. Plus, I had a girlfriend back home, and really I wanted to be back in Ireland. That girlfriend was Georgina Ahern, daughter of the former Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, now his wife and the mother of his twin sons. verything happens for a reason,says Nicky. I enjoyed those years, but if that contract hadn.t ended I might never have been in Westlife, and I owe so much to that. Few bands can compare to Westlife extraordinary success. In a decade they sold more than 36 million records globally and were awarded 28 platinum discs, including a record-breaking 14 number one hits, beaten only by Elvis and The Beatles. It quickly became a case of another year, another Westlife album. From their debut in 1999, the Irish quartet released an album a year, and every one had gone at least double platinum. This is our 11th year, says Nicky. We got to the point at the end of the last tour where we felt stale and tired. We needed some time away. I remember waking up in the Malmaison in Liverpool after the last night of the tour and realising that I had nothing to do for a whole year. Georgina,s mum had come over to look after our boys After 10 years of commitments and missing every mate,s birthday party, wedding and christening, suddenly I could go. Time had become my biggest luxury, and suddenly I had loads of it. There are things that you give up when you in a band, but suddenly I could do them all. We did all that in our year off. And then, by the end of that year, we were desperate to start again. We went away and recorded an album with new producers. The album got to number two. People thought we be disappointed that it wasn,t number one. In fact, we were over the moon. Being number two to Cheryl Cole and Susan Boyle is nothing to be ashamed of. And like those two acts, Westlife have strong links to Simon Cowell. That,s something we never shy away from, says Nicky. He.s the most powerful man in music, and that opens a lot of doors. He always been great with us. For this tour, Nicky and the lads are promising something special after their time off. We just over the moon to be back out on tour, grins Nicky. And to be back in Liverpool, of course. I came over with my mates during the year off. We been out, had a proper mad night, and we were walking back through the square near Yates,s, when a lad came up to me. He said: I know you, you should be round here, you should be in the bling bling bars It made me laugh. I,m not really one for that whole celeb lifestyle. I rather be in an ordinary pub or a bar than somewhere bling bling. So now that Nicky has achieved his ambitions, what,s left on his wish list? A new pair of boots, he laughs. I can find a pair I like anywhere. I know in my head what I want I seen Johnny Depp wearing them but I can find them in the shops. Oh, and motorbike lessons, he says, suddenly sombre. We bought my dad a Harley-Davidson for his 60th birthday. He died a few months ago, so he didn,t get to make the most of it. I love to go out on it and think of him. He have liked that.
WESTLIFE will play a spectacular concert for 10,000 Scots fans - in the first ever gig at a historic castle. The Irish chart-toppers are to stage their massive open-air gig this summer in the grounds of Cawdor Castle near Inverness. Hunky Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne will hit the Highlands as they tour with their tenth album Where We Are. ...... Westlife Live on Sky Box Office http://movies.sky.com/westlife-on-sky-box-office April 2010 Westlife hit the top five in the Irish chart with 35m WESTLIFE have joined the ranks of the richest entertainers in the country after their hefty fortune saw them included in the latest Rich List. The foursome have just been named as the fifth richest entertainers in the country, with an impressive 35m fortune to their names. Throughout their lengthy career, the boys have racked up an impressive collection of number one hits, stellar album sales -- and a fortune most people can only dream of. While their counterparts in the top five of this weekend's Sunday Times Irish Rich list are all seasoned performers who have been working for two decades or more, Westlife are relative newcomers to the scene in comparison.
Monday, 3 May 2010 Belfast goes crazy for Westlife You know a band are popular when the crowd is going nuts before they've even taken the stage. The party atmosphere at last night's first of three Westlife shows at the Odyssey Arena began with the appearance of the boy band members on the video screens. Shane got a cheer. Kian got a roar. Nicky got a deafening, bloodcurdling scream. And Mark ... Well, Mark seems to be Westlife's Ringo, but the response was still louder than you would get for Kiss, Metallica and Green Day put together. Westlife's entrance would have shamed these rock titans, too. The intro music was like the Star Wars theme having a fight with the Superman theme, while the stage set looked like the Armagh Planetarium on crack. The four singers appeared onstage clad top to toe in studded black leather, sporting haircuts that probably cost more than my car. They kicked off with a one-two punch of über-ballad What About Now and the actually-quite-rocking When You're Looking Like That. This set the formula for the evening a ballad followed by an upbeat tune, and the fans loved every minute of it. The capacity crowd was made up mainly of girls from six to 60, but there were a few dads and husbands in there, too and everyone sang themselves hoarse. It was impossible to resist the bouncy charm of anthems like Mandy, Shadows and Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. They even had a crack at Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back in Town (with Kian on guitar!), and it wasn't half bad. The show was the opening night of the tour to promote Westlife's new album Where We Are, but it was just as much a greatest hits set. And what hits. You don't sell 40 million records and score 14 number ones almost as many as the Beatles without knowing a good tune when Louis Walsh hears one. No expense had been spared. There were costume changes, at least three major set changes and what looked like the plans for the Death Star on the video screens. But the focus was on the four guys. Their dancing wasn't up to much, but they were clearly having the time of their lives up there. When Nicky asked if the crowd had missed them, I thought my glasses were going to shatter with the volume of the response. Indeed, the fans were so loud it was hard to tell how the boys' voices are holding up after an astonishing 11 years at the top of their game. Boyzone may be cuter. Take That may be quirkier. But Westlife are certainly the most charismatic of the boy bands, and they had the Belfast audience in the palm of their hands for the duration of this two-hour extravaganza. ANDREW JOHNSTON
04 May 2010 By Stacey Heaney WESTLIFE were back at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast this week, bigger and better than ever as they returned to the city following a two year break from touring. Westlife rocked the Odyssey Arena this week as they performed at three sold out shows in Belfast. The boys were obviously thrilled to be back on stage again, almost as thrilled as the thousands of fans who packed into the Odyssey to see them during three sold out nights at the venue. Looking and sounding great, the Westlife boys danced their hearts out during the two-hour spectacle, which featured tracks from their new album 'Where We Are', some of the band's greatest hits and even a Glee style medley of Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling, Beyonce's Halo and Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire in an energetic routine. A spectactular computerised laser display kicked off the show, counting down the seconds until Shane, Nicky, Kian and Mark appeared on stage, where they opened the concert with Where We Are, the title track of their latest album, before moving on to the massive hit What About Now? and then picking up the pace with a rocking rendition of When You're Looking Like That. The fans were already having the time of their lives, singing and dancing along and the noise only got louder as the guys went through hit after hit including My Love, where they showed off their vocal ability by finishing the song acapella, Uptown Girl, Swear It Again, Mandy and a mash-up of If I Let You Go and Air Supply's All Out Of Love. A quick costume change later and the boys were back with fantastic versions of Home and I'm Already There, as well as new hits Shadows and Reach Out. Picking up the energy, the guys added another string to their bow with a dance routine that proved they have well and truly ditched the stools. A medley of Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling, a dance version of Beyonce's Halo, Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town, which featured Kian on electric guitar and Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire had the Odyssey rocking and the audience breathless by the end of the set. Watched by their families, the guys paid tribute to their loved ones and the fans who have supported them since they began in 1998. With such a back catalogue, it is always going to be difficult to fit in all of their hits, but the biggest selling band of the decade managed to do just that with a good blend of the old and the new finishing the night with the huge hits What Makes A Man, Flying Without Wings and World Of Our Own, before saying their goodbyes. As chants of 'Westlife' reverberated around the room, the action began for the encore. With crosses filling the screens, the boys returned to the stage dressed in black suits as they prepared to pay a moving tribute to their loved ones. Having been together for the past 13 years, it is only inevitable that the band have become like family to each other and the group paid a fitting tribute to both Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne's father's Kevin and Nicky Senior who sadly passed away last year. Finishing the evening with the hauntingly beautiful I'll See You Again, a song dedicated to both men, photos of Kian and Nicky with their father's flashed across the screen as both men stood beside each other, seeking comfort in what must have been a difficult performance. The band then ended the night with a superb performance of You Raise Me Up, the song the group performed at the funerals of both men, continuing their tribute and completing a magnificent show. It was great to see Westlife back at the Odyssey once again following their hiatus, and they proved why they are one of the best loved and most successful boy bands out there as they put on their best show ever. Local fans will now be looking forward to the guys returning once again, the question will be when that is, although from the reaction from fans they would be saying, 'What about now?
May 7 2010 Music magazines would crucify us if we overtake The Beatles tally on No1 singles, says Westlife's Kian Egan WESTLIFE reckon they'll be crucified if they manage to equal The Beatles' tally of 17 No.1 UK singles. The Irish boy band are only three tunes away with 14 No.1s. They still have a bit to go to equal Elvis record-breaking tally of 21 No.1 singles. But the boys already know the clamour that will greet them if they catch up with the Fab Four. "I could just imagine the music magazines and newspapers crucifying us if we overtook The Beatles or Elvis," said Kian Egan, 30. "We'd be annihilated, but it would be fun." The boys - Kian, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne - have been one of the UK's top groups since 1999 and their first No.1, Swear It Again. That year, they had four No.1s and three in 2000. Those seven consecutive No.1s equalled The Beatles record. Westlife are only in their late twenties and early thirties so have plenty of time and a strong enough fan base to equal The Beatles' No.1 total. Mark, 29, admits they are excited and said: "We have broken records in the past but that would be major history. That would be something that would take a long time for someone to rival us. It's taken us so long to get close and it would be amazing. "But it's not something we would rely on to happen. "We can't live our lives trying to beat that record and see it as a failure if we don't. "But we are very, very close." Westlife missed a chance to close the gap with The Beatles last year when their last single, What About Now, went to No.2. Their seventh studio album Where We Are also went to No.2 but Kian and Mark aren't worried. At least they say they're not. And their strong fan base confirms they are still a force in British pop. Their Where We Are tour will play three nights at the SECC in Glasgow from May 24. Next Friday, May 14, they will broadcast a live show from London's O2 Arena on Sky Box Office. Mark said: "We are still standing in there. "We have a sold-out tour and our last album sold over a million copies. So we are still happy." Managed by Louis Walsh, their record label boss is Simon Cowell. Both have steered the band into performing mushy ballads and a heap of cover versions. It's an image they are ready to break. Before the band released Where We Are last year, they claimed they were trying out a new direction, away from their typical ballads and cover versions. So were they disappointed that Where We Are was the first album since debut Westlife in 1999 not to go to No.1? And that the last No.1 single they had was 2006's The Rose? "We still sell more than most pop acts in the UK so technically it's still a massive success," pointed out Mark. "But it's hard to compete against the giant success we had years ago, especially the way the music industry is at the moment. "But it would hard to not call a No.2 album and a No.2 single a success. "We consider it so and so does our record company. "Of course, a No.2 isn't as good as No.1. But I think what matters is that you sell enough records to make another one. "If you are in any act, you don't want to get dropped. You want to be able to continue, do a tour and make another album. "We know better than anyone that it's silly to live competing with ourselves. "We can't assume that because we were successful, we still will be. "That's why we have so much drive and ambition to continue to be successful. "You have to look forwards, not backwards." Much of Westlife's outlook on life comes from a renewed sense of purpose after the deaths last year of Kian and Nicky's dads and of Boyzone's Stephen Gately, at just 33 from a heart defect. Stephen was the first boyband star to come out as gay and Mark followed his lead five years ago. He is now engaged to boyfriend Kevin McDaid. Like the rest of Westlife, Mark didn't know Stephen especially well, but his death changed his way of thinking. He said: "When you have been able to carve out a successful career over a period of time, you end up playing safe and being afraid to take risks. "You wait around, put things off and worry so much about maintaining your career. "When Stephen died, I realised it could be all over in the morning without warning. That's a very scary thought and it made me realise that I should just get on with stuff. "It made me think, 'Why do you put things off or worry whether to buy a car? Just do it. Live your life. Don't put anything off until next year and stop worrying to much.' " Was Mark's engagement a reaction to Stephen's death? "No, it was happening anyway," said Mark. "But his death made me realise I had to get on with my life. It's about not being scared to do things." Kian agreed that although none of Westlife knew Stephen particularly well, they were affected most at the funeral when they saw people they were close to so upset. He said: "To see Louis crumble and Ronan and the Boyzone lads so upset, it really hit us." Westlife are growing up. Shane, Nicky and Kian are married. Shane has three kids. Nicky has twins. But although Mark is engaged, there will be no wedding bells anytime soon. "People put engagement and wedding too close together," he said. "At the moment, we are enjoying the engagement. But it's not been an easy road for Westlife. Kian, Mark and Shane started in a six-strong Sligo group called IOYOU. Shane's mum helped them get together with Louis in July 1998. But before Simon signed them to BMG, the other three members were dumped and Nicky and Brian McFadden from Dublin brought in. But after their success, Brian quit the band in 2004 and, like Take That and the Spice Girls, Westlife could have split, too. But they didn't although they did an album of swing covers, Allow Us To Be Frank, which Mark calls a "weird time" and an album he'd like to forget. Nowadays, they have competition from JLS, who are Westlife's first real threat for the biggest boy band tag. But after 12 years at the top and over 40 million albums sold, the Irish lads reckon JLS still have a lot to achieve. Kian said: "I'm happy to compete. There's no point in sitting down and not do our thing. "We are very different to JLS. It's also their first year. If you manage to get a great album together in your first year and have talent, which they do, you will have an even bigger second year because that's how trends work. "But we are happy to concentrate on ourselves and look back and remember our first few years and how crazy it was. "The best way to look at it is to compare our first year and songs like Swear Again and Flying Without Wings and having seven No.1s straight." That might be a subtle dig. While JLS's debut album beat Robbie Williams to the top spot and their first two singles went to No.1, their third, One Shot, only got to No.6. But Kian isn't taking anything away from The X Factor runners-up. "The boys are living the dream, travelling and visiting places you don't even know the name of. But it's different when you are in your 12th year. "It's a different type of success and we are at a different part of our career. It's tougher to constantly stay at the top of your game and record better songs."
Westlife We're A 'Manband WestlifeWestlife have been around for 12 years but they're not worried about their young competition. Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne are happy to call themselves a "manband". The band have enjoyed 14 UK number one singles and sold over 43 million records worldwide. And now they're getting ready to hit the road again with 22 tour dates across the UK and an O2 Arena gig set to be broadcast live, exclusively by Sky Box Office, on 14th May. We catch up with the group ahead of their Where We Are tour this summer. Which part of the tour are you looking forward to the most? Nicky: "Touring is one of the most exciting parts of what we do as Westlife. You go out and meet the fans, sing live - there really isn't a better part of the job. "Over the 12 years we've been together we've built up quite a relationship with the fans and we like to have a bit of fun and banter on stage. So what can fans expect? Nicky: "Being on tour is different to a typical run-of-the-mill TV performance and being broadcast live on Sky Box Office will be extra special because there will be added pressure - mistakes are there to be seen!" Shane: "When we go on tour we always do a medley of out-there songs and this year is a really good one. It's the part of the show where fans get to see us doing things we don't normally do." You say you've built up a good relationship with fans - what's the most crazy thing a fan has done? Shane: "We've had death threats, we've had a few stalkers. Mark's had a couple of dodgy stalkers." Mark: "Some fans have christened their children after us - that's very romantic isn't it?" Do you miss performing with Brian?Brian McFadden Nicky: "No." (laughs) Shane: "There will be some moments that bring back memories and remind us of the times we had with Brian, but as a band we've been without him for a long time and we're still good friends. We've moved on, it's like going to school with someone and then you both go to colleges, you go your separate ways." How do you relax on tour? Nicky: "We have bubble baths!" Mark: "During the day we have the opportunity to go to the gym, go for walks, exercise." So you're clean-living guys? Nicky: "In general we like a night out and have a drink but we look after ourselves on tour - you have to look after your body." Kian: "We used to go mad on tours in the first few years but now we can only do that if you have a guaranteed day off the next day. You don't want to be going on stage with a hangover so we try to keep it down to one night a week." How did you feel about Take That reforming? Kian: "To see bands like Take That do well is a positive thing. For a long time pop music seemed to be on the way out and rock and rap music was taking over, so for Take That to come back and have success proves there's room for different types of music. Boybands, or Manbands, whatever you want to call us, can be successful again." Are you worried about being in a different market with younger bands like JLS? Mark: "We came out in 1999 and since then there's been Busted, Blue, F!VE, JLS, and a lot of other bands. I think we've proven there's room for more than one - we don't worry about other acts, we're busy taking care of ourselves."Charlize Theron If you weren't all in relationships, which celebrities would catch your eye? Kian: "Gisele is very pretty." Shane: "For me the prettiest-looking celebrity would be Charlize Theron, she's incredible looking. Katherine Heigl is also beautiful - I had to have two." Nicky: "I like the older woman at the moment, I think a little bit of Sandra Bullock could be nice." Are you best friends? Nicky: "We've kind of grown-up together, we're even closer than some brothers, but we all have a separate set of friends - if the band broke up now we wouldn't see each other every day, we'd hook up in time. We get on amazingly or else we wouldn't still be around." Who spends the most time in front of mirror on tour? Nicky: "Mark!" Mark: "Yes it could be true - in terms of getting ready for show, I like to relax and get ready slowly. So potentially I could spend longer in front of the mirror."Kian and Jodi Albert Have you got any extravagant riders? Mark: "Not really, just fruit, chocolate and a few beers." Kian, are you and Jodi (Albert) planning to have kids soon? Kian: "Jodi's in a new girlband with Mercury records and they're coming out this summer so the focus is more on that.
Review: Westlife at Liverpool's ECHO Arena May 10 2010 by Joanne Kelly, Liverpool Daily Post Add a commentRecommend WESTLIFE'S Nicky Byrne saw his dream come true as he sang You'll Never Walk Alone with 10,000 fans at the group Liverpool concert on Friday. In between hits, the blond heart-throb confessed: "I've always wanted to do this!" before kicking off a rendition of the Liverpool FC anthem. Bandmate Kian said: "It's a pleasure to be back here in Liverpool, one of the best arenas because of all the lovely Scousers. "You know the reason you make so much noise is because you're so close to the Irish." A full-house welcomed the boys back to the Echo Arena for their Where We Are tour, which included new tunes Shadows and How to Break a Heart, as well as You Raise Me Up and Flying Without Wings. Die-hard fans in home-made T-shirts were on their feet throughout the 23-strong set. New additions to the band's repertoire of covers included the Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire and Beyoncé's Halo but Uptown Girl and Mandy were thankfully not forgotten.
Nicky crashes and Byrnes Play-fight ... Westlife ROCK 'n' roll brawling isn't really what you come to expect on a WESTLIFE tour. Connect 4 competitions and a quiet pint of Guinness, maybe. But NICKY BYRNE was rushed to hospital when a play-fight got out of hand after their gig in Liverpool at the weekend. He was wrestling bandmate KIAN EGAN to the floor when he smashed his head through a glass table. Numpty. He ended up with five stitches and a bad headache. He said: "All fun and stupid lads joking. I'm healing already."
Westlife boys hit the town ... and a head! May 13 2010 Add a commentRecommend AFTER their sell out show at the ECHO arena, Insider hears Ireland fab four, Westlife, headed straight to Palm Sugar Lounge in Liverpool One to keep the party going. The boys wanted to sample Liverpool nightlife and were seen enjoying themselves in a champagne booth in the bar. Westlife Where We Are tour is a gruelling schedule with 31 shows but the boys had a rare day off after the Liverpool show so they took advantage of a good night out. Our spies say they were also to be found treating their guests to Laurent Perrier rose champagne at Newz Bar, and dancing with the samba dancers at Alma De Cuba before heading back to the Malmaison hotel. A fine old time was had by all, although reports since suggest Nicky ended up with stitches after hitting his head on a tables.
14 May 2010 Westlife admit their terrible past Westlife have recorded a host of "terrible" songs during their pop career, the Irish boyband have admitted. The quartet say there are a number of tracks they regret in their back catalogue, which has made them one of the most successful acts in British music history. "We've certainly made a lot of mistakes. We've recorded songs that we should never have recorded. "We look back on some of them and think, 'Oh God, that was terrible'," confessed Nicky Byrne in a new interview. Shane Filan says the group had become "lazy" and often didn't stand up for what they believed in. "Sitting in rooms and nodding our heads and doing everything that was asked of us was what we did for years and years. "But we are happy to speak now, to say, 'I think we should do this'. We've become men over the last few years," insisted Byrne.
Westlife star Mark Feehily has taken aim at British rap trio N-Dubz - berating the hip-hop stars for their "irresponsible behavior" and branding them "total idiots". The clean-cut singer has slammed the group for not taking their task as role models for their impressionable fans seriously, after N-Dubz member Dappy was embroiled in two drugs scandals last month. The rapper was caught on camera taking controversial drug mephedrone and was kicked out of a U.K. theme park after allegedly smoking cannabis in the venue's hotel. And Feehily has urged the band to act more like "real stars" Bono and Jay-Z - insisting the young hitmakers have "no respect".
Boy band fans flock to Glasgow for first of three Westlife shows Irish group Westlife are expected to play to some 20,000 people. You just have to follow the sea of cowboy hats and glowsticks to know that a boy band is in town. Marching on Glasgow SECC last night was an army of dedicated Westlife fans who have been coming back year after year. Last night concert was the first of three, for which more than 20,000 fans are expected. If the crowd at the opening show was anything to go by, it seems generations of families will be turning out to see the Irish superstars. Amanda Wyllie, 36, from Maybole, South Ayrshire, was responsible for roping her mother in 10 years ago. The pair now come along with Amanda daughter Keira, five. Amanda said: I suppose I started it all and now we have three generations coming along. They appeal to us all and we all have our favourites. It is difficult to say but they are just amazing to watch. Fan Maureen Anderson, from Cumnock, in Ayrshire, will celebrate her 70th birthday this summer, and was looking forward to seeing the group for the first time. She said: We have been fans for years. Anyone can enjoy their music. Her friend Morag Herbertson, 68, from Glasgow, was also excited about seeing them in concert. We will be shouting and cheering along, she said. You can,t help but like a band like Westlife although you sometimes get a bit of a teasing.Hairdresser Kay MacIver, 40, from Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, said: My husband always buys me two tickets at Christmas and I take one of my friends. It just makes you want to have a great night.
Shane Filan and Nicky Byrne head to Palm Sugar Lounge after performing at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, UK
Thursday June 03 2010 THE STAGE is set for the Westlife juniors to follow their dads into the showbiz world. Proud dad Nicky Byrne has posted a picture of his three-year-old twin sons Rocco and Jay on his Twitter site. The toddlers are snapped in matching jeans and jumper outfits reaching up to the microphones on stage at a stadium in the UK where Westlife are performing. The two appear comfortable in front of the mic and Nicky (31) said that he couldn't resist posting the cute photo. "I just had to tweet this!" Nicky said. "Rocco n Jays first soundcheck. Newcastle metro arena 31/5/10." Nicky has admitted that the group love the touring, no matter how tough the schedule. "Touring is our baby. When we promote a single it's normally a big ballad so we're limited to what you can do with the live performances," he said. "So touring is like getting out of school on our summer holidays where we can go daft." Nicky and his wife Georgina Ahern have been together since they first met in school. "From the moment I saw Georgina, I put her up on a pedestal," Nicky once revealed. "I could have a conversation with anyone, but I couldn't talk to Georgina." Karaoke Their twin sons celebrated their third birthday recently but already appear to be following in their father's footsteps. Nicky lost his own dad Nikki last year and revealed that he was part of the reason he went into showbusiness. The late Nikki, a former singer on the cabaret and karaoke circuit, was part of Nikki and the Studz in his earlier days and also used to perform with Nicky when he was younger. Long-time friend, the showband legend Sonny Knowles, sang Smile at the funeral service and there was also a performance from Westlife. Shane Filan (30), Kian Egan (30), Mark Feehily (29) and Nicky are currently in the middle of a hectic sold-out tour schedule. Westlife's Mark said that they were chuffed that so many people have called their sons after them. And he also joked that have anticipated a baby boom thanks to their next album. "You can listen to it while you're conceiving," he joked. "We're in meetings this week for the next album and have lots of ideas as we want to get out by the end of the year." The Irish band's last album sold over a million copies.
Dubliners' diary: Wow! Kasey finds romance at Westlife gig Monday June 07 2010 IT looks like Jodi Albert's Wonderland bandmate Kasey Smith could soon be following in her footsteps by bagging herself a pop star beau. The blonde singer was spotted cosying up to one of the members of American boyband Wow this weekend. The pair had both taken to the stage with their respective bands as support acts at Westlife's Croke Park gig on Saturday night. And they appeared to be quite taken with one another when they decamped to celebrity hotspot Krystle for an exclusive afterparty. The Diary spotted the up and coming popstars looking very close when they arrived hand in hand to join the rest of the celebs at the invite-only bash in the club's Penthouse suite. Meanwhile Westlife star Kian Egan and Jodi, his wife of just over a year, were more loved up than ever as they celebrated the success of the massive show, alongside friends including fellow Westlife crooner Mark Feehily and his partner Kevin McDaid. Smitten singer Kian had paid an emotional tribute to his actress turned singer wife during the concert, thanking her for her continuous support throughout the past year which saw his father pass away in July following a long battle with cancer. Birthday The star also debuted his musical talents during the show when he performed The Boys Are Back in Town on an electric guitar, given to him as a birthday present from his Westlife bandmates. Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan meanwhile had their chance to shine when their children, Nicky's twins Rocco and Jay and Shane's three children Nicole, Patrick and baby Shane Peter took to the stage with them for the band's hit single Already There. The pair -- along with their wives Georgina and Gillian-- were not in attendance at the afterparty in Krystle, as they had to jet straight to Manchester following the concert in order to take part in Robbie Williams' Soccer Aid event at the United ground at Old Trafford yesterday. ,
Westlife's Shane lives the high life in Surrey Shane Filan and wife Gillian are spending half the year in Surrey Westlife crooner Shane Filan, 30, and his wife Gillian are enjoying life in their new Surrey bolthole - a Georgian house in Cobham which is set in half an acre. 'It's private and we have great neighbours. We plan to spend half the year here and half in Ireland,' says Shane, who also owns a mock Tudor mansion in Carraroe, Co. Sligo. Shane is already familiar with the area as he takes his children Nicole Rose, five, Patrick Michael, one, and six-month-old Shane Peter to nearby Chessington World of Adventures, and he enjoys playing golf at Wentworth. Shane and brother Finbarr are spearheading a luxury housing development in Sligo where they hope to build 63 apartments.
Singer to develop 5m nursing home In this section » WESTLIFE SINGER
Shane Filan and his brother Finbar are to develop a 5 million nursing home at Knappagh Road on the edge of Sligo town. The project has been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála with 14 conditions attached to meet objections from neighbouring residents associations. The home is set to be completed by June next year. The state-of-the-art building is one of a multimillion euro set of development projects the singer is set to start in his Sligo home area, which he says could create up to 300 jobs for local people. The brothers are also set to start work on a new 50-bed nursing home in Dromahair, Co Leitrim, and on a new residential and retail complex near Shane,s luxury home at Carraroe, outside Sligo town. The brothers, who run construction company Shafin, say they are preparing for an end to the recession and to meet a growing demand from an ageing population for more nursing homes. Shafin, like others in the construction industry, was left with a number of unsold properties from an earlier development in Dromahair. But the singer said positive things were beginning to happen. We sold over a dozen houses in Dromahair in recent months. That proves the banks are beginning to loosen the purse strings and people are becoming a bit more positive. We firmly believe that it needs to be local people who get Sligo moving again, he said.
Monday 19 July 2010 News Westlife are reportedly teaming up with the producer who is behind Take That's recent comeback. Westlife - Recording new album in London The Irish pop group are working on their new album with top American producer John Shanks, reports the Irish Daily Star. A source told the newspaper: "It's a major coup for Westlife to get this producer - he's produced all the big acts from Bon Jovi to the Backstreet Boys and Take That. "They wanted him for their last album but weren't able to get him. They're thrilled that he's agreed to work with them on this album." Shanks worked on the Take That albums 'Beautiful World' and 'The Circus' and wrote their number one hits 'Greatest Day and Patience'. Westlife flew to London last week to begin work on their new record, which they plan to release in November.
Wednesday July 28 2010 WESTLIFE are going to party with their families and close friends behind the stage at their Lissadell House concert on Friday -- and their pets will also get in on the act. The boys are set to bring their pet pooches along for the show. They have specifically asked for dog bones and other dog food in their "must-have" list of backstage supplies at their first concert in seven years in Sligo, home county to three of the four singers. Backstage sources revealed Kian, Shane, Mark and Nicky have also asked for a supply of chewing-gum. They have also asked for Lucozade Sportdrink before taking the stage in front of 10,000 fans. Westlife will have two support acts, Kian Egan's wife Jodi Albert and her band and Shane Filan's brother-in-law Glenn Cal, a musician who regularly plays in Sligo pubs.
The four piece will take to the stage this evening at Lissadell House, to perform as part of a three day music weekend in Sligo The 'You Raise Me Up' singers have not played their home town for seven years and according to Ocean FM, Kian has said that he "can't wait" for the event. Mark Feehily also expressed his excitement by tweeting: "Sligo here we go! We are home!! Rain Rain stay away, let the fun commence! xxx".
Wednesday August 11 2010 WESTLIFE
star Nicky Byrne was more loved up than ever this week when he wined and dined his wife Georgina Ahern in London to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary. The couple are currently based in Britain along with their twin sons, Rocco and Jay (3), while Nicky and his bandmates Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Cian Egan record material for their new album. The group recently signed up to work with six-time Grammy nominee, John Shanks, who is responsible for teen sensation Miley Cyrus's new album, Can't Be Tamed. However, the romantic Nicky (31) was determined not to neglect his childhood sweetheart on their special day and even posted a romantic tribute to her on his Twitter page. "A very happy seventh wedding anniversary to my beautiful wife," Nicky wrote. "Here's to gazillions more." The star also took some time out of his busy schedule to show his other half a good time, planning a night out at an exclusive restaurant. "They've been in London all week, where they've been celebrating in style," said a source close to the star. "They're also planning a trip back to the Chateau D'Esclimont in Gallardon,France, where they wed seven years ago, later this year," they added. Before then, however, the star will join his bandmates for an intimate gig in front of 1,000 fans at the O2 next week. The concert will be streamed live from the venue on the O2's website blueroom.ie. Nicky is also due back on the airwaves next Sunday afternoon for his new weekly gig spinning discs alongside 2fm star Michael Cahill from 5pm to 7pm.
Irish pop crooners Westlife are touring the UK next March playing ten gigs at some of the biggest venues in the country, with tickets now available on viagogo.co.uk. The boys will take to the road in Spring 2011 to promote an upcoming new album, which is thus far untitled. Mentored by fellow Irish pop hero Ronan Keating, the four boys - Shane, Nicky, Mark and Kian - are sure to set the UK live arenas alive once again as they wow their army of fans across the nation. Remarkably it will be the band's tenth UK tour and is bound to sell out rapidly. Westlife have played at London Wembley Arena an incredible 25 times and they will return to the venue on 27th March 2011. Tickets for the tour will sell out fast but as Europe's leading ticket exchange, viagogo will have 100% guaranteed tickets for all Westlife dates.
Westlife will play the following UK shows: March 7th CIA, Cardiff March 11th O2 Arena, London March 14th Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle March 16th Trent FM Arena, Nottingham March 18th Echo Arena, Liverpool March 19th SECC, Glasgow March 22nd MEN Arena, Manchester March 25th LG Arena, Birmingham March 27th Wembley Arena, London March 28th Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield.
To ensure you don't miss out on these spectacular shows, secure your Westlife tickets now on www.viagogo.co.uk.
Westlife top the bill at Arthur's Day in Dublin Monday, 20 September 2010 Westlife
Westlife have been named as the headline act at the Guinness Arthur's Day celebrations in Dublin this Thursday. The irish boyband will be joined by The Script and a host of other international artists. The Dublin gig is one of more than 1,000 planned events nationwide, involving 150 confirmed artists and 200 hours of live music performance.
,It's a family affair for Jodi as Wonderland sparkle in debut gig Wednesday September 29 2010
Westwife Jodi Albert was cheered on by some very special guests when her new girlband Wonderland performed their debut gig at Dublin's Pod nightclub. Dressed to impress in a black jeans and white jacket combo, Kian Egan's wife explained how she was thrilled when her parents George and Eileen jetted into town to support her and her bandmates Kasey Smith, Corinna Durran, Sharon Condon and Leigh Learmont. Jodi's parents spent several days visiting the couple at their home in Sligo before flying to Dublin with their daughter and her popstar hubby for the band's intimate launch gig. Kian's in-laws are due to return home today for a family wedding at the weekend, at which Jodi and the band are expected to perform. The close-knit family has been through a difficult time after Jodi's mum Eileen battled cancer last year, while Kian was left devastated when he lost his own father Kevin to cancer in July of last year. However, last night was all about toasting Wonderland's successful five-track set. "They were fantastic and we're so glad we were here to see it," Jodi's proud father George told the Diary. "They've put a lot of hard work in over the past couple of years and I think they'll do very well. " Kian and Louis Walsh were on hand last night to support their protegees as they performed their first single Nothing Moves Me Anymore and four other songs. Following their every move was an ITV film crew, who are making a documentary about the group, which will be shown later this year. Speaking about his latest showbiz venture, Kian explained how he and his wife of a year and a half are careful to keep their personal life and their work life separate. "There haven't been any disagreements and I don't anticipate that there will be," he explained. "Jodi and the girls know that Louis and I make the decisions. That's why they have us there as managers. "It's nice for us to work together and have that shared interest. We're both enjoying the different elements of it. " Kian's bandmate Mark Feehily and his husband-to-be Kevin McDaid, as well as former You're a star contestant Leanne Moore were also in the audience to wish the girls well. The aspiring songstress was one of the main contenders when it came to choosing the line-up for the band, but was pipped at the post for the final spot by Leigh Learmont.
hallo welkom op mijn westlifeforever blog deze blog is voor de westlife fans en iedereen die westlife wil leren kennen ik wens jullie veel kijk en luister plezier 14 jaar westlife 1998-2012
Westlife gave an unforgettable performance as they played their final homecoming concert at Dublin's Croke Park. Around 80,000 fans attended the Irish pop band's farewell show at the weekend, which was also screened in cinemas in Ireland, UK and across Europe, reported the BBC. The boyband - made up of Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne - belted out all their hits over a set lasting more than two hours. Kian told the crowd: "As this is the very last Westlife concert, the whole idea was to be able to get out here and see our fans one last time and celebrate 14 years. " His bandmate Mark added: "For 14 years, Westlife fans have made our dreams come true. This show is dedicated to each and every one of you. Our fans mean so much. You have never stopped supporting us. "Thanks so much.
You're not just our fans, you are our friends and have been with us each step of the way. " The group were introduced by their former manager Louis Walsh, who said: "I have never known a band like this in all my time in the business. "I didn't want them to break up yet - but they all wanted to go out on a high. Westlife announced the shock decision to split up last year after 14 years together.
mark feehily shane filan Kian Egan Nicky Byrne blijven volgen dat kan hier ook hier te volgen brain mcfadden
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