Story by Kirk Chester Dy
Photos by Danilo Factor
Last September 2018, Westlife’s lead vocalist Shane Filan, returned to Manila with a successful solo concert held at the New Frontier Theater (formerly known as Kia Theatre). During his concert, he promised to return to the Philippines, this time with the rest of the Westlife boys for their upcoming reunion tour. The popular Irish Pop Vocal Group disbanded in 2012 and reunited just last year.
Wilbros Live turned this idea into reality on July 29 and 30, 2019 at a 2-day sold out concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum where the biggest selling boy band had their Filipino fans frolicking into the concert hall.
The coliseum was jam-packed around 8pm and started with “The Twenty Tour” of Westlife. Lights went off at 9pm with the intro of the ever famous Swear It Again song, their first single released 20 years ago.
The amazing part of this concert is the Medley of the Queen Songs which sounded really fantastic. Their singing style, rhythm, and dancing truly was out of this world. After twenty years, Westlife still has chemistry together.
After “You Raise Me Up”, they bid farewell to fans who have awaited for this reunion after two decades but came back on stage to sing two more songs for their avid followers.
Here’s the complete set list of their Manila concert:
Set 1
1. Swear it again (intro only)
2. Hello my love
3. Swear it again
4. What about now
5. My Love
6. When you’re looking like that
Set 2
1. Uptown Girl
2. If I let you go
3. Better man
Set 3- Queen Medley
1. Another one bites the dust
2. Radio Ga ga
3. I want to break free
4. Somebody to love
5. Don’t stop me now
6. We will rock you
7. We are the champions
Memory Lane
1. I have a dream
2. Unbreakable
3. Fool Again
4. I lay my love on you
5. Dynamite
6. You raise me up
Encore
1. Flying without wings
2. World of our own
Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne‘s last album together was Gravity, released in 2010. Their newest album, Spectrum, is scheduled for release on November 8, 2019 through Virgin EMI Records. It will include the singles “Hello My Love“, “Better Man” and “Dynamite“, and feature collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, and James Bay.
Special thanks to Ms. Grace Foronda and Wilbros Live for the passes.
