Sunday night at JLN Stadium was a captivating spectacle, with animated visuals illuminating the background, the charming Irish boy band Westlife delivering their iconic hits, and enthusiastic fans swaying to timeless tunes.
Following performances in Mumbai and Bengaluru, the renowned Westlife quartet comprising Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Shane Filan, and Mark Feehily delighted the Delhi-NCR audience. The heartthrobs of the 90s lived up to expectations, concluding their India leg of “The Wild Dreams” Tour on a high note.
Commencing with a flawlessly executed opening sequence, the boy band members took the stage by storm, delivering a spirited rendition of the pop hit “Starlight.” This was followed by cascades of confetti mysteriously appearing, adding to the dynamic atmosphere.
“We love you India. We have been waiting for many years to come to India and do the concert, tonight is going to be the best of the lot. Are you ready to party, Delhi?” asked one of the band members to the pumped-up audience.
The Irish-band didn’t wait too long to make music lovers walk down the 90s lane as they crooned to their nostalgic classics “Uptown Girl”, “I Lay My Love On You”, “Seasons in the Sun”, “If I Let You Go”, “My Love”, and “Swear it again”—the band’s first single from their debut album in 1999. “When we started this band we were a lot younger than what we are now, but so were you guys,” said 43-year-old Kian Egan as he joked about how the group and its audience have grown old together.
Much to the delight of everyone in attendance, the band in donned coordinating silver basket coats as they treated the audience to a medley of ABBA tunes. The setlist included classics such as “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “Dancing Queen,” “Thank You for the Music,” and “Money Money Money.” With hands waving in the air and voices harmonizing with every lyric, the audience, especially the older millennials, savored every moment of the concert. “I know it’s a cliché, but it truly was a dream come true for me. Having grown up listening to Westlife, witnessing their live performance after all these years is nothing short of a blessing. It feels surreal. Undoubtedly, this is the best concert I’ve ever attended,” expressed 28-year-old Piyush Sharma, who attended the event with his wife.
Originating in Sligo, Ireland, the band initially formed under the name “IOYOU” in 1997, founded by Egan, Feehily, and Filan, with the subsequent addition of Byrne and Brian McFadden a year later. The group underwent a name change to Westlife.
Their debut single was released in April 1999, and since then, they have launched a total of 12 studio albums, the most recent being “Wild Dreams” in 2021.
