Rick Astley
*****
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Fri 2 Nov
You know the rules and so does he. Rick Astley and his band brought an evening of elegance, singalongs and laughs to a near sold-out crowd in the Welsh capital. Combining his dance-pop hits of eighties yesteryear with the soulful vocal groove of recent albums Beautiful Life and 50 respectively, Astley and his experienced musicians were superb. The band added another dimension to the live experience with breathtaking backing vocalists, inventive guitar solos and fun and games from their keyboardist, providing a set as if it was their last night on earth.
After more than thirty years in the music industry, the Lancashire-born singer shows that he hasn’t lost a step, with his famous vocals sounding as good as they ever have. There’s a sense that Rick is enjoying this time on the road more than ever before, bouncing around on stage, enjoying every note and finding as much comedy moments as he can with his audience and band-mates. It could be argued that his recent boost of popularity and new-found success has rekindled a flame for the singer and that he’s taking advantage of every opportunity to perform, put smiles on faces and cherish these little moments.
Along with his dishing out fan-favourite hits like Together Forever, Try and Never Gonna Give You Up, Astley revealed his musical influences by sneaking in covers and jamming on old classics. Shotgun by George Ezra, Stronger by Daft Punk and You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon all made appearances, with Astley reminiscing and joking about how he started off playing covers in local pubs. One highlight was when a chau gong was bought out for him to strike twice during one of the newer numbers. Jokes aside, he connects with the audience more by opening up and sharing stories behind some of songs, about his family, wife and childhood.
Where most acts his age now try and hang on to the popularity of their youth, Rick Astley has created a new chapter of his career that sees his recent singles sound fit for an arena setting, getting bigger cheers, reactions and singalongs than some of his early days b-hits. Astley knows that most people see him as a nostalgia act and accepts that, but he isn’t afraid to break out of his shell and try new things while elevating his image and career to even new heights. Everyone in attendance left the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena dancing, jiving and applauding a stellar night.
Morgan Richards
photo Rankin
Further tour dates are avaialble here: www.rickastley.co.uk