Pay Your TV Licence To Win - 19 September 2006

By Nhlanhla Mathunjwa

A number of television owners stand a chance to win free tickets to the much anticipated show featuring United Kingdom-based Westlife.

The group will be performing at Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre on December 30. Tickets will be on sale in the next two weeks.

The group will be in the country courtesy of Big Five Entertainment Company. There will be a raffle draw prior to the show where drawn TV license holders will get the tickets.

Big Five Entertainment Public Relations Officer Maria de Sousa, confirmed the news, adding that they would soon be meeting to discuss and finalise the matter.

“The show will be the first of its kind in the country and entire region. We want to make it special to fun lovers,” she said, though she could not say how many would win.

She mentioned that those who had not yet paid their licenses should use the remaining time to do so and then stand a chance to win.

“That is the reason why we have decided to inform the public about the draw as early as now so that they could prepare themselves for the draw,” she said.

De Sousa also pointed out that preparations of the big event were coming up smoothly, stating that they were hopeful that the show would go as planed.

“Tickets will be sold for the next three months starting in two weeks time,” she revealed, adding: “One can point out that there will be no tickets sold at the entrance on the day of the show due to security reasons,“ he said.

De Sousa also stated that the public would be informed where the tickets could be bought.

The group will perform once in the country. It will have a series of appearances in various places like neighbouring South Africa and Namibia.

The group will also be accompanied by an eight piece live band.

Credit/Source: www.observer.org.sz

Westlife: Face To Face Tour - 17 September 2006

September 8, 2006
Singapore Indoor Stadium
Singapore

With only a hot dog bun for companionship, I braved the chilly wind and marched into the Indoor Stadium. As I took my solitary seat, I was mildly aghast. The crowd was thin and the queues you thought would be lined with hordes of fans were barely in existence. Where were the boy-band-crazy girls? Where were the flashy posters? Where was everyone, for that matter? Then again, time was painfully sparing.

I must have gotten lost in deep thoughts, for before I knew it, the stadium lights were dimming. As the yellow lights fell from my eyes, I watched the horizon of the thousands of people sandwiched screaming at the top of their lungs. Up came the flashy posters, up came the many coloured light-sticks, and all of a sudden, the indoor stadium felt a whole lot warmer.

There they were, dressed in immaculate suits of white. As the boys of Westlife glazed over the stage, chorus of screams and shouts resounded throughout the stadium. With the microphones raised to their lips, the entire crowd held their breaths in anticipation before the boys broke into song with their first, "Flying Without Wings." Everyone was swaying to the music, some with their light-sticks in the air. Tiny voices rose from the sea of people, along with sparks of coloured light shinning everywhere, creating an image of absolute beauty.

But of course, a concert isn't a concert without some noise, a whole load of craze, and not to mention a little bit of naughty... just to spice things up. Shane, Kian, Nicky and Mark took the crowd from completely enchanted to absolutely c-r-a-z-y with their little rendition of (you won't believe it) the Pussy Cat Dolls' hit single, "Don't Cha." Well, they had to change the lyrics to "Don't Cha wish your boyfriend was hot like me?", naturally. Oh, and who can forget the little "striptease" they performed? Oh yes, when I mentioned naughty, you better believe it. That alone probably scored Westlife more points amongst the girls and women in the crowd.

After performing several fast-moving songs from their latest album, Face To Face, the boys took the crowd for a trip down memory lane with a few songs from their earlier albums like "Seasons In The Sun" and "Swear It All Over Again". Just as much as everyone was having a ball, it was soon time for the Irish lads to bid farewell. And what better way to say goodbye than to perform their big hits "You Raise Me Up" and "What Makes A Man?"

All in all, that night was pure magic. I left the venue feeling warm all over, with songs spinning in my head, or was it the image of Shane's boxers?

-- Vanessa Koh
 

Credit/Source: www.mtvasia.com

Westlife Captivates Jakarta Fans In Face To Face Tour - 16 September 2006

Intan Ismawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The show was delayed for an hour but the crowd did not lose enthusiasm when Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Bryne and Shane Filan finally appeared during their Westlife Face to Face Asian Tour concert in Jakarta.

During the event on Sept. 12 at Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium, Central Jakarta, the boy band, founded seven years ago, performed 17 songs, ranging from songs from their first album, Swear it Again to the newborn Face to Face, which was released in November 2005.

Indonesian Idol 2006 finalists Ihsan and Dirly appeared as guest singers during the opening of the concert.

Jakarta was the final destination in their Asian tour with previous stops in the Philippines, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The band and entourage were obviously not deterred by discouraging reports of terrorism, pollution and natural disasters from making a third visit to Indonesia after previous visits in 2000 and 2001.

"We are never reluctant to visit Indonesia. Amid the rumors, it is a great pleasure for us to contribute a day of happiness for our Indonesian fans," said Westlife.

Westlife put on a captivating show with a performance blended with energetic dances, to the fans' delight.

"After the experiences we've had since our first album, we are now wiser about performing," Westlife earlier had told a press conference.

Westlife is no less without Bryan McFadden, who decided to leave the band in 2004 for family reasons.

"His decision was a shock for us. But we took no offense. Now, Westlife is more closely knit. The solidarity is even stronger," said the boy band.

When Bryan announced his decision he said that he needed to devote more of his time to his family life with former Atomic Kitten member, Kerry Katona and their children.

Bryan then started a solo career, entering the charts at number one with his first solo single, Real To Me.

In Face to Face, Westlife gave second wind to some old songs--You Raise Me Up, Desperado (The Eagles), In This Life (Collin Raye) and When You Tell Me That You Love Me, a song produced in collaboration with Diana Ross.

"We are not recycling old songs in this new album. Nowadays, it is hard to find good songwriters. But if there are any good songs, we will not hesitate to accept them," said Westlife.

"It was a golden opportunity for us to collaborate with Diana Ross because she is a living legend. She was very energetic during the shooting of the music video, and that was really surprising," told the band.

Besides Diana Ross, Westlife has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry -- Mariah Carey, Donny Osmond, Lulu and Donna Summer.

To them, having the opportunity to collaborate with other singers, especially the seniors, is a blessing.

"There will be another collaboration with another singer, but it is still a secret. We will announce it soon," said Westlife.

Westlife has become more popular ever to fans, as shown by its strengthening position in the music industry.

The Jakarta concert, organized by Java Musikindo, attracted an audience of almost 3,000.

"The performance was amazing. But I was disappointed because the stage setting was not what most of us expected. It should have been better for a renowned band like Westlife," Silvia, a fan, told The Jakarta Post.

According to Silvia, with the high price of the tickets, fans had high expectations about the concert.

"Indonesian Idol's stage was better ... although the spectators paid nothing for the show," said Silvia, who said she had come to Westlife's previous two concerts.

However, she said that the venue chosen for this year's concert was much more comfortable compared with that for the first two, which were held at the Istora Senayan and Soemantri Brodjonegoro Sports Center.

"During the first concert in 2001 at Istora Senayan, many spectators fainted and it caused chaos that night. The place was too small, given the huge crowd," Silvia said.

Credit/Source: www.thejakartapost.com

Irish Group Westlife Promises to Return to Korea Next Year - 8 September 2006

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Encouraged by the warm reception from Korean fans, superstar Irish group Westlife promised they will be back for another concert next year.

Screams and cheers greeted Westlife members Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan when they finally appeared on stage at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, southern Seoul, Wednesday evening. Wearing all-white outfits, Westlife opened the show with their hit song ``Flying Without Wings,'' followed by ``When you’re looking like that,'' and ``Amazing.''

Westlife apologized to their fans for canceling their concert in 2004. ``We’re sorry for canceling our shows here in the past. For some reason, we weren’t able to make it… But we’re so happy to be here now. And we’re planning to come and tour South Korea again next year,'' Byrne said.

Their versions of ``Uptown Girl,'' ``Mandy,'' and ``Seasons in the Sun'' also impressed the crowd. Girls went crazy when Westlife showed off some sexy dance moves while performing Justin Timberlake’s ``Senorita,'' Robert Palmer’s ``Addicted to Love'' and Pussy Cat Dolls’ ``Don’t Cha.''

The song that elicited the most cheers would have to be ``You Raise Me Up,'' which gained popularity in Korea during the World Cup.

During a press conference, Westlife thanked Korean fans who have supported them since their debut.

``Korea has been great for Westlife. We found it hard to go back to Korea and Asia because of our commitments in the U.K and Europe. Our record company didn’t want us to go back, but we took a big stand to go back to Asia. We’re delighted to be here again,'' Egan said.

Westlife will release its next album, ``The Love Album'' on November 6. Filan said they consider November as a ``lucky'' month, since all of its albums were released during that month.

Egan said ``The Love Album'' will feature some of the best-known love songs. ``It’s basically an album of some of the best love songs ever written. Some are well known and some are not. All are cover versions,'' he said.

When asked why Westlife continues to release remakes of old songs, instead of writing their own music, Filan said they are ``singers, not songwriters.''

``We want to have the best pop album out, and if that means remaking old songs or having songwriters write for us, we’d rather have the quality of the album than have songs that are 60 percent good. It’s not fair to our fans. We want to maintain top quality songs,'' Filan said.

Westlife, which shot to stardom in 1999, had 13 number one singles in the U.K. charts and sold over 40 million albums around the world.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Credit/Source: http://times.hankooki.com

New Australian Tour Dates Announced - 6 September 2006

Westlife have been required to postpone their forthcoming September tour due to delays in the recording of their new album, due for international release in November.

The group are very disappointed to have had to reschedule their visit to Australia and apologise for any inconvenience that has been caused.

However Westlife and MCP are pleased to announce the rescheduled dates for February 2007

Original dates:                                                       Rescheduled dates:
Perth  Sept 17  Challenge Stadium                      Feb 21 Challenge Stadium
Adelaide  Sept 19  Entertainment Centre           Feb 23  Entertainment Centre
Melbourne  Sept 20  Rod Laver Arena                Feb 26  Vodafone Arena*
Brisbane  Sept 22 Entertainment Centre             Feb 28  Entertainment Centre
Sydney Sept 23 ACER Arena                                 Feb 27  ACER Arena

• For all concerts other than Melbourne current tickets and seating allocations are valid for the new date, without the need for exchange.

• In Melbourne the concert has been transferred to Vodafone Arena, due to the unavailability of Rod Laver Arena during the World Swimming Championships.

During the next few weeks Ticketek will contact ticket holders for the Melbourne date to provide them with new tickets for the Vodafone Arena concert. Rod Laver Arena tickets will not be valid for admission at Vodafone Arena and may then be discarded.

Ticket holders who are unable to attend the rescheduled dates may obtain a refund from the point of purchase, upon presentation of their tickets. 

Ticket sales for all shows will recommence on
Monday September 11

For the Perth show, tickets can be bought by clicking here. For all other shows, tickets can be bought by clicking here.

Credit/Source: www.westlife.com

Westlife Due On New Taiwan Tour - 5 September 2006

The China Post staff

Pop sensation Westlife is due to return here once again for their fifth-time concert in Taiwan on September 10.

The concert at the Taipei International Convention Center is part of the band's Asia tour which includes performances in the Philippines, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

This time they are promoting their latest album "Face to Face," which has been sold 20,000 albums in Taiwan since its release last year.

The Irish band's successes began in 1999 when their second single, "If I Let You Go," entered charts at top spot. "Flying Without Wings," in 2000, and "My Love," in 2003, were among many of their chart-topping hits over the years.

With seven multi-platinum albums, Westlife has sold about 40 million albums worldwide. Their musical achievements included winning "Record of the Year" four times in a row in England. From 1999 to 2005, the band has had 13 number one singles and is the only one in U.K. chart history to have had their first seven singles go straight to number one.

Their number ones singles total ranks fourth-highest in the UK, behind music history-making artists Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Cliff Richard. Tickets for the September 10 concert range from NT$1,000 to NT$3,500. For more information call at 02-23419898 or check http://www.ticket.com.tw .

Credit/Source: www.chinapost.com.tw

Face To Face Tonight With Westlife - 3 September 2006

TONIGHT, I’m going to make it up to you/Tonight, I’m going to make love to you/Tonight, you’re going to know how much I missed you, baby…"

Those lines from their hit single "Tonight" (which topped the charts in the Philippines soon after its release in 2003) pretty much sum up Westlife’s feelings towards their performance tonight (Sept. 4) at 8 at the Araneta Coliseum, dubbed "Westlife Face to Face in Manila."

This is one of the year’s most eagerly-anticipated shows because it is their first trip back to the Philipines after nearly half a decade spent touring other countries. As such, the band is eager to come face to face again with their Philippine audience. The show is a production of Viva Concerts and reaffirms the close ties between Westlife and its Filipino fans.

The Philippines has always held a special place in the band’s heart. The love their rabid Filipino fanbase has showered them with has translated into massive record sales, soldout concerts, and many hit singles – among them "World of Our Own," "Bob Bop Baby," and "Unbreakable," all of which went to number one in the Philippines.

To get an idea of how much love their fanbase has given them over the years, picture this: The last time Westlife was in Manila, some of their fans, mostly females, hoping to catch a glimpse of them in the elevator or on the premises, went ang booked themselves rooms in the hotel where they were billetted. As such, Crowne Plaza Hotel – their official residence for the Manila leg of their "Face to Face" tour – is already anticipating a similar incident this time around.

However, while they will be performing all their old hits with a few new surprises thrown in for good measure, there will be something different about Westlife.

This time around, their fans will encounter a new Westlife, because the last time they were in Manila, Byan McFadden was still part of the band. When Bryan quit the band to pursue a solo career, everyone thought it was the end of Westlife.

But the boys weren’t going to give up that easily. Less than a month after Bryan’s departure, Westlife kicked off its fourth arena tour. They released "Allow Us to Be Frank," a Rat Pack-inspired album, later in the year. The first single from "Allow Us to Be Frank," a cover of the classic "Ain’t That a Kick in the Head," also went to number one in the Philippines.

Last year – after a well-deserved four-month break – they came back with "You Raise Me Up," a cover of a "Secret Garden" song, the first single off their current album "Face to Face." In November 2005, both the album and the single were at number one in the UK charts, making Westlife the number one in the world. It was the first time ever that the band had held both top album and single positions in the same week.

For tickets to Westlife’s "Face to Face," presented by PLDT My Music, Nautical Watches, and Skechers and sponsored in part by Time Depot, PCSO, E-aji, Araneta Center, and Video City, call 911-5555 or go to any SM Ticketnet outlets or the Araneta Coliseum box office.

Credit/Source: www.tempo.com.ph

Westlife Face-To-Face With Their Fans Again - 2 September 2006

By Jules Quartly
STAFF REPORTER

Westlife will be reaching out to its many local fans at a concert next Sunday in Taipei.

Boy bands come and go but Westlife has stuck around and will make its fifth visit to Taiwan this month.

And, as if to prove the Irish lads are back by popular demand over 70 percent of the 3,000 plus tickets for their show on Sept. 10 sold out when they were released in July.

There was also a backlash against ticketing agents when uber-fans trying to book front-row seats at the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC) concert hall were told they were gone.

The ticketing system had broken down and outlets were besieged by phone calls from predominantly young women demanding better vantage points to cheer their heroes, the band’s record company Sony BMG Taiwan said.

This time around the Westlifers will be touching down in Taiwan as part of their extensive Asia tour, ostensibly to promote their seventh studio album Face to Face.

The album was released nearly a year ago and features guest vocals from Mariah Carey and Diana Ross. Over 20,000 units have been sold in Taiwan. A CD of hit singles called Amazing landed on the record stands in February.

The tour opens in Manila on Monday (Sept. 4) and will take in South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong before alighting in Taipei.

Tight scheduling means the band will fly in on the day of the performance and depart the next morning for Jakarta, before heading to Australia for four more dates.

The “Western City Boys”, as they are called in Chinese, were formed in 1998 and tasted success a year later with the single Swear it Again.

Since then there have been seven multi-platinum albums and almost 40 million albums sold worldwide. With 13 UK number one singles only Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Cliff Richard have been more successful in Britain.

Even former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is said to be a fan of Westlife and according to Sony he described them as chicken soup for the soul, or a relaxing spa experience.

The secret of their success seems to have been their ability to appeal to a mainstream audience that enjoys a strong melody, sweetly sung.

They do not pretend to be musical geniuses and song writing is mostly done for them. They hum along and look presentable.

It’s a simple formula and Westlife has worked hard to keep the momentum rolling, as five concerts in Taiwan would seem to suggest.

Originally a five-man band, Bryan McFadden left in 2004 to pursue a solo career, but Kian Egan, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne have kept the flame burning.

Last year Feehily revealed he was gay but the front page tabloid news failed to dent sales. The rest of the boys are in their late 20s and have settled down.

It’s been eight years since Westlife first made a mark and its fans have been growing up with them. Westlife’s shelf life as a boy band has come and gone.

Unlike Take That, Boyzone or other similar boy bands, however, slickly choreographed dances and chest baring have never been their style. Instead they have become respected crooners. They even cover Frank Sinatra songs these days.

Moms and the occasional dad are just as likely to be part of the crowd next Sunday as the band keeps to the center lane in middle-of-the road music.

Credit/Source: www.taipeitimes.com / Kara / Joanne

Grown-up Boy Band To Perform In Seoul Again - 2 September 2006

With its members' good looks and its romantic ballads, Irish band Westlife has earned a huge following around the world.

Westlife will perform in Korea at Jamsil Indoor Stadium next Wednesday. The concert is part of its "Face to Face" Asian Tour, named after the group's latest album of the same name. This will be Westlife's second visit to Korea.

Since its debut in 1998, Westlife has released a total of seven albums and 18 singles. The band has sold more than a million albums in Korea alone, and 35 million copies worldwide. Among the 18 singles it released, 13 captured the top spot on the U.K. singles chart.

The hit songs include "My Love," "Uptown Girl," "Angel," "Bob Bob Baby," "Seasons In The Sun," "Against All Odds," and "You Raise Me Up."

The band has been popular in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada and South America. Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair asked for autographs of the group for his daughter.

The group originally comprised five members ¡ª Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily and Bryan McFadden ¡ª but McFadden left the group in 2004 and released a solo album, changing the spelling of his first name back to the original Brian.

Though formed as a "boy band" seven years ago, the members now range in age from 27 to 29. Byrne and Filan are both married, Byrne to a daughter of the Irish prime minister and Filan to a cousin of Egan, and Feehily came out publicly as homosexual late last year. Egan is in a relationship with a former actress.

In an interview, Filan has said, "We became stronger and more mature. We are no longer a boy band and our music is different from what we used to play when we were a boy band."

Filan also said the group's fan base expanded as their fans got older and they have many female fans in their 30s and 40s. The majority of their fan base, however, is teenage girls.

For the concert, the band plans to sing songs that have been specially rearranged for the tour.

by Limb Jae-un <jbiz91@joongang.co.kr>

The concert will begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Olympic Park subway station, line No. 2 and 5, exit 7. Ticket prices range from 70,000 won ($72) to 90,000 won. The 90,000 won tickets are standing tickets near the stage.

Credit/Source: http://joongangdaily.joins.com / Kara / Joanne

East Meets Westlife - 2 September 2006

The Manila Times

It's a long way from the United Kingdom to the Far East, but then again, music knows no boundaries. That’s obviously true in the case of Westlife, arguably the UK’s biggest boy band and one of the most popular in the world.

Since being formed in 1998 by original members Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Nicky Bryan McFadden, Westlife has gone on to become one of the biggest facts in all of pop music.

The group has had 13 UK No. 1 singles in seven years, the fourth highest in history, in the tradition of Rock ’n’ Roll King Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Cliff Richard. Westlife is also the only band in UK chart history to have entered straight at No. 1 with their first seven singles. They are also the only artists to win “Record of the Year” in the United Kingdom four times. The group has sold most 40 million albums worldwide and has even multiplatinum albums. Their hit songs—“Swear It Again,” “Queen of My Heart,” “If I Let You Go,” “Flying Without Wings,” their remakes of “Season in the Sun” and “Mandy,” and their latest single, “You Raise Me Up” from their Face to Face album (which both made it to the top spot, making it the first time for the band to hold both top album and single position in the United Kingdom in the same week)—have established them as one of the most successful musical groups in the world.

And they’ve kept themselves on that path, even after persistent rumors of a split and the departure of Bryan McFadden. In fact, less than a month after McFadden left, Westlife launched its fourth arena tour.

Now, Westlife is on the road again, but this time, they’ve set their sights on the Far East—the Philippines, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia for their Face-to-Face tour. The tour’s stop in Manila, which will be on September 4 at the Araneta Coliseum, is produced by Viva Concerts.

Face-to-Face in Manila is a reaffirmation of the close ties between Westlife and its Filipino fans. Then and now, the Far East has always held a special attraction for Westlife. Its fan base in this part of the world is extremely loyal, a fact that has translated into massive album sales and airplay. It will be remembered that when Westlife first visited Manila years ago, they were billeted at a certain five-star hotel. Their fans, mostly females, wanted to get up close and personal with the band that they went and booked themselves rooms in the hotel, just hoping to catch a glimpse of them in the elevator or on the premises. That’s how much Filipinos love Westlife. Their songs touch a chord that a lot of romantics can identify with—and for sure, those fans will flock in droves to the Araneta Coliseum when Westlife renews its ties with Manila.

Tickets for Westlife’s Manila concert are available at all SM Ticketnet outlets and the Araneta Coliseum Box Office. For details and reservations, call 911-5555.

Credit/Source: The Manila Times / www.yehey.com

Westlife Wow Adoring Thousands - 1 September 2006

HELEN DALE

What a coup for English Heritage - securing Westlife for their final performance of their 2006 tour. Thousands wound their way to Pendennis Castle on Sunday to catch the boys in action in what was quite possibly their last live show of the year in the UK.

Now I have to admit to not particularly being a huge fan of the Irish lads, but being surrounded by so many enthusiastic fans, it was difficult not to get caught up in the spectacle of the whole show.

With several costume changes, energetic dance routines and the pyrotechnics shooting skyward from the stage, it was certainly a show to remember and one that obviously delighted the thousands of fans of all ages - from toddlers to pensioners.

Not only did Shane, Mark, Nicky and Kian perform some of the trademark Westlife numbers, including You Raise Me Up, Amazing, Uptown Girl, Seasons in the Sun and Mandy, but also some other in intriguing covers.

Westlife doing Pussycat Dolls' Don't Cha is a performance I'll find hard to forget.

All in all, though, the show was a night to remember, made even more memorable by its venue. What better place to have an open air concert than Pendennis Castle, with Falmouth Bay as your backdrop?

A quick mention of the support band, No Premonition, who are two 21-year-olds, Michelle Hope and Jenny Lannon, from St Austell.

Undoubtedly the biggest gig of their career, the girls strutted their stuff in a 30 minute set, performing tracks from their new album, Day After Yesterday.

Credit/Source: The Cornishman