The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMusicLive music

Olly Murs at the O2 Arena

Olly Murs at the O2 Arena | Live review
18 May 2019
Adrian Peel
Avatar
Adrian Peel
18 May 2019

Music review

Adrian Peel

Olly Murs at the O2 Arena

★★★★★

Highlights

Moves, Heart Skips a Beat

Links

Twitter Facebook Instagram Soundcloud Website

The former X Factor contestant and current judge on The Voice UK was in a party mood at the O2 as he brought his All the Hits tour to the venue as part of the celebrations to mark his ten years in the industry.

Appearing among the crowd seated and dressed in “nerdy” attire similar to that which he wears in the video for Moves, his 2018 duet with Snoop Dogg, the endearing “cheeky chappie” began with the said tune. It was a great way to open the show, incorporating Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You successfully into the mix.

Feel the Same and Kiss Me kept up the momentum, while Maria added an appealing Spanish touch to the proceedings. One of this writer’s favourite Olly Murs songs, You Don’t Know Love, was rather disappointing, though, as it was performed here as a more dramatic, remixed version and was not as enjoyable as the original.

“It’s good to be home, back in London,” announced the singer, clearly enjoying himself. He subsequently opened up about his struggles with depression and anxiety – admitting that he would have been too embarrassed to talk about it a couple of years ago – and looked back on his decade in music, showing a clip of his first appearance on X Factor in 2009 and recalling a European tour with Robbie Williams, among other things.

It was sweet to hear all these thoughts and reflections on what has been a real rollercoaster ride for Olly, but the likeable star probably talked a bit too much for this writer’s liking – although the crowd, made of up a wide range of ages, from children to middle-aged couples, seemed to love it.

The Essex-born star noted that this was his 13th headline show at the O2, an impressive feat indeed; dedicated Thinking of Me to his “nana”, who was in attendance along with other family members; and brought out the winner of The Voice UK 2019, Molly Hocking – whom he mentored on the show – to sing a slowed-down version of Simply Red’s Stars.

At times, the energy level dropped a little, but was brought right back up with highly danceable modern pop classics such as Heart Skips a Beat, Troublemaker and Dance with Me Tonight, the final song of the evening.

Olly Murs doesn’t possess the most powerful voice in the world, but his undeniable charm, stage presence and charisma – plus the help of his three excellent backing singers – saw him through. Here’s to the next ten years!

★★★★★

Adrian Peel
Photos: Virginie Viche

For further information and future events visit Olly Murs’s website here.

Watch the video for Excuses here:

Related Itemsfeaturedlive musicreview

More in Live music

Vienna New Year’s Day Concert at the Musikverein

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Rufus, Martha and Lucy Wainwright Present: A Not So Silent Night “Virtually Together”

★★★★★
Francis Nash
Read More

Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra: Ibiza Classics – O Come All Ye Ravers at the O2 Arena Online

★★★★★
Dan Meier
Read More

Courtney Barnett live from the Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne

★★★★★
Georgie Cowan-Turner
Read More

Gorillaz: Song Machine Live

★★★★★
Sylvia Unerman
Read More

Andrea Bocelli at Teatro Regio di Parma Online

★★★★★
Dan Meier
Read More

Foy Vance: Hope in the Highlands

★★★★★
Georgie Cowan-Turner
Read More

Liam Gallagher: Down by the River Thames

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

Blossoms at Brixton Academy

★★★★★
Mae Trumata
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Music review

Adrian Peel

Olly Murs at the O2 Arena

★★★★★

Highlights

Moves, Heart Skips a Beat

Links

Twitter Facebook Instagram Soundcloud Website

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Outside the Wire
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • You Me at Six – Suckapunch
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • Persian Lessons: Exclusive new clip
    Cinema
  • Jeremiah Fraites: Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Quo Vadis, Aida?
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Lonely the Brave – The Hope List
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Salt. at the Royal Court Theatre | Theatre review
Scripts for Supper: The Wind in the Willows at Stepney City Farm | Theatre review