MATAPOS ang halos 26 na taon, itinanghal na ng Boyzone, ang iconic Irish boy band na sumikat noong 1990s, ang final chapter ng kanilang career.
Nag-perform sina Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham at Shane Lynch bilang isang grupo sa huling pagkakataon sa Manila sa Boyzone Thank You and Goodnight Farewell Tour ng grupo na ginanap nitong June 23 sa Mall of Asia Arena.
Ang gabi ay pinuno ng selebrasyon para sa naabot at napagtagumpayan ng Boyzone at para sa mga Pinoy fans, ito na ang huling pagkakataon na mapapanood ang apat bilang isang grupo sa entablado.
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Ang nagtanghal ng opening act ng show ay ang dating Westlife member na si Brian McFadden.
Binuksan naman ng Boyzone ang kanilang concert sa pag-awit ng Who We Are, ang awiting mula sa kanilang 20th anniversary album na BZ20 na inilabas noong 2013, na sinundan ng Love is a Hurricane, kantang inilabas naman noong 2010.
Nasundan pa ito ng mga mas pamilyar na kanta gaya ng Isn’t It a Wonder at Coming Home Now at mga cover ng Baby Can I Hold You at You Needed Me.
“Hey, Manila. It’s good to be back. One last time is being said. A word that you’re gonna hear a lot tonight is ‘thank you’ because yes the album is called ‘Thank You & Goodnight’ but we are very grateful for the last 26 years, the opportunity that you have all given us,” pahayag ng main vocalist na si Ronan.
Sabi pa niya, “We came here a lot in the ’90s and we spent a lot of time in the Philippines and across the region in Asia. Great memories , great times. And it’s thanks to you all that 26 years later we can come back here and we could say ‘thank you’ one more time.”
Ito ang ikalawang beses na idinaos ng Boyzone ang kanilang farewell tour sa Manila mula noong Aug. 26, 2018. Una rito, nagtungo na rin ang grupo sa bansa noong 2015 para sa BZ20 world tour at noong 1997.
Sa concert ay inawit ng boy band ang All That I Need, I Love the Way You Love Me, Father and Son, Dream, Every Day I Love You, Key To My Life, Words, Talk About Love, Love You Anyway, When You Say Nothing At All, Love Me for a Reason, No Matter What, A Different Beat, When The Going Gets Tough, Life Is a Rollercoaster at Picture of You.
Binigyang-pugay din ng Boyzone ang yumao nilang member na si Stephen Gately, na pumanaw noong October 2009 sa Spain, sa pamamagitan ng pag-awit ng Every Day I Love You.
“We’re so special. We remember different moments. We have those memories. It makes us laugh, it makes us happy. We’re no longer sad. We celebrate Stephen’s life. We celebrate the great friendship that we had with him,” sabi ni Keith.
Ayon pa kay Ronan, “Stephen loved to sing. Honestly, all he wanted to do was sing.”
Nang maitatag noong 1993, inilabas ng Boyzone ang kanilang bersyon ng Working My Way Back to You noong 1994. Throughout their career, nagkaroon ang Boyzone ng anim na No. 1 singles at limang No. 1 albums sa United Kingdom, ayon sa UK’s Official Charts.
Bago magtapos ang show, pinasalamatan ng Boyzone ang fans na mga nanood para sa kanilang suporta.
“It’s absolutely fantastic to be back here in Manila. I love Manila. I love it so much. Every time we come here you guys always provide us with beautiful warm welcome all the time. Thank you very, very much for 25, almost 26 years of support for Boyzone,” sabi ni Mikey.
“Tonight has been amazing. Thank you so, so much,” lahad naman ni Keith habang nagpahayag si Ronan ng, “Thank you for the last 26 years. That’s it for Boyzone.”
Ang Boyzone Thank You and Goodnight Farewell Tour sa Manila ay naisakatuparan sa pagtutulungan ng Wowstar Creative Entertainment at All Access Production.
-JONATHAN HICAP
