Michael Ball at The Colston Hall in Bristol review

Posted on: 2015-04-29

Our rating:

Michael Ball delighted the audience with his cheeky banter and self-effacing anecdotes as well as that amazing voice and left everyone clamouring for more. I can honestly say that I for one had a ball!



Michael Ball is British Musical Theatre royalty and has been at the top of his game, or as he puts it ‘Showing off in public’ for the last 3 decades, taking on leading roles in classics including Godspell, Les Miserables and Hairspray. He played Bristol's Colston Hall on Tuesday 28 April 2015.

Now in his early 50s, Michael still manages to exude a boyish charm and is as energetic, engaging and charismatic as ever. He is currently criss-crossing the UK on his ‘If Everyone Was Listening’ Tour, celebrating the release of his album of the same name. Different to his more typical, theatrical offerings this is a thought provoking and reflective album showcasing some of his personal favourite songs and covering work from a range of artists.

Michael Ball performed at The Colston Hall in Bristol on Tuesday 28 April 2015

In front of a capacity crowd, of primarily middle aged women, he wowed at Bristol’s Colston Hall last night. From the moment he stepped onto the stage the audience was captivated, transported off on the melodic rhythm of his voice. And while there were a few musical surprises thrown in to spice things up, the loyal crowd were rewarded with beautiful renditions of all his classics.

The show began in upbeat fashion with an energetic version of Avici’s Wake Me Up, which had the audience on their feet within seconds. This was followed by a collection of more sedate songs from the new album; notably tear inducing versions of Joshua Kadison’s hit Jessie and Jason Mraz’s I Won’t Give Up, before he finished off the first half with a collection of musical theatre love songs. The second half continued in a similar vein, opening with an energetic performance of Something Inside so Strong before eventually moving on to a poignant version of the crowd pleasing Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.

Ever the showman, Ball knew how to work the room and encouraged the audience to surge towards the stage for a bit of a boogie as he shocked everyone by closing the set with a collection of upbeat numbers including (I kid you not) Katy Perry’s Roar and Pharell William’s Happy, alongside a lively rendition of his Eurovision offering One Step Out Of Time and a cover of Elvis Presley’s The Wonder of You, which was a real highlight of the evening.

Michael Ball selfie at Bristol's Colston Hall

Of course the fans hadn’t yet had enough and he returned to give us an encore celebrating his Olivier Award winning performance as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray with a hugely exuberant performance of ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’, and then bringing the evening to a close with the song that he has made very much his own, Love Changes Everything.

The concert was filled with emotion and in keeping with the idea of these being his favourite songs they all did seem to hold some kind of personal meaning for him. He demonstrated an amazing vocal range during the course of the show, moving from blasting out a modern day classic to smoothly delivering a mellow R and B style number, though it was during the ballads where his voice really stood out.

This was a joyful evening’s entertainment. Michael Ball delighted the audience with his cheeky banter and self-effacing anecdotes as well as that amazing voice and left everyone clamouring for more. I can honestly say that I for one had a ball!

5/5

Reviewed by Sarah-Jane Howard for www.365Bristol.com - the events and entertainment website for Bristol
 



Article by:

James Anderson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.