Music Critic Mia Lapwood reviews JLS’ Birmingham show, praising the group’s high-energy performance
Having been a super fan of JLS when I was younger, with posters of them covering my bedroom walls, I cannot begin to describe how excited I was to see them live for the first time, especially as they were singing songs from all five of their studio albums.
The feeling of nostalgia was overwhelming as I prepared to see my childhood favourite band for the very first time. This nostalgic feeling was amplified by other members of the audience who were obviously day 1 supporters, all wearing old merch from previous tours. I had had a good feeling about the audience on my night as due to high demand another night was added in Birmingham, so I knew the turn out would be good and I was right.
Their stage presence was immaculate, with the band constantly engaging with the crowd
As the visuals and intro started for their first song ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ the crowd erupted into a monstrous roar which only got louder as all 4 members appeared on stage. I was shocked at how incredible they sounded live; in fact, I think they sound better live than their studio versions. I was particularly impressed and stunned by Aston’s beautiful falsetto vocals as well as when the band would sing in harmony together. Their stage presence was immaculate, with the band constantly engaging with the crowd, introducing their songs with clever, although sometimes cringey, puns and getting us to chant along with them. Not forgetting their several outfit changes, energetic choreography, and Aston’s insane backflips at random points throughout the show – which I unfortunately failed to get on video all 3 times! The boys definitely put on a show to remember.
I successfully avoided seeing any spoilers for the show, wanting the show to be a complete surprise – and it was. The band had a ‘Magic Mike-esque’ moment during ‘Only Making Love’ as they danced sensually with their microphone stands which unsurprisingly resulted in a wild scream from the crowd. This continued into their next song ‘I Know What She Likes’ where they brought up 2 members of the audience who sat on stage whilst the band sang to them, almost serenading them. Before their last 4 songs, they had a DJ set where the band split into teams and played some of their own hits such as ‘Take A Chance On Me’ before playing other pop songs such as ‘Super Bass’ by Nicki Minaj, ‘Can’t Hold Us’ by Macklemore, and ‘No Scrubs’ by TLC. This DJ set was incredibly fun and unlike anything I had seen at a concert before. It created an electric buzz and got the crowd up on their feet. It was clear that the band members themselves were having a great time up on stage. Whilst the DJ set was a fun idea, I would have preferred them to sing more of their own songs instead.
There were a few heart-warming moments during the concert
There were a few heart-warming moments during the concert. Around halfway through the show, the band brought their children on stage which was adorable, especially when Marvin’s child started saying ‘Hi’ to the crowd. They snapped a quick picture of all of them together with the audience in the background before continuing with the show. Towards the end of the show, during one of the band’s outfit changes a video played on the main screen of Ortisé talking about how his mum’s diagnosis of multiple sclerosis inspired him and his brother to plan to find a cure and raise awareness for the condition. This plan included Ortisé’s brother becoming a doctor and Ortisé becoming a successful musician where they would work together to raise awareness – both brothers successfully achieved their goal! He spoke about the process of forming the band whilst photos of the band at the beginning of their journey showed on screen which resulted in a loud ‘awe’ from the crowd.
I had the most amazing time at the concert and left with a huge smile on my face. It felt surreal the whole time I was there, definitely making my younger self happy! The show was unforgettable, from how incredible they sounded to the energetic and electric atmosphere they created. JLS were amazing and I’m hoping they go on tour again soon.
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