Scouting for Girls returned to Wolverhampton on November 8th, performing the largest show of their current The Place We Used To Meet Tour – Part 2. Having seen them only once nearly ten years ago in the small town where I grew up, I was excited to experience the nostalgia through their music- ten years on from when they recorded their music video for ‘Christmas in the air.’

Vince Freeman and Jamie Lawson set the vibe perfectly as opening acts, warming up the crowd for a lively night of singalongs and dancing. By the time the curtain dropped to reveal the stars of the show, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. Scouting for Girls kickstarted the set with ‘The Missing Part’ followed by ‘Heartbeat’ – one of their most popular tracks. For me, these songs almost seemed to soundtrack my childhood. Their iconic sound was ever-present in my house, and hearing them live was an exhilarating experience. 

Feeding off of the euphoria in the crowd, front man, Roy stride, worked the room up even more…

Wasting no time, the band dove straight into ‘Dancing in the Daylight,’ a tune which was met with thunderous applause. Feeding off of the euphoria in the crowd, front man, Roy stride, worked the room up even more by making both sides of the venue compete to cheer the loudest – our side won, of course.

Before moving to the next song, Stride took a moment to reflect on the band’s impressive 17-year journey, prompting a heart-warming moment as he noticed a sign held by a couple in the audience. The pair first met at a Scouting for Girls gig in 2008 and are now married- a fact which delighted the crowd. After many  ‘aw’s, the band went back to the early years, playing ‘The Airplane Song’ for all the original Scouting for Girls fans in the venue. ‘Michaela Strachan’ went down a treat, and seeing every phone torch rise into the air was truly surreal. 

The tempo picked up again shortly after as the opening chords of ‘I Wish I Was James Bond’ filled the room, with Stride playfully urging fans to jump and ‘make the room shake’ – though he reminded the balcony crowd to tread lightly.

Allowing us to catch our breath, Stride gave us a history of the band, firstly introducing the insanely talented guitarist Nick Tsang. He wowed the crowd with his skills, before Stride then shared how he first met the bassist, Greg Churchouse, on their first day at school at Queensmead School. He described how drummer Pete Ellard’s journey with Stride goes all the way back to humble beginnings, with the pair’s first performance being at Cub Scout Camp. This story led to a humorous interlude with the band gathering around a campfire prop to sing ‘Kumbaya’ with the crowd in true Cub Scout fashion.

This sweet track had all the lovers in the crowd singing, and perhaps shedding a few tears too.

Raising the energy once again, a flawless mashup of ‘Bad Superman’ with ‘Stacey’s Mom’ by Fountains of Wayne had us all grinning and singing every word. Stride dedicates the next song, ‘Butterflies,’ to the couple who met at their gig years ago. This sweet track had all the lovers in the crowd singing, and perhaps shedding a few tears too.

Up next, a personal favourite of mine: ‘Posh Girls.’ Watching this live with one of my long-term best friends felt beautifully nostalgic, with both of us screaming the lyrics. We even got a wave from Stride himself, who briefly took a detour offstage- reappearing in the balcony to give fans a close and personal performance.

An energetic cover of Busted’s ‘Year 3000’ brings Stride back on stage. The fan favourite ‘This Ain’t a Love Song’ was next on the lineup, followed by a new single ‘Raise a Glass’. The audience got particularly excited when the singer joined us in the crowd – playfully catching everyone in what he calls ‘the splash zone’ with his cup full of water.

Stride thanked everyone for attending their biggest show of the tour, closing with ‘Glow’ – a fittingly heartfelt end to the set.

Nearing the end of the night, the band performed the hit ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’ mixed with a cover of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by the titular Presley . Stride thanked everyone for attending their biggest show of the tour, closing with ‘Glow’ – a fittingly heartfelt end to the set.

The band leave the stage but chants from the audience bring them back to perform the obvious choice for an encore, ‘She’s So Lovely.’ This beloved classic ignited a frenzy of excitement in the audience, closing the glorious evening on an electrifying high.

After a brilliant and captivating set, it is undeniable that the four band members have immense talent and know how to put on a truly magnificent show. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to relive my childhood for one night and I cannot wait to see Scouting for Girls again – I will definitely not wait ten years this time.

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