Well it's that time of year again for Radio City 96.7 to take over Liverpool's Echo Arena for another music fest. This year they have brought us, Scouting For Girls, Example, Ne Yo and Tinchey Stryder to name but a few, well the most well known anyway.
This year it was hosted by Rossie, from the Breakfast Show, who introduced the dance troupe, who crunked away to Beyonce's "Crazy In Love", which went down a storm with the audience.
Opening the music tonight was Scouting For Girls, last years closing act, who didn't seem as full as energy during the first track, This Ain't A Love Song, but soon came back to the great entertainers we know by second track, "Heartbeat". Maybe it had something to do with lead singer, Roy Stride, shouting "The louder you sing, the better we sing" as it definitely worked as the arena was filled with vocals from the crowd as well, with new track, "Love How It Hurts" and "She's so Lovely" Scouting for Girls clawed it back and finished their set to well deserved massive applause.
Next up came Parade, yep, yet another girl group, who came strutting onto stage to a bass so loud you couldn't hear them sing, still not sure if this was good thing, but they're apparently supporting the Black Eyed Peas so their management must be doing something right anyway. Still don't understand why they were dressed like a female Village People though. Their music style is basically The Saturdays with a harder dance beat and more choreography.
Then came Mike Posner, who had to have the strangest singing voice ever. Imagine someone who inhaled helium a minute before going on stage and you get the general idea. The biggest scream for him came when he took his jacket off on stage to reveal................a plain black t-shirt!!! With another dance beat to his songs, I can see which way Radio City are going with there night.
This was followed by Liverpool's very own Chelsea Grimes, who I first saw on stage supporting Kof and I have to admit, the girl has talent, fantastic voice and stage presence for someone so young, it's just a shame they only let her perform one song, "On TV".
Next up came Example. I have to admit I've only heard one song of his but he was amazing. With "Kick Start" as the opener the crowd were bouncing along to his set from the get go. With fantastic crowd interaction and a sleek set, Example certainly knows how to please the crowd, especially with, "Changed the Way You Kiss Me", an 80's influenced track with bass so loud, the hair on my arms vibrated and with the entire audience bouncing as one you could actually feel the arena shake. Got to admit, he was definitely the best act of the night for me.
Flame haired Nicola Roberts of Girls Aloud fame, performed her solo material and her new single, “Beat Of My Drum,” was well received by the capacity crowd.
American Electro hip-hop group LMFAO were on in the second half with Dry Ice covering everywhere and even giving away hundreds of luminous light sticks to the crowd in order for them to wave them about frantically.
And Ne-Yo. the Grammy award winner, closed the show with his chart topping hits including Beautiful Monster and Closer.
All in all it was a fairly good night, especially if your 14 and love R&B/pop, but a word to the wise, there are different genres of music out there and I personally believe they should be recognised as well, maybe that was why Scouting For Girls looked slightly uncomfortable at the very beginning, they knew they were out of place in the line up. It would be nice to see a more rounded line up next time instead of just catering for one particular genre, go on Radio City break out the box and get some rock on there as well!!!
