Review: Collabro @ Colston Hall (13/11/17)
Alex Boulton reviews Collabro at Colston Hall, 13/11/17. Tickets are still on sale for later tour dates.
2014- the year Collabro first auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent. The audition is a memorable one. Five young lads who fitted the boy band clichés to the max- high tops and questionable top and jacket combos. The judges were less than impressed when it was revealed they had only been together a month, the boys putting their decision to apply for the show down to ‘natural chemistry’. Everyone expected mediocrity at best.
But then, the opening chords of Stars (Les Miserables) start to play. Everyone looks puzzled but are converted once the singing begins and they get a standing ovation. You can see pound signs in Simon’s eyes. Their later performances on BGT did not disappoint and they ended winning by a wide margin.
A lot has changed for the group. Only four out of the original five remain after Richard Hadfield left the group in 2016 as a result of ‘creative differences’. 2017 saw the release of their third album Home and the commencement of their third tour.
I’m a major musical theatre fan, unfortunately I just don’t have the vocals to match and I end up murdering numbers from the likes of Wicked, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, all musicals featured on the newest album. Despite my musical inability, I jumped at the chance to procrastinate and escape deadline hell for a few hours. That escapism is definitely what I got.
When I arrived at Colston Hall, it felt a bit weird attending without a mum or other older, female relative. Although the demographic certainly was geared that way, but there was more of an age variety than I was expecting, testament to the popularity of musical theatre.
Philippa Hanna was the support act, a singer-songwriter who takes inspiration from country music. There was a mix of originals and covers in there- I particularly enjoyed her version of Lionel Richie’s Easy like Sunday Morning. Interestingly, as they are not signed to a label, her and her husband crowd-fund their work. However, I had to stop myself laughing when she called the Monday-night Colston Hall crowd ‘rowdy’.
When she had finished, I popped to the loo and got a drink. When I returned I realised I had missed half of Collabro’s first song as I expected a good long half-hour gap like you normally get at gigs. I ended up hitting a poor woman around the back of the head in my haste to get back to my seat (one gripe Colston Hall your rows are too close together). Anyway was a nice change not to have to wait what feels like hours for the main event.
Thankfully, Collabro’s wardrobe had moved on from 2014. I counted at least four sets of suits, each one extremely tasteful and well-fitting (not like those jeans from 2014).
In the first half, highlights included covers of Beauty and the Beast and Journey to the Past, songs from two of my favourite movies. I was so happy to hear Journey to the Past considering there is no way I’m making it to Broadway any time soon to see Anastasia, although at this point I was a bit distracted by the graphic panels on the stage which projected close ups of the band’s faces. We were also treated to a Les Miserables medley (who doesn’t just love a Les Mis medley), consisting of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Bring Him Home and I Dreamed a Dream.
Half way through the first half, Carly Paoli, a classically trained singer, joined the boys and sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow and a couple of her originals, including one which was chosen as Pope Francis’ official jubilee song.
After the interval, children from the local Bristol School of Performing Arts took the stage. Here was where the band’s passion for helping younger generations get into musical theatre really came clear. They sang Bui Doi from Miss Saigon and the Circle of Life/ He Lives in You from the Lion King.
The choir left and the band covered Mumford and Sons’ I Will Wait. I wasn’t sure about the cover, the tempo didn’t quite sound right. I think their strengths lie in music theatre covers, rather than trying to adapt classic pop songs to their voices.
Another highlight was the band’s first original song, called Lighthouse. All proceeds of the song go to Save the Children after Michael got caught in Hurricane Irma this September.
The show finished with a Jersey Boys medley, complete with dance moves and a change into red blazers for December, 1963, (Oh, What a Night). I have genuinely had it in my head ever since.
While there were a number of scripted, cheesy dad jokes between songs, there were many genuine moments throughout the show where you could tell how much the support and success truly mean to the group.
Ultimately, the show was incredible, just the break I needed from my deadlines. I’m now slightly obsessed, might even call myself a ‘Collaborator’. Might have fangirled majorly when Matt followed me back on Instagram- see you on your next tour boys!
Tickets for Collabro's 2017 Home Tour are still on sale
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