Westlife have announced a massive gig in Wembley Stadium, with the boys set to play the iconic venue for the first time ever in their 20-year career.
Mirror Online reports that the Irish boyband announced the once-in-a-lifetime show this morning, following the success of their Twenty Tour celebrating their two decades in the music industry.
Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan sold out shows in 13 different countries and 27 cities.
The momentous concert will take place on Saturday, August 22, 2020 and will see the global pop stars perform their greatest hits.
Swear It Again, Flying Without Wings and You Raise Me Up are on the setlist, as well as brilliant new songs from their upciming album Spectrum, such as Hello My Love, Better Man and Dynamite.
James Morrison and All Saints will support the boys, who have achieved phenomenal success during their comeback.
Mark Fehily exclusively told Mirror Online: "Wembley Stadium will be the biggest show of our lives.
"Twenty years after we started, it is unbelievable that the demand is still there for us to put on a huge show at Wembley. It is going to be absolutely fantastic."
Mark is expecting his first child with fiancé Cailean O'Neill, mentioning: "Cailean and I will have our baby with us then. It is likely it will be her first Westlife show.
"That will make it even more special. 2020 is a big year in so many ways. Wembley will be the icing on the cake as we celebrate starting a family and 21 years in music."
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we’re incredibly excited for a show which will be different and more spectacular than anything we’ve ever done before," they added.
"This will be our biggest ever concert in the UK." Westlife's new album, Spectrum, will be released on November 15.
Tickets for the Wembley Stadium gig go on sale on Friday, September 20 at 9am at LiveNation.co.uk
Ariana Grande fans, we’ve got some bad news. The God Is a Woman singer has cancelled all of her meet and greets on the European leg of her tour.
The singer announced the disappointing news on Instagram last night, but her reasons for cancelling are completely valid.
The news comes after Ariana was forced to cancel her meet and greet in Antwerp, Belgium after suffering from panic attacks and anxiety.
In an effort to preserve her voice, energy, and mental health, Ariana Grande has cancelled Soundchecks and Meet & Greets for rest of the SWT European Leg :
“Something has to give to allow her to continue giving 100% to her performances,” Live Nation wrote on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/tTV0Rinv0U
The singer explained to fans that she had reached breaking point and stressed that this was not an easy decision to make.
She said, “‘Hi my loves. Time for some honesty. My depression and anxiety have been at an all-time high lately. I have been giving you all I’ve got and trying to push through as hard as I can and mask it.
“I wish I had control over these attacks but as anybody with anxiety or depression understands, sometimes you can only operate on its terms and not your own,” the One Last Time singer added.
An email has been sent to fans who purchased the VIP tickets and they will be offered a partial refund.
The ticket included entrance to her soundcheck party and the meet and greet.
Fans will still receive a spot in the VIP area at the concert as well as a gift bag. They will also be granted early entry.
Ariana and her team have apologised for the inconvenience.
Live Nation stressed that this decision was made to help the No Tears Left To Cry singer reserve her voice and energy.
Fans have naturally expressed their concern for the singer following the news with many encouraging her to take care of herself. Others have also advised her to cancel the tour completely.
When The 1975 played their incredible headline set at Reading and Leeds Festival over the weekend, many fans noticed that there was one notable person missing from the crowd.
Frontman Matty Healy has reportedly been dumped by long-term girlfriend Gabriella Brooks as a result of his party-boy lifestyle, according to The Sun.
The stunning model recently moved out of the pair's North London home. The former couple went public in 2017 at the Brit Awards but fans reckon they've been dating for four years.
“There has been a lot of strain on their relationship, not helped by him being on tour a lot this year. He parties a lot at home when he’s there and Gabby had just had enough. She doesn’t want to lead her life like that.”
The band released their punk new song People last week in which he sings: “I’m just gonna get girls, food, gear. I don’t like going outside, so bring me everything here.”
He opened up about his battles with heroin in 2018, saying that Gabby was “incredibly wise and incredibly beautiful” he had “still risked it” despite knowing how much he had to lose.
The group will spend September performing throughout Asia, Australia and New Zealand before heading on tour across America in November and December.
The 1975 are set to release their fourth collection, Notes On A Conditional Form, in February. He sounds fairly booked up, but we'll see him on Saturday at Electric Picnic to cheer him up.
"As you may or not know, I've been on the Divide tour for over two years now and this is the last day of the whole thing.
"There is something very bittersweet about it. I love that you guys are here and we are ending it in Ipswich. This is my last gig for probably 18 months," he continued.
"We've played all around the world. Glastonbury, Wembley Stadium. All these amazing venues, America, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, South America – it's been a wild one."
He went on: "I was told before I came on that now at the end of this tour I've played to nine million people around the world. It is the biggest tour ever."
"It's been an emotional day for a lot of people backstage. It kind of feels like, in a weird way, that you're breaking up with a girlfriend that you've been with for years," he joked.
"It sounds odd but it has been a long tour." Monday's concert may as well be his final loop pedal tour gig, as he'll have a band behind him next time.
Fighting back tears, Ed changed out of his Ipswich Town football shirt and put on another one symbolising his home; Framlingham Town.
"This is a Framlingham Town football shirt. I am from Framlingham. Suffolk is my home. I am so happy to be ending this mammoth tour here," he added.
"I want to say thank you to everyone on this tour. Thank you to everyone who has given me a chance. This is my last song. I wrote this when I was 15 years old. See you in a few years' time. Thank you."
Ed low-key married his childhood sweetheart Cherry last December, and recently revealed that they're planning to start a family; "I'm starting a life with Cherry. I can't spend the next 20 years on the road."
"Kids would be the different thing. I wouldn't mind sacrificing for them. If someone told me you can't tour again for the next ten years if you have kids that is fine, because that is what I have signed up for.
"I've already achieved more than I thought I would, so now I'm just trying to have fun."
Nostalgia is well and truly here to stay, it seems. The one and only Sinead O'Connor has just announced that she's playing four gigs around Ireland this year.
The Nothing Compares 2 U star is set to take to the Vicar Street stage on October 27 in a highly anticipated return to music.
She's also be performing at the famous Roisin Dubh in Galway on October 17, Spiegeltent in Wexford on October 24 and Cork Opera House on Oct 26.
Sinead O’Connor is going on tour in Ireland in October? Fantastic news. One of my favourite live vocalists of all time. pic.twitter.com/jVZV1c3s97
Have you ever wanted to hire an upper class theatre buff who went to Trinity but insists they were accepted by Oxford to give you a posh walking tour of Dublin? It's a life goal, really.
Luckily for your dramatic side, The Westbury has now introduced complimentary theatre tours with the Abbey Theatre Tour Guide to explore the essence of Ireland's arts scene.
Guests staying at the hotel over the summer season can discover the city's most fascinating sculptures, theatres and galleries on a personal guided tour with James Hickson of The Abbey Theatre.
Image: Abbey Theatre
Strolling around the Georgian Quarter is the perfect introduction to the theatrical and cultural history of Dublin, and you definitely won't be bored with a theatrical man walking you around.
From stunning sculpture to beautiful buildings, discover some of the personalities, dramas, and places that have influenced its character and culture.
Whether you're a tourist or a loca, the iconic sights, forgotten tales and hidden gems bring an immersive story of Dublin to the tour.
The 90-minute tour leaves the Westbury hotel every Thursday morning of the summer at 10am, with James Hickson escorting guests along the theatrical route showcasing The Gaeity Theatre among others.
Anyone who embarks on the tour will also be treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Abbey Theatre, ancient Irish storytelling and drama at the Setanta Wall and a tailored tour of theatrical art in the National Gallery.
A pitstop at the Oscar Wilde sculpture as well as Phil Lynott and Luke Kelly tributes will also be visited, with Hickson bringing Wilde's personality, wit and works to life.
Highlights of the tour also include spaces dedicated to a variety of contemporary Irish and international artists, such as the National Library and the iconic Bewleys café.
To ensure the best possible experience for all, places are limited to just ten guests per tour so book as early as you can in order to join the ranks of Dublin drama.
The Academic have turned more than their fair share of heads in 2018.
The Westmeath indie rockers have toured with some massive names, released their debut album Tales From The Backseat to critical acclaim, and have played some of their biggest gigs to date.
We had a chat with Craig Fitzgerald, lead vocalist and guitar player from the band, to ask him about their fanbase, plans for 2019 and exactly how they capture that infectious energy on stage.
The four-piece band have an undeniably dedicated fanbase, clearly responding to lyrics lamenting youth and everything else that comes along with it.
The group is comprised of Fitzgerald, Matthew Murtagh on guitar, Stephen Murtagh playing bass and Dean Gavin on the drumkit, and they are all in their early twenties.
Tales From The Backseat is a hugely impressive debut, and features some of the catchiest songs around right now.
Choosing tracks for the anticipated first album appears to have been a careful affair, the boys recorded most of it in North Hollywood with music veteran Tim Pagnotta.
It's no surprise that the musical offering flew to the top of the charts on home soil.
WE ARE NUMBER ONE!
We just got the news that our debut album 'Tales From The Backseat' is NUMBER ONE in the official album charts!!! Thank you to every single person who picked up a copy. It's an absolute dream come true for us.
Craig, Matt, Stephen and Dean pic.twitter.com/jS3oQHAD94
The boys make music with big pop choruses and indie lyrics, and if you're hearing their songs for the first time, you'll know every word by the time the track concludes.
The lead vocalist and his bandmates have a clear talent for writing music which garner a youthful audience, but does he feel the fans will grow alongside the group?
"I definitely think so. In the first album, there were songs from when we were young, so it made sense. The songs seemed to resonate with younger people. We would like to mature our sound, and that would hopefully intertwine with the fans getting older."
They've clearly figured out how to find comfort on stage, effortlessly show-casing their extensive touring experience.
Craig describes the special ability of their fans to relate their own adolescence with that of the boys' through his lyrics;
"When we go on tour, we do a lot of meeting the fans, we like to go to the merch table and we like to hear what they thought and we get to say hello," he says.
"A lot of the time what amazes me is that the songs are just stories that were specific to me as a teenager, but it’s amazing how someone can adapt the story to something that they’re going through."
From tales of fake ID's on nights out, to the turbulent relationships and friendships which parallel adolescence, The Academic paint a relatable picture of the unique energy of that time in a person's life.
It's immediately obvious when you see the band play live that they value their fans' enjoyment of music, and nerves are a thing of the past.
The band met while still in school, and began gigging once they secured their drummer Dean.
Roughly five years later, the lads are essentially pros at what they do, but touring outside of Ireland can be a game-changer for any group or musician.
"When we started and we were playing shows, you begin shy and just want to make sure that you get up and play well," the 24-year-old cites about their initial shows.
"We’ve been given so many great opportunities to go on long tours, like month long tours in the States and Europe and the UK, and I think particularly when you support so many bands over the last couple of years we’ve become so comfortable as musicians together," he added.
"Even more so than when we were just in a shed playing together. I definitely think you lose that scared feeling that you had, because you just have to get up in front of people and play."
The band have learned some valuable lessons on the road, from song-writing to making friends in high musical places, to general tips on how to command a stage. They keep one important thing in mind in particular;
"That’s one thing I think we’ve learned in the past year, is that if we’re not afraid, people won’t be afraid, and they’ll have a good time with us. When we toured with The Kooks, we just kind of watched them and loved how they were just having fun on stage and it wasn’t too serious."
"One thing that I always try to do when I go on stage, is to break down the wall and say let’s not be afraid to make a fool of ourselves."
"The whole thing is crazy, like the fact that people are staring at you playing music. They drop their barrier when they see you having fun."
Confirmed; we stared, we dropped our barrier, we had fun. Then we bought the t-shirt…
The lads give a lot of time to their fans, and are both aware and respectful of how powerful a fan's love of music can be;
"We appreciate everyone for all their weird and wacky stuff. Music makes them feel a certain way and we appreciate that no matter what it is or whatever song it was that made them attached to us."
Despite their youthful tracklist, high-energy set and the fact that they've only released their debut album this year, the lads have been penning tunes since they were in their mid-teens.
Craig reminisces on the tricks and tips of the trade which his years of the music industry has taught him;
"I’ve been writings since the age of about 15/16, and a lot of those songs are actually on the first album.I think in the beginning, so it’s five years now of song-writing experience, there’s a naivety and you’re not afraid to do anything. Then you start picking up tricks," he muses.
"The one thing I have learned now that we’ve been a band for so long, is that I always want the music to be catchy. One thing I’ve learned is that if it’s catchy, don’t be afraid of it."
For a band who are considered new to mainstream audiences, they have a level of maturity worth noting, especially when it comes to songwriting;
"That’s what people want to come and see, they want to sing along. You shouldn’t lose your innocence about song-writing, you can still think of crazy things and put them in," the vocalist says.
"The beauty is in the imagination, use it, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. It’s very important."
When we asked Craig where he would be if The Academic was never formed, his answer remains musical, unsurprisingly.
"Maybe I would have finished college. I went to BIMM, so I would probably work in a musician’s field. Probably in the studio, that was nearly just as strong as songwriting for me. I enjoyed playing with bands too much, so I made that decision." Thank God he did, for our sakes at least.
After catching their big break after releasing Different from their first EP, radio stations took notice, and it all took off from there. The rest was indie-pop history, but do the lads ever disagree with each other?
You know us, we live for some drama…
"We’re not on the same page all the time (laughs). We usually are in sync when we know a song is good. If a song is obviously screaming out ‘Hey, I’m a good song’, we’re all on board. If there’s a more moody song or more emotional song, that’s when you can have arguments."
"We’ve always written songs together and made sure that everyone’s happy. We’d never really go ahead with a song if one member wasn’t fully happy." Creating absolute bangers and remaining diplomatic? Fair play boys.
We also wanted to know if there's a band out there that Craig would join, you know, if The Academic didn't exist of course. Which would be tragic.
"That’s a really good question, I’ve never been asked that before. We have a band on tour with us as support called Inhaler."
"The reason I enjoyed that band is that it’s so nice watching them because they’re like us four years ago. I’d love to step back to where they are now, getting support slots, heading out and being brand new again. That would be fun. Or else Fleetwood Mac would be great."
If you're wondering what 2019 will bring for the boys, it's some exciting new shows and a return to the studio to nail down some of the material written on the road.
Tickets for our return to the Iveagh Gardens are on sale at 9AM tomorrow morning!!! Act fast! pic.twitter.com/bB5N0Py529
The band will be making a big return to Iveagh Gardens in July, one year on from their concert at the famous outdoor venue, with some brand new (as yet unrecorded) music.
"What I would say we’re really excited about at the moment, is that we haven’t had any studio time in about a year. We’ve been writing songs on the road but we haven’t gotten to play them at all."
In terms of their landmark moments, their most recent gigs remain their favourites;
"I’d have to say, I think we’re all pretty blown away by the weekend we’ve just had. Two Vicar Street gigs and a headliner in Limerick, it was three in a row and every night was brilliant. It got better every time. We’re all still on a high."
The Academic have made some incredible memories in 2018, but they're just getting started.
If there's anywhere in the world you wouldn't expect to see a major Hollywood star, it's probably in a remote part of North Dublin.
The iconic Friends actress Courtney Cox has been spotted in Lusk this morning as her musician partner prepares for tomorrow's Snow Patrol gig.
The 54-year-old was snapped picking up a coffee in Applegreen station in the Dublin location, and looked relaxed and chilled out in blue jeans, a navy jumper and sunglasses.
You almost wouldn't recognise her, but these Freshii staff members couldn't miss out on the chance to snap a photo with her.
Applegreen tweeted the snap with the message: "We had a very special ‘Friend’ drop by to Applegreen Lusk North!" Gas.
Courtney's partner Johnny McDaid plays a concert in Bangor, Co. Down tonight as part of the Snow Patrol 'Wildness' tour, and plays Malahide Castle in Dublin on June 7.
The actress, who is famed for playing Monica Geller on the hit TV show, was snapped hanging out with The Hunger Games star Woody Harrelson and X-Men actor James Marsden in Los Angeles earlier this week at Wiltern Theater where Johnny was playing a gig.
Courtney posted a picture to Instagram of herself with three famous friends on Tuesday, captioning the snap; "Great night with this lovable misfits at Snow Patrol concert."
Johnny's band are heading on a string of dates across Europe, and said that the public's obsession with his and Courtney's romance is 'bizarre'.
The couple announced their engagement in 2014, but have yet to tie the knot. He commented: “I think people are curious. I’m often approached from a perspective of people thinking they know something when they don’t.
“I think people are curious. I’m often approached from a perspective of people thinking they know something when they don’t. But often it’s just funny. I think I’ve gotten married 15 times in the last year.
“There is a missing part of that equation, I’m on tour at the moment and Courtney is in LA. So it would be really difficult for me to get married unless I do it by proxy or over Skype or something.”
He spoke to the Belfast Telegraph: “It is a bit bizarre but it comes with the territory. I expect the curiosity but I also respect my relationship and my love.”
Courtney and Johnny apparently split up in 2015 but later rekindled their relationship. The Derry rocker was introduced to Cox by Ed Sheeran in 2013, who is a mutual mate.
The actress is already mum to 14-year-old Coco, with ex-husband David Arquette. When she appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show, she denied that Johnny was her fiancé.
“We were engaged to be married, but now we’re just together. We broke off our engagement and he moved to England. Then we got back together, and it’s actually better than it was before."
Dublin Bus have announced a shuttle bus schedule to the much-anticipated Metallica concert at Slane Castle, taking place on Saturday June 8.
Thousands of concert-goers will travel with the bus company to the rock band's first Irish show in ten years. It's safe to say the excitement is well and truly building.
Those attending the gig have been urged by an Garda Síochána to plan their routes to and from the gig in advance for safety;
"Gardaí wish to remind those attending Metallica at Slane Castle on 8th June 2019 to plan their travel in advance. Use public transport if at all possible."
Customers have been urged to book tickets as soon as possible to ensure their seat on the day. You can grab your shuttle tickets on the Ticketmaster website for the most convenient travel experience.
Buses will depart between 11am and 4pm from Western Way, Dublin 7 and the return service will operate directly after the event.
A discounted price of €30 for a return ticket (plus booking fee) is available up until May 26, while tickets purchased up until 3 June will cost €40 for a return ticket (plus booking fee).
For outbound journeys, it's important to book a time slot. Metallica fans also can't travel outside of their allocated time slot. Rules are Rules, ladies.
There is limited availability for this service and tickets will sell out, so we'd urge you to book right now. No tickets will be sold on the actual day of the concert, so planning ahead is key.
A Dublin Bus spokesperson expanded on the new shuttle service;
“The reality is that if you take the bus you don’t have the hassle of finding a parking space, leaving more time to enjoy the concert and then travel home safely. It is so much more convenient. Dublin Bus takes the hassle out of travelling.”
There you go, people. You've no excuse to be wandering around the castle, lost amidst your fellow drunk rock fans.
While they may be on a very extended 'break', Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson became millionares after chugging out album after album in a short space of time.
First of all, 1D sales are beyond insane. According to RIAA, One Direction has sold $13.5 million in digital singles, which is basically in downloaded singles alone.
Their album sales are also on the high end of the spectrum; 2013’s Midnight Memories was that year’s best-selling album, selling a whopping 4 million copies worldwide.
Let's not forget the merch, shall we? Piles of cash came in from their 2014 Where We Are Tourin particular. It became the highest-grossing tour of the year with $290.2 million.
Their 2013 Take Me Home tour also made $114 million, and 2015’s On the Road Again Tour made $208 million. So they've got plenty to brag about.
Bear in mind, the money had to be divided in five as well as siphoned off to their management and those who worked on set and on tour with them. STILL, it's cold hard cash.
Their merch strategy was out of this world; they could have sold a dirty old sock and fans would pay millions for it. You can still find merch of the bands actually..might get some more?
Their This Is Us movie earned a casual $8.9 million on its opening day alone, so there's that too. We confess, we went to see it, Twice.
One Direction also made sure to work with brands to get endorsements, such as Toyota and Pepsi.
Apart from all that coin he made in the infamous boy band, Harry also had his self-titled debut album and movie roles as part of his earnings.
His self-titled musical offering sold well, with one million copies being bought to be exact, and his solo tour making $62 million
His role in Dunkirk presumably paid well, and his modelling for GUCCI tailoring also gave him a handsome salary.
His L.A. home was only recently put on the market for $7.495 million, so he's got some money tied up in real estate property, and a $6.8 million NYC apartment, as well as his $3 million London home.
Which means…according toCelebrity Net Worth, our boy Harry has a total of $75 million to his name.
We just shed a single tear for the state of our financial independence…
Scottish-born singer and nephew of Peter Capaldi, Lewis Capaldi, has won hearts all over the nation with his HILARIOUS social media antics and voice of a gravelly angel.
His new album, Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent, is out May 17 and features his UK Number 1 platinum-selling single Someone You Loved. It's officially the longest running number one single of the past 25 years, so he's hit the big time.
Part of the reason why he's found chart success is his campaigning on Twitter and Instagram, using absolutely gas photos of himself sporting various eccentric sunglasses and filming his strange antics.
If you haven't seen the thread of him having to unclog his toilet, you've missed out. Our personal fave is the stream of himself listening to Ariana Grande's latest album, which was set to knock his tune out of the charts.
In fact, his song made it back into the top 10, reaching number one and staying there. We're SO glad it did, because this down-to-earth chap with a love for Tinder deserves it.
After supporting Picture This at their five consecutive 3Arena nights recently, Capaldi is coming back to Dublin for his very own 2020 arena tour.
Sunday March 8, 2020 at Dublin's 3Arena sold out in minutes, as well as the rest of the UK tour dates, but our boy has hooked us up with an extra date on March 9, 2020.
He's also initiating his special LIVELIVE programme to support fans experiencing emotional difficulties and have concerns about attending shows.
WE SOLD OUT THE ENTIRE UK & IRELAND ARENA TOUR IN MINUTES HAVE NO WORDS AT ALL
There'll be a team at each venue who are expertly trained and qualified in assisting with panic, anxiety or any other concerns fans may have. Capaldi created the scheme after his own experiences with anxiety had a dramatic effect on him.
Speaking about the idea, the singer said; "I really wanted to put something in place to help those people feel comfortable and offer them support to allow them to experience the shows."
The 22-year-old's tunes have been streamed over 600,000 times, and the youngster was shortlisted for the BBC Critics Choice Award. Tickets from €37.35 are on sale now via Ticketmaster, grab yours now.
Pop idol Britney Spears is clearing up rumours about her mental health and well-being on her social media, confirming: “All is well”.
37-year-old Toxic singer checked into a mental health facility earlier in April to cope with the stress of her father’s ongoing illness.
Rumours were swirling that there was more going on beneath the surface of Spears’ visit, but she shared a video on Instagram on April 23 to dispel the myth.
“Hi guys, just checking in with all of you who are concerned about me,” Britney said in the video, referring to her father Jamie, who she is very close with.
“My family has been going through a lot of stress and anxiety lately, so I just needed time to deal. But don’t worry, I’ll be back very soon,” she continued.
Her fans were deeply concerned about her treatment and suspected that her family had forced her to enter the facility.
Mental health has been known to play a big role in addiction as a whole. Brittany spears is a perfect example of this. She has finally understood that she cannot enter a drug rehab program without getting help with her mental health issues.
A group of protesters gathered outside City Hall on Monday in LA to demand her release from the facility after claims about her mental health went viral.
Britney’s caption disputes the “out of control” things which fans online have said, and even alluded to shocking death threats made to her family and team;
“I am trying to take a moment for myself, but everything that’s happening is just making it harder for me,” Britney wrote. “Don’t believe everything you read and hear.”
She wrote a detailed and emotional Instagram post about her dad’s health back in early January;
“A couple of months ago, my father was hospitalised and almost died. We’re all so grateful that he came out of it alive, but he still has a long road ahead of him. I had to make the difficult decision to put my full focus and energy on my family at this time.”
Britney also spoke out against her former manager, Sam Lutfi, who she claimed wrote fake emails in her name to communicate with her team; “My situation is unique, but I promise I’m doing what’s best at this moment,” she said.
“You may not know this about me, but I am strong, and stand up for what I want!” Britney continued in the social media video.
“Your love and dedication is amazing, but what I need right now is a little bit of privacy to deal with all the hard things that life is throwing my way. If you could do that, I would be forever grateful.”
We wish her well and hope her father makes a speedy and full recovery. We need Brit back to her best.
