“For all the youngsters out there we’re One Direction’s uncles”, Blue’s Duncan James jokes to the crowd.
The singer has just thanked the army of die-hard fans who have managed to battle snow and a train strike to make it to London’s O2 and gives a nod to the new generation of Blue fans in the audience.
Most of them weren’t even born when the band’s debut album All Rise was released 21 years ago and went to number one but tonight they’re being indoctrinated into the Blue Family.
Moments earlier pianist and composer OKIEM built the atmosphere in the arena with his dramatic score before the boys - Duncan, Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan and Antony Costa took to the stage with Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.
A beaming Duncan says: “I’ve always wanted to say this! London O2…How you doing?
“What a beautiful night we’re about to have! Let’s have a party!”
The deafening screams say it all as the band launched into numbers from their latest album Heart & Soul including their first release in seven years - Haven’t Found You Yet.
"That’s my girls’ favourite song", says Antony who last month shared a cute video of his daughter singing along to the track.
The upbeat U Make Me Wanna gets couples singing along to each other ‘You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall, you make me wanna surrender my soul’.
The boys then transport us back to the Motown era with a medley of The Temptations’ Get Ready, Signed, Delivered I’m Yours and Get Down On It.
A beaming Duncan triumphantly tells fans: “The music industry has changed but 22 years on we’re still here.”
And it’s evident from their stripped back versions of Long Time, Guilty and Breathe Easy just why Blue are still around.
The harmonies were still as strong and Lee once again showed his vocal range on the spine-tingling chorus with the crowd also in fine voice.
Throughout the gig, the gracious boys can’t help but continually thank their fans, family and friends for being there.
But all good things have to come to an end and after another trip down memory lane with Too Close, Curtain Falls, Fly By II, Bubblin’ and All Rise Duncan tells fans: “It’s the time of night where we have to say goodbye.”
Simon adds: “But we’re going to take it way back to where it started.”
With that the boys took to the stage again for the final time to perform One Love.
Moments later, as the fans slowly made their way home, they burst into song again singing the One Love chorus while waiting for their trains - a sign of a cracking gig!
Blue perform at the Bournemouth International Centre on Thursday (Dec 15). For more dates and ticket information click here.
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