CityLife

Must see: X Factor Live

Joe McElderry

Overnight stardom used to be a pipe dream for musicians and singers.

It took The Beatles four years of knocking around local and international circuits to get Brian Epstein to notice them and offer them their big break.

ABBA bothered the bottom end of the Swedish pop charts for five years before Eurovision broke them, and even Elvis Presley had to flaunt his talent under Sam Phillips’ nose for two years before one tired recording session proved fruitful. Even big pop and R&B acts had to prepare themselves for a long slog to the top.

Take That’s light remained hidden under a bushel for three years, Christina Aguilera was a talent contest regular before she left primary school but didn’t make it until she was 19, and rapper 50 Cent reformed his hell-raising lifestyle and spent three years learning the musical ropes before How To Rob made his name.

But in these TV-led musical times, the road to stardom is very different. Hence, in 2010, we can reel off a list of names that no one had heard of 12 months ago and provoke a screamfest and a scramble for tickets for an arena tour.

The latest graduates from the X Factor academy jumping on board the live conveyor belt at the MEN Arena tomorrow and Sunday are Lucie Jones, Stacey Solomon, Joe McElderry, Lloyd Daniels, Jamie Archer, Olly Murs, Danyl Johnson and Irish twins John and Edward Grimes.

There are notable absences – girl group Miss Frank among them – with organisers favouring the eight most popular finalists. But the p­romise of renditions of the viewers’ favourites songs and a big old chorus affair as the grand finale, with all acts united on stage to perform their charity single You Are Not Alone, seems to be enough to keep this year’s rejects in the limelight for a bit longer.

If nothing else, it’ll be a talking point in the office when the fame dream dies and the nine-to-five calls. CityLife for one wouldn’t be surprised if McElderry’s career stalls after this show either; you have to accept that it isn’t exactly a vintage year if the act that shines is Jedward...

MEN Arena - March 13 and 14, 2010 - 2.30pm and 7.30pm daily, £28.50.