CityLife

MEN Arena's Real Big 15th Birthday Bash

The Real Big 15th Birthday Bash
MEN Arena
July 15, 2010

Don’t they grow up so fast? The Manchester Evening News Arena is 15 years old, and what better way to celebrate a landmark birthday than with jelly, ice cream and a host of the nation’s most-loved, chart-tastic pop acts?

The Arena has been giving fans from Greater Manchester and beyond amazing nights since 1995, when Torvill and Dean performed at the opening of, as it was called then, the Nynex Arena.

Ever since, with worldwide stars flocking to Manchester to get a piece of the action, the past events list reads like a who’s who of popular entertainment, culture and sport.

Given that it’s a birthday bash, it is perhaps fitting Scouting For Girls are first up, what with them having the look of glorified children’s entertainers about them. The crowd went wild for them, though The Hoosiers fared better, with new songs sounding ready-made for radio, and then we welcomed The Script, whose songs have long been favourites on the airwaves.

Fyfe Dangerfield stuck out on the line-up like a sore thumb, being a member of the alternative-indie fraternity as singer with Guillemots, but his beautiful set was rapturously received.

Gabriella Cilmi and Pixie Lott both impressed with their brand of girl-next-door sassiness, but were eclipsed by The Saturdays’ take on chart-friendly electro-pop. Amy Macdonald is diametrically opposed to those acts, being an earnest singer-songwriter, but her easy-on-the-ear acoustic-led songs struck a chord. Beverley Knight and Craig David acted as the elder statesmen of the bill, but new kid on the block Taio Cruz’s rap set also went down a storm.

Two X Factor contestants went head-to-head – Olly Murs’ brief early cameo was a world away from Alexandra Burke’s closing set, which brought the night to an epic conclusion, but not before an appearance from everyone’s favourite ex-MEN arena employee, Peter Kay.

Here’s to the next 15 years.

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