Last November G4 made their first live appearance together in 7 years to mark their 10th anniversary. The former X Factor favourites – Jonathan Ansell, Mike Christie and Ben Thapa – welcomed new member Nick Ashby after original member Matt Stiff chose not to be part of the reunion, and performed a one-night-only sold-out live show at the Barbican in London. The quartet received a warm welcome and such was the demand to see them that they announced a headline UK tour shortly after. Last night the tour arrived at The Woodville in Gravesend and we went along to check it out.
G4 arrived on stage at 8pm last night opening with a stunning rendition of the Queen classic Bohemian Rhapsody. The audience looked on in silence as the group showcased their remarkable harmonies proving that they’ve lost none of the magic that won them legions of fans during their X Factor days. New member Nick Ashby has had time to settle into the group since he made his debut with them at the Barbican and his bass perfectly complements the ranges of his band members.
The set-list for the evening was a mixture of classical numbers, crossover classics that the group has recorded or performed during their X Factor time, and a selection of more contemporary songs with a G4 twist. A mash-up of O Danny Boy and You Raise Me Up was a definite highlight and we loved the comedy opening with Mike Christie and Nick Ashby singing completely different songs to the melody of the music.
Throughout the evening they were joined by Britain’s Got Talent star Charlotte Jaconelli who even got a solo moment on The Phantom of the Opera number Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. She sounded absolutely stunning and one of the highlights was when she joined G4 to perform the Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe classic Barcelona. Choir Rock Choir also provided back-up on several songs throughout the set as well as opened the show with a 30-minute supporting set.
Highlights throughout the set included a rousing rendition of The Circle of Life, which welcomed in the second half of the show and saw the band walking down the aisles of the theatre. Jonathan Ansell shined on Queen’s Somebody to Love and each of the members got their chance to show off their vocal prowess on a medley of songs they performed on The X Factor that included Cry Me A River, Crazy and Baby…One More Time.
During Los Toreadors G4 invited the audience to wave their hankies in the air but for one fan on the front row she preferred to use a bra instead. This had the group fighting the urge to laugh throughout the performance but Jonathan embraced the moment by picking the bra up after it was flung on stage and joking with the audience.
The show came to a close with a double whammy of You’re The Voice and Nessun Dorma, which brought the audience to their feet and the applause to almost deafening levels.
G4 clearly still have the magic that made them big stars following their X Factor journey. New member Nick Ashby is a great addition to the group and it’s clear that they have a great chemistry. Throughout the show the group members interacted, joked and beamed at the reception they received from the audience. As they continue to take their tour around the UK we think it’s time the band started to think about a new album in time for the Christmas market.
