WORDS AND IMAGES BILLY SEAGRAVE
Donny Osmond brought his 2023 UK Tour to the AO Arena Manchester, he promised a trip through his career a touch of his Vegas show, a montage of his life over the decades, more important to the loyal fans many who have travelled with him since those heady and manic days in the early 70’s, it would be close and personal.
Donny Osmond is a legendary music star who has been performing for over six decades. He is one of the biggest teen idols of the 1970s and has continued to reinvent himself over the course of his career. He has sold over 100 million records, received 33 gold records, and had three UK No.1s, nine UK Top 10s and 13 UK Top 40s. Now in his 65th year, Donny Osmond’s latest album is called “Start Again”, and it was released September 2021. It is his 65th album and his first solo full-length album in seven years. He co-wrote and produced all the songs on the album, a remarkable statistic. He has also starred in musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and provided the singing voice of Shang in Disney’s Mulan.
As the Band gather on the stage as well as the dancers Donny, emerged through the theatrical smoke screen, to rapturous applause from the predominantly female audience, opening with “Soldier of love”, and followed by “Sacred emotion”, and “Who”, Then it was the first real step back to those teen idol days, as “Puppy Love”, filled the arena with that feeling of love and emotion, for so many, was it really 1972? Next up was a real clever, well-rehearsed, as the Auto-rap-ography, a rap song accompanied by milestones, photos, and videos from his impressive career.
The next part of the show was a real gift to the fans, which saw him taking requests from the fans, although shorted versions of any song he has ever recorded, the first request was “The 12th of never”, and there was a real buzz of excitement, as Donny said” I have been told not to this”, as the crowd sensed what was about to happen. “I am coming down there with you”. Finding a spot and standing on a chair absolutely swamped by adoring fans, “Any dream will do”, was a mass singalong, trying to move around the floor, was a skill as the fans had made a mass exodus of there seats, “Too young”, a Nat King Cole cover saw our host making his way further foraging into the crowd before finally returning to stage.
Donny’s connection to his audience is special, stories antidotes and thanks for all he has received all these years from a fanbase that has stayed true and loyal, will we see any of our current artists survive 6 decades, and still filling arenas? Only time will tell.
A little segment of stories around, “Ben”, originally wrote for him, which led to Michael Jackson recording and “One bad apple”, led up to “We’re having a party”, brought us to the interval.
Returning to the stage with the huge backdrop, showing all the Osmond’s all singing, “Love me for a reason”, with Donny taking live vocals for his part, explaining that was the last video he ever did with his brothers. For the fans another powerful and poignant moment. Then it was a segment of his Vegas show, “Donnys back in town/Come rain or shine/Viva Las Vegas/Luck be a lady”, montage had the fans at the front of the stage and in full party mode.
The tributes where not over, Andy Williams, who gave the Osmond’s their break, was given a great accolade, as “Moon River”, was played, The Beatles “In my Life was the backdrop to his thanks to Marie, with some great videos of there shows. As “On and on”, and “Let’s all dance “ended a classic show, a musical journey few have ever had or embarked on, an artist that has reinvented a stage career, over the decades, for those loyal fans they left feeling the warmth of nostalgia, taking home that early Christmas present.
Set List
1/ Soldier of Love
2/ Sacred Emotion
3/ Who
4/ Puppy Love
5/ Auto-rap-ography
6/ Close Every Door
7/ I’ll Make a Man Out of You
8/ Don’t Stop
9/ The Twelfth of Never
10/ Any Dream Will Do
11/ Too Young
12/ The Proud One
13/ This Is the Moment
14/ It TakesTwo
15/ Should’ve Known Better
16/ Why
17/ Whenever You’re in Trouble
18/ Ben
19/ One Bad Apple
20/ We’re Having A Party
21/ Love Me for a Reason
22/ Start Again
23/ Donny’s Back in Town / Come Rain or Come Shine / Viva Las Vegas / Luck Be a Lady
24/ Moon River
25/ In My Life
26/ On & On
27/ Let’s All Dance
FOLLOW DONNY OSMOND
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
