Review: Only Men Aloud open their UK tour on a high

A single figure appears at the back of the stage. A single voice begins to sing a Barry Manilow classic - exquisitely, soon to be joined by the other members of BBC's Last Choir Standing winners "Only Men Aloud", and suddenly "One Voice" explodes into an huge wall of sound as stunning vocals advance upon the ears of the audience. This opening number set the tone for the rest of what turned out to be a fantastic evening in the first "Only Men Aloud" UK national tour, which opened on April 26 at the Swansea Grand Theatre.

Under the expert guidance of musical guru and choirmaster, Tim Rhys-Evans, and virtuoso pianist/musical arranger, Jeff Howard, the choir's repertoire is a masterful and eclectic mix. It includes dynamic reinventions of traditional Welsh hymns such as "Guide Me Oh Thou Great Jehovah" and the English folk song "What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?", as well as the Robbie Williams Anthem "Angels" and such iconic folk rock classics as Jimmy Webb's "MacArthur Park" and Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Whatever the genre this choir tackles, the warmth and power of their silk-like voices combine with an electric energy that is tangible in its intensity.

The choir's sound is deeply rooted in the traditions of great Welsh male voice choirs but they succeed in making the traditional relevant and current with their slick, sophisticated and at times "sexy" performing skills. This is not a choir that simply stands in militaristic rows and sings - they "put on a show". And it is one hell of a show! There is even a medley of Tom Jones songs, complete with swivelling hips that would do Sir Tom proud.

The middle of the second act consists of a selection of blockbuster musical theatre songs, including Frank Loesser's "Sit Down, You're Rocking The Boat", a highly emotional rendition of "Bui Doi" from Miss Saigon and a knock-out performance of the title song from Hello Dolly, combining with guest soloist, Amy Nuttall.

Miss Nuttall adds an extra layer of class to the evening with her solo numbers, which include a beautiful delivery of Maury Yeston's haunting "Unusual Way" (from the musical Nine) and a sassy performance of "If I Were A Bell", which she previously sung on the West End stage when she played the role of Sarah Brown in Michael Grandage's revival of Guys And Dolls.

The entire show moves seamlessly along as one show-stopping number follows another until it ends in a massive high as the choir sing All By Myself, the song which clinched their victory in the Last Choir Standing contest last year. Then they even succeed in topping that with two encores that raise the roof off the theatre as they first become a group of white tuxedo-clad "James Bonds" belting out the 007 anthem Goldfinger and then pick up their silver-topped canes to deliver the big "all singing-all dancing" number that has almost become their signature song since they captured the hearts of the nation on BBC television - Jule Styne and Bob Merrill's "Don't Rain On My Parade".

"Only Men Aloud" more than earned the massive standing ovation they received from the totally sold-out audience at the Grand Theatre - not merely because of their immense showmanship that is bound to delight the eyes of any audience but, more importantly, because of their incredible vocals. Great singing is about "heart". And "Only Men Aloud" have that in abundance. Just seventeen in number on stage, they sound like seventy. But still they sing, like all great male voice choirs, as one. "One voice, singing in the darkness" and setting the stage alight with the magic of song.

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The "Only Men Aloud" UK tour (with Amy Nuttall) will continue as follows:

Tue 28 April Glasgow

Wed 29 April Llandudno

Thu 30 Apr Bristol

Sat 2 May Cardiff

Sun 3 May London

Monday 4 May Birmingham

Wed 6 May Liverpool

Thu 7 May Newcastle upon Tyne

Fri 8 May Sheffield

Sun 10 May Ipswich

Mon 11 May Manchester

Tues 12 May Bournemouth