Live Review: Blue – 18th April 2026 – Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK

There’s always a risk with nostalgia-heavy pop shows that they lean too far into familiarity and forget to create any real sense of occasion. In the case of Blue’s 25th anniversary tour, that balance is clearly front of mind, and their stop at the Brighton Centre on 18th April 2026 proved exactly why the milestone is worth celebrating. This wasn’t just a retrospective, it felt like a band confidently taking stock of a catalogue that still resonates while subtly reinforcing their place in the present.

Opening with One Last Time, the group opted for a slow-burn introduction before snapping into gear with Fly By, instantly lifting the energy. All Rise arrived early enough to ignite the first major singalong of the night, setting the tone for what would become a defining feature, this was as much about the audience as it was the performers, with crowd participation woven naturally into the pacing. Early in the set, Lee Ryan offered a candid reflection on the band’s longevity, noting that each time they think they’re recording their final album, someone inevitably writes another great song that pulls them back into the studio again, a cycle he hopes continues for the next 25 years.

That pacing was one of the show’s strongest assets. Rather than relying solely on the obvious hits, Blue threaded in deeper cuts like Souls of the Underground, adding texture and rewarding long-time fans. The Alive / Bubblin’ segment injected a dose of early-2000s swagger, but crucially avoided feeling dated thanks to tight delivery and updated production touches that kept things fresh.

Vocally, the group remains in strong form. The Vow and Guilty highlighted their melodic strengths, with the latter given added context on the night, Duncan James took a moment to name-check some of the icons the band have worked with over the years, including Elton John and Stevie Wonder, while also noting that Guilty was co-written with Gary Barlow, a detail that added an extra layer of appreciation (and deafening applause from the huge female fanbase at the show) to its performance. Breathe Easy emerged as one of the night’s standout moments, building from a restrained opening into a full, sweeping chorus that drew one of the evening’s biggest reactions.

Lee, in particular, was in top vocal form throughout the night, leaning into his polished falsetto with a control and clarity that echoed the band’s early days, yet felt more assured with experience. It added a noticeable edge to several of the set’s biggest moments and reinforced just how central his tone remains to the group’s overall sound.

Between songs, there was a genuine sense of gratitude from the group. Each member took time to acknowledge the audience’s loyalty over nearly three decades, with Simon Webbe, Lee, Duncan, and Antony Costa all reflecting on the journey. Lee, in particular, struck a sincere note by thanking fans for spending their hard-earned money to come and see them perform, an understated moment that reinforced the mutual appreciation in the room. Their rendition of Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, originally by Elton John, was handled with a light touch, letting the harmonies carry the emotional weight without overstatement.

Newer material like Haven’t Found You Yet and Beautiful Spiritual slotted neatly into the set without disrupting its flow, suggesting a band still invested in evolving rather than simply revisiting past successes. Flowers – which Duncan told the crowd was written by Robbie Williams – offered a brief, reflective pause that added emotional range before the momentum picked up again with my personal favourite Blue number, If You Come Back and Best in Me, both delivering strong crowd responses that underlined just how deeply embedded these songs remain.

The final stretch leaned into familiarity without tipping into predictability. All About Us and the Neon Honey / Dance With Me pairing kept the tempo high, while their take on Too Close by Next added a playful R&B detour. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours, a nod to Stevie Wonder, was another highlight in the set.

The encore avoided unnecessary theatrics – even the most subtle of signals to the audience had the fans roaring back. The Day the Earth Stood Still reintroduced a sense of scale before One Love inevitably turned the venue into a unified chorus. Closing with Curtain Falls was a fittingly self-aware choice, less about going out with a bang, more about acknowledging the journey and the longevity behind it.

As anniversary tours go, this one sidesteps the usual pitfalls. Blue aren’t reinventing the wheel, nor are they trying to. Instead, they’re marking 25 years with a set that feels considered, cohesive, and, crucially, still relevant. For a band often framed through nostalgia, this show makes a persuasive case for their continued staying power, not just as a legacy act, but as performers who still understand how to connect in the moment.

Brendon Veevers

::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.