Without a doubt. Bros are back.
This past weekend, I got to witness one of the most enjoyable live concert productions I’ve seen in a while and that was the reunion of Matt and Luke Goss together again as Bros for the first time in over 25 years – headlining London’s iconic O2 arena. Make no mistake here, the people of the UK have wanted this reunion to happen for a very long time as evidenced by the amount of enthusiasm and pandemonium that was had by all on Saturday night. A lot of us perhaps were reliving a special time in our teenage lives with Bros as the soundtrack and it was just truly magical to see such a production and spectacular stage show brought together for the big sold-out kick-off in London.
Check out our live footage highlights from the show
Going into the show I was a little worried, to be honest. I told myself, “I hope they don’t change the songs too much” as the last thing I wanted to see and hear was big band/Bruno Mars type styling applied to beloved classics like “When Will I Be Famous” and “Drop The Boy”. I was not disappointed. The big synths and sound effects were all in place but enhanced even more in for a stadium environment that felt equally rock n roll but also maintained its that special massive pop appeal that made the Bros boys so famous back in the late 80s and early 90s.
The highlight of the show you ask? For me, it was when the boys sang “Are You Mine?” It was just a beautiful moment that came together flawlessly that reminded you when big pop ballads were actually at the forefront of true pop artistry. They don’t make ballads these days like they did back then and Bros were able to take one of theirs and turn into a relevant and moving moment in the show that evoked emotions and tears for many in the crowd. The live show also had a special touching tribute to George Michael when the boys performed their version of “Freedom” which featured legend Deon Estus – George Michael’s bassist (remember this one kids…) and Shirlie of Pepsi and Shirlie who sang backup vocals for Wham!, who also just happens to be married to Luke.
All-in-all – if you have a chance to see Bros live and you loved some, if not all, of their greatest hits – definitely go see them on tour. You won’t regret it. One can only hope that this Bros tour isn’t the last leg of their comeback. I would love to see them more on the retro live circuit for many more years to come as the magic of their back catalogue is most certainly alive and kicking.
Who are Bros you ask? You must be a young gun. Get to know them and how their pop music was so influential back in the day by listening to “The Best of Bros” on Spotify.
Also check out Phil Marriott’s fantastic interview with Matt Goss prior to the show!