Women Aloud have taken to the stage for the primary gig of their reunion tour with emotional tributes to their late bandmate Sarah Harding.
A 30-minute delay to the present blamed on “Dublin motorway closures”, did nothing to dim the delight of followers when Nadine Coyle, Cheryl, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh appeared on stage, standing on particular person podiums singing their 2008 track Untouchable.
The comeback tour has been devoted to Harding, who was identified with most cancers and died in September 2021 aged 39.
In the course of the present, the group carried out a duet with Harding, whose vocals to I am going to Stand By You performed as they joined in stay on-stage.
They later sang one among their greatest hits, The Promise, throughout which the singers stopped and turned their backs to the viewers to observe footage of Harding performing the track on her personal.
A publish on the official Women Aloud X account stated: “Present 1 accomplished. Dublin you had been completely INCREDIBLE. What a begin to the #TheGirlsAloudShow tour.”
The singers gained Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and fashioned Women Aloud, occurring to realize 4 UK primary singles and a Brit award.
Learn extra:
Tour will ‘by no means be the identical’ with out Sarah
Sarah Harding obituary
Women Aloud star’s life in footage
They reunited with new music for his or her tenth anniversary in 2012, whereas a second reunion was deliberate for his or her twentieth anniversary when Harding was identified with most cancers.
The tour has been devoted to Harding. Pic: Tom Dymond/Shutterstock
Lower than an hour earlier than their anticipated arrival on the 3Arena in Dublin, the group issued an up to date stage time on X.
It stated on account of “Dublin motorway closures”, the band would arrive half-hour later than anticipated at 9.15pm.
Forward of the present, a publish on the official Women Aloud X account stated: “Rehearsals? Carried out. Choreography? Prepared. Outfits? Fitted. Women? Aloud.
“…We have been working so arduous to make this present particular for all of you.”
After two back-to-back opening nights in Dublin’s 3Arena, Women Aloud will play two concert events on the SSE Enviornment in Belfast on Monday and Tuesday, earlier than heading to the Manchester AO Enviornment from Thursday to Saturday.
In November, the group had so as to add six additional dates to their UK and Eire 2024 area tour on account of “unprecedented demand” following ticket pre-sales.