JLS Beat Again Tour: Glasgow in Eternal Love After an Absolute Spectacle
Many artists are returning to the stage after lockdown. Photo by Aditya Chinchure on Unsplash
After over eight years since their goodbye tour, JLS are back and kicked off the new era on Wednesday night at the Hydro in Glasgow.
The return has been known for a good part of 18 months now as the group were supposed to be on tour in 2020, but COVID restrictions forced them to move it to the end of this year.
The first concert on their tour saw them perform in Glasgow. From the first second, the noise of deafening screams could be heard from new and old fans alike as each member one-by-one came from below on a rising platform onto the stage and started off the event with ‘The Club Is Alive’ — pumping the crowd up for the rest of the night.
JLS throughout the night got the fans involved and for a brief period, were asking the audience what song they should perform next, which only got fans more excited for what was ahead. They mentioned that this was for the "OG" fans, meaning the people who have been there since they were formed, as they played songs from their original album.
Each member was known for having a colour assigned to them: Aston had blue, Oritse had red, Marvin had green, and JB had yellow. These colours were blended into the event all night and it made for a concert that was full of vibrant lighting and moments that matched the acoustics.
The boyband was known for their pop music hits that always made sure to get the audience going. There were plenty of moments where the crowd would sing large chunks of songs. ‘She Makes Me Wanna’ and ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ were two of the main songs that got everyone bouncing and jumping in just a small chunk of what was overall a very exciting night.
The best moments of the night included the song ‘Love You More’, which got the fans getting their phone lights out and creating a very soothing and relaxing atmosphere. It was the polar opposite to the bouncy evening that was provided to the fans beforehand, but it offered something that complemented all of the members’ vocals.
When JLS rounded off the concert with ‘Everybody In Love’, it felt emotional to all those old fans as it was giving them flashbacks when they finished their last gig with this song. This kept the crowd passionate and full of heart to the end, especially when they went into acapella saying “JLS forever, and ever!”
JLS promised the fans a great show, and they fully delivered. Eight years on and they still seem at the top of their game in the modern day. They called the reform JLS 2.0, and they are in full flow, and with this only being the first concert of their tour, it was a fantastic way to kick off the new era, especially with a new album due before Christmas.
With great lighting and fantastic vocals, it was a night that new and old fans would’ve loved. JLS are well and truly back and they look to stay for a while and long may it continue.