MAY 2006
Westlife postpones June 3 concert
WESTLIFE postponed their Shanghai concert on June 3 because band member Nicky
Byrne has acute enteritis. A doctor recommended Byrne avoid long flights until
June 9 as he recovers from an intestinal tract infection. The make-up date for
the concert has not been confirmed yet. But the organizer, CPPA Entertainment
Ltd, said the concert will probably be held on June 25.
So far, more than 60 percent of tickets for the June 3 concert have been sold.
The organizer said these tickets can be used at the make-up date. Those who want
to return tickets can go to East Asia Ticket (Gate 6, Shanghai Stadium, 666
Tianyaoqiao Road) before June 3. According to the former itinerary, the band was
scheduled to arrive in Shanghai on Tuesday and was going to visit other parts of
the country to record a documentary series before the concert. The organizer
said the documentary will still be filmed, but at a later date.
source - Shanghai Daily
posted - 28th May
Westlife pop into Charcoal Grill
Pop superstars Westlife and former Hollyoaks actress Jodi Albert
popped into the Charcoal Grill, Watergate, Grantham, in the early hours of
Sunday. Kit Andersen with Westlife's Kian Egan and former Hollyoaks actress Jodi
Albert. Niel Harmston tried to grab Kian's pizza. They ordered food for
their journey back to London after a concert in Lincoln.
Kit Andersen was eating a kebab outside the takeaway when the tour bus pulled
up. Kit, 35, from Navenby, said: "They signed autographs and we had photos taken
with them and just had a laugh with them. My wife Sharon really likes them. She
picked me up just as the tour bus pulled away so she was gutted." Jane Blake, of
Cliffe Road, Grantham, and partner Simon Cole stopped off for a bag of chips.
She said: "By the time I got there, only two of Westlife were there. They were
ever so nice." Emrah Ozer, who works at Charcoal Grill, said: "I had never
heard of Westlife. One had burger and chips, one had chips with curry sauce,
another had pizza, and another had sausage and chips. The girl had a chicken
doner kebab."
source - Grantham Journal
posted - 28th May
Westlifes curry run grounded
A HELICOPTER ferrying curries to boy band Westlife has been stopped after
complaints. The lads hired the aircraft to bring meals from their
favourite curry house - Chilli 'n' Spice in the village of Swannington,
Leics - to their Manchester base. But the restaurant's Abu Miah said
yesterday: "The parish council had received complaints.
"People were concerned a helicopter may hit trees or power lines. It's left a
bad taste in my mouth." The food order, for 30 people at a cost of 4,200 a time,
will now be prepared at a sister restaurant in Birmingham and flown from there.
CURRY fan Steve O'Neill is paying ¢G83 to have a bulk order flown 220 miles from
his favourite restaurant in Newquay, Cornwall, to Chobham, Surrey.
source - Mirror
posted - 28th May
Life in That Rivalry
WESTLIFE don't fear Take That's comeback - they're pleased to have a some
proper rivals in the battle to be Britain's top boyband. Speaking after their
Wembley Arena gig last Thursday - a venue they'd like to remind TT they've sold
out more than any other band - Nicky Byrne told us: "Bring it on. It's about
time there was some decent competition."
Meanwhile, Kian Egan's girlfriend Jodi Albert is being lined up to star in
Celebrity X Factor.
"Jodi's got my vote," Shane told us. "And Kian will give her tips on how to
succeed."
Let battle commence...
source - mirror newspaper
posted - 22nd May
Westlife concert set for June 3
WESTLIFE will hold their first Shanghai concert on June 3 at Shanghai Grand
Stage. The concert is the Irish band's sole performance in China on their
world tour this year. The boy band is one of the most popular foreign
musical acts among Chinese audiences. Tickets are now available at major
booking offices and Websites. Prices range from 150 yuan (US$18) to 1,580 yuan.
Band members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan will arrive in
Shanghai on May 23. It was reported that they will visit other parts of
the country including Henan, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces to record a
documentary series.
source -Shanghai Daily
posted - 22nd May
Wembley Gig - Exciting News!
If you're lucky enough to have tickets to see Westlife at Wembley on 18th May,
make sure you give them your best reception ever, as the tour DVD will be filmed
that night! So cheer, scream, clap and bring your most creative banners, and who
knows, you may get to see yourself on screen...
source - www.westlife.com
posted - 22nd May
Filan gets prop life
TWO homes belonging to Westlife's Shane Filan are to get a makeover on RTE's
Showhouse, it was revealed yesterday. The singer's properties in Dromahair, Co
Leitrim, will be redesigned by Ann Tuohy and Lee O'Neill. Shane, 26, and his
brother Finbarr formed Shafin Developments Limited in 2004 and built 100 houses
in the village last year.
The star set up the business so he has an alternative to the music industry when
he calls it a day with Westlife. Shane is currently living in his own dream home
at Carraroe, Co Sligo, with wife Gillian and their nine-month-old daughter
Nicole. Showhouse will be screened on Thursday May 4 on RTE1.
source - RTE
posted - 22nd May
Perhaps the weirdest collaboration ever rears its weird head
Westlife could be on the verge of the oddest collaboration of all time, them and
Mike Tyson. The boyband giants are apparently one of the boxing legend’s
favourite bands and he wants to record a song with them. According to Mike’s
Irish boxer mate Joe Egan, Tyson “melts to some of their songs.”
Egan commented: "Mike loves their music so much he wants to be part of it. He
said he would be honoured to be part of a Westlife recording. Mike can hold a
tune well and he just loves Westlife music. He melts to some of their songs."
And what did Westlife’s camp have to say on the matter? "This sounds really
interesting,” said a spokesperson, “the band are all fans of Tyson's."
source- mtv.co.uk
posted - 11th May
Tyson: I want to be in Westlife
Hellraising boxer MIKE TYSON is desperate to record a song with Irish boy band
WESTLIFE - and has already been in touch with their manager LOUIS WALSH to make
it happen. Tyson admits he is "no Pavarotti" but is happy to have his voice
digitally enhanced if it means he can record with the YOU RAISE ME UP stars. And
he is even volunteering to fill the space left by estranged member BRIAN
MCFADDEN if they accept him.
Close pal and Irish boxing star JOE EGAN says, "He loves their music so much he wants to be part of it. "He's not a Pavarotti or Domingo - but neither are the members of Westlife. "Mike's asked me to make contact with Louis Walsh to set the wheels in motion. He'd be happy just to sing on the chorus of a track, but he could always replace Brian MCFadden." A spokesman for the band says, "This sounds really interesting. The band are all fans of Tyson."
posted - 11th May
Westlife and Billy Joel
WESTLIFE will join BILLY JOEL for a couple of dates on his UK tour. The Irish
lads covered Billy's Uptown Girl for Comic Relief 2001. He thought they treated
it "too seriously" and wants to do it with them on the tour, which starts on
July 5th.
posted - 11th May
Westlife hail U2 for group loyalty
WESTLIFE have hailed fellow Irishmen U2 a credit to the music industry -
because they remain loyal to each other in a backstabbing business. The FLYING
WITHOUT WINGS hitmakers have been inspired by BONO and his group, and claim
trust and respect are the key elements which keep them together. Band member
NICKY BYRNE says, "In the pop industry there's a lot of backstabbing, and a lot
of slyness that goes on. "Once that doesn't exist between the four of us, then
we can go on, and we will continue to last. "I think U2 are the heroes of that,
they are who we look up to. There are no secrets with them, there is no one
getting secret deals in the background, which can happen - look at (boybands)
TAKE THAT and BLUE."
source -contact Music
posted 11th May
Ring causes stir at Westlife Point concert
Sligo's Colm Casserly will never forget the look on his girlfriend's face when
he proposed, and neither will the thousands of spectators who witnessed the
event. Last Friday in The Point, Dublin, 8,000 Westlife fans roared with
approval as the Ballygawley man asked girlfriend Carol Mulhern to marry him live
on stage during the concert. Colm had initially intended to pop the question
while in the crowd but old school-friend and band member Shane Filan suggested
he do one better and propose to her on stage. Speaking to Sligo Weekender a
relieved Colm said: "We've been together for a long time and this was the only
piece of the jigsaw that was missing.
"Right up until the exact moment I kept thinking she'll have to say yes but I
was still shaking when Shane handed me the microphone. Shane, Gillian and the
Westlife lads were fantastic for helping me organise it all."
The couple's six-year-old daughter, Katie, looked on as Colm got down on one
knee to ask Carol to be his wife. An unsuspecting Carol had been led to believe
that Westlife-fan Katie was on stage to meet the band. The Donegal native was
both shocked and delighted when Colm produced
the diamond ring. After the show the pair celebrated with family and friends in
the capital.
source - www.sligoweekender.ie
posted - 11th May
Uptown Skirl for Westlife
Boy band's joy at bagpipe gift By Billy Sloan
WESTLIFE might be pop music's biggest box
office attraction in Scotland - but they're the worst pipers in the country. The
Irish boy band were presented with a set of custom made bagpipes by the SECC to
mark their record-breaking 25 sell-out nights at the Glasgow venue. But the guys
- Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Shane Filan and Mark Feehily -had fellow guests
running for cover at the plush Mar Hall hotel in Bishopton as they tried to play
them. Nicky said: "It's always totally baffled me how you get a tune out of
these things. We'll give it a go but I reckon our neighbours might have to move
house judging by the racket we'll be making."
The bagpipes were specially made by McCallums of Kilmarnock, who provided
similar sets for Madonna's Reinvention world tour. Nicky added: "We've worn
kilts on stage in Scotland before, so maybe if we get it together we can play a
bagpipe version of our hit song Queen Of My Heart."
Last night, the Irish super-group - who have won millions of fans with hits such
as Uptown Girl and I Have A Dream - chalked up a phenomenal 25 sold-out gigs at
the SECC to a combined audience of 205,000 fans. It makes them the biggest
selling act in the arena's star-studded 21-year history. Shane said: "There's no
reason why we can't add to that total. "We're making a new album this year and
releasing a greatest hits in 2007. We want to keep doing this - we've got a
great job."
Phil Mead, the SECC's deputy director of events, added: "It's an incredible
achievement which we don't think will ever be surpassed. "We've had some great
acts at the SECC but none come close to 25 sell-outs."
source - sunday mail
posted 8th May
Westlife at Lillies Bordello
EXCLUSIVE ALLROUND: Westlife members Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and
Mark Feehily celebrated Easter Sunday in the middle of their 7 sold out shows in
The Point Theatre with a party in Lillies Bordello. Shane Filan must have been
caught short when it came to his round at the bar as he had to nip out to a
nearby bank machine for cash. The Westlife boys also posed with 4 die-hard
German fans who flew over to attend their 7 shows in Dublin, the girls will also
attend the Westlife concerts in Manchester later this week, Dublin, Ireland
source - www.VIPIRELAND.COM
posted 6th
May
Westlife want £5m each
AGAINST All Odds, WESTLIFE are being lined up for another FIVE albums. Crooners
MARK FEEHILY, NICKY BYRNE, SHANE FILAN and KIAN EGAN are close to signing a
contract worth £5million EACH with SonyBMG. Manager LOUIS WALSH is brokering the
deal, which will see them churning out middle-of-the-road ballads for the
forseeable future. The Irish lads are also set to receive an advance of
£1million per member for each album.
An insider said: "Westlife's current record deal with BMG is about to expire.
Sony and BMG have merged since their last talks so bosses flew to Belfast last
week to talk money with the boys. "Louis wanted £5million for each of the lads -
and himself - just to re-sign the band to SonyBMG.He also wanted a 60/40 profit
split between themselves and the record company - with the boys getting the
higher cut."
As negotiations are in their early stages, nothing has been signed yet. The boys
are not my favourites but there is no denying they have
the power to sell records.So SonyBMG will be reluctant to sever their
Unbreakable bond . .
source -thesun.co.uk
posted - 3rd May