Olly Murs and Louisa Johnson headlined Northants County Cricket Club in July. Below are a few images from the show, with the review by Kate Owens. More photos are available over at www.northamptonchron.co.uk
Little boys strutting their coolest moves, little girls screaming with joy at their first concert and mums, dads and grandparents throwing their best shapes – chart topper Olly Murs threw a family friendly concert at Northants County Cricket Ground which left smiles all around.
The cheeky X Factor 2009 finalist, flanked by four backing singers and a six-piece band, opened the show with his 2016 top 20 hit You Don’t Know Love before revving up the crowd with 2014’s number three pop smash Wrapped Up.
The 33-year-old hit singer treated the tweenagers and teenagers to a rundown of all his big hits, with highlights including Dance With Me Tonight, Troublemaker and Heart Skips A Beat.
But Essex-born Murs also had something up his sleeve for the mums and dads, starting with an upbeat performance of Stevie Knows with a neat segueway into Stevie Wonder’s Superstition.
The cleverly selected covers didn’t stop there – the grown-ups lapped up a flashback medley of 80s and 90s hits including KC and the Sunshine Band’s That’s The Way, spliced into Never Too Much by Luther Vandross, Arrested Development’s Everyday People, R Kelly’s She’s Got That Vibe, Ini Kamoze’s Hotstepper, culminating with something for all ages with Justin Timberlake’s more recent hit Can’t Stop The Feeling.
Support act, and fellow X Factor finalist, Louisa Johnson was also welcomed back on to the stage to join Murs for a polished performance of their current duet Unpredictable.
In a refreshing twist, the down to earth singer decided to forgo the usual rigmarole of a lengthy disappearance before a two song encore and sang straight through the hour and a half long show before ending with Years & Years from his fifth album, 24 Hrs.
Signing off with a promise to return to the town and a plea for Northamptonians to “stay cheeky, keep smiling and love life”, Murs stole plenty of hearts, both young and old, with his unique blend of cheeky chappie charm and pure pop classics.
