Dramatic Voice Apr 22 2002
By The Evening Chronicle

Russell Watson
Telewest Arena, Newcastle

It's not often you come away from a gig and can truthfully say it was mindblowing, spinetingling, powerful, dramatic, wonderful, fantastic.

Nourishment for the soul, in fact.

The show was well structured, the songs interspersed with, often humorous, video footage of tenor Russell from around the world, meeting the Pope, being given a tribal Maori welcome in New Zealand.

But it was The Voice we had really come to see, and he didn't disappoint.

And it wasn't just Russell who delighted on stage. Hayley Westenra, 14, from New Zealand, sang a Maori song and You'll Never Walk Alone, while former Steps singer Faye Tozer joined Russell for their new single Someone Like You.

And there was a distinct local feel to the show too - with the Gibside and Newcastle Male Voice choirs providing great backing.

Highlight for many, though, was one of the first numbers - Ave Maria - in which he was joined by children from Cragside Primary School.

With the Scottish National Orchestra providing the instrumentation, this was a first-class concert.

ED: Short and sweet?

Thanks to Keith S., for sending in this story from The Evening Chronicle