Phil Collins ‘Not Yet Dead’ Tour - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

He’s definitely not dead yet – we could see that by the way he hobbled centre stage to take a nice comfy seat in front of an adoring audience... and that’s more or less where he stayed for two hours packed with classics.

To be fair, apart from a debilitating back operation and bad legs, the 80s superstar hasn’t changed much since he was last in the limelight.

That’s one advantage of looking old when you’re young. And I guess the past 30 years haven’t been all that kind to many of us, have they?

Yet the one thing that shone through was that voice. Still higher pitched, a bit of echo mic and a lot of the Phil Collins we all remember. The sound quality was superb. If you’ve still got a copy of No Jacket Required or Just Seriously in the loft then dust it down and compare it to what you heard at the Arena. His body may be crocked but the tools of his trade are still functioning perfectly.

Some of the old videos played out during Follow You Follow Me only served to accentuate his current plight. He was featured as the cheeky chappie, sporting an impressive mullet and bouncing around for the cameras. (His son Nic is on the drums for this tour, perhaps taking over what his dad can’t manage these days).

From the start with Against All Odds followed by Another Day in Paradise, it all seemed a little sedate up on stage to start with but rattling through One More Night and Separate Lives, the music soon took over.

Something on the Way to Heaven was the track that got people to their feet at the start of the second set, followed by a string of hits In the Air Tonight and You Can’t Hurry Love (let’s face it, hands up who DIDN’T don a pair of sunglasses and do all those action at the school disco back in the day?)

Invisible Tough, Easy Lover and Sussudio worked the crowd into a mature kind of frenzy to finish off – and as Mr Collins closed on Take Me Home, we’re pleased he got another tour under his belt in the nick of time...

SET LIST

•     Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
•     Another Day in Paradise
•     One More Night
•     Wake Up Call
•     Follow You Follow Me
•     Can't Turn Back the Years
•     I Missed Again
•     Hang in Long Enough
•     Separate Lives
•     Only You Know and I Know
•     I Don't Care Anymore
•     Something Happened on the Way to Heaven
•     You Know What I Mean
•     In the Air Tonight
•     You Can't Hurry Love
•     Dance Into the Light
•     Invisible Touch
•     Easy Lover
•     Sussudio
•     Take Me Home

Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour 2017, Nottingham Arena

It's slick, it's sparkly - and it's back on the road! 

Sequins and abs were on show in equal measure when the professionals and celebs in Strictly LIVE hit the Arena last night.

The tenth anniversary show has lost none of its wonderful showbiz glamour, skill - and fun - over the years.

A new line-up each time guarantees it's as fresh as the day it set foot on the dancefloor.

With tickets at £50 upwards it's guaranteed to be the breathtaking night on the tiles everyone's hoping for.

Who'd have thought we'd get to see singers, models, actors - and the former Chancellor of the Exchequer - all performing under one roof for the delirious crowds?

From the tantalising teasers at the start to the “a-maze-ing” West Side Story finale, it was a must-see all-star show – easily topping previous years for thrills, skills and expertise.

It's so much more than a chance to relive some of the magical moments from the Strictly Come Dancing you see on the television. Even dear old Ed Balls nailed THAT lift from the on-screen contest!

Putting on his dancing shoes, Danny Mac is paired with the shapely Oti Mabuse, while fans' favourite, the ever-tearful Ore Oduba was with partner Karen Clifton.

Louise Redknapp and Kevin Clifton did their stuff and Ed Balls was with Katya Jones. Daisy Lowe, who has great assets for the dancing world, partnered Aljaž Skorjanec, while Birds of a Feather's Lesley Joseph lined up with Gorka Marquez.

So was it a ten from Len? It would be unfair to reveal how the dancers fared on the first of their three sparkling Nottingham shows.

But it's no surprise to see Ed Balls still managed to get the lowest scores from the judges, but who cares? He's a former Nottingham High School lad and in the Labour heartland of Nottingham city has almost certainly lapped up the applause on heady nights in the past - even if it wasn't for his (now) trademark – and iconic – Gangnam style moves leaving the crowd in hysterics! He even challenged Craig to perform a copycat routine, which to everyone’s glee he also perfected. Must have been practising.

We were treated to Ore’s show dance from the final – remember those drums? And Len described it as “possibly the best ever show dance on Strictly”. There was something for the ladies too, with Danny’s samba complete with bare chest and swivelling hips.

The show was hosted by the recent series competitor Anita Rani, who stood in for the role for Mel Giedroyc last year.

On the panel are head judge Len Goodman, alongside Craig Revel Horwood and guest judge Karen Hardy.

So is Strictly Live a competition, dance-off or panto? It depends who you're watching and it's horses for courses as every member of the audience is guaranteed a little of what they came for.

ELO 2016 tour at the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham: review and set list

Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra was a "show to remember" at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham

This gig was astonishing. There's no other way to describe the spectacle that Nottingham witnessed.

This wasn't the last vestiges of a rock dinosaur looking for an elephantine graveyard.

This was a breath of life, fresh air on an evening that might just herald the start of summer.

Jeff Lynne brought his new incarnation of ELO to the Arena filled the place.

Big music, big crowd – huge talent.

From the off the man behind some of the biggest sounds of the 70s and 80s showed us exactly why he's regarded with such reverence.

It was astonishing because some of us younger ones never thought we'd get to see one of the biggest bands in rock history in the flesh. Jeff managed something new with the Travelling Wilburys but this was a welcome return what he does best. Singer, composer, songwriter, arranger, musician and producer – no one could deny he's got the lot.

And it was a sell-out crowd. I've never seen the Arena packed to the rafters like this and if you closed off one ear, the knowledgeable and appreciative audience could be heard echoing every syllable of every song,

Yet this was more than a love-in. Each and every number was a hit… a tune we knew, a lyric we love and a riff to grasp hold of.

The new album Alone in the Universe brings something fresh to the perfectly-executed back-catalogue. You may have heard When I was a Boy on the radio, and it's one of the strongest tracks on his latest release.

But of course, it's those hits from Radio 2 of days gone by that really get the crowd moving.

We worked our way through a couple of tunes from Discovery, Out of the Blue and Eldorado, and then Rock Aria sets the Arena alight. With its rock opera overtones, it took the concert to a new level.

The string trio brought an authentic touch, along with original keyboard player Richard Tandy in the mix as well as talented backing singers and a band that really cut the ice.

ELO has a distinctive blend of rock, pop and classical music, and enjoyed 26 UK Top 40 singles and sold more than 50 million records worldwide.

Living Thing, Turn to Stone, Sweet Talking Woman and Mr Blue Sky may have been the best-known tunes on the night but every song was a hit, each tune highlight. 

Wonderful images on the big screens and an amazing light show, particularly during Secret Messages, from the album of the same name, made this a show to remember,

Jeff Lynne may have achieved fame for landing a UFO at venues in the 70s and 80s, he's enhanced his reputation with this retrospective.

JEFF LYNNE'S ELO UK TOUR 2016 SET LIST FROM NOTTINGHAM CONCERT

Tightrope
Evil Woman
Showdown
All Over The World
When I Was A Boy
Living Thing
Ain't It a Drag
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Rock Aria
When Night Comes
Secret Messages
Steppin' Out
Shine a Little Love
Wild West Hero
Telephone Line
Turn to Stone
Don't Bring Me Down
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Mr Blue Sky
Roll Over Beethoven