Wet Wet Wet appeared at the Nottingham Theatre Royal, on a cold Monday night at the beginning of February - but this would not put off the near capacity audience who arrived in the mood to party...
Ahead of the headline act, Manchester native John Baylock warmed up the crowd, with vocals reminiscent of Mark Owen and James Blunt.
Then, it was the turn of former M People front-woman Heather Small. She bounded on to the stage in a red sequined jumpsuit to really get the party started.
Small proclaimed that she is now 60 years old, but she doesn't appear to have lost a step since her 2000 solo debut hit Proud, and held the crowd in the palm of her hand for the duration of her set.
90s classics including Moving On Up, One Night in Heaven and Sight For Sore Eyes, brought the crowd to their feet before Search For The Hero had them marvelling at the power still present in Heather Small’s large voice.
The 90’s nostalgia would continue when Wet Wet Wet took to the stage, though the one difference from then is the change of front man. For casual fans, The Wets are known for their biggest hit Love Is All Around, and their charismatic frontman Marti Pellow. However, with Pellow going solo, the Scottish band recruited former Liberty X member Kevin Simm in 2018 to fill the former frontman’s shoes. Simm is no stranger to the spotlight, and his years in one of the 00’s biggest pop bands has seen him develop a strong stage presence. He appears to have a very tight connection with the other members of the band and built a quick rapport with the long term fans since his appearance on the band's last album, The Journey.
Wet Wet Wet were the first concert that I went to as a child, and now, 30 years on, I wondered if the band could still put on the same type of memorable show. Thankfully, any doubts were eased within the first few songs with Simm showing his fantastic range of vocals that this new vehicle now offers him.
On Stage, the group ran through decades of hits, ranging from the upbeat Don’t Want To Forgive Me Now, to the more heartfelt Julia Says, all the while keeping the fans on their feet for the majority of the gig. The intimate venue allowed for Simm, especially, to interact with various audience members throughout the show, and allowed for an easy camaraderie at the Theatre Royal.
One of the moments of the night was the groups cover of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain. The lighting and sound teams really stepped up to create a much rockier atmosphere within the venue, fuelled by Simm’s powerful vocals, and Graeme Clark’s mastership of the bass guitar the track roared to life.
Fans were singing the band's greatest hit, a cover of The Troggs' Love Is All Around, as they poured out into the cold Nottingham night after the band ended the show on a high. It was evident that decades plying their trade have seen Wet Wet Wet produce a formidable show that hit all the right notes for their nostalgic fans.
Wet Wet Wet performed at the Theatre Royal on 3rd February 2025.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
