LIVE REVIEW
RICK ASTLEY
UTILITA ARENA NEWCASTLE
11TH APRIL 2026
Photography: David Weddle @dweddlephotography
Artist: Rick Astley- Venue: Utilita Arena
Date: 11th of April 2026
Words: David Weddle
Artist: Rick Astley- Venue: Utilita Arena
Date: 11th of April 2026
Words: David Weddle
What a night!!
Rick Astley brought the party with him as he visited Newcastle on the second night of his Reflections Tour. The Utilita Arena was packed with fans of all ages ready for a good time, and that is exactly what awaited them.
Joining Rick on the tour is another legendary singer, Gabrielle. Those who got to the gig early, which I think was pretty much everyone, as the seats looked full from my viewpoint, were rewarded for their punctuality with a stunning performance from Gabrielle, who sounded amazing. From When a Woman to the finale, Dreams, Gabrielle's powerful voice and charisma won the audience over as they sang along with songs that sounded just as good today as they did when they were released.
Rick Astley brought the party with him as he visited Newcastle on the second night of his Reflections Tour. The Utilita Arena was packed with fans of all ages ready for a good time, and that is exactly what awaited them.
Joining Rick on the tour is another legendary singer, Gabrielle. Those who got to the gig early, which I think was pretty much everyone, as the seats looked full from my viewpoint, were rewarded for their punctuality with a stunning performance from Gabrielle, who sounded amazing. From When a Woman to the finale, Dreams, Gabrielle's powerful voice and charisma won the audience over as they sang along with songs that sounded just as good today as they did when they were released.
Not many artists are as instantly recognisable as Rick Astley. Many younger folk learned about his music thanks to the Rick Roll that swept the internet. Thanks to that viral meme Rick has found a brand new audience, many of whom were in the arena alongside the dedicated fans who grew up listening to Rick back in the 1980s. That's the power of great music: it brings people together.
The stage was set, and as his band took their places on stage, the lights dimmed, and the crowd roared with a passion I didn't expect but definitely felt, as Rick walked on and gave his microphone a spin, his silhouette made quite an impression against the bright LED screens.
As the stage was suddenly flooded with light, the whole place came alive, and Rick stood there with a huge smile on his face as he got right down to business, singing a cracking rendition of Lights Out, what a way to start the show.
Rick's stage presence is undeniably infectious, he strode confidently around the stage as he moved into the second song of the evening, the eighties classic Together Forever. I can attest to the live vocals as he stopped singing partway through to pose for a photo, which was canny of him. Cheers Rick.
The stage was set, and as his band took their places on stage, the lights dimmed, and the crowd roared with a passion I didn't expect but definitely felt, as Rick walked on and gave his microphone a spin, his silhouette made quite an impression against the bright LED screens.
As the stage was suddenly flooded with light, the whole place came alive, and Rick stood there with a huge smile on his face as he got right down to business, singing a cracking rendition of Lights Out, what a way to start the show.
Rick's stage presence is undeniably infectious, he strode confidently around the stage as he moved into the second song of the evening, the eighties classic Together Forever. I can attest to the live vocals as he stopped singing partway through to pose for a photo, which was canny of him. Cheers Rick.
Picking up the guitar for the next track, Rick toyed with the crowd by singing the opening line to Sam Fender's Seventeen Going Under. A nice local reference. Introducing the show to the fans, Rick had a bit of news for those waiting for that song. "Good evening. Thank you very much for a Newcastle Saturday night start to a show."
Before announcing, "We are going to be playing 80s songs tonight, interspersed with other songs. So if you only came for Never Gonna Give You Up, you're buggered as it's the last song of the night. You know where the bars are, you know where the fricken bars are, sort yourself out" before getting the party going again with Dipping My Feet.
Just before Rick played his brand new single, Raindrops, there was a whistle from the crowd that captured his attention. "Was that a wolf whistle?" Rick asked. "I'm 60 years old, for God's sake. They had to squeeze me into this suit." He may be 60, but that hasn't impacted his ability to wow the crowd; his voice is still as distinct and strong as ever, and his humour and ability to connect with the audience are really refreshing. There may have been seating instead of standing on the floor, but that didn't stop the fans from dancing in aisles as Rick did his thing.
Of course, as promised, the night came to a close with the super hit Never Gonna Give You Up. Rick is reflecting on the past with this tour. However, his approach to playing the hits and embracing that nostalgia while still putting out fantastic new music, shows that he is looking to the future, and the fans are definitely going to go along with him for the ride, and what a ride it is.
Honestly, this gig is one of the music highlights of the year so far. Just feel good music and people wanting to have a great time.
Before announcing, "We are going to be playing 80s songs tonight, interspersed with other songs. So if you only came for Never Gonna Give You Up, you're buggered as it's the last song of the night. You know where the bars are, you know where the fricken bars are, sort yourself out" before getting the party going again with Dipping My Feet.
Just before Rick played his brand new single, Raindrops, there was a whistle from the crowd that captured his attention. "Was that a wolf whistle?" Rick asked. "I'm 60 years old, for God's sake. They had to squeeze me into this suit." He may be 60, but that hasn't impacted his ability to wow the crowd; his voice is still as distinct and strong as ever, and his humour and ability to connect with the audience are really refreshing. There may have been seating instead of standing on the floor, but that didn't stop the fans from dancing in aisles as Rick did his thing.
Of course, as promised, the night came to a close with the super hit Never Gonna Give You Up. Rick is reflecting on the past with this tour. However, his approach to playing the hits and embracing that nostalgia while still putting out fantastic new music, shows that he is looking to the future, and the fans are definitely going to go along with him for the ride, and what a ride it is.
Honestly, this gig is one of the music highlights of the year so far. Just feel good music and people wanting to have a great time.
