MANILA, Philippines  – Despite the sudden downpour of rain and the massive traffic jam on the way to the World Trade Center, fans came to watch and listen to former Westlife singer Shane Filan on stage Wednesday night, October 1.  

In a previous interview, Shane promised a night to remember for his Manila concert, and he did not disappoint his Filipino fans. (READ: Shane Filan on Westlife, Filipino fans, and performing solo)

Before he came out to sing, The Voice season 1 finalist Klarisse de Guzman served as his opening act, where she sang songs during her stint with The Voice and from her new album.

Minutes later, Shane came onstage with fans scrambling to come close to him. Cameras and all types of mobile devices started popping out to record the moment. 

He opened his concert with a song from his album You and Me called “When I Met You,” with the greeting “Mabuhay Philippines!”

Later on, fans screamed upon hearing the first notes of “Uptown Girl” originally sang by Billy Joel and covered by Westlife, with Claudia Schiffer as their girl in the music video.

Shane then greeted the crowd, saying that he was delighted to be in Manila again for the third time. He even told the audience how he had been telling stories to his former bandmates about the Philippines and the fans they have, long after they disbanded.  

Shane also said that he was very happy that the Philippines was their final stop for his You and Me tour in Asia. Accompanied by his band, they have been going around the region for the past three weeks.

“I love the Philippines,” Shane said as fans cheered him on. 

He then sang two familiar songs – “Tell Me What Makes A Man” and “My Love”, with the audience singing to every word of the song. 

Before his next song number, Shane introduced his band and the portion which he called the “cozy” part, where they get to sit, relax and chill. He then launched into an upbeat song called “Baby Let’s Dance.” 

He then introduced another familiar song to the audience. “This is our first number one back then,” he said as he sang the lyrics to “Swear It Again,” which catapulted Westlife to stardom.

He then performed a song he dedicates not only to his fans but to his wife, which he said was one of their favorite songs.  The song is called “Amaze.”

Between his song numbers, Shane would show his funny side, telling one audience member “I love you but only until there,” referring to his marital status.  He would also gamely pose for photos, which made the audience laugh.

He then called out Klarisse de Guzman once again on stage, where they sang another Westlife hit – “Flying Without Wings.” During his visit in Manila a few months back, Shane was said to be impressed by Klarisse’s vocals, when he appeared as a guest on The Voice. 

After their song number, Shane told Klarisse and the audience that they definitely had to have a photo. One of the assistants took the photo for them with the fans waving their hands up.

Second half of the show 

After a few minutes, Shane then asked the crowd if he could remove his waist coat. He later put on a pair of sunglasses and said: “ This is the part we get to have some fun,” as he showed off his dance moves and sang Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.” 

Shane then introduced the next portion of the show, where he jokingly referred to as the part “people start shoving and raising their hands” as he picks a lucky fan to come up onstage. 

A girl from the General Admissions side was picked by Shane after seeing a poster. He then read the poster which said: “Shane, today’s my birthday, can I have a hug” The lucky not got a hug from Shane but he also sang “Happy Birthday” – plus, he also serenaded her with the song “Mandy.” 

Aside from the selected songs from his Westlife days and tracks from his album. Shane also did some classics such as The Beatles’ “Let It Be.” 

As the concert came to a close, Shane thanked not only the fans but also those who made it possible for him to come back to Manila to perform. One of the fan clubs present at the show gave him a gift, which turned out to be a trophy. He said he will make it sure that it will be on display when he goes back to Ireland.

He then sang “You Raise Me Up,” which Shane said was one of his favorite songs because everyone could relate to it.

During the encore, Shane promised to be back in the Philippines in 2015 with a new album, and once again thanked everyone of their support. He ended the show with the single “Everything to Me,” from his You and Me album. 

Despite disbanding, Shane and his former bandmates are still in the hearts of fans who loved and listened to their music. 

Indeed, it was a night of nostalgia for Westlife fans as they got to see their favorite lead singer on stage. Shane has come along from his days as a boy band singer. He is definitely out to prove that there is life after the band. – Rappler.com