Their fans have been waiting 25 years for this. FIVE have sold over 20 million records worldwide.
All FIVE members together again
On 24 February 2025, Abz Love posted on twitter that he was once again part of the group after leaving in 2014. The next day, Jason Brown made a similar post, implying he had also rejoined the group. On 27 February 2025, the group confirmed their reunion as a five-piece, and announced the Keep On Movin’ Tour which would take place across the UK from October to December 2025.
I want to take professional photos
I have often taken photos of Ritchie, Scott and Jay as they carried on the group without the other two who left. I am not using my camera tonight because I have been told I have to stand on the floor behind fans holding their phones up. If I’m not in the pit I’m not wasting my time, sorry. I will have to see I can get a few shots another way.
I am going to review their performance and hopefully enjoy the show.
It takes me 90 minutes to get to the arena, the traffic is terrible. I go to the box office and I give my name, the man hands me an envelope with a photo pass in. I explain why I am not doing photos and tell him I am here to review. No ticket for me. I tell him who has arranged it. I think he expected me to just go home. I go to the entrance and speak to security, they tell me to go to the artist entrance/loading bay.
There I speak to two friendly men in the security office and one of them goes to speak with someone in the arena. A message is relayed to me that he has spoken to the production manager who has spoken to the event manager and there is a ticket at the box office for me. I return to the box office and tell the same man who looks blank at me. A lady in the background says, is it Deborah? She hands me a ticket.
In the arena
I make my way into the arena. Twenty minutes until FIVE come on stage. I find my seat in block 01 at the side of the stage. These are good seats. The stage is HUGE!
Two parts, the main stage and fans stand in front of that one, and then another stage. Plus a small stage at the back of the arena.
The lights go down, FIVE walk from the back onto the stage. They are dressed co-ordinated and look good.
Sean says “Its taken 25 years to get us back together. Are we up for a sing song?” ‘Slam Dunk’, ‘Shake’, ‘Got The Feelin’, – the audience have their arms in the air. ‘Straight Up Funk’. They keep on going. Perfect dancing, all in step, they must have put in a lot of work to look this polished. They start walking to the ‘thrust stage’ which is in front of the standing fans. ‘It’s The Things You Do’. Slick moves.
About the past and the reunion
Jay tells us how back in the day they all had Nokias. “I bet no one would have thought this would happen”.
Jason tells us “ I am 49 now. I thought it would be too late for this to happen. I put it out there (manifistation) to ask if this could happen. We are overwhelmed with the support and thank you for coming out here. I really think I am having the best period of my existence”.
Abs jumps in “You couldn’t have said it better”.
‘Lay All Your Love On Me’, lots of white light on stage (wish I was in the pit taking photos) . Ritchie shouts “now scream” and the whole arena does just that! ‘When The Lights Go Out’ – the crowd love this song.
Scott chats to us. “In the 90s I was a little lost for a while and the problem was I could not see or hear my four brothers. I have four children. Kerry (his wife) got me better. We all went to an AirB&B in 2023 to talk about getting back together”. He thanks everyone for buying tickets and tells them they have paid for the stage to be built that they are performing on.
Ritchie carries on “I got to a certain point in life and I had many, many downs, you muscle in and crack on”.
Great songs, everyone loves FIVE
‘Invincible’, oh I like this song. At the end everyone is clapping.
‘Human’. They walk back onto the thrust stage. ‘Partyline 555 Online’. They reach down to touch hands with the fans who are standing in the middle. These are the expensive tickets so they expect a little more! A touch, a smile, a droplet of sweat – they are happy to be standing watching their idols, back together again. ‘If Ya Getting Down’.
Back on the main stage. ‘We will Rock You’. Huge flames all across the front of the stage go up. If you were not hot before you will be now!
Time for a quick break and change of outfit whilst the two band guitarists fill in until they come back. Again they all return looking matching – like a boy band should.
They move to the smaller stage in the back
‘Rock The Party’. They start to go down the steps at the side of the stage, surrounded by security, and walk through the audience, some lucky ladies get a touch of their hand as they pass. They make their way to the back of the arena where a small stage is. The cheaper seats at the back can’t believe their luck! Scott talks to the crowd. ’Tonight and this tour is a happy memory”. Jason tells us “I used to find it quite heart breaking to listen to the music”. They are really opening up to their fans. They want everyone to know that they hit hard times mentally and it has taken 25 years to pull it back together as a group. ‘Closer To Me’. ‘Serious’. They walk back to the main stage. There is Olly Murs tour manager at the front! Working with FIVE must be very different to working with Olly.
It ends too soon, I loved it
They walk to the thrust stage again. ‘Until The Time Is Through’ – what a lovely song and I love the key change in it. back on the main stage. ‘My Song’. ‘Rappers delight’. ‘Let’s dance’ ‘Everybody Get Up, Keep on Movin’. The backdrop is amazing, showing apartments and all different images. It all ends too soon. What a great night. What a great performance. I loved it.
Next time can I be in the pit taking photos please?
All pictures by Deborah Law
