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Priming the party perfectly, they make way for the charming Olly Murs. Starting his set with the title track from his recent album Marry Me, he creates a hugely impactful bridal theme to his performance, appearing on screen at the altar of a church and dressed in a white suit as if awaiting his bride.
Olly wins the hearts of his adoring female fans effortlessly. Getting the crowd moving with a segue into Elton John’s I’m Still Standing, he flamboyantly finishes the song by flinging a bouquet into the increasingly hysterical crowd.
In a genius marketing scheme, his merch includes a veil and merry me headband, which is joyously worn by many women, and even quite a few men in the crowd. A true showman.
Olly shimmies around the stage, his white sparkling suit ensuring the spotlight is always on him, his band all dressed in dark suits with floral buttonholes as if they are his best men.
Addressing the crowd, he says it has been 4 years since he was last at the O2, and announces that he is getting married this year which is amusingly met with boos from many a woman here tonight.
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Wittily he adds it’s the first time he’s had a hostile reaction here, and that he has been single for quite a while so they all had their chance.
There is a great mix of his own songs and classics, mixing in a cover of crowd favourite Watermelon Sugar High by Harry Styles with his own hit single Kiss Me, creating a real euphoria.
His slick performance is matched by impressive staging, the white floral theme turning into red roses with petals cascading timed expertly. He is joined on Thinking Of Me, with the guest dressed for the bridal theme which Professor Green later said on social media was the first time he’s rapped in a tux.
In a truly moving tribute he dedicates his favourite song Sweet Caroline to Caroline Flack, whose passing in 2020 was one of the hardest things he says he has ever had to deal with. He said at every single gig he would always dedicate a song to Caz.
It’s an unusually poignant acoustic version of the song that is so often associated with chanting at football matches.
Pictures of Olly and Caroline on the screens sets off the crowd of crying, with Olly visibly overwhelmed with emotion in the moment and holding back tears.
Someone at the front even throws him a pack of tissues, and he brings humour to the sadness by light heartedly joking that they could have at least opened the packet for him.
His biggest reaction comes from the highly relatable recent single I Hate You When You’re Drunk, which introduces with the question to the audience whether he should have an open bar at his wedding – for which there is an equivocal yes.
The crowd sing along to ‘Because you wanna buy champagne, and you wanna throw the shots back’ after gleefully being encouraged to point out who in their group is the most annoying when drunk.
My Heart Skips A Beat leads into a euphoric version of Rihanna’s dance megahit We Found Love, and the O2 is not in full party mode with everyone on their feet whooping along to a club version that goes down a treat.
A hugely proud moment for Olly comes as he exclusively announces that he is performing at King Charles’ Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle alongside the legendary Lionel Richie, adding that he has worked his whole career for a gig like that, amazing for “A guy who worked in a call centre at 25!”.
A medley inspired by his wedding playlist features Kool and the Gang’s Celebration and a dance routine with his back up dancers, leading into disco classics such as Blame It On the Boogie.
A giant disco ball bathing the arena in sparkling light moving into Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and Kings of Leon hit Sex on Fire turns the O2 arena into a wild wedding party vibe that wraps up the night emphatically, with women everywhere wanting more from Olly.
