[sarah1974]

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Il Divo, Liverpool, Summer PopsJul 24 2006

By Peter Grant, Liverpool Echo



IL DIVO are a revelation. The name means Divine Male Performer and, though they may have been put together by Simon Cowell, no-one can doubt their musical credibility.

They are four good-looking singers who act as if they are relishing every single second of fame and fortune.

Created in 2004, after shrewd Simon C's search for a truly international quartet, they continue to deliver as this date - part of a 72 gig world tour - showed.

Their average age is 33 and yet already they are in a different league to X Factor's static and un-cool G4.

Unbreak My Heart and Every Time I Look at You were lapped up by the mostly female audience, while poignant Mama and Isabel are sure to be crowd pleasers for years to come.

A fine version of the musical hit Somewhere saw the sell-out crowd on their feet as the band, who changed from one designer suit into another, sat at the edge of the stage receiving the underwear, teddy bears and flowers that showered the end of their performance.

A fine finale in My Way said it all. Il Divo are doing it their way.

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Another review from the Liverpool Echo



THEY are four classically trained singers who have taken opera into new fields. Lyrical voices meet pop and classical music aided by the all knowing hands of Simon Cowell.

Is it opera... or is it pop? Or a fine fusion - let's call it... Popera.

This fab four, created in 2004 after Mr Cowell's global talent search, make superb music together as their two albums show.

On a stage dominated by Roman pillars and grand entrance and exit steps, they are extra-cool.

A striking five-piece rock/pop band on one side, and on the other the Il Divo orchestra.

This multinational group smashed Led Zeppelin's 25-year-old record of being the only band to achieve a number one album without a commercial single release.

They have an average age of 33 and some cynics still call them the grown-up person's G4 - who, ironically, were discovered on X Factor at the same time Il Divo were being groomed.

But there's a vast difference in quality.

Il Divo are three quarters European and one part American.

There's cheeky baritone Carlos from Spain and there's the tenors Urs from Switzerland, Sebastien from France and chatty David from good ole US of A.

It's a well-blended harmony act, too, as shown on Unbreak My Heart and the ballad Every Time I Look at You.

Unchained Melody was another indication of their chemistry and the fact that there is no real soloist here - it's a team effort.

I Believe in You and the Eric Carmen standard All By Myself illustrated that these guys have worked hard to get where they are and are going to stay that way during - and after - this mammoth 72-date world tour.

A fine version of Somewhere saw the sell-out crowd on their feet as the Armani-clad wonder band sat at the edge of the stage receiving the many gifts that flew their way.

Il Divo also sang an emotional cover of My Way.

Their name, by the way, means Divine Male Performer... in this case, times four.

It certainly doesn't mean "manufactured opera boy band".

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[sebgroupie]

this was in the nottingham evening post on monday24th july.about kedleston hall concert.seb groupie

[RebeccaH]

(Thanks Felicity for pointing me to this thread)

My review of the Il Divo concert, Kedleston Hall is now available at BBCi Derby here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/article...s_feature.shtml

[Lizzy P]

Review from the Scotsman - 22 July.

Sadly not nearly as complimentary as the one in the Edinburgh Evening News :shock: :? :x But I suppose we have to take the rough with the smooth :roll: :wink:


Reviews

IL DIVO **
EDINBURGH CASTLE

A CONCEPT like Il Divo, as ruthlessly and unapologetically trained square on the heart of the lowest common denominator as it is, could only have surfaced from the mind of Simon Cowell. Fair play to him on many fronts, because they clearly are a niche market success - the tattoo stands in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle were packed, in most cases with older ladies whose tickets had probably been resting on the mantelpiece since Mothers' Day.

As a bit of reserved entertainment for ladies and gentlemen of a certain age, it's hard to knock Il Divo. Yet by any other standards, even the most mildly critical, it's difficult to hold back. Their Milk Tray Man air of contrived sexuality plays on that groaning stereotype that putting a bloke in a suit makes him a devastatingly attractive international playboy. Maybe when Sean Connery swept elegantly before the lens as James Bond such a fetish was in vogue, but the catalogue-model handsome Il Divo are more like the Chippendales with singing instead of nudity.

Efforts to play on this were borderline agonising, with Carlos Marin - the contingent's Spanish representative, naturally - making customary Latin cracks about the "laydeez" which ended with him attempting to groan lasciviously. At one point the group themselves started giggling during one of their oh-so-scripted links.

Musically, they're about as dull as such obviously gifted singers can be. Drawn from Spain, America, France and Switzerland, yet oddly possessed of an Italian name and based in London, the classically trained quartet delivered smooth Italian-language versions of housewives' favourites like Unbreak My Heart (Regresa A Mi), All By Myself (Sola Otra Vez) and Unchained Melody (Senza Catene).

There was a certain becalmed lustre about the delivery of these and their own songs, but anything in the way of real excitement - show-stealing solos, unexpected cover versions - was sadly lacking. The closing My Way (A Mi Manera) was the closest thing to a highlight, but otherwise it was like listening to paint dry. Or Simon Cowell counting his cash.

[jillybean]

Divette said:

I posted this in one the Kedleston thread and then I saw this one :? oops....hopefully it's legible ;-)

[jillybean]

leda said: