Rick Astley in M & S Bank Arena Liverpool - A Night of Reflection, Throwbacks and Surprises
- L J HUBBARD
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
M&S Arena Liverpool – 16th April 2026
WORDS / IMAGES L J HUBBARD
Thursday night was truly one to remember as pop legend, Rick Astley, brought his Reflection Tour to Liverpool. The evening was packed with surprises, stories and special moments as Astley performed songs from all eras, some well-known, some brand-new and even some unexpected but equally as welcome covers.
Opening the show was Gabrielle, the perfect opener, a true master at getting the crowd warmed up for the night with her groovy, high-energy set. The exhilaration bouncing off the performers very quickly made it to the crowd and by the end of the set, everyone was up on their feet dancing like no one was watching.
‘Dreams’ was a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, every single person was up on their feet before it even began, waving their arms and singing along word for word as Gabrielle and her band gave it their all, taking the whole room (even the kids in the audience!) right back to the 90s.
The crowd was pumped up and raring to go as the lights went down for Astley’s band to take to the stage and crack on with the first song of the night, one of Astley’s more recent tracks, ‘Lights Out’. Astley swaggered onto the stage with a huge smile on his face to an eruption of cheers and applause.
The stage set-up was fantastic, with Astley’s band lined up across the stage on two levels making for a very dynamic setup that allowed for a lot of movement from the performers, keeping it fresh and exciting.
The last thing I expected from the night was a rendition of Raye’s ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’ in which Astley’s passionate backing singers, Sofie Anne, Ryan Ormsby and Dawn Joseph, took the lead. For a hot minute I couldn’t spot Astley on the stage , assuming he’d left for a swift suit change, I was shocked to see him up on the screen absolutely giving it all on the drums.
This was one hundred percent a highlight of the night for both the crowd and the performers. It’s clear how much Astley admires his band mates, even placing his skill in fourth place among Anne, Ormsby and Joseph: ‘they sing the arse off me.’
The entire show was thought out with so much love and care. Even the break before the encore was a feature in itself, with Haddaway’s ‘What is Love’ blasting through the venue’s speakers and disco lights scanning the room keeping everyone up on their feet as they waited for the band to take to the stage for the last time.
Of course, the most awaited moment was Astley’s iconic performance of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’. With that instantly recogniseable drum beat and synths leading the song and the legendary music video filling the screens, everyone was positively buzzing and the venue was filled with pure joy and energy. ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ has got to be the best closer in the world.
SETLIST
Lights Out
Together Forever
Dippin My Feet
Waiting On You
She Wants to Dance With Me
WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! (RAYE cover)
Hold Me in Your Arms
Move Right Out
Dance
Cry for Help
The Ones You Love
You Move Me
Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover)
Raindrops
Never Gonna Stop
Keep Singing
Whenever You Need Somebody
ENCORE
Take Me to Your Heart / What Is Love
Angels on My Side
Never Gonna Give You Up
FOLLOW RICK ASTLEY
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