Copyright independent
Last Friday they announced The Residency series of concerts for next September 22 to 26 where they will roll back the years with their jukebox of hits. Now they have added shows for September 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 for their 25th anniversary tour with tickets going on sale on Thursday morning at 9am. It will bring Westlife’s total number of performances at the iconic Irish arena throughout their glittering career to a record-breaking 79 shows – a figure unmatched by any other artist in the venue’s history. With hits like Flying Without Wings, Swear It Again and You Raise Me Up, Westlife have become one of the most successful Irish pop groups of all time. In that time, their music has been streamed over three billion times globally. News in 90 Seconds - October 21st They’ve notched up 36 number one albums worldwide and 14 UK number one singles - ranking only behind Elvis Presley and The Beatles. They’ve sold over 55 million records, have more than a billion YouTube views and more than six million people around the world have bought tickets to their shows. Since their reunion in 2019, Westlife have performed over 200 shows across 30 countries. Last month, An Post issued a tribute stamp to the much-loved boyband, whose members are from Sligo and Dublin. In a statement this morning, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan said: “There’s no better feeling than coming home to Dublin. This city has been at the heart of our story from the very beginning, and to kick off our 25th anniversary celebrations with five nights at the 3Arena feels incredibly special. “Every time we play here the crowd’s energy is electric. We can’t wait to celebrate with you all and make more amazing memories together.” However, the forthcoming shows won’t include Mark Feehily, who has stepped back from the group for health reasons. Feehily has been candid about his health challenges, which include a significant battle with sepsis during the Covid lockdown in 2020 and a hernia requiring further surgery early last year. Due to these ongoing issues, he announced in February 2024 that he would temporarily step back from Westlife touring to focus on his recovery. In June of this year, Westlife issued a statement saying: “Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able.” Westlife are also set to mark their quarter of a century milestone with two sold-out concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall on October 27 and 28. They will perform new versions of their hits and favourites with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. The show will be recorded for screening in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on November 29. Tickets go on general sale this Thursday at 9am via ticketmaster.ie
