Joe McElderry
The Northern Light Tour
Palace Theatre, Southend-on-Sea
2nd October 2016
The Northern Light Tour
Palace Theatre, Southend-on-Sea
2nd October 2016
We chat to Joe about his brand new tour and also talk about how his talented granny inspired a brand new musical which he would love to be able to produce!
Joe McElderry’s singing talent has seen him sell more than 2 million records and although he may be best known for winning the X Factor in 2009, he is also the only celebrity to have won three reality shows, after also winning Popstar to Operastar in 2011 and the ski jumping show, The Jump in 2014.
However, the music is what Joe's really all about and his popularity has seen him croon effortlessly from one sell out tour to the next, also cutting four albums in between, since clinching the X Factor title. Not one to sit still for too long, by huge popular demand, Joe is back on the road again with his Northern Light Tour which will showcase the very best of Joe’s singing talent.
The name of the tour is so called because as Joe himself says, “It’s from the fact that obviously I’m from the north and with my shows I’ve always had a positive kind of message behind everything I’ve done. When people come to the shows, I always want them to leave feeling really energetic and having a good time and I like to spread light, so I wanted to call it the Northern Light Tour!”
For an hour and a half, 25 year old Joe and his own four-piece band will sing some of his best known hits and some new ones – all designed to appeal to everyone from 5 to 95 – from school kids to grandma and granddad!
Whether he is belting out a pop hit, crooning a ballad or silencing the audience with one of the great classics, Joe’s show promises to be a tremendous night out for all the family. Joe has very kindly taken some time out to have a chat with us, just a few weeks before stopping off at Southend's Palace Theatre.
You’ve started the tour already haven’t you?
“We’re not actually starting until October 1st, but we’ve been doing previews up here in the north to get some feedback which I've been quite nervous about, wondering if people will like it, but it’s been really good.”
You’ve got a really great fan base who come to see your shows, haven’t you?
“Yeah, I’ve got some great fans out there and it’s lovely to perform for them, but sometimes you’ll get people coming who are maybe just going past the theatre one night and they might think, “Oh I’ll go it there and see what that’s like.” Some people might be there and will be, perhaps, thinking that they’re not going to enjoy it and so you have to entertain those people too. It makes me work harder to get them to enjoy the show but that’s all part of my job as a performer and entertainer. It’s not just to make the people who want to have a good time, have a good time. Ideally, I would love it if every single person left the theatre and thought, “Wow, that’s not what I expected it to be.” That’s when I know I’ve done my job properly and you know you’ve created that connection with the fans and anybody who’s come to see the show.”
However, the music is what Joe's really all about and his popularity has seen him croon effortlessly from one sell out tour to the next, also cutting four albums in between, since clinching the X Factor title. Not one to sit still for too long, by huge popular demand, Joe is back on the road again with his Northern Light Tour which will showcase the very best of Joe’s singing talent.
The name of the tour is so called because as Joe himself says, “It’s from the fact that obviously I’m from the north and with my shows I’ve always had a positive kind of message behind everything I’ve done. When people come to the shows, I always want them to leave feeling really energetic and having a good time and I like to spread light, so I wanted to call it the Northern Light Tour!”
For an hour and a half, 25 year old Joe and his own four-piece band will sing some of his best known hits and some new ones – all designed to appeal to everyone from 5 to 95 – from school kids to grandma and granddad!
Whether he is belting out a pop hit, crooning a ballad or silencing the audience with one of the great classics, Joe’s show promises to be a tremendous night out for all the family. Joe has very kindly taken some time out to have a chat with us, just a few weeks before stopping off at Southend's Palace Theatre.
You’ve started the tour already haven’t you?
“We’re not actually starting until October 1st, but we’ve been doing previews up here in the north to get some feedback which I've been quite nervous about, wondering if people will like it, but it’s been really good.”
You’ve got a really great fan base who come to see your shows, haven’t you?
“Yeah, I’ve got some great fans out there and it’s lovely to perform for them, but sometimes you’ll get people coming who are maybe just going past the theatre one night and they might think, “Oh I’ll go it there and see what that’s like.” Some people might be there and will be, perhaps, thinking that they’re not going to enjoy it and so you have to entertain those people too. It makes me work harder to get them to enjoy the show but that’s all part of my job as a performer and entertainer. It’s not just to make the people who want to have a good time, have a good time. Ideally, I would love it if every single person left the theatre and thought, “Wow, that’s not what I expected it to be.” That’s when I know I’ve done my job properly and you know you’ve created that connection with the fans and anybody who’s come to see the show.”
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So, a lot of people will remember you from Popstar to Operastar - will you be singing any classical music?
“This show’s going to be a little bit of everything from ballads to pop, to songs from Joseph which I did earlier in the year. There’s no real theme to it. There’s going to be a few new songs, they’re very different to what I’ve done before. We did a lot of the opera stuff on the Classic Tour but there will be a bit in there.” I love the Juke Box Joe section that you do, where the audience get to shout out which songs they want you to sing? “The audience seem to really love that bit and it keeps me and the band on our toes. It can be quite nerve wracking but it’s a real learning curve not only for myself but also for the band. I get to learn lots of lyrics though but sometimes I just have to make them up!” You've said that the show has something for all ages? “I want there to be something for everyone; from teenagers and older people to middle aged people - I like to keep everyone happy.” That’s really generous of you! [laughs] “I don’t want it to be just about me and just the songs I like to sing - I want everyone to go home happy.” |
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The Stage, (regarded as the premier theatrical newspaper), crowned you as one of the best Josephs in the long and illustrious history of the role saying, “He may just be the best sung Joseph there’s ever been bringing a vocal flair to Joseph that’s UTTERLY RAVISHING”. How did you enjoy performing as Joseph in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat?
“I absolutely loved it. I don’t know why, but I didn’t think I would and I actually had my doubts about doing it at first. So when I went along to see the producers, I told them that I wasn’t sure but in the end I actually really loved doing it and had such a good time with everyone.”
It’s a really fun show to be in isn’t it?
“It is but there’s also a lot of sadness in it, which was really great for me to be able to play."
“I absolutely loved it. I don’t know why, but I didn’t think I would and I actually had my doubts about doing it at first. So when I went along to see the producers, I told them that I wasn’t sure but in the end I actually really loved doing it and had such a good time with everyone.”
It’s a really fun show to be in isn’t it?
“It is but there’s also a lot of sadness in it, which was really great for me to be able to play."
You also starred as Tommy in The Who’s Tommy in Blackpool, which is one of my favourite musicals. How was that?
“It was great but also really challenging playing a deaf dumb and blind kid every night, especially in the first act. But having that band behind me, playing that amazing music every night - it was like being a rock star!”
I found out this morning that your gran, Hilda Joyce, was part of the cabaret act, The Dolly Mixtures in the 1970s of which there’s recently been a new musical made.
“That’s right, yeah. It’s just had a 2 week run at The Customs House theatre in South Shields. I went to see it on Saturday and it was so good. It was written by Tom Kelly and John Miles."
"In the seventies, my gran’s brother was diagnosed with cancer and when they visited him in hospital there wasn’t much on the ward for the patients; so they originally just wanted to raise money to buy a dart board or pool table. They put their act together to try and raise some money and performed in the working mens clubs around the north east - which wasn’t easy in those days - and in the end they raised about £120,000 for Cancer Research! The musical is based on their story and the music in it is amazing.”
Sounds great - will the show go any further do you know?
“I’d love to see it go further; it deserves to. I’d love to be able to find a producer for it because I think it would really do well. I wish I could produce it myself but I’m not quite there yet. If I had the money and knew more about producing musical theatre productions, I’d definitely produce it myself because I think it would be really popular with audiences; but I can’t really do that right now unfortunately.”
“It was great but also really challenging playing a deaf dumb and blind kid every night, especially in the first act. But having that band behind me, playing that amazing music every night - it was like being a rock star!”
I found out this morning that your gran, Hilda Joyce, was part of the cabaret act, The Dolly Mixtures in the 1970s of which there’s recently been a new musical made.
“That’s right, yeah. It’s just had a 2 week run at The Customs House theatre in South Shields. I went to see it on Saturday and it was so good. It was written by Tom Kelly and John Miles."
"In the seventies, my gran’s brother was diagnosed with cancer and when they visited him in hospital there wasn’t much on the ward for the patients; so they originally just wanted to raise money to buy a dart board or pool table. They put their act together to try and raise some money and performed in the working mens clubs around the north east - which wasn’t easy in those days - and in the end they raised about £120,000 for Cancer Research! The musical is based on their story and the music in it is amazing.”
Sounds great - will the show go any further do you know?
“I’d love to see it go further; it deserves to. I’d love to be able to find a producer for it because I think it would really do well. I wish I could produce it myself but I’m not quite there yet. If I had the money and knew more about producing musical theatre productions, I’d definitely produce it myself because I think it would be really popular with audiences; but I can’t really do that right now unfortunately.”
So what does the future hold for you Joe?
“Well the tour finishes in November and then I’m playing Aladdin in panto at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. I absolutely love panto. It’s one of my favourite things!”
And in 2017?
“And then Joseph again to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the production which is really exciting!”
Well thanks so much for chatting to me today Joe and good luck with the tour.
“Thanks. Look forward to seeing you at Southend!”
“Well the tour finishes in November and then I’m playing Aladdin in panto at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. I absolutely love panto. It’s one of my favourite things!”
And in 2017?
“And then Joseph again to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the production which is really exciting!”
Well thanks so much for chatting to me today Joe and good luck with the tour.
“Thanks. Look forward to seeing you at Southend!”
The Northern Light Tour comes to The Palace Theatre, Southend on 2nd October 2016
To book tickets, contact: Box Office: 01702 351135 or go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk
For tour dates and Joe's website click here
To book tickets, contact: Box Office: 01702 351135 or go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk
For tour dates and Joe's website click here