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Big date for Young man
By Arwa Haider, Metro 02.10.06
Will Young: More fab or merely prefab?
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As another generation of X Factor wannabes grind through the 'fame' machine, original Pop Idol Will Young seems a bona fide boy made good.
And he's still winning votes - including a 2006 commercial radio poll, where he trounced Robbie Williams to be crowned Britain's most popular artist of all time.
OK, that title stretches credulity like bubblegum (The Beatles weighed in at No.34) but Young has shimmied away from reality TV Svengalis and dross cover versions - finally convincing us that he's more fab than merely prefab.
His mellow delivery and wry charm is best suited to slow-burning ballads such as the chart-topping Leave Right Now and Keep On - but he's big on presentation and easily holds his own as a live vocalist.
Which brings Young to his most ambitious British tour so far, named after his third album Keep On and in collaboration with Michael Gracey, who directed the show-stopping video for his 2004 hit Your Game.
These climactic dates promise a colourful whirl of extravagant set-pieces, formation dancing and costume changes (everybody loves a man in uniform, right?) that doff a cap to his stage school training and should, rightly, make the crowd forget they're actually in a dreary cavernous arena venue.
The clincher will be if Young can forget he's a nice guy, seize the spotlight from his company and prove he's an all-round crowd-pleaser.
Sun and Mon, Wembley Arena, Empire Way HA9, 7.30pm, £32.50 (Sun returns only, Mon limited availability). Tel: 0870 060 0870. www.livenation.co.uk/wembley Tube: Wembley Park
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