Westlife perform their last ever gig

It's all over: Westlife perform their last ever gig tonight 

 

It's been 14 years, 12 albums and 31 singles, but all dull things must come to an end, and tonight, Westlife do just that.

Shane, Kian, Nicky and Mark will stand up on the key change for the very last time ever, ever, ever (or until a big money reunion tour in a few years time) tonight in Croke Park in Dublin, because they're Irish (they don't mention that much).

Despite their last single Lighthouse only charting at number 33 last year, the band sold out 170,00 tickets over two nights this weekend - with the first of their two last nights ever happening last night. With support from Lawson, The Wanted and Jedward (hang on, are all 170,000 people going to see John and Edward? That'd be embarrassing) they performed all 'their' hits - Flying Without Wings, Uptown Girl, What About Now and World of Our Own last night (and they'll do the same tonight).

"I'm reading through all your tweets & I'm speechless..Everyone giving such nice messages ! Lump in my throat tear in my eye.. Thank You" Nicky tweeted this morning. The rest of the band don't seem to be out of bed yet. Maybe they went out for a few Guinness's post-show ... or they're really into Saturday Kitchen. One or the other.Sadly, last night's show didn't see a surprise appearance by former band member Brian McFadden, who lives in Australia now, having left the band in 2004. Surely someone could have fired up the Tupac-hologram machine to make Brian there in spirit?
Brian wrote on Twitter: "Sending love to my four brothers and there end of era gigs love you forever and so proud of what you and we achieved. Go out with a bang." None of the band replied. Awkward.
Despite Steps, Stone Roses and er, S Club 3 reforming recently, Nicky promises that Westlife won't be back again. "It's not a publicity stunt. Other bands who have breaks know they might come back. We're saying we're not." See you in five years, boys ...
What's next for recently bankrupt Shane Filan, then? Louis Walsh claims he's going to be the "male Adele". Good. We can't wait.