Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons performing their Greatest Hits Tour at the Genting Arena Birmingham on Thursday 20th April 2017


Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Rumour has it that the legendary Frankie Valli will be 83 years young next month, and on this performance at the Genting Arena Birmingham last night, he should be asked to produce his birth certificate to prove it.

Accompanied by his latest iteration of The Four Seasons, and a very tight eight piece band, Valli’s opener Who Loves You immediately had such an impact that the hairs on the back of your neck stood up with a sound that took many of this enthusiastic audience on a trip down memory lane.

Looking small, wiry and very dapper in a dark suit, he was in control from the off. With historical video images being displayed on a big screen behind him, he worked the stage with the first of his stone cold classics, Working My Way Back To You.

Promising his greatest hits, Valli continued a two hour set that included everything from B sides and lesser known songs to his biggest hits with The Four Seasons, as well as his much loved solo hits. Launching into his 1967 hit, Beggin’, which was a massive hit on the Northern Soul scene, he reminded us that for a brief period in the early 70s he was a Motown act.

Following with the very beautiful Dawn (Go Away) it was the absolutely brilliant My Eyes Adored You which had the mobile phones illuminating the Arena, before a delightful Spanish Harlem and a fun well done mash up of My Girl and Groovin’ had the crowd on their feet.

One of his biggest hits, Grease, provided a nostalgic moment, whilst another Northern Soul classic, The Night had this audience singing along.

On December 1963 (Oh, What A Night) each member of the new Four Seasons got a chance to shine which earned them a standing ovation, whilst the crowd were quick to show their appreciation for a very talented backing band on I’ve Got You Under My Skin.

Showing no signs of slowing down, despite telling the crowd that he needed too, he delivered a show stopping medley of some his biggest and earliest hits, Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Big Girl’s Don’t Cry and Bye Bye Baby, with his excellent voice not once dodging any of the falsetto notes.

Finishing with Rag Doll and Let’s Hang On, Valli showed that he is an impressive singer and entertainer. The word ‘legend’ is bandied around too easily to describe some artists, but last night’s crowd at the Genting Arena had been in the presence of a true legend who has most certainly still got it and who thankfully doesn’t look like hanging up his microphone any time soon.