McFinleyyy goes to Westlife

 

🎤 McFinleyyy Goes West — A Night With Westlife at the 3Arena

There are nights out in Dublin that you remember for all the right reasons.

Then there are nights out that you remember because something went completely sideways.

And then there are nights when McFinleyyy is involved.

Tonight was definitely the third one.

The plan sounded simple enough.

Head into Dublin.

Get to the 3Arena.

Watch Westlife.

Enjoy a few hours of great music.

Come home.

Simple.

Easy.

Straightforward.

So obviously, there was absolutely no chance of it going according to plan.

Tonight was Westlife night, and McFinleyyy had decided that he was going.

Not only was he going, but he had apparently been preparing for the occasion all day.

Nobody knew exactly what that preparation involved.

There were rumours of several outfit changes.

There was definitely too much aftershave.

And at one stage somebody reported seeing McFinleyyy standing in front of a mirror practising what he described as his "Westlife face."

Nobody was brave enough to ask what that meant.

---

🚆 Off to Dublin

By the time McFinleyyy arrived, he was in full concert mode.

"Big night," he announced.

"It's a Tuesday."

"Doesn't matter."

"It's Westlife."

"Exactly."

That seemed to settle the argument.

There was no talking him out of it.

Westlife were celebrating 25 years, and tonight's show at Dublin's 3Arena was part of their huge anniversary run.

For a band that has been part of Irish life for so long, there was always going to be something special about seeing them back home.

And McFinleyyy knew it.

At least, that's what he kept telling everyone.

As we headed towards the 3Arena, Dublin was already buzzing.

You could tell there was something happening.

Groups of people were heading in the same direction.

There were women who had clearly been Westlife fans since the beginning.

There were couples.

Friends.

Mothers and daughters.

People who probably hadn't been at a concert together in years.

And, wandering amongst them all, was McFinleyyy.

He looked around at the crowd.

"Plenty of women here."

"You're at a Westlife concert."

"I know."

"That's why."

McFinleyyy nodded knowingly.

He had clearly done his research.

---

🎤 Into the 3Arena

Once inside, the excitement really started to build.

The 3Arena is some sight when it's packed for a major concert.

The lights go down.

The crowd gets louder.

Everyone gets their phones ready.

And for a few moments, there's that brilliant feeling of anticipation when nobody quite knows exactly what is about to happen.

McFinleyyy was standing there with a huge grin on his face.

"You looking forward to it?"

"Absolutely."

"Know all the songs?"

"Every one."

"You don't."

"I do."

"Name one."

McFinleyyy paused.

"Westlife."

"That's the band."

"I knew that."

We decided not to push him.

---

🌎 And then Westlife appeared

When the lights finally went down, the noise from the crowd went up another level.

Then Westlife appeared.

And that was it.

The place erupted.

Whatever you think about Westlife, there's no denying the reaction they get when they walk onto a Dublin stage.

These songs have been around for decades.

People have grown up with them.

They've been played at weddings, birthdays, school discos, nights out, family gatherings and probably every Irish pub in existence.

And suddenly all those memories come flooding back.

The opening songs had the entire arena singing.

McFinleyyy included.

Actually, especially McFinleyyy.

He wasn't just singing.

He was performing.

At one point he turned around and announced:

"I know every word."

"You're singing the wrong words."

"No I'm not."

"You've just made up an entire verse."

"Creative interpretation."

Fair enough.

---

🕺 Uptown Girl causes problems

Then came Uptown Girl.

This was where things got dangerous.

Because McFinleyyy decided it was time to dance.

Now, I've seen McFinleyyy dance before.

There are two types of McFinleyyy dancing.

There's the dancing he thinks he's doing.

And there's what everybody else sees.

They are two completely different things.

He started with a little movement.

Then came the shoulders.

Then the arms.

Then something that looked suspiciously like a man trying to hail a taxi during a hurricane.

"Will you stop?"

"I've got rhythm."

"You've got something."

"Jealous."

"Of what?"

"This."

He continued.

A woman nearby started laughing.

McFinleyyy took that as encouragement.

Big mistake.

Within seconds he was completely committed.

The jacket came off.

The shirt sleeves were rolled up.

And McFinleyyy had apparently decided that the 3Arena was now his personal dance floor.

---

❤️ The nostalgia hits

As the night continued, the atmosphere became even better.

Songs like What About Now, When You're Looking Like That, What Makes a Man, I Have a Dream, I Lay My Love on You, Starlight and Queen of My Heart brought huge reactions from the crowd.

There were people singing every word.

People hugging.

People filming.

People smiling.

And every now and again, you'd look around the arena and see someone who had clearly been transported back twenty years.

That's the strange thing about music.

One song can bring back an entire period of your life.

Where you lived.

Who you were with.

What you were doing.

And suddenly you're standing in a packed arena in Dublin years later, singing the same song again.

Even McFinleyyy went quiet for a while.

"Some memories there," he said.

"Yeah."

"Fair play to them."

For once, he wasn't joking.

---

🪽 Flying Without Wings

Then came one of the songs everyone had been waiting for.

Flying Without Wings.

The atmosphere changed immediately.

The lights softened.

Thousands of people started singing.

And for a few minutes, McFinleyyy stopped messing around.

He just stood there.

Listening.

Then he turned to me.

"That's some song."

"Yeah."

"Imagine writing something like that."

"You could write one."

"I could."

"What would it be called?"

McFinleyyy thought for a moment.

"Flying Without Trousers."

There it was.

The moment was over.

---

🔥 McFinleyyy gets carried away

As the concert moved towards the big finish, McFinleyyy was back at it.

Clapping.

Singing.

Dancing.

Pointing at the stage.

At one point he appeared to be conducting the entire audience.

Nobody knew what he was conducting.

Nobody knew who had appointed him.

But McFinleyyy was taking the job very seriously.

"Look at the crowd!"

"I know."

"Unbelievable."

"I know."

"Great atmosphere."

"Absolutely."

"Think Westlife would let me join?"

"No."

"You didn't even think about it."

"I didn't need to."

McFinleyyy looked offended.

"I'd bring something different."

"What?"

"Charisma."

"You've definitely got something."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

---

🇮🇪 Dublin does what Dublin does

One of the best things about a concert like this is the atmosphere outside the music itself.

The queues.

The chatter.

People comparing their favourite songs.

People trying to remember the lyrics.

People talking about where they were when Westlife first became famous.

And, of course, the inevitable conversations about which member was everyone's favourite.

McFinleyyy had his answer.

"All of them."

"Why?"

"Don't want to cause trouble."

Probably the wisest thing he'd said all night.

Westlife's relationship with Dublin is also something special.

Their 25th anniversary celebrations have seen them take over the 3Arena for an extraordinary run of shows, reinforcing just how popular the band remain in their home country.

Tonight, though, none of that really mattered.

It was simply about being there.

The music.

The memories.

The atmosphere.

And thousands of people enjoying a great night together.

---

🍺 The journey home

Eventually the lights came back on.

The concert was over.

And suddenly everyone had to find their way home.

McFinleyyy looked exhausted.

His hair was all over the place.

His jacket was hanging from one hand.

And he was still singing.

"Flying without wiiiiings..."

"You've been singing that for twenty minutes."

"I like it."

"We know."

"Great song."

"Yes."

"I could sing it."

"Please don't."

He ignored us.

Then came the important question.

"What was your favourite part?"

McFinleyyy thought about it.

"The whole thing."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Not the women?"

He smiled.

"Well..."

There was a pause.

"...the whole thing."

---

🎤 The McFinleyyy review

So, after all the singing, dancing, questionable fashion choices and general nonsense, what did McFinleyyy actually think of Westlife?

"Brilliant."

That's it.

One word.

And surprisingly sincere.

Because underneath all the jokes, there was no denying that it had been a fantastic night.

Westlife have been part of the soundtrack to people's lives for 25 years.

Tonight was a reminder of just how many memories are attached to those songs.

For some people, it was nostalgia.

For others, it was a chance to hear their favourite songs live again.

For others, it was simply a brilliant night out.

And for McFinleyyy?

It was apparently the beginning of his professional dancing career.

Although nobody has contacted him yet.

---

🐕 The final word

On the way home, McFinleyyy was still buzzing.

"Great night."

"Yep."

"Westlife."

"Yep."

"25 years."

"Yep."

"3Arena."

"Yep."

"McFinleyyy."

"What about him?"

"Future Westlife member."

"Give it up."

He laughed.

Then started singing again.

"Flying without wings..."

And that's probably the best way to describe the night.

A few hours of music.

A few decades of memories.

Thousands of people singing together.

And McFinleyyy somehow managing to turn a Westlife concert into another chapter in the ever-growing Salty saga.

Would we go again?

Absolutely.

Would we let McFinleyyy dance?

Probably not.

Would he listen?

Absolutely not.

And somewhere tonight, Westlife are probably wondering why there's a strange man in a slightly crooked jacket claiming he's ready for the sixth spot.

Don't worry, lads.

We'll keep him away from the audition room.

For now.

🔥🎤🍺🐕

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