Two scheduled UAE appearances by a duo of Boyzone’s Keith Duffy and former Westlife member Brian McFadden have suddenly been axed.
Going under the moniker “Boyzlife”, the ageing boyband stars were to meet fans in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11 but according to the Ticketmaster website, the show is listed as “postponed”, yet no replacement dates have been flagged.
Rather than hosting a McBusted-style concert — as described elsewhere in the press — the pair were planning to visit at part of a speaking tour of Hilton hotels, promising fans “the opportunity to hear what really went on behind the headlines” with an “intimate evening of stories, laughter and music”.
Such was the surprise success of the debut 12-date UK leg of the tour, that new dates have been recently been announced for April and May, and a documentary commissioned.
Which might lead to speculation that the UAE was snubbed in favour of playing to its core market, or that poor advance ticket sales put the Middle Eastern visit on the chopping block.
The pair united earlier this year, much to the annoyance of former bandmates. The "supergroup" project was reportedly the brainchild of Duffy, who went on to join British soap Coronation Street following Boyzone's 2000 split. The band later reconvened in 2008. McFadden meanwhile quit Westlife in 2004.
Dubbed Boyzlife, the duo were set to appear at Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach on November 10 and at Hilton Abu Dhabi on November 11.
Tickets started at Dh350, with over-enthusiasts invited to shell out Dh550 for a VIP package complete with a meet and greet and signed merchandise.
rgarratt@thenational.ae