Wet Wet Wet Kick-off Tour In Norwich

Even with a new lead singer, the love is – still – all around for Wet Wet Wet

Finding a replacement lead singer cannot be easy for any band, but it must be especially difficult when the frontman is as vocally gifted as Wet Wet Wet’s Marti Pellow.

But several years on from replacing Pellow with Kevin Simm, formerly a member of the pop five piece Liberty X, “the Wets” are still going strong.

At Wet Wet Wet’s show at the UEA, the first in a nationwide tour, Simm showed himself to be a fitting replacement, with a voice that could well be a match for the band’s original lead vocalist.

Still with the band is Graeme Clark, one of the foursome who founded the band in 1982, and Graeme Duffin, the guitarist who for decades was the uncredited fifth member, but who today is featured prominently in promotional material.

Before Wet Wet Wet took to the stage at the UEA LCR, special guest Roachford (performing only on this leg of the tour) impressed with songs such as the upbeat Cuddly Toy and Only to be with You.

With his energetic moves – when he wasn’t playing the keyboards – and superb voice, frontman Andrew Roachford deserved the rapturous reception that the near-capacity crowd gave him.

The audience seemed more subdued early on during Wet Wet Wet’s set, even though the band began jauntily with Sweet Little Mystery before playing other hits including If I Never See You Again and Temptation.

But the group, which included a keyboards player, trumpeter and saxophonist, were in fine form, and the crowd gradually warmed up as the chart smashes, such as Somewhere, Somehow and Angel Eyes, continued.

If I Don’t Have Luv, from the band’s most recent long-player, 2021’s The Journey (the only Wet Wet Wet album to feature Simm) held its own in an evening full of songs that made the upper reaches of the charts.

Aside from having an excellent voice, Simm was a consistently good-natured presence, while Clark and Duffin appeared to be delighted to be back on stage.

An acoustic version of Goodnight Girl, the band’s only self-penned UK number one single, was a real highlight.

Another number one for the band, their cover of The Beatles’ A Little Help from My Friends, was also popular, as was a version of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain, best known to many as the theme for the BBC’s Grand Prix programmes.

There was plenty of enthusiasm from the audience during the final run of hits, among them Julia Says, Wishing I Was Lucky and, to finish, Love is All Around, the group’s signature track.

It was a fine show by one of Britain’s most successful pop bands. Most of the original members may have left, but this refreshed version of Wet Wet Wet has plenty to offer.