Vengaboys and Steps, Arena Birmingham - review and pictures

Twenty years since they first entered the UK charts, Steps are showing no signs of slowing down.

Arriving on stage at Arena Birmingham in true dramatic style with torchbearers and covered in cloaks - Lisa, Claire, Faye, H and Lee’s return to the stage was welcomed by their loyal fans.

With a playlist featuring all their hits, popular dance routines and colourful costumes, the high-product show was two hours of partying which took fans back to the 1990s.

And even before the main event, the audience was up and dancing to support act the Vengaboys.

Support acts don’t normally draw so many people into the arena, but with the Vengaboys from the same era as Steps the venue was already full before the headliners.

Once the Dutch Eurodance dance group had finished - with hits such as 'Up & Down', 'Boom Boom Boom Boom' and 'Ibiza' - Steps took to the stage.

The quintet decided to go on tour to celebrate their 20th anniversary, which followed the release of the band’s new album, Tears on the Dancefloor.

The show contained songs from both the past and their new album but it was their older songs which entertained me the most, fondly taking me back to my childhood.

A particular favourite was a slow-down version of ''It's the way you make me feel' which everyone was singing along to.

The group’s vocals were live and there were some great harmonies from Claire, Faye and Lisa.

As the show moved through the hits, the stage transformed to different settings including a hospital and then a stable block for the chart-topping '5, 6, 7, 8'.

Throughout, H and Lisa praised the loyalty of their followers, and that was clear to see from the packed out audience who sang along to every song.

All in all it was a very successful show taking me back to when I was nine years old dancing around the living room with a hairbrush in my hand pretending to be a pop star – not much has changed there either!