HI THERE!

It’s Wednesday and I’m writing this backstage at the Glasgow Arena. Well, strictly speaking I’m writing it in the tour bus which is out the back of the building. I had to come out here to get a bit of peace and quiet. The others are all in a meeting to discuss the upcoming travel arrangements. There I was with my laptop, trying to write the Diary, and I couldn’t hear a word I was thinking! So off I went into the dressing room to find a bit of quiet there and what do you know? Yeh, the room was full of people! That’s how I ended up on the tour bus, so let’s hope nobody thinks of coming out here.

But back to last week, and Thursday to be precise. We were up really early and off to Germany, arriving in Cologne at about 11am. Once there we went straight to rehearsals for Top of the Pops and for another show called Bella TV. After the rehearsals we recorded TOTP, then went straight on and recorded the Bella show, which is more of a chat show with music acts here and there.

After that we did a two-hour interview for German TV which will be syndicated out to TV stations across Germany. Then it was back to the airport, on to our private plane and back to the UK and to Glasgow. We enjoyed the day in Germany. We were basically over there to promote the single I Lay My Love on You, and it’s great to know that we’re beginning to do quite well over there.

IN SCOTLAND

Friday morning we went out to the Arena in Glasgow to do a sound check – one of the most important things when you arrive at a new venue. That went fine and we were looking forward to the first of our shows in Glasgow that night. It went really well. The crowds were electric and really seemed to take to us. In fact, the Glasgow crowd always seem to take to us, I don’t know why – maybe it’s because we’re Irish. They’re always really loud and there was a great atmosphere that night. After the show we went out for a few drinks to relax and celebrate our first night in Scotland.

Saturday was a really good day. We slept late, then did a day time show and again it went really well and we got a great reaction from the crowd. As the tour goes on, everything seems to be improving and everybody, crew included, are really happy with the way things are going. By the time we hit Ireland we’ll be really ready for the home crowd! On Saturday night then, because we had the night off, we went out. Well, you have to go out on Saturday night, don’t you?

Sunday morning we met the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The Labour Party Conference was being held in Glasgow over the weekend, in the building next door to the Arena where we were playing every night. We heard that his daughter is a big Westlife fan and had told him to get our autographs for her, so he invited us in to meet him. He told us that he’d be killed if he didn’t come home with the autographs, so we signed some for her and her friends. He asked which of us was Nicky, cos he’d been talking to Bertie Ahern during the week and had told him he’d be meeting us, and the Taoiseach had told him that his daughter, Georgina, was going out with Nicky and to be sure to say hello to him. He seemed a nice guy, very genuine.

SINGING IN SPANISH

Sunday afternoon we were in the studio, recording I Lay My Love on You in Spanish! We’re releasing the single in Spain, so we had to do a bit of tuition before recording, as none of us speak Spanish. It wasn’t too hard, as it turned out. What they basically did was tell us word for word what to sing, so it took us a long time to record but turned out pretty well in the end.

So that’s what we’ve been doing the last few days – recording in Spanish during the day and doing a concert every night. Then at 5 o’clock yesterday evening our choreographer, Priscilla, had us all rehearsing for the Brit Awards next Monday, and she and her assistant, Paula, came back to do some more with us today. The Brits should be a good laugh. Ant and Dec are hosting the show and we hear that Robbie Williams, U2, Craig David and Destiny’s Child are some of the acts taking part. Along with ourselves, of course!

You’d have seen a sight if you’d been here in Glasgow the last few days – Westlife in kilts! We have special outfits for Seasons in the Sun and I Have a Dream, but because we were in Scotland we decided to have a bit of fun and come out on stage in kilts. The crowd went absolutely bananas and it was all over the papers over here.

Tonight is our last night in Glasgow, so it should be really good. Tomorrow we have a day off because we’re moving on down to Manchester and doing shows there on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we do the Brits, and on Tuesday we move on to Nottingham. Another busy week ahead. Before I sign off, congratulations to Ronan and Yvonne on the birth of their baby daughter. I hear she’s gorgeous.

Lots of Love from the other lads. Talk again next week.