Photo Credit: Alex Brown

On Friday, Manchester saw the return of British boyband FIVE, as all original members reunited for their Keep On Movin’ 2025 UK Tour.

As one of the leading pop groups of the late ’90s and early 2000s, their reunion has been highly anticipated by fans, and something most had stopped believing would ever happen.

Amidst the opening of Manchester’s annual Christmas markets, the city flooded with fans of the group making their way towards the AO Arena for a night of pure pop nostalgia. Outside the arena, spaces flooded with both old and new merch and memorabilia, represented by loyal fans, whilst others were accompanied by their children, introducing them to the music they grew up on.

Capital Dance presenter and DJ MistaJam warmed up the crowd as the arena filled to nostalgic party anthems of the noughties, setting the tone for the evening. As the AO reached max capacity, the lights began to lower and FIVE filled the stage, kicking off their set with the hit Slam Dunk (Da Funk), as the whole arena erupted to the reveal of all original members on a Manchester stage for the first time since 2001.

The setlist included hit after hit: ‘Got The Feelin’, ‘When The Lights Go Out‘, ‘If Ya Gettin’ ‘Down‘, and of course, the group’s iconic take on Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’. It was unashamedly pop: bright, loud, and joyous. Some might say a little cheesy, but that’s what made it fun.

As someone who was born in ’99, I missed the original wave, but even I grew up with their music floating through childhood soundtracks and family playlists. Seeing them live and witnessing generations of fans singing every word felt like a full-circle moment. The AO Arena turned into a musical time capsule of pure pop energy;  no irony, just a room full of people reminiscing about the good times.