Rick Astley tells Chris Evans about his Swinging Christmas concerts: ‘I still regard going on stage as a privilege’

Virgin Radio

14 Dec 2022, 11:35

Rick Astley joined The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky to talk about his Swinging Christmas show, which is heading to London.

Following a sold out performance in Liverpool last night, Rick Astley’s Swinging Christmas will be playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London tomorrow and Friday night (15th and 16th December), where he will once again be joined by a big band to perform swing and festive songs. Speaking about yesterday’s show, the singer told Chris: “It was amazing. It was kind of a little bit nerve-wracking, obviously, because it’s very, very much not my normal show, let’s put it that way. But I just loved it, and the orchestra were absolutely amazing. We’ll have the same guys and girls with us at the Albert Hall, so we’re ready and rocking already.”

Friday night’s performance at the Royal Albert Hall is sold out, but limited tickets may still be available for tomorrow night’s performance. On what people can expect, Rick said: “Everybody knows the songs that we’re singing. I’m only doing the big swing songs, I’m not doing anything kind of left-of-centre. I’m doing the stuff that everybody knows, and we all know them, they’re in our DNA somewhere.”

On the bigger nature of the show, compared to his normal gigs, the artist explained: “I’ve got to be honest, it’s one of the weirdest things to stand in front of 50 people and sing, because I’m so used to doing it with my band, which obviously is a lot smaller than that, and when you get up there with the strings and the brass, and they’re all playing those amazing things, and Malcolm, who’s conducting, it’s an absolute joy to do it. I’m so privileged to do it. I understand that.” 

He added: “And obviously, the Albert Hall is probably the ultimate venue in the world to do it in.” 

When Chris asked whether these shows would lead to a more substantial tour in the future, the iconic singer replied: “Maybe. We have talked about it a little bit. I mean, it’s something I would love to do, for sure. It’s just a big undertaking. I think also, it’s that thing where, when you just do a few of them and it’s Christmas… everyone’s kind of… I’m not going to say rooting for you when they’re in the room, but… they’re a little bit more forgiving, because it’s Christmas, we’re singing Christmas songs, and also I think a lot of the big swing numbers, like the Sinatra songs that we do and stuff like that, people sing along as well, so if you forget a word or two you can kind of throw them the mic.

"But to actually go out on tour with it? I’d love to do it. We’ll have to see what happens next year, I guess.”

Earlier this year, the Never Gonna Give You Up star joined New Kids On The Block,  Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue on a massive US tour. He explained: “We did 56 gigs in America, and they were all arenas, which was mad. I play in America, but I don’t play arenas on my own, that’s crazy. 

“There were no prima donnas, we all had a really good laugh and I’d do it again tomorrow in a heartbeat.”

Rick has also previously joined Blossoms on stage to perform some live covers of The Smiths classics. He said: “I’m embracing life, Chris! That’s what I’m doing. I’m doing Smiths songs with Blossoms, I’m doing swing sets with my band and an orchestra… I think Covid taught me to just say. ‘Look you’ve got to say yes a bit more, and you’ve just got to dig in a little bit more and do things for the fun of it a little bit more, because you don’t know when you might get locked up again and you can’t go gigging at all.”

During his chat with Chris, Rick said of his career: “I still regard going on stage as a privilege, and that might sound a little bit corny, and a bit wet for people, but I don’t take it any other way, because there’s so few people that get the chance to do that, especially at the level that I’ve managed to do it here and there, and I kind of think you have to remember that.” 

Rick Astley’s Swinging Christmas takes place on Thursday 15th December and Friday 16th December at The Royal Albert Hall. Limited tickets for Thursday’s performance available now at royalalberthall.com.

For more great interviews listen to  The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or  catch up on-demand here