'Magical' boy band Five reunite after 25 years

Five members of the boy band are on a bright pink lighted stage. Each of the members are holding a microphone and appear to be singing. There are people on the bottom of the image watching and a man with a camera filming. PA Media

Five had sold more than 20 million records worldwide in the late 1990s.

Anaba Khan
BBC Wales

Five kicked off their long-awaited Keep On Movin' arena tour on Wednesday night at a sold-out Utilita Arena in Cardiff, in what fans called a "trip down memory lane".

They return to the city on 2 November, after dates in Brighton and Bournemouth.

Reuniting for their first tour in 25 years, Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon had fans on their feet from the moment the lights softened and the first notes of the hit "Slam Dunk" rang out.

The 90-minute show was filled with firm Five favourites ranging from "Keep On Movin" to "Let's Dance."

This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Instagram
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip instagram post by itsfiveofficial

Allow Instagram content?

This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

J Brown said: "Never in our wildest dreams could me and the guys have imagined we'd share a stage again. It really does show that at the end of the day love conquers everything".

The British band formed in 1997. They were the only UK act to have made the top 10 with all their 11 singles, including three number ones.

On the official charts in 1998, their double-platinum debut album also reached the top spot. The band split up in 2001.

Conlon stated: "Back in the 1990s when we made this genre of pop, people didn't expect for it to mean so much to so many people 25 years on. This is absolutely incredible."

J Brown added: "The love and the bond that these five dudes have, and everything we've been through together, has made this possible. It's beautiful."

The Keep On Movin' arena tour continues across the UK with the initial 12 shows sold out within three hours.

On Spotify, the band had confirmed their 2025 tour setlist, including some of their biggest hits "If Ya Gettin' Down", "Everybody Get Up" and international smash "When The Lights Go Out" playing.

Five members of the boy band are under bright white lighted stage. Each of the members are holding a microphone and appear to be singing. There are people on the bottom of the image watching and filming. PA Media

What did the fans think? 'Pretty magical'

Jaylo Miles and Sienna Yates called it "very nostalgic" and that "Cardiff did themselves proud".

Mr Miles said he "never thought it would happen again." As a 40-year-old, he felt like he was 15 again which made it "pretty magical".

"I relieved some real childhood memories...I still think Five could be six with me in it."

"They were very interactive, constantly waving and saluting which made me feel special."

Both having autism, they felt "accepted and not judged" at the concert.

Sienna also said it was a "really good night" and "once in a life time opportunity."

She described the band as "honest and down to earth."

Being a fan for 28 years, "it was amazing seeing them altogether" especially after "they matured".

"It was a trip down memory lane."

Related topics

More on this story