Jersey Boys at the GOH – it is "beggin'" to be seen!

Like millions of people I am a fan of the music and the sound produced by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons though until I first saw the Musical and subsequent movie adaptation I would have never believed the story behind the music, the highs were high and the low’s were low, a real life Mafia-esque tale.

Those not familiar it is a tale of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, an Italian American quartet with never heard before harmonies, hailing from Jersey they wanted to leave a mob past behind them and yearned for stardom, unfortunately things are never that simple, no rock'n'roll story is without drama, infidelity, tax evasion, addiction and much more.

With music spanning back to the 1950's it was of no surprise that people of a certain age filled The Grand Opera House auditorium eager to relive their youth. The show opens in France in the 2000’s with a group doing a cover of ‘Oh What A Night’ it topped the french charts for 15 consecutive weeks and sold more than 1.5 million copies, the revelation of this made audiences aware of how impactful the songs were as so many years after initial release the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons was still breaking records.

I did notice faces of people around me slightly confused when the first song was a french rap though, it soon made sense and we were whisked back in time.

The Story was split into four sections, each named for a different season. I loved the visualisation, colourful and quirky Pop Art cartoons were beamed on the screens as a backdrop.

I had previously watched the west end production and I heard Michael Pickering and Lewis Griffiths had returned for the tour, unfortunately Pickering was not in Belfast though were in the capable hands of Luke Suri who played Frankie Valli while Griffiths played Nick Massi respectively, completing the main line up was Blair Gibson as Bob Gaudio and Dalton Wood as Tommy DeVito

All the guys had amazing voices, their blend was amazing and I'm certain the four seasons would approve, Luke Suri’s range was equally on power if not slightly higher than Frankie Valli’s. I am mind blown how a performer can produce such a high and unique sound and deliver it night after night. Bravo

As we journey through the seasons, trials and tribulations the band faced we are treated to hit after hit Sherry, Walk Like A Man, December, 1963 (Oh What a Night), Big Girls Don’t Cry, My Eyes Adored You, Let’s Hang On (To What We’ve Got), Bye Bye Baby, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Working My Way Back to You, Fallen Angel, Rag Doll, Who Loves You and so many more.

Without giving too much of the plot away it’s not exactly hard-hitting though it certainly doesn't shy away from the less wholesome aspects of the band's rise to fame, demise and inauguration into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

JERSEY BOYS is the winner of 65 major awards and has been seen by over 27 million people worldwide and is currently running in Belfast’s Grand Opera House until Saturday 25th June, visit Jersey Boys - Grand Opera House (goh.co.uk) for tickets.