There is something rather lovely about seeing Alfie Boe return to Blackpool.

Performing at the beautiful Blackpool Opera House, housed within the historic Blackpool Winter Gardens complex, Boe was appearing only a short distance from where he grew up in Fleetwood as one of nine children. This latest tour felt less like a polished arena spectacle and more like an artist reconnecting with himself. Touring his new album Face Myself, Boe appeared determined to strip things back a little: dressing casually, playing guitar, telling stories about family, childhood and music, and leaning into the folk, country and working-class roots that shaped him long before musical theatre superstardom arrived.

Opening with Ten Thousand Miles, a poignant song about distance from his children, the evening immediately established a more personal tone. Boe spoke warmly throughout about his upbringing, his father’s eclectic record collection and growing up in a noisy, music-filled household, and the audience clearly adored hearing these glimpses behind the polished public image.

The setlist itself wandered joyfully across genres: folk, country, musical theatre, Americana and classic balladry all colliding together like somebody enthusiastically rifling through an old vinyl collection at midnight.

Some moments stood out immediately. His reggae-flavoured take on You’ll Be Back from Hamilton was unexpectedly hilarious, while a cover of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game received a genuinely beautiful, restrained rendition. He Lives In You from The Lion King was another highlight, introduced with affectionate references to his long and successful partnership with Michael Ball.

A particularly touching moment came during From a Jack to a King, when Boe invited his brother John onto the stage to sing with him. It perfectly captured the warmth and family atmosphere running throughout the evening and reinforced how personal this tour clearly is for him.

For me personally, though, Don Williams’ You’re My Best Friend carried the biggest emotional punch. The song has a deep family connection for me, so hearing Boe sing it with such warmth and sincerity turned the evening unexpectedly emotional.

And then, of course, there was Bring Him Home from Les Misérables.

Boe remains one of the definitive interpreters of this song and the performance was every bit as powerful as you would hope. Before beginning, however, somebody’s phone loudly interrupted the moment. Rather than becoming irritated, Boe stopped, confiscated the phone from the audience for a few minutes, posed for photos with it on stage and turned the entire situation into a running joke before effortlessly sliding back into one of the most vocally demanding songs in musical theatre. It perfectly captured the atmosphere of the night: warm, funny, unpretentious and deeply human.

Not every musical diversion landed equally. Personally, I still think Boe is at his absolute best when he fully unleashes that extraordinary classical tenor voice rather than leaning too heavily into lighter folk and country material. But that is also partly the point of this tour. This was clearly about Alfie Boe the person rather than Alfie Boe the polished crossover star.

And perhaps that is why the audience connected to it so strongly.

Blackpool crowds can be lively at the best of times, and this audience certainly had its rowdier moments, but there was enormous affection in the room throughout. Boe’s obvious love for his hometown audience was returned tenfold.

The evening ended with perhaps the nicest touch of all: Boe patiently standing afterwards to sign programmes and chat with fans one by one. No rushed exit. No disappearing backstage. Just genuine warmth and gratitude towards the people who had come to see him.

In an era where many performers feel increasingly distant from their audiences, that kind of generosity stands out almost as much as the voice itself.

UTS Rating: 🎭🎭🎭🎭

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