GIRLS Aloud burst onto the stage at the Manchester Evening News Arena to prove they are more than just a reality TV show pop group.
The five-piece ensemble made up of Cheryl Tweedy, Sarah Harding, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts opened the Manchester date of their nationwide Chemistry tour with an explosive version of their chart-topping hit, Biology.
And the tune set the tempo for a night of top-notch pop music which had members of the audience erupting into rapturous applause.
Sexy and sophisticated, the girls moved through their catalogue of top ten hits before performing some of the best-loved classics of the last 30 years, including Flash Dance and Fame.
The young pop kittens also turned their hand to a genre far removed from their staple pop diet, performing a fantastic cover version of indie band, the Kaiser Chiefs' I Predict A Riot.
Given that this was their first full UK tour, the girls whose humble beginnings lie with TV programme, Pop Stars: The Rivals commanded their stage with an assured sense of self belief. This was a band at the top of their game, eager to prove to the crowd they could put on a show to remember.
Granted, this was not a concert to satisfy the appetite of the most discerning music fan but it was never meant to be.
The performances were confident, brash and on occasion, overtly sexual but this is what the girls do best.
With snappy dance routines to match the perfect pop and a more-than-adequate smattering of muscle-bound male dancers, this was a night to remember.
Long may their success continue.
Girls Aloud, MEN Arena, Saturday, May 27
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