#NTK25 Tour
Blasting onto the scene back in 1995, Anastacia’s impact has been nothing short of legendary — 30 million records sold, more awards than you can count, and number-one hits across virtually every country with anthems like ‘Left Outside Alone’ and ‘I’m Outta Love’.
Tonight the Anastacia juggernaut rolled into Glasgow’s sold-out Royal Concert Hall, and the excitement was electric.
The blue-eyed, blonde-haired force of nature may stand at just 5’2”, but her powerhouse vocals could fill a stadium. Despite battling numerous health challenges over the years, Anastacia remains a bundle of unstoppable energy — and tonight, she was ready to prove it once again.
Before Anastasia took the stage, the audience was treated to an incredible opening set by fellow American Casey McQuillen.
Casey is making serious waves across the UK and Europe, armed with a breathtaking voice, dazzling stage presence (with those glittery dresses!), adorable with a natural gift for songwriting. Approachable and endlessly bubbly, she’s the kind of artist you instantly root for.
Joined by the multi-talented Stacey Kelleher on guitar, keys, and vocals, Casey dazzled — despite a few unexpected technical hiccups.
In fact, one of those tech issues turned into a defining moment. Her standout track ‘Skinny’, usually guitar-driven, was switched last minute to a piano version — and it turned out to be the most emotional rendition of the song to date. Completely unrehearsed, utterly unforgettable. Bravo!
During the intermission, true to her word, Casey rushed to the merch stall to offer hugs to any of the 2000 audience members who wanted one — did I mention how adorable she is?
As she took selfies with fans and signed things offered up by the same fans the venue tannoy boomed out the Anastacia would be on stage in approximately 5 minutes…
The stage was dark, with a single door dimly lit in anticipation. Surely she would emerge from there?
The band kicked into gear, the door illuminated — and Anastacia slinked out, ready to command the night. Game on.
From the very first note, the sound was crisp, clear, and flawless. That voice — the same one that first floored the world 25 years ago — filled every corner of the hall with stunning power.
Lighting, staging, sound engineering — every aspect was world-class, and frankly, the engineers deserved a bow of their own.
Anastacia’s set was packed with fan favourites, unexpected moments, and pure theatre. The Glasgow crowd was loud — the loudest I’ve ever heard at the Royal Concert Hall. The crowd participation during ‘Sick and Tired’ was seismic and drew appreciation from Anastacia and her band.
There were lighter moments too: Anastacia’s hilarious attempt to pronounce Scotland’s national dish. We say ‘haggis, tatties and neeps‘ — she offered her own version of ‘a black pudding situation with titties and nips!’ An interesting combination either way!
After a slick band-only interlude featuring a mashup of ‘Vogue’ / ‘This is How we Do It’ / ‘No Diggity’ / ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)’ Anastacia returned resplendent in a fresh outfit to deliver ‘Heavy on My Heart’ — one of many emotional highlights.
The night also featured an intimate acoustic set, a rock’n’roll interlude featuring ‘All Right Now’ during another costume change, and an absolutely killer cover of ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’. Dare I say it — better than the original? She was born to sing that song.
Big hits, reworks of classics, stunning cover versions — Anastacia gave everything, and then some.
As the final note faded, the ecstatic crowd roared their appreciation and the star took her final bows – after a two song encore obviously!
The little lady with the big voice had done it again.
Review and Photographs by John Brown Photography
