Frankie Goes to Hollywood surprise fans with brief but ‘amazing’ reunion 36 years after last gig

Band performed as Eurovision week kicked off in their hometown of Liverpool

Frankie Goes to Hollywood have surprised fans with a brief reunion at the Eurovision opening concert.

On Sunday (7 May) night, the band came back together as Eurovision week kicked off in their home city of Liverpool with The National Lottery’s Big Eurovision Welcome.

All five members of the group’s original line-up – Holly Johnson, Brian Nash, Paul Rutherford, Mark O’Toole and Peter Gill – performed at St George’s Plateau, with the concert attended by 25,000 people.

However, the band, who last performed together 36 years ago, didn’t play their biggest hits, such as “Relax” or “The Power of Love”.

Instead, they simply performed their 1985 song “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” from their first album of the same name. The song charted at No 2 in 1985.

Fans were left delighted – if a little baffled – by the performance and song choice, with many saying they didn’t think they’d ever get to see Frankie Goes to Hollywood perform live.

“Frankie Goes to Hollywood are suberb, I loved seeing them live again, should have done more that one song though!” one attendee wrote.

“Just one song from Frankie Goes To Hollywood. One song? Amazing to see them, but come on,” another commented.

One tweet read: “Welcome Back To The Pleasuredome! Frankie Goes To Hollywood sounded amazing after 36 years. They played ‘Pleasuredome’ (the song) and sounded like they were just warming up… but that was it! More!”

“Well Frankie Goes to Hollywood only did one song but they were great and the event was spectacular,” another commenter said.

The band’s musical ability was widely praised, with one Twitter user writing: “I hope that Frankie Goes To Hollywood do a reunion tour next year because they sound amazing.”

The last time Frankie Goes to Hollywood played together at Wembley Arena in 1987, a fight is said to have broken out backstage between arguing band members Johnson and O’Toole.