BRIT Award-winning vocal group Blake’s self-titled debut album sold 100,000 records in its first three weeks and seven years on they still pull a big crowd.

The trio, who have played to 80,000 at Wembley and entertained at the centre court in Wimbledon, are set to perform at Bluewater’s Summer Live on August 8.

Thirty-two-year-old member Stephen Bowman told Vibe the group couldn’t wait for the gig, which is in the centre’s Glow events venue.

He said: “It is an incredible space. Glow is exceptionally large – it really is kind of like a rock concert venue.

“We are going to be filling that lovely big stage with a combination of classical anthems, big rock anthems, pop and some stuff from musicals. It is going to be an absolutely spectacular show. We’re really looking forward to it.”

Performing at mall, albeit one with a massive arena, is a different kind of show for the group but Stephen said it would go well.

He said: “I personally can’t think of a better thing than to spend a whole day shopping and at the end of it to relax into a really comfy seat and watch a great concert. It makes sense to me.”
Stephen described Blake’s genre-hopping appeal is “like putting an iPod on shuffle”.

He said: “One moment you have got a big classical piece like Nessun Dorma which everybody knows from the Three Tenors singing it at Wembley at the World Cup, and suddenly you have got something like With or Without You from U2 which is a stadium anthem.

“They are all melded together with this harmony music sound mixed with an orchestra and a band. It is a very eclectic, very unusual mix.”

Old school and college friends who had drifted apart, Blake formed after getting back in touch on Facebook in 2007.

Stephen said: “At the time I was working as an IT salesperson which was really not that much fun. Another guy was a teacher and another was selling fish from a van.

“We weren’t doing what we really wanted to do so we were imagining what fun it would be to put this harmony group together on Facebook.

“Eventually we said let’s do, we had some rehearsals and gave it a go.”

Within weeks they were signed to Universal and their music has spread to 26 countries, with the band playing plenty of shows in Asia, America and Russia.

Stephen said: “It has been an incredible journey and it continues to be to be honest.”

Go to ticketmaster.co.uk/glowbluewater

WIN! MEET BLAKE AT BLUEWATER

News Shopper has teamed up with Bluewater to give away tickets the Blake's show on August 8 and a unique meet and greet opportunity with the band to three lucky winners and a friend. 

To be in with a chance, all you have to do is answer this simple question.

The events venue at which shopping centre will Blake perform on August 8?

A) Lakeside

B) Bluewater

C) Westfield

Text your answer to 80360, starting your message with NSBLAKE leave a space and then put your answer, name, number, email and address.

Or send your entry with your name, address and contact phone number on a postcard or a stuck-down envelope to: Blake Competition, News Shopper, Mega House, Crest View Drive, Petts Wood, Kent BR5 1BT.

Competition closing date: July 26.

Terms & conditions: Texts cost 50p plus your normal operator text charge. Lines close July 25, at 11.59pm. Full terms at newsquest.co.uk/terms