Pop
Live Review: Pussycat Dolls bring noughties nostalgia and powerhouse performances to Birmingham at first UK show in 17 years
The Pussycat Dolls returned to the UK stage for the first time in 17 years with a high‑energy, hit‑packed show that proved their legacy still lands with force.
Performing their first concert in the UK for 17 years, The Pussycat Dolls delivered a night of noughties pop nostalgia as they kicked off the British leg of their PCD Forever tour.
Energetic dance breaks, stunning vocal runs and timeless bangers were unleashed as the iconic trio of Nicole Scherzinger, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt took to the stage at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Tuesday night (29.09.26).
Admittedly, the back half of the standing area did look a little sparse, and the curtain had been pulled over some of the nosebleed seats, but the vibes were unaffected.
Flanked by a troupe of dancers, cuts from their two era-defining albums – 2005’s PCD and 2008’s Doll Domination went down a storm – as did their messages of self-empowerment.
Showcasing a real range in their sound, the belting I Hate This Part was followed by the Bollywood-tinged Jai Ho!
The career-spanning setlist also reminded everyone just how many huge names The Pussycat Dolls have worked with, including Missy Elliot, Timbaland and Busta Rhymes.
Then, it was time for the solo portions of the show; framed around montage footage and/or interviews filmed backstage during rehearsals, Wyatt got behind the decks to drop dopamine-inducing throwbacks, before Roberts really let her voice shine.
It was Scherzinger, however, who made the biggest impression: a show-stopping rendition of As If We Never Said Goodbye from the Sunset Blvd soundtrack saw her elevated on a platform shrouded in gold light as sparks fell behind her.
A star who can do it all, a brief operatic flourish gave way to several classics from her 2011 album Killer Love; considering the reaction to EDM-coated pop anthems Don’t Hold Your Breath, Wet and Poison, I coudn't help but think a solo tour would go down a treat…
Nonetheless, plenty more PCD fan favourites were afforded time in the spotlight in Birmingham: a pyro-backed Buttons, Hush Hush (with a brief snippet of Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive), React complete with famous chair-based routine, a poignant stickwitu which illuminated the arena with iPhone torches, and, finally, a mass singalong for Don’t Cha.
Ending the performance with a formidable power stance before descending beneath the stage, the choice of song that played as the audience headed home – Queen’s We Are The Champions – felt incredibly fitting.
“20 years ago,” Roberts reflected, “we didn’t know that these songs and dances would stand the test of time and allow us to get back on stage”. As she, Scherzinger and Wyatt hugged – the latter having earlier been joined by her daughters in a particularly emotional moment – the love in the room was undeniable.
Rating: 4/5
