Alfie Boe talks ahead of Birmingham show

When we mention Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, Alfie Boe’s eyes light up. He’s genuinely excited to have two dates in the diary to perform at the venue, one of the premier concert halls in Europe. Alfie will be on the road in spring, playing Birmingham on April 2 and 3, following this month’s release of his new album, As Time Goes By. “I love Symphony Hall,” he says. “It was one of the first concert halls that I ever played as a professional singer. I love the Symphony, I love the audience, I love the atmosphere and I love Birmingham.

“It’s a great city I am always welcomed with the warmest of receptions. It will be nice to be in town for a while because we’ve got a couple of dates. Normally it’s in and out but this time we’ll be there longer.”

Alfie is on the trail with his vibrant and instantly classic album As Time Goes By. The record was released yesterday and celebrates the golden era of music from the 30s and 40s, a time that is often overlooked – sandwiched as it is between the roaring 20s and rock‘n’roll.

Alfie is one of the best-loved vocalists of his generation and a hugely successful, multi-platinum selling artist. He’s triumphed on theatre stages and in concert halls around the world and has two recent UK number one albums under his belt for Together and Together Again, made with his great friend Michael Ball. The duo also won two Classic Brit Awards earlier this year for Best Album and Group of the Year.

“We’ll be enjoying some of great songs from my previous records but, more than anything, I want to bring back to life an era when British audiences discovered a brand new kind of American music, full of energy, optimism and romance. I’d like to transport people to a time in their lives, a moment or even a style. I hope you all enjoy being transported there as much as I do. And I really want Birmingham to be bouncing with people in the aisles and the audience dressed up in period clothes. I want to make it an event where people are swinging away.”

Alfie has been planning the As Time Goes By album for more than a year. He recorded it at the iconic Capitol Studios, in Los Angeles, which has hosted Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Dean Martin, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney and the Beach Boys among others.

“Capitol was amazing. It was a wonderful place to record. I wanted the record to give a nod to New Orleans so we have that emotional side of playing on the tracks. The songs were all recorded at Capitol and I even had the opportunity to record the whole album using Frank Sinatra’s original microphone, which was an honour in itself. When you’re in a studio like Capitol, you sense that emotion because you’re aware of the history and the iconic songs that have been created there.”

Though he’s going it alone again with a solo album, Alfie has enjoyed his recent collaborations with Michael Ball.

“Of course it’s lovely to be able to do my own thing again. You have to remember that myself and Michael started off as solo artists and we have a lot of our own individual plans and projects that we want to develop.

“So while it was nice to team up, it’s also good to get back to my own stuff. Michael and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves when we were working together. We respect each other as artists and enjoy our time together. We bring something to the table that appeals to an audience and we’re grateful for people embracing what we’ve done. We want to do more of it and keep entertaining our fans, so watch this space.”

Alfie’s back story is utterly remarkable. He was the youngest in a family of nine children and was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, then brought up in nearby Fleetwood. His earliest musical memories were of listening to his father’s Richard Tauber records and at the age of 11 he discovered Puccini’s La Bohème for the first time. He became an apprentice mechanic at the TVR factory in Bispham, Blackpool, at the age of 17 and entertained his colleagues by singing opera arias while he polished the cars. One day he was overheard by a client with connections in the music industry who was so impressed that he suggested Alfie go to London and audition for the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. The audition was a success and the rest is history.

“I come from a working class background and family and when you are from that world you are told to get a trade and do your apprenticeship. Getting my first job was a very exciting time for me. I’ve had countless numbers of other exciting moments in my life and career that I could list but the trick to this job is keeping fresh, you have to deliver new material and new ideas and come up with something exciting. You also have to be yourself. The British audience isn’t stupid. They know when it’s not real and when someone isn’t being true to themself.

“I grew up in a little wonderful town called Fleetwood and I represent that town and the people from that town. I don’t want to have any airs or graces or diva tendencies because that doesn’t get you anywhere.”

• Alfie plays Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on April 2 and 3. Tickets are from www.ticketmaster.co.uk