To quote Frank Gallagher from Shameless when it comes to Bongo's Bingo 'they know how to throw a party,' and they lived up to that reputation with gusto as they took over the Utilita Arena for their biggest shows to date in Newcastle.
Bongo's, the zany mashup of bingo and rave, has been coming to the city for five years now, regularly packing out Boiler Shop, as well as branching out for outdoor events at Paddy Fest and at the pioneering social distanced Unity Arena in Gosforth in summer 2020.
And on Friday and Saturday night they turned the arena into one massive rave as the kitchen sink of everything that makes Bongo's so brilliant was thrown at making the double header of XL shows. Those with tickets were promised 'Bongo's Bingo on steroids,' and from start to finish that's what they got.
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Any night at Bongo's is one you'll not forget in a hurry but the Disco themed events were totally next level in every respect - the crowd was bigger, the stage was bigger, the production levels went up a few notches and the prizes were even more off the wall than normal.
As eyes went down, audience members played from everyone from cardboard cut outs of ABBA, Disco Barbie, a disco ball crash helmet, a light up raft, Bongo's staple, a Henry Hoover, a karaoke machine and even a bag full of Greggs goodies, not to mention a top cash prize of £2,000.
There was mass singalongs galore with PJ and Duncan's Let's Get Ready to Rhumble going down a storm and Fairytale of New York proving it's a top tier tune whatever time of year you encounter it.
There were also guest appearances from Diana Ross and ABBA tribute and, as is Bongo's tradition, a huge rave before the final game, as huge beach balls were batted the length and breadth of the arena and glowsticks were raised high in the air. Here at ChronicleLive we've said it before and, we'll say it again, there is no night quite like a night at Bongo's Bingo.
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