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At first, the result seems perfect – it's fresh, sexy and confidently zeitgeisty.

And then, with such regularity you half expect to find it mentioned in the contract terms, come the cracks.

The catty infighting, the loutish behaviour, the line-up changes at a dizzying pace – soon you're left staring at the empty shell of a pop band.

Girls Aloud should be proud to be the exception to the rule.

Since being thrust together – for better, for worse – on 2002's Popstars: The Rivals, the quintet has gone from strength to strength.

As if surviving five years were not enough (girl-band years are like dog years, don’t forget), they’ve got a remarkable CV to boot.

They've released three albums – each to critical ardour, hoovered up awards, and embarked on three stadium-sized tours – the most recent of which brings them to north Norfolk's Holkham Hall.

Warm-up acts

Support comes from fellow reality television darling Shayne Ward and MOBO award-winner Jamelia.

While Jamelia gives a sturdy performance, loaded with bold harmonies and soothing tones, it's Shayne who really gets the crowd warmed up.

His set combines his chart-invading singles with a few surprises. A cover of The Darkness' I Believe In A Thing Called Love might seem a brave choice, but Ward scales its falsetto notes with ease.

It's a racy, flustering start, with the Girls vaulting straight into Biology, before following up with the sweaty, industrial grind of Wake Me Up.

But by the third song, the irresistibly chirpy Walk This Way, the Girls have adopted the smiles which have spread so quickly throughout their audience.

Passionate performance

This is what sets Girls Aloud apart from their rivals: their sheer zest for performing.

While other bands perform slavish dance routines or sway frumpishly behind mic stands, there's a wonderful spontaneity about the Girls' performance.

At times it borders on the juvenile, and as they perform Jump, the song's title doubles up as a dance routine.

But this enthusiasm is a refreshing touch – a fine garnish to a show already brimming with confidence and fortitude.

As the band walk off stage, their teenage fans are left screaming for more – it's an inevitable part of the pop pantomime.

But while the girls might be easy to be please, the Girls, by contrast, are hard to fault.

Girls Aloud, Jamelia and Shayne Ward performed at Holkham Hall on Friday, 31 August, 2007.