Review: Ronan Keating At Manchester 02 Apollo

The last time I saw Ronan Keatng in concert was at this very venue in February 2013 when he was suffering from a very heavy cold, but like the professional he is the show carried on.

Thankfully tonight he is on top form, with a new album recently released. It was always going to be about the new album, Time of My Life, written in his kitchen which he keeps telling us throughout the gig.

The night starts off with the album title track before it's back to the more familiar sings such as Lovin Each Day.

It was interesting to hear the inspiration behind the songs off the new album as he introduced them. He described writing and recording the new album as "one of the most enjoyable things he has done in the last 23 years".

Another track off the new album Landslide is about his wedding day last year to his second wife Storm.

He thanks the road crew, his band and the fans "who follow me on the tour and go to every gig, I know who you are and I feel it" he says as he pumps his heart. It sounds very gushing but the largely female audience lap it up. He does tend to talk quite a lot between songs but then in Ireland everyone seems to talk a lot!

Of course there is the obligatory acoustic set half way through the gig as some of the new songs are stripped back. He even brings on his support act, Cypriot born singer songwriter Nikolas Metaxas, on stage to join him on the Boyzone song Baby Can I Hold You.

Backed by a tight 7 piece band, his voice seems to be wearing well, although I was not too sure about the scarf he had draped from his trouser belt. In the past he has worn a chain but perhaps he changed it because he thought it looked too rock orientated?

He struck the right balance between old and new songs during his set with the gig finishing on more well known tacks such as the Boyzone cover of Father and Son, Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl and Keith Whitely's When You Say Nothing At All.

Keeping it a family affair he brings on his daughters as he performs what is for me, one of his best tracks, Life Is A Rollercoaster. It is an uplifting and euphoric end to the night. "I will see you soon either on my own or with the lads" hinting that a Boyzone tour might be on the cards next year when they celebrate 25 years as a group.

He appeared to be enjoying the gig which has been a classy, well rehearsed one from start to finish.