Billy Ocean, Harrogate Conference Centre

There cannot be many artists who had hits in the mid 70's then to disappear from the music scene and then to reappear again stronger in the mid 80's, but Billy Ocean has to be the exception.

His current UK tour is mostly sold out likewise the Harrogate concert. Ocean has appeared at the Conference Centre many times over the last 30 years. Looking trim and in good shape for his 68 years he still has a great singing voice and his infectious smile is still present too. Dressed in a well fitting suit it looked like he had made an effort.

"Harrogate was one of the first places we played when I returned to touring" he fondly remembered. He seemed to be enjoying the Yorkshire welcome as he shook hands and had selfies taken with the fans who had crowded around the front of the stage.

After a few warm up tracks bedlam broke loose as fans ran down the aisles to the front as Love Really Hurts Without You rings round the Conference Centre and for a moment we could all be back in 1976. The appeal of the track is wide ranging: many of those dancing and singing along looked like they had been born after 1996, never mind 1976!

His band worked tirelessly, notably the 4 female backing singers. The Colour of Love is accompanied with Ocean kissing hands with the female fans before an unexpected cover of No Woman, No Cry gives his set a fresh input.

The security try to clear the fans from the stage front but they couldn't have chosen a worse moment as Ocean starts to perform Red Light Spells Danger with their crowd dispensing efforts being given a red light!

It's a Robbie Williams moment during Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car as the audience take over singing the song as Ocean puts his microphone out into the audience and they sing the song.

"I have a question for you Harrogate" he asks "What do the tough do when the going gets tough" in a lead into one of his biggest hits When the Going gets Tough, the Tough Gets Going.

Pandemonium breaks out again and 2,000 memories are re lived again with the capacity audience. With songs as strong as this you wonder why Ocean is still not recording and making tracks today.

Caribbean Queen brought the warmth to Harrogate as the gig concluded with Ocean looking taken aback by the appreciative welcome he had been given. He has worn well along with the songs. I wonder how many of today's artists will still be as popular in 40 years time?