Ronan Keating: Henley Festival (From The Oxford Times)

Ronan Keating: Henley Festival

2:40pm Wednesday 14th July 2010 in

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One pleasure of being a music critic is the chance to review artists I wouldn’t have thought of going to see, and Henley is particularly good for that. Two years ago, I was bowled over by The Proclaimers to the extent that I bought their ‘Best of…’ album the next day, and soon hoovered up their entire back catalogue. Would Irish golden boy Ronan Keating work the same magic?

Very nearly. I didn’t head down to HMV the next morning, but the Boyzone star didn’t put a foot wrong as he belted out hit after hit to a crowd of adoring fans who swayed, clapped and sang along on the famous riverside lawn in a state of almost delirious ecstasy. Some, apparently, had been queuing since 4am to ensure a close view of their idol, and at one point he clambered down to give them the attention they deserved after their wait. Meanwhile, several boats had drawn alongside the banks to listen to the music — and there were clearly Ronan fans on board, as they, too, were singing enthusiastically along.

After about 20 minutes, tired of battling with the throng in front of the stage, my husband and I decided to retreat to the nearby Lavazza café, where we were able to listen to the music in a less frenetic atmosphere. And that will be my abiding memory of this year’s festival — sitting by the river, drinking coffee, watching the boats and the lights flickering on the water, listening to Ronan Keating and tapping my feet along to the music. That sort of ambience is the real essence of Henley – and you can’t buy that on a CD.