‘What a year it’s been!’
Ronan keating discusses neWcastle shoW, his rollercoaster lockdoWn life and toon keeper mark gillespie
TO paraphrase the words of one of his hit songs, life has been a rollercoaster this year for Ronan Keating.
Just as lockdown happened in March, he became a new dad again and during the weeks and months when he thought he’d be leading his usual hectic life he was instead handson with changing nappies.
The Boyzone favourite-turned-solo star also had a new album – the aptly named Twenty Twenty – about to come out and back then who could have guessed what it would come to represent?
“What a year it’s been!” he says. Daughter Coco – the Irishman’s second child with fashion designer wife Storm – was born on March 27, four days after lockdown changed everyone’s life as they knew it.
“She was born shortly after the start of all of this so that’s been really special – to be able to be home for every moment, for the nappy change, bathtime – it’s a rarity for me,” says Ronan, who also has three older children with first wife Yvonne Connolly.
But much as he’s loved being a stayat-home dad, he can’t wait to play what is to be his first live gig in months when he comes to Newcastle this week to take to the stage at the Virgin Money Unity Arena.
He was grateful enough to be back at the helm last week of his Magic Radio breakfast show with co-presenter Harriet Scott but returning to live performance is something else.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he says of Friday night’s concert.
He’s seen photographs of the new socially-distanced arena at Gosforth Park and is impressed.
“I don’t know what the energy will be like, the camaraderie with the audience – I won’t until I’m on stage,” he admits.
But, having been a regular to the region over the years with boy band Boyzone and as a solo artist, he knows the area well, loves the fans and enjoys the banter.
He promises Friday’s audience that crowdpleaser Boyzone hits will be in the line-up – “the songs I’m known for obviously will be on there,” he says – as well as songs from the now-out Twenty Twenty.
He’s glad at how his 11th studio album has gone down, saying “it did really well for me”, and he’ll be singing at least three songs from it: mentioning his duets with Claire Bowen and Sunderland’s Emilie Sande as well as Little Thing Called Love which he says fits “right at the heart” of the coronavirus crisis.
“It’s very relevant for what people are going through,” he adds.
What fans won’t be getting is a duet with Mark Gillespie.
He had invited Newcastle
United’s new goalkeeper to join him on stage on Friday night during a lighthearted Twitter exchange following the posting of a video clip showing Gillespie singing Ronan’s Life Is A Rollercoaster hit as part of his initiation into the Magpies.
“It was lovely!” Ronan says of the initiation choice. The song is one of his most famous and, no, he doesn’t tire of people wanting to hear it, saying: “I’m lucky to have songs like that”. He tweeted his invitation to Gillespie afterwards and says: “He responded to me but said he’s got a game down in London or else he would have loved to!”
In preparation for his Newcastle visit Ronan says he’ll be focusing on getting back in shape – vocally that is. During lockdown, he’s done some performances online, such as in August’s Concert 4 Cancer which he organised to raise money for the Marie Keating Foundation he set up in memory of his late mother, who died from breast cancer.
But he says: “I haven’t sung for an hour and a half in a long time. I’ve done songs and performances but not an hour and a half gig.”
He adds: “The voice is just like a muscle,” pointing out that, similar to not going into a gym, you can get out of shape.
“So vocally I’ll be getting ready for it.” He intends to make his trip up north into a bit of a family break too. Storm, Coco and the couple’s older child Cooper will be in tow and they will combine the concert with a visit to see friends in Alnwick. “I love that part of the country; I’m very much looking forward to it” – and to meet up with golfer pal Lee Westwood at Close House.
Travel is what Ronan has missed most during lockdown. “Getting out there, seeing family and friends – travel, seeing the world is something we most love to do.”
In three years’ time it will be 30 years since Boyzone was formed but fans who might have been hoping to see another reunion, similar to the one which marked the 20-year anniversary in 2013, are likely to be disappointed.
“We’ve nothing planned,” says Ronan. “It’s done. It was 25 amazing years with fantastic people and we’re grateful for that.”
He says there can’t be many bands who can say that they are still friends, like they are, and they wanted to be the ones in control of their own destiny.
“It’s easy for bands to come back but we wanted to go out on a high and write the last chapter ourselves.”
For more about Ronan Keating’s concert at Newcastle Racecourse on Friday, visit: virginmoneyunityarena. ticketline.co.uk