ONE has to be a great act of international standing to headline the post-raceday festivities at York Racecourse.

Boyzone were indeed an inspired choice. Marking their 25th anniversary, Saturday evening’s Music Showcase Weekend concert was a display of absolute professionalism.

For a start, the band turned up! Indeed, during proceedings Mr Ronan Keating apologised for his friend Sir Tom Jones’ non-show the previous evening when the stormy weather had prevented Sir Tom from travelling up from London.

At which point many a crack along the lines of Sir Tom’s Mamma Told Him Not To Come resounded among the crowd.

Boyzone delivered a gilt-edged performance of their greatest hits, kicking off with a rousing Picture Of You.

A large proportion of Boyzone hits came from the established songbooks of others, such as the Bee Gees (Words), Anne Murray (You Needed Me), Tracy Chapman (Baby Can I Hold You), Billy Ocean (When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going) and Cat Stevens (Father And Son).

York Press:

Ronan Keating: had Words with the raceday crowd

All were received very enthusiastically by the very jolly post-racing  audience, and in the words of their former mentor, Louis Walsh, Boyzone made them their own.

Boyzone’s catalogue was always curated from exceptional material, which instantly struck a chord with everyone there. Certainly, from where I was standing, they were all singing along, word perfect, with all the hits. Good for them!

This was a great party evening, but on a sober note, reference was made to the Irish band’s sadly missed “brother”. At which point Stephen Gately’s vocals were added for a couple of numbers, including No Matter What from the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman musical Whistle Down the Wind. Again the majority of the crowd joined in.

Then Boyzone's cover of the Johnny Bristol/Osmond Brothers hit Love Me For A Reason proved to be the show’s highlight.

Messrs Keating, Lynch, Duffy and Graham announced their forthcoming farewell tour and their imminent new album Good Night and Thank You, out in September. On the strength of this performance, there is still much mileage in this very respectable pop outfit, and the farewell tour may go on and on.