75-year-old Lionel Richie may have poked fun at his advancing years last night during his show at Manchester’s Co-op Live, but his performance was as energetic as ever. “The coffee has kicked in, as have the vitamin pills,” said the legendary singer songwriter, as he got himself acquainted with the half-full arena. In his 43-year career, he has sold over 125 million albums, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. Last night was a celebration of this. And from start to end the set was packed full of his biggest hits, kicking off proceedings with Hello and bringing funk, soul, pop and even a touch of reggae throughout with Brick House, Se La, My Destiny and more.
Dancing, playing piano, and chatting away candidly between songs, Lionel worked hard to win over the crowd, many of whom were ageing alongside him. My mum was one of them, and let me tell you she was beside herself everytime ‘lovely Lionel’ looked her way. Yes, by the end of his show they were all on their feet, hip replacements being put to good work as they swayed to Commodores classic Three Times A Lady. “If I’m in pain, you have to be too,” joked Lionel gently. “I’ve been coming to Manchester for 230 years. The left knee is not doing well. And the left hip is not connected to the right hip.”
The vibe ramped up as the night progressed, and by the time Dancing on the Ceiling rang out around the cavernous arena, Lionel was in a party mood – as were we. Other highlights included a surprise performance of Endless Love, his huge hit with fellow legend of the music industry Diana Ross. “I keep calling Diana, saying we need to do Endless Love Together,” he said. “She says, ‘Maybe next week’. I say, ‘Soon we won’t have any weeks left!’”
Later, Say You, Say Me, with Lionel playing piano on a raised plinth, was gorgeous, showcasing his voice – still as caramel-smooth as ever – before a rendition of We Are The World, the song he wrote for Michael Jackson. Lionel, who lives in Beverly Hills, gave a speech at the start, calling for world unity. “Would you like to be called ‘those people’?” he asked. Whether he was talking about the current LA protests, Gaza, or something else, was unclear. It was a lovely moment, but too non-specific to be truly meaningful.
All too soon, it was time for the party to end. As the show drew to a close with his biggest hit, All Night Long, Lionel and his super slick band took a well earned bow, soaked up their standing ovations and then left, presumably to enjoy a hot cocoa before heading to bed. After all, the first of two shows at Manchester’s Co-op Live, they have to do it all again.