Niall Horan review – vintage-tinged crowd pleasing from former One Directioner

Co-op Live, Manchester
The amiable star proves that he fully deserves his devoted solo fanbase with 80s-indebted guitar pop and Mumford-style balladry

When One Direction split in 2016, it was obvious that Harry Styles would be the one to secure massive solo stardom. Less expected was the longevity of the band’s more unassuming member, Niall Horan. Having released three solo records in the subsequent eight years, two of which hit No 1, Horan has, like Styles, maintained a dedicated (if smaller) fanbase, most of whom have stuck with him as he’s graduated to artist in his own right.

Judging by the volume of tonight’s crowd they are pretty fervent, too. Within seconds of Horan appearing on stage, the screams become so deafening that your eyes go fuzzy. He kicks off the show with the Happy Mondays-meets-Arctic Monkeys strutter Nice to Meet Ya, wielding a guitar like a proper rock star. Behind him, onstage setup like a TV variety show from the 70s, his band keep pace, including a violinist who, at times, steals the spotlight. He fires through the first four songs, burying the breezy On the Loose, one of his best, early in the set. “Are you ready for a bit of a sing-song?” he asks when things finally slow. “Lovely.”

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