Four stars

THE HOUSE lights dimmed and thousands of glo-sticks, issued to ticket-holders at the doors, are waved enthusiastically in response to the pulsing dance anthems of Underworld's Born Slippy and Fat Boy Slim's Right Here Right Now before the lavish red drapes slide back to reveal the thirteen-piece band and the main attraction striding onstage. It may be some years past his heyday as well as the Second Summer of Love, but that incongruous opening has the Third Age crowd on their feet from the start, which is how they stay, in the stalls at least, for much of the night.

Read more: In pictures - Barry Manilow pulls out all the stops at the SSE Hydro

When you are eating out of the hand of Barry Manilow, the trappings of rave culture somehow sit easily alongside a karaoke trot through Can't Smile Without You that has a smiley face emoji bouncing helpfully along the lyrics projected on the screen at the back of the stage for a singalong that climbs enthusiastically through the key changes in an orgy of mutual modulation. The "Justin Beiber of the 70s" (his description) also interacts with the wraith of Judy Garland on screen in a technically sharp sample from his recent Dream Duets album, and later his younger self (a youthful 32 in fact) singing Mandy and the ballad version of Could It Be Magic that had earlier been (supposedly) rejected by his musicians in favour of a somewhat clunky tilt at Take That's disco version.

Read more: In pictures - Barry Manilow pulls out all the stops at the SSE Hydro

There had been more theatre in Bermuda Triangle as two carefully selected audience members helped him and the backing singer act out the narrative, and when the local Ace choir emerged in scarlet surplices to boost the chorus of I Write The Songs and Copacabana. Not that the vocal thousands really needed any help. Hottest spot north of Havana? You better beliebe it.