NIALL HORAN WELCOMES CO-OP LIVE TO THE DINNER PARTY
LIVE REVIEW | NIALL HORAN w/ flowerovlove | CO-OP LIVE, MANCHESTER | 25th September 2026 by Jenna Laband
Niall Horan took to the stage at Co-op Live to perform the 3rd night of the much-anticipated tour of his fourth solo album, The Dinner Party. Following in the footsteps of many of his One Direction bandmates who have toured so far this year, solo singer-songwriter Niall Horan set off on his latest tour in the UK last week, set to continue until mid-2027.
Kicking off the show was support act Floweroflove, a British singer-songwriter who brought us a set of pure nostalgic girly-pop realness. Having just released her 1st album, Mini Skirt Warrior, Joyce Cissé – known as Floweroflove – knew just how to get the crowd going. From fan interaction to choreography, she and her band knew just how to get the party started. At the end of the set, she began throwing free posters into the crowd as she invited fans back to see her on her upcoming tour, a great way to wrap up before the main act.
For his second visit to the renowned arena, Niall turned it out with a brand new, large-scale set design and a completely revamped setlist. As someone fortunate enough to see him both times, it was remarkable how well the two shows complemented one another, whilst also feeling like such different experiences. All of us have had that one family member who questions why we pay to see the same artist over again, but this night was proof that the same artist can bring something different to the table every time.
Switching from flashy curtain reveals, this more intimate-styled gig saw the lights go down and the band enter the stage, playing the opening notes of ‘Tastes So Good’ before Niall emerged onto the stage. Taking the walkway for the first time to sing ‘Heartbreak Weather’, the energy in the room was unmatched, with one of the most lively crowds I’ve ever seen. Yet I don’t think there was anyone more overjoyed than Niall himself as he strutted down the walkway, taking in the crowd in front of him. Addressing the crowd for the first time that night, he told us that “we have a lot of music to play this evening, 10 years of albums worth of stuff”.
The show kicked off with a series of high-energy hits off his latest album, including the title track ‘The Dinner Party’, as he then went on to introduce his fellow bandmates. One by one, each member had their own solo moment as their name appeared in lights along the monitors behind them, a fantastic way for the room to meet those on stage other than Niall and for them to get the recognition they deserve.
Feeding off the energy in the room, Niall regarded how the Manchester crowd always brings 110% to his shows. Endeavouring to keep the energy high, he announced that he had a surprise in store before welcoming Stockport‘s very own Tom Ogden, lead singer of Blossoms, to the stage. Well, you just couldn’t write it: night three of the tour and the first special guest so far – the crowd went crazy. After his warm welcome, Tom and Niall then began their iconic duet of ‘Charlemagne’, with the two of them dancing up and down the stage.
Shortly after, the setlist took us on a more emotional journey as the whole band took to the dinner table for a collection of Niall’s slower tracks. Once the band had taken to the dining table, it was almost as if the 20,000 other people in the room were no longer there. Despite being in the UK’s biggest arena, Niall’s stage set-up made it feel like you were right there next to him – it was definitely the most intimate arena show I have ever been to. The dimly lit setup gave fans an insight into what it’s like behind the scenes with the band, making them feel more connected than ever before.
Bringing the energy back up again, the band then stood up to perform‘On My Own’, a song that fans haven’t heard live since back in 2018. The room transformed, with the upbeat track taking us from the more low-key dining room to the feeling of watching live music in your local Irish bar.
The night was also an emotional one for One Direction fans, with tributes paid to the bandmate Liam Payne. After playing his new track ‘End of an Era’, Niall played a recorded voice note of Payne saying, “We thought something might happen, but never anything like this. I was trying to remind myself of where I come from and where I managed to get to in my life. It’s amazing, really.” It’s safe to say there was not a dry eye in the house after this powerful tribute.
Continuing the One Direction trend, Niall thanked fans for the last 16 years of support before the arena burst into song, with the return of fan favourite ‘Steal My Girl’ to the 1D stars’ setlist. The constant nods to the singer’s music journey did not go unnoticed by fans, with many of them supporting Niall and the band for the whole decade and a half. The beautiful thing was that as one of these fans, I could really see how truly thankful Niall himself was. It’s quite something to see an artist who’s been in the game 16 years express the same sheer gratitude to the crowd as he did when he started. It’s clear to see that he does not take these nights, these crowds, for granted.
With this only being the 3rd night of the world tour so far, there’s still plenty more where that came from! Find tickets to all upcoming dates here!
