Ronan Keating is set to bring his Just Getting Started world tour to Westonbirt Arboretum on June 24, 2027, giving audiences a chance to hear songs from across his 30-year career in pop.
The former Boyzone singer will be joined by noughties boyband Blue for the Forest Live show. Keating said the concert would draw on Boyzone classics, solo hits and songs from a new album, creating a bill aimed firmly at fans of 1990s and 2000s pop.
Keating spoke to Stroud Times’ Faye Hatcher from his home in Dubai. The interview was published on October 7, 2026, ahead of a tour he described as a major undertaking and his largest world tour since 2002.
Tour will begin in March
The Just Getting Started tour is due to begin in March, although the supplied announcement does not specify the year. Keating said the scale of the tour was significant because he had not undertaken a world tour of that size since 2002.
The Westonbirt appearance will form one of 11 Forest Live shows. Keating said the title reflected how he currently felt personally, physically and musically. He described himself as fitter, stronger and more positive than before, while also preparing to release an album he has written with Greg Alexander, Dan Healey and his wife, Storm.
Storm Keating came up with the name Just Getting Started, according to the singer. Keating said the new record was “the best record of my career”, while explaining that the title also connected with his approach to reaching the age of 50.
He said the phrase “life begins at 40” had been familiar to earlier generations but that he believed life could begin at 50. For Keating, the milestone represented a greater sense of comfort and confidence in who he was and what he represented. He said his aim was to make people happy through music and give audiences the chance to relax and enjoy themselves.
A return to Westonbirt
The 2027 event will not be Keating’s first performance at Westonbirt. He told Hatcher that he had played at the arboretum with Boyzone about 16 years earlier, remembering friends who lived nearby coming to watch the band.
He described Westonbirt as “a great venue” and “very special”. He also said he hoped the weather would be good for the return visit. The show is outside Stroud itself, but the interview has a direct local connection through Stroud Times and its discussion of the town’s music community.
Blue will join Keating on stage. He said he was excited to have the group on the bill, describing them as “a great bunch of lads” and their songs as “epic”. Keating said he would perform 1990s boyband hits while Blue brought their noughties material, promising a “poptastic night” for fans.
Preparing for the shows
Keating said he had been going to the gym almost every day for the previous six months as he prepared for the demands of the tour. He also spoke openly about his decision to take a break from alcohol.
He said it was the longest period he had ever spent away from alcohol and that the decision had been conscious. In the interview, Keating explained that he felt he had been relying on it too much, particularly after his brother was killed three years earlier.
He said stepping away was a decision made for his mental and physical health. Keating did not say that he would never drink again, but said he would not lean on alcohol in the same way as before.
Performing itself, he said, did not produce the same anxiety. Singing was “the most normal thing for me”, comparable to breathing after doing it since the age of 16. He said he enjoyed the natural energy created by live performances.
Using music to support cancer awareness
The conversation also examined the responsibilities Keating believes musicians have when they are given a public platform. Asked about environmental, social and political activism, he said people should be passionate about protecting others and doing what is right.
His own campaigning has been shaped by personal loss. Keating said his mother died from breast cancer at the age of 51, when he was 20. He described the effect of her death as devastating and said he had used his energy and public voice to help people understand cancer and the importance of early detection.
Keating said early detection was the best chance of survival and that the work connected with his campaigning had gone on to raise millions for charity. He said people had a voice and should use it in whatever form reflected the causes they cared about.
Advice for musicians in Stroud
Keating was also asked about the aspiring musicians who live in Stroud. His advice was to build a reliable support network, stay focused on the craft and find someone who could help open the next door.
He said having people around who could protect and guide an emerging performer was important. Social media, he added, had created so much noise that being discovered and heard could be harder than people might expect, despite the apparent reach of online platforms.
His message was to be honest about what a musician does well and to find a champion who can help them reach the level they want. Keating referred to advice he gives through his experience on The Voice, while stressing the importance of remaining true to the work.
Ticket information
Tickets are due to go on general sale at 10am on Friday 25 September. The source does not state the year for that ticket-sale date, so prospective visitors should check the latest information before making arrangements.
Fans can sign up at forestlive.com for information, announcements and exclusive pre-sale access. The Westonbirt date is June 24, 2027, with Blue scheduled to join Keating for the Forest Live performance.