As the great man himself tells his fans during tonight's Manchester show, people may never have seen him play or even heard his songs, but mention his name and they'll say 'oh yeah, the blues guy'.

He has toured constantly for over 60 years and could easily rival James Brown for the tag of 'hardest working man in show business'. Each of these five dates on B.B's farewell tour is a monumental night with the greatest living legend in music today.

B.B turned 80 six months ago. ' Now I'm a diabetic, got bad knees, bad back, head ain't too good either' he quips, having just arrived at the front of the stage and played better sat down than most blues guitarists can do standing up. To see him and his beloved guitar Lucille'' up on stage at his age is incredible enough, but even more astonishing is that he has lost none of his musical ability or his razor sharp wit. His warmth and humour make 10,000 people truly feel a part of his family.

At least one of the eight members in his famous blues band IS family, and they back him superbly for just under two hours. The brass section, in particular, enjoys some wonderful moments. Every song is a highlight, starting with 'I need you so bad' right through to the finale. He also speaks at great length of his love for the ladies and has the audience in fits of laughter in the run up to 'Ain't that just like a woman'. Realising he has been speaking for the last ten minutes he jokes "the papers are gonna kill me tomorrow…. 'he talked all night'. In fact, hearing the great man speak is as enjoyable as the music.

Throughout the set, The King's unmistakable guitar sings beautifully. Typically economical, Lucille' never says more than she needs to. 'You are my sunshine' is one of many singalongs. 'Rock me baby' is another great moment as B.B roars the chorus and sparks a scramble when he throws picks to the front row. 'How Blue can you get' and 'Key to the Highway' are sensational, but of course it is the spine-tingling 'The Thrill has Gone' which utterly hypnotises and already awe-struck audience.

'Guess who (loves you)' brings an end to an emotionally charged set as family and long-time cohorts step up to be thanked by a man who is a hero even to those who know him personally. B.B is thanked in kind with a standing ovation. Long live The King.