This was somewhat of a comeback tour for Britain's soul diva, Gabrielle. Having overcome certain personal hardship in the last few years, she has now returned with a number one album and single.
Resplendent in dark satin from top to toe, her hair sleek and shining and a pair of sunglasses in place of her signature eye-patch, she looks a far cry from her Dreams days, when she appeared shy and almost coy. The songs are quintessentially pop with hints of soul and R&B thrown in. The themes of remaining strong in the face of adversity and believing in oneself are the stuff of many an Oprah Winfrey show, with shades of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive; and the predominantly female audience loved it, singing along with every song, often drowning out the singer.
Gabrielle's voice, live, is as you would expect it - rich, sultry, soulful and so deep in places that it melted in with the bass, making it sometimes hard to hear her. As she brought out hit after hit, such as Alone, the Motown Give Me Just A Little More Time, Sunshine and the award-winning Dreams, one realised how successful Gabrielle has actually been. Her latest single, Rise, which has a little help from Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door, was met with almost hysterical screams as she interspersed her version with the original.
By the end of the gig, Gabrielle just chuckled at the "We're not worthy" gestures from those around the stage. She is very good at what she does, but there is a sense that this onetime night-club singer does not take her success for granted. In Independence Day, Gabrielle sings the line "I have found my way" with the earnestness of a convert. One does not doubt it for a moment.