When Paul Weller ended his main set with Start the Brighton Centre erupted with a fervour most artists can only dream of.

It must take some guts, with that power in the back catalogue, not to turn a two-hour live show into a greatest hits set.

But as Weller proved when he broke up his former band on the very same stage back in 1982 he has always felt enslaved to his muse rather than the desires of his audience.

So he focused on recent material, occasional Style Council hits, the odd 1990s single and, aside from Start and encore Town Called Malice, The Jam’s deep album cuts.

It would be hard to find another artist still working today who had explored gritty R&B, soulful jazz, psychedelia, and even dance beats on the Sonik Kicks album.

But his muse is still producing some greats – such as the fast tempo changes and McCartney-esque piano on Going My Way from latest Saturns Pattern.

The only mis-steps came when Weller tried to be tender – the lazy groove of These City Streets and sugary closing song Be Happy Children didn’t suit him.

And perhaps choosing 2014 Mercury Music Prize winners Young Fathers to open the show was testing his audience a little too far – the majority could be found cowering in the bar trying to avoid the righteous energetic vocal assault.

Four stars