“Dance with me everybody,” implored lead singer and one-man dance troupe Aliou Toure.

He was smiling. So were the rest of Songhoy Blues – and all those rammed into Brighton’s sold-out seafront venue, who willingly heeded his plea.

Toure smiled wider and his extraordinary moves – a double shoulder thrust, a pelvic thrust and a lot more – became even more extraordinary as he fed off the crowd.

Everyone on and off stage was totally caught in the moment. Truly lost in music.

The dancing, the singing, the crowd participation, the ‘desert rhythm and blues’ fusion of songs (such as hit Soubour), the phenomenal flowing Hendrix-esque lead guitar of Garba Toure, the gliding bass of Oumar Toure and the solid backbeat of drummer Nathanael Dembele were the elements.

But music is at its most potent when everything it possesses coalesces into bliss. When endorphins rush through your body and joy is unconfined. That’s how I felt.

“We’re doing this for you, Brighton,” the singer informed us. We were grateful.

And what added to the experience was knowing the back story, which tells of four exiled musicians who got together in south Mali after the regime which took over their native north wanted to ban music.

And all those at this ‘I was there’ evening were rather pleased they did as Songhoy Blues spread their muse to this corner of England.

Support Blaenavon, three Hampshire teenagers, attracted a big crowd and entertained with their thoughtful indie rock.

Five stars