With little in common but original, iconic lead singers and greatest-hits albums to promote, two historic bands hit the Brighton Centre.

Missing charismatic frontman, Michael Hutchence but introducing new vocalist Jon Stevens, INXS performed an energetic, crowd-pleasing set of classics, including New Sensation, Mystify and a moving rendition of Never Tear Us Apart.

With the band lit in silhouette against a backdrop of Hutchence in black and white for this most powerful of INXS songs, Stevens' note-perfect rendition did it proud and even raised a tear or two in the eyes of some of the faithful INXS fans present.

Michael Hutchence, with all his fabled charisma, was a hard act to follow - imagine, if you will, Blondie without Debbie Harry - but Stevens, poached from the Australian band Noiseworks, made a very impressive effort and, sensibly, stuck firmly to the original tone of the songs.

With your eyes closed, you could almost imagine it was Michael come back to life; Stevens' powerful, soulful voice carried the songs bravely and beautifully.

But if their final song, Suicide Blonde, was meant to introduce the headliners, there was nothing suicidal about Blondie, nor about the mesmerising Deborah Harry.

Looking gorgeous in velvet bloomer shorts and a silky grey corset and spangly top and with her hair a platinum scruff, she led the band into a glorious set of Blondie favourites.

With the sublime Atomic four songs in, she came into her stride and started to look like she was enjoying it almost as much as the crowd.

By Rapture, in which the audience were invited to "do punk rock", she had unleashed a powerful, mature voice, still redolent with the sweet sounds and rock-you attitude of her finest years.

It's easy to be cynical about older bands like INXS and Blondie sending themselves back out on tour for more but it's their job to make music and, looking and sounding as good as they both did last night, made an audience of very assorted ages feel all right.

Review by Claire Rigby, features@theargus.co.uk