No-one was as pleased as Vonda to be in a wet, windy seaside town on a Saturday evening.

No-one, that is, apart from the 200-strong audience who had thronged there to see the legendary singer, who from the first rich notes of I Just Don’t proved herself much greater than the voice behind the soundtrack of Ally McBeal.

Vonda’s love of her craft was contagious as she beamed her way through a set of pure gold.

Her powerfully pure high notes, backed up by her fluent keyboard playing and an expert duo of bass and electric guitars, combined to hit a sweet spot just above the ceiling.

The self-penned Another January – pensive and beautifully executed with a great guitar solo in its heart – and the jazzy Sweet Inspiration confirmed Vonda as a great artist, whose light shines brightest outside the recording studio.

Five stars