David Essex said on stage this show was a "bonding of the generations" and he was right.

Middle-aged ladies reliving their teenage years mingled with the youth of today who weren't even born when the stars of the night were in their heyday.

But this was one special night at the Brighton Centre. Four acts who were household names more than 30 years ago descended on Brighton as part of their Once In A Lifetime Tour and how the packed house loved them.

The show opened with Les McKeown's Seventies Bay City Rollers. Minus his trademark tartan he set the scene for what was to come - an evening of nostalgia and enjoyment.

The second act before the interval was The Osmonds.

When they first bounced on stage I had a problem. I found it difficult to equate these portly gentlemen with receding hair to the fresh faced young boys who had delighted me in my youth.

But their voices were as good as ever and although Little Jimmy Osmond has grown up, when he sang Long Haired Lover from Liverpool to the accompaniment of large beach balls flying through the audience we were back in the Seventies.

After the interval we had the two Davids - Essex and Cassidy. David Essex came first looking good and sounding great. His unique voice that I have loved ever since I saw him playing Che in Evita, is still there. When he sang What A Circus from the show it was as if time stood still.

His own song Hold Me Close got a standing ovation, but all too soon he had to leave the stage.

Top of the bill was David Cassidy, who, of all the acts, had perhaps not worn so well as the rest. Although his voice is still there it wasn't as consistently good as the rest.

But his finale ensured his act finished on a real high. He called Jimmy Osmond and his son Lance on stage to sing a couple of songs with him and it brought the house down when Jimmy and David launched into Puppy Love.

It was the chubby Osmonds who stole the hearts of the audience.