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Boogie-woogie piano maestro Jools Holland hits the stage at the bi-annual London Motor Show's Music Festival to a burning-hot reception from the crowd, who stood waiting patiently for their senses to be overwhelmed with life-affirming sounds. First up on stage with Jools and his big band was Northern prodigy Louise Marshall, who has already been all over the word with artists such as Beverly Knight, Marti Pellow, Michael Ball, Russell Watson, Bryan Ferry, Karl Jenkins, Paul Weller and Robbie Williams. The newest member of the Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues band, she added a distinctive charisma and talent with her warm and sultry vocals. And then there was... Ruby Turner, who has a voice and presence so big it's surprising the stage was big enough. Often likened to the likes of likes of Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin, her soulful vocals hit the heights and soared the lows – and she's just completed a successful run in 'Simply Heavenly' in the West End after selling out The Young Vic.
And then – Jool's final guest, and everyone's favourite present day torch singer Marc Almond graces the stage. And he kicks off with "Say, Hello, Wave Goodbye", a sixties classic he's made his own since the early 80s days of Soft Cell. At this point the crowd interactics really come into their own, Almond does seem to have extra-sensitive ears to certain crowd members' singalong antics, and obviously feeds off the waves of love and enthusiasm. "Tainted Love" of course gets an outing, that familiar 'dink dink' that he once claimed would compel him to 'cut his own throat if he heard that again' has served him well. Even though Marilyn Manson has covered it and the likes of Rihanna have swiped the 'dink', the sound is still indisputably Almond's. His love of the French sanson was the drive behind Tenement Symphony, his 1991 tribute to Jacques Brel and his passion for the great singers of the Fifties and Sixties was the inspiration for his first studio album 'Stardom Road' since his nearly fatal motorcycle accident in 2004. Oh, and of course he cuts a handsome dash in a simple black suit, and those Egyptian cat eyes are still as enigmatic... Anyway, as ever a shining light in an ocean of darkness, Almond has firmly made it into Jools' circle of friends, and there's few more deserving than the title of 'pop legend', really.
A standing ovation then. Hurrah!
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