Centre front row and seated at a table with Mrs B and drinks as Gladys, billed as The Empress of Soul, sashayed out to join her ace 11-piece band. The sight of 6 backing singers might have given reason for concern that they were there to paper over the cracks and do the heavy lifting, but there was zero to fear for this was an effortless performance which showed Gladys’s pipes in full and smooth working order. Polished, poised, professional, without hiccup or hiatus – even her brother, ex-Pip, Bubba Knight’s mid-set James Brown revue interlude offered more than just an excuse for Glad to nip off and change her frock. From ‘Grapevine’ to ‘Best Thing’ by way of ‘I’ve Got To Use My Imagination’ (she shared the surprise she felt when she went to see Forrest Gump and found herself on the soundtrack ) a gospel medley gave way to the inevitable ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ during which she showed her commitment by joining in, off mic, with the backing vocals.