SHE spent much of the 1980s performing as a back-up singer with artists such as George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart.

But on Tuesday night at the MEN Arena, Manchester, Sheryl Crow showed exactly what she was capable of when she played a storming set before thousands of her fans.

It was easy to see why Crow is a nine-time Grammy Award winner -- and why, since the 80s, she has sproduced six multi-platinum albums, including her latest The Very Best of Sheryl Crow.

Last night the singer opened her gig with the brilliant Steve McQueen. And then, over the next couple of hours, she belted out a whole plethora of her greatest hits including the magnificently catchy All I Wanna Do.

Cycling through her set, she belted out one radio-friendly hit after another, in a show that had her estactic fans beaming. But like her US counterpart, Madonna, she couldn't resist a little bit of politics -- with A Change Would Do You Good being dedicated to George W Bush.

But with wonderful songs like Soak Up The Sun, The First Cut Is The Deepest, Everyday Is A Winding Road, and If It Makes You Happy, her fans would have cheered if a song was dedicated to Mr Bean.

The only shame for fans was that she is playing just one date in Manchester.