Smokey Robinson's sublime voice, sometimes bordering on falsetto, soared around the auditorium, entrancing the sell-out crowd, all of whom had come to hear a true legend and master of his craft.
Starting with the first song Going To A Go-Go', we went on a trip through his career.
One place we called at was Temptation-ville, where Smokey performed some of the numbers he had written for his Motown label-mates; most notably Get Ready' and My Girl'.
Along the way, he involved the audience, even holding one girls' hand as he sang to her.
Not all the songs were as we had originally heard them all those years ago.
Some had been given new arrangements and the jazz aspect of his music became apparent in the section where he performed tracks from his new covers album Timeless Love'; here he mainly dispensed with his backing band, which included some local musicians, and sang with a pared-down band.
Songs like Fly Me To The Moon' and Night And Day' were given a new lease of life by this assured performer.
Smokey poked some good-natured fun at Stevie Wonder just before singing the song they had co-written, Tears Of A Clown'.
He said that Stevie had once offered a lift home which he declined as Stevie "drives way too fast!"
Being With You' followed, and "songs about love" before he paid tribute to his long-standing guitarist and co-writer Marvin Tarplin and sang the classic Tracks Of My Tears'; which naturally resulted in a complete standing ovation.
The voice is magic, the songs perfect. Smokey Robinson is THE artist!
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