PEARL'S a singer, still.

So too is the artiste who immortalised her in a hit record 20 years ago.

Elkie Brooks, the former Elaine Bookbinder from Salford, is touring venues such as this with her "Pearl's Anniversary" concert.

On the evidence last night both of them will be around for a long time yet.

Elkie Brooks, who is now a youthful but dignified 51, has clearly come some distance since her days as Manchester's answer to Brenda Lee and a subsequent career with Vinegar Joe.

This concert had been sold-out for some time to a mainly middle-aged audience which knew it was going to get a quality set from a quality singer and the opportunity to buy CDs in the interval.

Her powerful, bluesy voice - amplified exquisitely above an excellent four-piece backing band - filled the stage, the auditorium and the heart.

Personally, I preferred the harder-edged material such as Gasoline Alley to some of the more middle-of-the-road offerings like Fool If You Think It's Over.

There was a standing ovation at the end and the strangely diffident Ms Brooks (away from the microphone) seemed genuinely grateful to the support of her first Bolton audience and promised she would return the year after next.

The memorable song which contrasts Pearl's unsuccessful career with that the spellbinding Elkie Brooks went down a storm and so did the classic, emotive blues number which followed.

This was a classy evening from a classy lady and the Albert Halls management, if they have not already done so, should make sure she is re-booked as soon as possible. Alan Calvert

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.