Marc Almond - Leeds Town Hall

It is a long time since Marc Almond went to college in Leeds and was also the cloakroom attendant at the Warehouse.

"It's great to be back in one of my favourite venues in one of my favourite cities" he greets the Leeds audience. With Almond he never does things by halves and there is no letting up on stage.

He has 5 backing singers, a 5 piece string section as well as an 8 piece band with him, which lends lush arrangements to his melodic, dramatic songs.

Musical director Tom Curran stepped in at the last moment and did a brilliant job.

There is a nod to the great songwriters of the 1960's such as Burt Bacharach and even Tony Hatch, the opening track Shadows and Reflections typifies that superbly.

"Most of my songs are quite depressing but with a catchy beat" he offers.

The cover of the David McWilliams song, The Says of Pearly Spencer sounds magnificent with the musicians assembled on stage; likewise the Dusty Springfield track, It's The Way You Make Me Feel.

He rearranged an old Russian song, The Sun Will Rise and gave it a new lyric which worked well with his soulful vocal.

The mannerisms, arms reaching out and facial expressions are all as you remember. If this was a home coming gig then the fans certainly made him feel welcome.

Predictably the audience were up on their feet for the old Soft Cell tracks like Torch. He drops a northern soul classic, Gonna Find Myself a Party which includes a snippet of Tainted Love.

As the fans welcome him back for Say Hello, Wave Goodbye it had been a memorable night from one of pop music's endearing artists.