From the moment he bounds onstage at the Marquee, it is obvious that Al Green is not just happy, but ecstatic to be here.
Throwing armfuls of roses into the crowd, he tells us that he loves Cork; loves Ireland; and above all, loves us, and his positive energy is utterly infectious.
At his bidding the enraptured crowd rise to greet him, arms outstretched, ready to embrace the High Priest of Soul. His opening number – and set highlight – 'I Can’t Stop' sums up the man himself – he leaps across the stage with the energy of a singer half his age, constantly reaches out to his fans (“I just want to touch your hand”) and berates the “po-lice” for stopping the audience from joining him onstage.
With colossal diamond cross and rings glinting, he cuts a charismatic and unforgettable figure as he guides us on a journey through some of the world’s finest soul songs and beyond, lending his trademark falsetto wail to hits like 'Tired Of Being Alone' and 'Let’s Stay Together', and doing a unique version of 'Amazing Grace'.
Flanked for most of his tracks by two energetic male dancers, and with 11 other band members supporting him, each song sounds as fresh as it must have 30 years ago.
When he tells us he’s moving on to play Dublin the next night and gets a chorus of boos in reply, he coins what could be the Marquee’s catchphrase: “Dublin’s alright – but we in Cork tonight!” Praise the Lord!