Craig David

A surreal start heralds Craig David's appearance: the big screens show a clip from Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory of a sweet shop owner and a gang of wide-eyed kids. It makes sense, for the film's 'Candyman' song has undergone a strange metamorphosis into Craig's opening number, the slightly less wholesome (in intent if not in practice) 'Bootyman,' in which the singer styles himself as a purveyor of all manner of delicious treats for the ladeez.

It's a primarily female audience, with a few boyfriends and dads dotted around, and for songs like 'Rendezvous' and 'Seven Days' all the little girls scream disconcertingly along to lyrics about "making love by Wednesday." The prevalence of syrupy ballads in his repertoire is prevented from becoming too cloying by their extension into high tempo remixes, adding a blast of garage and hip hop here and there, as the Southampton lad bounds lithely around the stage showing off his not inconsiderable rapping skills. Craig David all over your ass.

Stepping off after every few songs for apparent refreshment breaks, Craig leaves the backing singers to deliver medleys of the latest chart hits. But he needs to replenish his energy, given the exertion of vigorously shaking his booty while singing at full soul throttle. It's a sophisticated seduction - no need for skimpily-clad dancers or showy stage effects, just faultless vocalising and hip-swivelling from the doe-eyed boy wonder.

The young first-ever-gig virgins betray their ignorance of this business called show by heading for the door at his first "Goodnight, Dublin", without expectations of an encore, but he's back with a cheesily earnest cover of the Human League's 'Only Human' and the new one 'Four Times A Lady,' both of which are a bit too 'cutesy boy band' for comfort. He does a great 'Fill Me In' though, so I can't complain. Craig David's a teeny pop idol with plenty of real talent.