Lisa Stansfield

It’s easy to forget just how successful Lisa Stansfield has been over the past decade with her irresistible brand of groove-laden dance pop. Kicking off her European tour with the first of two sold out nights at The Olympia, the Dublin-based, Lancashire lass managed to slot a hit into every other song in the set-list, along with tracks from Face Up, her first album in four years.

Backed by a punchy eleven-piece band, including brass section and backing singers Stansfield also sported a new lean and sculpted look, apparently the result of a tough fitness regime over the past year and a half.

Like M People or Simply Red, Stansfield’s success lies as much in her broad appeal as in the quality of first rate hip-shakers like, ‘Someday (I’m Coming Back)’, ‘This Is The Right Time’, ‘Change’ and ‘All Around The World’. Her impressive vocals hit the high notes on big ballads such as ‘Didn’t I’ and a funky version of idol Barry White’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’.

The audience, which consisted mainly of 30-something females (handbags optional), responded by getting up out of their seats where they remained for most of this enjoyable if predictable performance.