The reigning Queen of UK Soul closed The Roundhouse’s ‘In The Round’ series last Saturday night, bringing a full 10-piece band to the proceedings.

Beverley Knight strutted onto the stage while hitting the high and acrobatic opening to her 1998 single ‘Made it Back’. Clad in a sparkly jumpsuit, she raised the audience to their feet and followed with ‘Greatest Day’ and her soul-flavoured take on Robyn’s ‘Keep This Fire Burning’ (featuring a harmonised climax with her backing vocalists).

As always, the vocal stamina and control was splendid – and not compromised by the more stadium feel of the Roundhouse. Knight never scrimps on her audience. The singing was blistering, but nuanced – with Knight often hitting notes in hard tone and cascading down into velvety soft colours. ‘Middle of Love’, from her 2016 album Soulsville, is a modern soul standard which Knight infused with a sexual confidence. The Blackjack Horns also shone on a cover of Ann Peebles’ ‘I Can’t Stand The Rain’.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Memory’ – from the musical Cats which Knight starred in a few years ago – was the clear outlier in a set dominated by soul and funk. Cats is also the outlier in Knight’s musical theatre career, a departure from the soul/R&B/pop musicals she previously led (The Bodyguard, Memphis, Sylvia, and the upcoming Drifters Girl). With just piano accompaniment, and eschewing her usual melismatic inclinations, Knight gave a paced and raw performance.

Making reference to her recent performance on BBC Radio 2, Knight delivered The Rolling Stones’ ‘Satisfaction’ – offering a gospel-inspired interpretation and taking it to church.

(Photography Credit: John Williams)