REVIEW: Texas star Sharleen sparkles like a teenager in Sheffield

The audience adored the Glaswegian front woman Sharleen Spiteri and it was clear the feeling was mutual.

“You can’t understand how much love we have towards you, and we can feel it from you”, she said.

Watching Spiteri was as if she had burst out of a time machine moments before the concert. After raising a child, who is now a teenager, she seems every bit the rock star as she was when Texas were touring with their debut album, Southside, in 1989.

As Sharleen said herself: “It’s amazing to be standing here together over 30 years later doing sold-out tours.”

People were already singing by the time they played the second song, Let’s Work It Out, one of the more popular songs from her new album, Jump on Board.

She need not brag about her new album as it speaks for itself or, rather, the audience knowing all the lyrics says it certainly struck the right chords with fans.

Spiteri and the band whirled through the set list, taking the audience on a journey from her older songs and bringing in newer material, which reminded crowds of just how many hits they have. From the Eighties’ giant I Don’t Want a Lover to the irresistible Say What You Want and the equally catchy Summer Son to her recent The Conversation, it is a catalog that has something for everyone.

In between dancing around the entire stage singing her heart out, the 49-year-old told hilarious stories of the band and interacted with the crowd almost as though it was a stand-up comedy gig.

Phone sex tales, taking the foil off a can of beer for a member of the audience, and casually drinking cough medicine ensured there was never a dull moment.

“We couldn’t write the songs without the stories and having seen some of the stuff that goes on,” Sharleen said.

But it was not all party-tunes and wit; in a glorious moment Sharleen sat down at the piano and out came a cover of Al Green’s soulful Tired of Being Alone which was as smooth as butter.

It was an entertaining night with a mix of good music, great banter and a spark of story-telling.