In what is probably the best and most sophisticated venue in Ireland for soul and R&B acts, Shola Ama proved that there is life after a Brit Award. Following her Best Female Artist gong of two years ago, London-born Ama produced a fine debut album, Much Love.
Despite her successes, her most recent album, In Return, was a shallow, formulaic collection bereft of the ideas and verve that made her debut such a success. In a live context, mixing hit singles with a proud attitude (and under the banner of the venue's Friday night R&B Spectaculars), it's a completely different story.
Gone are In Return's bland synthesised beats and soulless harmonies. In their place is a souped-up pop/funk band that play hard and soft as required, the type of musicians who will never be out of job.
The band provide a virtually seamless groove for Ama herself, who in benign diva mould is assertive, streetwise, confident and secure. The hits (Who's Loving My Baby, You're The One I Love, Still Believe and her signature tune, despite it being a cover version, You Might Need Somebody) come in a pleasurable stream.
Ama's musical background is Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and other female exponents of smooth soul. Ideal for late-night, slightly-lubricated listening, she left the crowd hungry for more after a paltry 45-minute set. Still, classy soul at any duration is hard to find these days, so let's be thankful for small mercies.
