Gig review: Joss Stone in Auckland (+photos)

She sang, she grooved, she drank tea - singer Joss Stone proved she had plenty of soul when she performed in Auckland. Reviewer Tracey Bond checks out the British soul diva.
Taking to the stage barefoot and in a long denim skirt, Joss Stone took her audience on a feel-good ride through her three hit albums.

As she opened with the bluesey Girl They Won't Believe It from her most recent album Introducing Joss Stone, it was pretty obvious this girl is good live. Her voice is rich, sensual and powerful.

Not only can she sing, she really connects with the audience.

And she can think on her toes. As she sipped her cup of tea during the opening bars of Jetlag from her second album Mind, Body & Soul ("I only got up an hour ago", she confessed), she began singing about how she loved her cuppa.

It wasn't until her fourth tune of the evening, Super Duper Love, that the audience heeded her pleas to "get up and dance". First there was one, then there were many dancing in the aisles at Auckland's Aotea Centre - much to the disgust of those seated at the front.

She belted her way through tracks off her third album, including Tell Me What We're Gonna Do, Bruised But Not Broken and Put Your Hands On Me.

Accompanied by three sleek back-up singers, and a bevy of accomplished musicians, one of the highlights of the evening was Fell In Love With A Boy from her first album The Soul Sessions.

"Imagine you're walking on broken glass" she told the crowd as she urged them to sing along.

She left the stage after more than an hour, dedicating Tell Me 'Bout It to "all the blokes in the audience" who needed to say something.

She returned to the stage shortly after in giggles, saying "it's really funny, I knew I was coming back, you knew I was coming back, but I still have to pretend I've tricked you".

She sang her last three songs - Bad Habit, fan request You Had Me and crowd-pleaser Right To Be Wrong - with gusto, before nipping off stage to grab a bunch of flowers which she promptly scattered amongst the audience.

Source: stuff.co.nz