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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
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Kitchen W8
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London,
Chris Elwell-Sutton's rating
Reader rating
Description: The trio play pop and R&B from their current album, Change, plus songs from their back catalogue.
Phone: 0870400 0688
Trains: Tube: Wembley Park 
Class act: the originality and diversity of the Sugababes' music sets them apart from throwaway girl bands
On the face of it, the notion of a "Greatest Hits Tour" by the Sugababes may seem like a rather pompous prospect. But if you ignore the fact that they are a trio of pretty girls with a confectionery-based name and concentrate on the facts, it becomes clear that they have more justification for a retrospective than most.
It's not just their five million album sales and two million singles, including four UK number-one hits, that entitle them to feel proud of their body of work, but also the diversity and originality of their music, which sets them far apart from the throwaway girl-band pop with which they might sometimes be mistakenly lumped in.
As they celebrated their achievements with their first ever headline show at Wembley, part of a nationwide arena tour, the fact that the cavernous venue was only three-quarters full didn't mar the atmosphere for the eager fans, many of whom sported pink-cowboy hats and bunny ears.
Complicated stagecraft was never the Sugababes' thing, and despite the spectacular digitised backdrop, it seemed at first as though the Wembley stage was a little too big for the group as they wandered individually to its outermost reaches before shuffling back into a huddle.
But by the time they launched into their 2002 hit, Round Round, both the group and the audience were in the swing of things, the irresistibly head-nodding track enhanced by sassy vocals and cheeky hipshaking from the trio.
Their debut single Overload still sounded fantastic, despite Mutya Buena having been replaced by Amelle Berrabah, leaving Keisha Buchanan as the only founder member, alongside Heidi Range, who joined five years ago. And the hits just kept coming, with Freak Like Me and Caught In A Moment retaining their ability to delight the crowd.
As ever, it was the soulful power of Buchanan's voice that consistently shone most brightly, but their harmonies were spot-on, despite suffering from substandard sound levels that gave them a slightly tinny quality.
Vocally, their finest moment came with the soaring melody of Stronger. Taking the show's atmosphere, without warning, from a party mood to deadly serious territory, the song was accompanied by a montage of images of starving African children.
Despite the good intentions behind these graphics, and the admirable work the group has done for Third World charities, this interlude sat uncomfortably with the rest of the show, as fans waved their glowsticks with a slight air of guilt.
Ultimately, the Sugababes didn't quite do justice to their back catalogue, but they did provide a potent reminder of the enduring quality of the many hits they've delivered over the last eight years.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
