"Assalamu Alaikum!", Youssou N'Dour's Muslim peace greeting, was met with a hearty reply from his audience, a wholesome mix of Senegalese expats and world-music fans. They almost filled this new venue in the restructured Millennium Dome and were overjoyed to see him, despite the late start. The exuberance of his opening salvo was unrelenting in a two-hour set that built in energy, but which, musically speaking, unsatisfactorily peaked too soon.

Perched on a stool for the first six-song section he offered a stripped down acoustic set - the best moment of the evening. It developed into a full electric sound that unleashed the talents of his 11-strong Super Etoile de Dakar band and lead guitarist Mamadou "Jimi" Mbaye. "He's called Jimi," N'Dour said, "Why? Because of Hendrix. But he plays like an African!" Big cheer. Huge applause too for a rather pedestrian Seven Seconds, his big international hit with Neneh Cherry, tonight substituted by Djanke Djiba Termessant.

But while he delivered a marvellous version of Birima, he seemed so well rehearsed as to be churning it out.

Maybe things changed for the performance after this one, which reputedly went on until 3am, but here slickness alone couldn't create a standout show.