For an old crooner, Tony Christie certainly has some Sheffield steel at his disposal. He’s actually from near Doncaster but has long had associations with the city. His new album, Made In Sheffield, features famous local songwriters and was co-produced by Richard Hawley.

Like some of this audience, he is a pensioner. As such, his need for a lectern with lyrics was forgivable.

A former cabaret singer who first became a star briefly in the Seventies, he was laid-back as he talked about his 40th wedding anniversary and the football score, but could summon up an uncommonly powerful croon during the well-chosen covers.
On Pulp’s Born To Cry, he was a Yorkshire Roy Orbison, while his band provided bombastic guitars. In contrast, one of his new songs resembled George Formby.

There was also a retro feel in the arrangements even for Arctic Monkeys’ Only Ones Who Know. But the songwriting was generally timeless, especially on the Human League’s Louise, and Christie’s keening vocal made it a highlight.

He was visibly more relaxed on Seventies hit Avenues and Alleyways, probably because he could remember the lyrics. Yet even that lectern couldn’t distract from his thunderous, controlled singing on Danger is a Woman in Love.

Some may have been waiting for the over-familiar (Is this the Way to) Amarillo but Christie wisely left it out. If he could now recruit some of those star songwriters, he’d have a potentially spectacular show.