Imelda May, Ipswich Regent, Thursday, May 4

It all began in a very mellow mood but climaxed to a crescendo by the end of the show.

She waltzed on stage with the lights dimmed to sit on a chair to just say “Hi’ to the audience and deliver her first ballad of the night.

But by the end of the evening her adoring fans were on their feet clapping and stamping their feet to the remarkable and talented Imelda May.

She kicked off her UK, Ireland and North American tour at the Regent with a raucous and sublime seven-piece band in tow and delighted a near sell out audience with her 90-minute show which featured many songs from her new album Life Love Flesh and Blood, which was released in April.

The Irish songstress has found a new groove, exploring blues, soul, gospel, folk, rock, sensitive acoustica, cinematic drama and explosive ballads in what for her is a most personal and intimately autobiographical set of songs she has ever written.

She featured Call Me, When It’s My Time, Human, Sixth Sense, Bad Habit, the haunting Black Tears, Should’ve Been You, Levitate, Leave Me Lonely and The Girl I Used To Be from the new album but also threw in some tracks from her other albums including Bad Bad Handsome Man from Love Tattoo and the title track from her Mayhem album.

She was supported on the gig by her fellow Irish singer Jack Lukeman who came on stage with just his guitar and managed to produce a rare spectacle by getting the Regent audience on their feet joining in with his songs.

Read entertainment writer Wayne Savage’s chat with her here.

Russell Cook