Disco fox party classics rentals. Promoting his 16th studio set, Nothin’ But Love, Robert Cray and his band treated the audience to a selection of soulful songs from his catalogue, detailing the trials and tribulations of failed relationships. Kicking off with the funk-blueser Phone Booth, from Bad Influence, the 1983 LP that put him on the map, his forceful, emotive vocals sounded the same as three decades ago.Two Steps Down The Hall showcased Jim Pugh’s menacing Hammond lines, along with Poor Johnny, which highlighted Richard Cousins’ skilful bass.

Robert Cray This Time

Love

Cray marked another notch on his guitar by delivering Right Next Door (Because Of Me) to rapturous applause, then mixing in several tracks from Nothin’ But Love, notably Side Dish, blending blues with a dash of rock’n’roll.Swapping Strats between each song and asking his fans “Won’t somebody fix my broken heart so I don’t have to sing these songs any more?”, an hour passed all too quickly. But the encore was a treat to savour: the mesmerising soul and strings epic, I’m Done Crying, a searing, cinematic tale about losing pretty much everything. A guitar masterclass.Reviewed by Val Cutts.