Looking stunning in a short black leather skirt, knee-high boots and a black vest, the 41-year-old straps on her guitar and takes to the stage to huge cheers from the crowd who are largely couples in their 30s and 40s.  A few kids dangle off the highest balcony, so it's obvious mum and dad have dragged the poor mites along.

Tonight is a trip down memory lane - one that has been running for 10 years - with Crow strumming her narrative tales to her unique blend of pop/rock with a twang of country.  

Accompanied by two screens projecting movies and images that correspond to a particular song, it's a thought-provoking presentation particularly on the post 9/11 track 'Let's Get Free', where quotes of love and peace from some of the world's leaders and speakers (Martin Luther King Jnr, John Lennon, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln) are beamed onto the canvas.

Lesser well-known songs like 'Leaving Las Vegas' and 'C'mon, C'mon' are mixed with Crow's more vibrant efforts, namely 'Everyday Is A Winding Road', 'Soak Up The Sun', 'My Favorite Mistake' and 'A Change Would Do You Good'.  A surprise twist comes when Ronnie Wood joins Crow and her band for 'If It Makes You Happy', which only serves as a reminder that there is more to Sheryl Crow than 'All I Wanna Do'.  

Live, she is truly understated.  Not once does she put her guitar down, nor does she momentarily vacate the stage for the entire set and throughout, her voice is faultless.  In an industry where accomplished female singers are few and far between, Crow vehemently stands out with the expressive tones of her lyrics and melodies.  But this is an industry that insistently pushes forward women who flaunt their bodies rather than those who can pen a tune or two.  Still, 10 years on and after tonight, here's to another 10 more.  Superb.
(4/5)

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