ROUSING a near full house from its sun-drunk stupor is a tall order, lucky then that we were afforded the skill of a blue-eyed soul man as seasoned as Michael McDonald on a sticky Saturday night.

Backed by a slick and technically excellent band, the former Doobie Brother and Steely Dan man rattled through the hits - a granite-solid Sweet Freedom and the easy pop-soul of What A Fool Believes, I Keep Forgettin’ and Minute By Minute all beautifully rendered in McDonald’s oak-aged voice. Much-neglected Brit-soulstress Jaki Graham joined him for a yearning On My Own and while the arthritic funk and guitar histrionics of Yah Mo B (CORR) There tended to overshadow the song’s subtleties, it didn’t trouble the soul savvy audience.

On any other night, McDonald’s set, complete with perfectly-judged Motown medley, would’ve sated even the most discerning soulie, but not this time.

With the possible exception of Solomon Burke, Al Green is the last of the vintage soul superstars and the roar of excitement that greeted his entrance shivered spines before he’d even sung a note.

Offstage, Al’s in a world of his own, but in front of a crowd he’s electric. Preachin’, teachin’, testifyin’, tellin’ like it is, was and ever will be, he’s funny, relaxed, gracious and gloriously eccentric.

The pure falsetto that graced Let’s Stay Together, Tired of Being Alone, L.O.V.E. and Still In Love With You is untainted by age. “You think Al’s still got it?” he asks before effortlessly hitting the spot and strutting, yes strutting, away from the mic. “You wanna take it away from Al, you gotta get them notes,” he boasts.

His band is like an extension of his self – a more fluid, nuanced and well-drilled performance is impossible to imagine (possibly the product of thousand dollar fines for missing a beat!) – and his way with an audience is unimpeachable. Roses for the ladies, lessons for the fellas, Amazing Grace is a model of less-is-more restraint, but he pulls out all the grit for a heavenly tribute to southern soul godhead Otis Redding.

The show visibly consumes Al Green and by the time he staggers off stage at the end of Love & Happiness he’s a husk of a man having given us his all.

What a sweet, sweet treat he blessed us with.