Belinda Carlisle at the Jazz Cafe

Last night we went to see Belinda Carlisle at the Jazz Cafe up in Camden, a small and rather odd venue for someone of Ms Carlisle's stature, but, after she cancelled a show at the Shaw Theatre a few years ago, I'd be happy to see her anywhere. Or so I thought.

Belinda came on shortly after 9pm, bedecked in black jumper and trousers, flawless skin and silky hair - she's always had good hair and cheekbones - and a great pop voice. She was backed by a small band of two acoustic guitars, piano and percussion, so no big guitar riffs or pounding drums tonight and, you know what? It worked. They made a great sound and just right for the confines of the Jazz Caff, removing the big '80s sound from the records and giving us a slightly stripped back version that amply demonstrated what great songs Belinda has in her back catalogue.

We were treated to a one and a half hours worth of greatest hits with Belinda singing virtually everything you could want her to, including a couple of Go-Gos classics ('Our Lips Are Sealed' and 'Vacation') and two songs from her latest French album. The rest were pure gold. 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth', 'La Luna', 'Circle In The Sand', 'Runaway Horses' and the rest. My favourites were 'Live Your Life Be Free', 'Summer Rain' and the mighty 'Big Scary Animal'.

Belinda has a great stage presence, not quite aloof, but far from gushing. I loved it when with a short 'Sshh' she shushed some rowdies at the back inbetween songs. Sparse of words but when she spoke she said something worth listening to, not just mouthing platitudes to the audience. She said she's on tour with the Go-Gos for one last time in America over the summer and invited us over. She played a great set and received a rapturous applause. I'd love to see her again, but a bigger venue would be better.

The problem with the Jazz Cafe is it's size and it's name - it's quite small and there's nothing to do downstairs while you wait except gradually get more confined to one spot as people pour in and the loudspeakers play the dullest ball-less "smooth jazz" you could ever want to miss. It's endless and relentless. For a venue that hosts more '80s nights than you can shake a stick at you'd think it would get some '80s music out to celebrate the gig of one of the brightest stars of the late '80s. But no. I was jazzed to within an inch of my sanity. And standing in a confined space with little space to even shuffle my feet made my back ache. Almost every time I've been there in the past we've sat upstairs in the restaurant balcony and when I go back it will be upstairs again or not at all.