Trawling through the aftermath of a Six Nations loss in Cardiff proves quite the challenge – but St David’s Hall proves quite the refuge from the hordes of equally inebriated and despondent Welsh rugby fans on the streets, and the piles of fast food accumulating around them. Safely inside we can now relax and get ready to enjoy the rescheduled Cardiff date on Belinda Carlisle’s live Decades tour. 

Originally scheduled for late 2021, 80s pop icon Carlisle has since become a fully-fledged member of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as an original member of The Go-Go’s, but it’s her own career that gets the spotlight on this tour, and as she bounds on stage to (We Want) The Same Thing it’s abundantly clear that this is going to be a night to remember. The crowd have already abandoned their seats and are dancing in the aisles, some more passionately than others.

Carlisle’s distinctive voice shows absolutely no sign of faltering, and she still has the power to hit the notes that make you shiver as she spins and floats, barefoot, from stage left to stage right and back. It’s a career-spanning set, with the odd anecdote thrown in adding to the intimate feel of the evening: an explanation of how her collaboration with George Harrison came about precedes Deep Deep Ocean, the song in question, being rolled out. She leads the crowd through I Get Weak and Circle In The Sand, takes us back to her debut album with Mad About You and offers a surprise dive into her Go-Go’s fame with Our Lips Are Sealed – dedicated to former touring buddy Terry Hall of The Specials, who died just before Christmas.

If ever there was a track in her back catalogue that is built to show off that powerhouse voice of Carlisle’s, though, it’s Leave A Light On. As she belts it out, the Californian songstress seems genuinely happy, surrounded by musicians who prove far more than a mere backing band; she dances between them sharing smiles and little in-jokes, a vibe which seems to be leaping off the stage and into the crowd. The very few people who were sitting just couldn’t help themselves when blockbuster hit Heaven Is A Place On Earth is rolled out; the vocalist looks overwhelmed to have such a crowd backing her on her biggest hit.

A short break sees Carlisle return to the stage for an encore of Runaway Horses and Big Scary Animal, finishing with the anthemic Live Your Life Be Free. The original pop princess and still the best, Belinda Carlisle brings a touch of much-needed California sunshine with her to Cardiff tonight – showcasing the best of a career five decades in the making.

Belinda Carlisle, St David’s Hall, Sat 4 Feb

words CHRIS ANDREWS photos OWIN WONG