Live Review: Alicia Keys, John Legend

It's rare that you get a more fitting touring duo than tonight's R&B contemporary soul-stars. While the two are now bonafide veterans of the pop landscape, there are somewhat refreshingly few bells and whistles to tonight's proceedings – what's delivered is seasoned full live backing bands and notably glorious backing singers (mental note: there are always new dance moves to learn).

John Legend immaculately croons through his hour-long set, with a great deal of songs about love, falling in love, making sweet, sweet love and subsequently cheating on love and not being in love anymore. Ordinary People is a particular stand-out – only the top-shelf R&B stars know how to make the nasty stuff sound heartbreakingly lovely. The hits flow freely with Used To Love U, Number One and Lifted all making appearances, a striking stripped back cover of Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark changing up the middle of the set. While Legend doesn't put a vocal note wrong all evening, it does feel like the warmth is being somewhat sucked into the ether of the large-scale room. However, his closing performance of recent Australian number one, All Of Me, seems to encapsulate his highest level of emotion, perhaps reflecting his 'just married' glow – it's just what the ether ordered.

Extra platforms, smoke, lights and the epic intro of Empire State Of Mind announce the arrival of tonight's main event. Facing up-stage, striking a statuesque pose which is held for a decent amount of booty-admiring time, Alicia Keys adorns the stage, immediately demanding our attention. Karma holds as just as much bite as it did ten years ago, while You Don't Know My Name recalls a re-enchantment of the utterly charming monologue that made it pop perfection. Key's smouldering back-up dancers get a little racy on new track, Listen To Your Heart, but it's the likes of A Woman's Worth, Fallin' and If I Ain't Got You that are genuine show-stoppers and modern classics.

While still delivering a solid amount of slow numbers, the new tracks are also spiked with island flavour which interestingly sees Alicia join the dancers and even bust out a drumbeat at one point. But it's Keys' relaxed nature that seems to somewhat sanction her from the celebrity bustle. Delivering a constant stream of positive mantras throughout the show, it's a little like an Oprah/Diana Ross mash-up, but we could do a lot worse – Dr Phil/Timberlake anyone? Thought not.  

A fully fledged version of Empire State Of Mind provides a final encore, with Keys gliding across the stage in a dazzling full-length purple gown, accompanied by giant Jay Z and sending her final praises for the evening.