Live Review: Christopher Cross

If Christopher Cross has any feelings about the lazy ironic coolness of adult-contemporary pop, he doesn't show it on stage.

I mean, when those pesky Millennials make a punchline out of your illustrious career (whenever it may have been) you can either roll with it and have a giggle at yourself (see: Michael Bolton) or get on Twitter like a whiny, entitled sook (see: guy from Smash Mouth.) Cross does neither. One suspects he absolutely gives not a single shit what today's pop-culturists make of his brief, lucrative domination of the early 1980s music industry.

But he also knows his audience, and reassures 600 or so seated, white wine-sipping, bespectacled 50-somethings that he'll play "those songs", before launching into his majestic hit Sailing surprisingly early in the set. It's followed by Never Be The Same, another cut from his classic self-titled debut. In fact, Cross and his crack backing band go on to perform eight of that album's nine tracks (omitting Poor Shirley), interspersed with highlights from later, less well-known releases.

Cross was at ease on stage and a generous performer, despite his reputation for being a reluctant celebrity. He provided ample moments for his impeccable instrumentalists to shine, especially bassist Kevin Reveyrand and saxophonist/keyboardist/clarinettist Andy Suzuki. Cross himself casually strummed the cleanest sounding Stratocaster known to science, but occasionally peeled off an effortlessly melodic and complex solo - this is the guy who once subbed in for Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore, after all.

Say You'll Be Mine and Spinning were given fresh acoustic arrangements but AM soft-rock staple Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) was untampered with, since, for some, that would constitute blasphemy. Backing singers Marcia Ramirez and Stephcynie Curry each had several solo spots, but when it came time for that iconic backing vocal on relative ball-tearer Ride Like The Wind, Cross invited his enraptured audience to help out.

Nobody could have left disappointed: Cross' band were simply astonishing, and played every tune a fan could have wanted. The man himself hinted that the next album might be his last, but it was clear tonight that not yet everyone has forgotten the magic of Christopher Cross.