Review: Rihanna, LG Arena, Birmingham

The dancing skills of an audience member dressed in blue - fair play to you whoever you were - and a series of Mexican waves had kept everyone occupied until the headline singer began her act at 9.30pm - an hour later than scheduled.

But it says something for Rihanna's talent and popularity that she was met by banshee-like screams of excitement rather than boos of frustration when she did eventually emerge.

Fans kept their arms in the air, fingers poised on their camera shutters as the singer was revealed kneeling on the stage in a black cloak.

Unsurprisingly, it didn't stay on for a long.

Within moments it had been thrown to the floor to reveal hot pants more typical of her preferred attire.

"Birmingham what's up?" asked the singer, who was flaunting blonde curly hair.

"Do you all remember me being here before? I remember being here but I can't remember you being this crazy. What happened?" Actually there was some, ahem, colourful language thrown in too but you get the gist.

This was an electric gig. Fans on their feet from the beginning, dancing in the aisles and bucket loads of sex appeal.

There was however one moment of controversy when at one point she was walking next to the crowd when a fan appeared to try and grab her. She pushed him back with her microphone and the show was back on track.

David Lumb

Did you leave the Rihanna gig early? Contact us at newsdesk@expressandstar.co.uk.