Adele, Alexandra Theatre, BirminghamPerforming on the eve of her 20th birthday, Adele revealed Birmingham was one of her favourite touring locations.

Having admitted to smoking too many cigarettes and supping Earl Grey tea to bring her voice back to normality, last night’s intimate gig was visual and dramatic.

Adele, dressed in knitted long top and skinny black jeans, was backed by a string quartet and full band, her growly voice perfectly suited to a jazz club style scene as we were treated to most of the tracks from debut album 19.

She thanked a couple of members of the audience for signs they’d made for her birthday and was engaging and witty throughout the performance.

The star, who is from the same performing arts school attended by Amy Winehouse, Katie Melua, Leona Lewis and Kate Nash, also performed a number of covers from her favourite artists including Eta James and the Coral’s Dreaming of You but ended on her debut single Chasing Pavements.

It was another small gig for South Londoner Adele, following on from the Glee Club, and next up, she said, is the Academy.

So there’s still chance to catch one of the UK’s brightest talents.

By Lee Perry