What a magnificent entrance. Amid a fanfare of horns, Al Green swept on to the stage with a presidential flourish, and began distributing red roses to the front row. Local florists have been struggling to meet demand for these blooms wherever Green’s tour has rolled into town, and at the Albert Hall the crowd responded with an equally lavish outpouring of goodwill. The love was thus already flowing freely in all directions as Green took off with the silky funk groove of I Can’t Stop and then swept into the ultimate romantic proposition of his 1974 hit Let’s Get Married.

The last of the great Southern soul men, Green, who scored a string of international hits in the 1970s, was feared lost to the world of secular music after he was ordained as a pastor in 1976 and began dedicating himself almost exclusively to the performance of gospel music. But a gradual return to rhythm and blues in recent years has brought about an unexpected renaissance.

His latest album, Lay It Down, featuring guest contributions from contemporary stars including John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae, has updated the classic 1970s Hi Records sound created by Green and his producer Willie Mitchell, with spectacular results. The singer, now 62, seemed reinvigorated as he performed several new songs such as the album’s title track and Stay With Me (by the Sea), accompanied by a superlative band of musicians from his Memphis home town, including his daughter Deborah Green on backing vocals.

During the slow ballad How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? Green threw off his jacket and fell to his knees as his still uniquely soulful voice soared into a rich falsetto. His banter between songs mixed the persona of the showman with that of the Southern preacher as he talked about the love of God and led the audience through a verse or two of Amazing Grace. When he jumped from the stage, he was greeted by an extraordinary procession of female fans, all eager to kiss and hug him.

A medley of old favourites by other acts such as the Four Tops, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and the Temptations was a bit of a cabaret touch, but the final run of Tired of Being Alone, I’m Still in Love With You and Love and Happiness was pure gold.

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