On Saturday Owen and I were in the right place for a blast of 60s joy - Islington to be precise.

Ronnie Spector was finally playing London to promote her LAST OF THE ROCK STARS album. I ain't going to say this was a bit delayed but the album has a 2006 date! But better late than never.

I must say I have never been a huge Ronettes fan per se.
I think this is possibly because, unlike the Motown girl groups, there has never been much available from their back catalogue. At any time the most that's been available is a "Best Of" - and even that isn't available at present. I presume this is due to the ongoing battle with the mad, bad and dangerous to know ex-husband. But their songs of teens either desperate to be in love or desperately out of love have always resonated with a particular magic.

Their was a bit of a generational thing happening at the Islington Academy. It wasn't exactly sold out either but that at least gave us space to frug and Owen didn't feel too troubled by crowds pressing near his still-recovering back.

Ronnie looked fierce - a huge mane of hair and a loose black shirt which was later unbuttoned to reveal a well-filled black bustier! She apologised early for having a painful leg so she sat down between songs but was up and at 'em during the numbers, tossing curves and hair like it was 1963 all over again. The occasional stray note can definately be forgiven.

She seemed to be unaware that her last album was actually available and in fact only did two songs from it - "There Is An End" and her cover of Johnny Thunders' "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory". She also paid tribute to Frankie Lymon who was an early influence on her with a doo-wop song. She mentioned how she sees her influence in Amy Winehouse's hair and sang a Ronettes-styled "Back To Black" which morphed into a glorious "You Baby". She also sang the song George Harrison wrote for her in 1971 "Try Some, Buy Some" and the classic "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" written for her by Billy Joel.

But primarily it was an avalanche of glorious pop as those classics just kept on coming: "Baby I Love You", "Is This What I Get For Loving You Baby", "So Young", "The Best Part of Breakin' Up...", "I Wonder", "I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine", "Do I Love You?", "I Can Hear Music", "Be My Baby" and "Walking In The Rain".

I must admit when she launched into the last one I found I had been moved to happy tears - there are some songs you just never expect to hear sung by the singer who sang them and these were among them.

To hear her sing those wide-eyed love songs that she immortalised at 20 after 45 years of ups and downs and proof that there are not always happy ever afters was a genuinely moving experience.