What a great way to kick off a weekend... on Friday evening Owen and I went to the tiny Ondaatje Wing Theatre - trips off the tongue eh? - to see Beverley Knight do a 40 minute acoustic set to tie-in with the Gay Icons exhibition the National Portrait Gallery are now showing. Oh yes, she's a gay icon... you only have to look at her audience!

The OWT only seats 150 so an intimate experience was guaranteed - especially as we were in the middle of third row! Bev appeared with 2 backing vocalists, a guitarist and keyboard player and she looked great in a black silky top and sequinned black trousers. She launched straight into a fierce version of "Made It Back" and away we went...

She sounded and looked great ripping through "Piece of My Heart", "Every Step" and "Beautiful Night" from her forthcoming 100% album, "Gold", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", "Keep This Fire Starting" and finally "Come As You Are".

It was a great atmosphere and Bev proved she was an all-too-human icon when she started shedding tears during "Gold" after dedicating it to her late friend Tyrone and - much to my surprise - Danny la Rue! We were on our feet by the end and she took a photo of us applauding us with her phone so hopefully that will appear on Twitter some time soon!

In a few weeks time she will be playing the ICA and it will be great to see her play a full show again - if See Tickets can be arsed to part with the tickets that is. It will also be my tenth Beverley show so I am buzzin'....