Soulful star Katie warms up crowd

Katie Melua's first Shropshire performance went down a treat with the audience in Shrewsbury Quarry last night.

The award-winning singer from Georgia took to the stage as part of the town's summer season programme and certainly warmed up the crowd.

See our photo gallery below

Luckily, apart from a very light early shower, the rain stayed away and the audience, dressed up against the unseasonable chill, were able to sit back and enjoy the music.

The 22-year-old may not have visited the town before but she is an old-hand at giving audiences what they want and, along with her excellent backing band, sang all of her well-known numbers as well as a few lesser known pieces.

After opening with a soulful melody she moved swiftly through a range of different sounds and tempos showcasing her skills on the piano and guitar, and her voice rang out beautifully around the natural setting of The Quarry.

My favourite was the well-known Closest Thing to Crazy, but other crowd pleasers included Mary Pickford, Sailboat, If the Lights Go Out and Spellbound.

The singer commented on the split in the audience with the "ravers" at the front dancing and calling for more, while the deck-chairs' (as she named the majority of the spectators relaxing at the back) just sat back, tapped their toes and enjoyed the music with a glass of wine.

The performance is part of a six-month world tour which will also take in Canada, Europe and included last month's Glastonbury festival.

Shrewsbury Quarry may not be the biggest date on her schedule but it was a brilliant event for the town, and the audience were left wanting more when she closed the set with Nine Million Bicycles.

And they got what they wanted - an encore performance of two big numbers and then the evocative I Cried For You which saw Katie alone on stage with just her guitar and her voice for company.

It certainly made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was an excellent evening's entertainment rounded off perfectly by a cracking firework display.

By Anna Wood

Katie Melua in concert at the Quarry in Shrewsbury.

Pictures: Simon Williams.

The 22-year-old singer wowed the crowd with her performance.

Enjoying the show - sisters Laura Bennett, 15, and Cerys, 13, from Welshpool.

Zoe Ammonds and Oliver James, from Ditton Priors, at the gig.

Michaela Turner with daughters Grace, 10, and Amber, 16.

Rob Jordan, Jill Edwards and Paul Lawrenson from Oswestry.

Katie Melua swops to guitar.

Katie in the spotlight.

Katie Melua took to the stage as part of Shrewsbury's summer season programme.