Tom Jones, Forest Live, Cannock Chase - review

Stepping out on to the stage as the sun began to set on Sunday evening, Tom Jones didn't have to lift a finger for the crowd to fly into hysterics.

For the crowd of 5,000 in attendance for the final leg of this year's Forest Live shows, just seeing a true music icon in the flesh was worth the ticket price.

From there it was a journey through time, with all of the best musical styles of the last 60 years touched on across a two-hour set.

Funk, soul, blues and good old rock and roll were all given the Jones treatment, with that voice bringing character and passion to lyrics of times both good and bad.

The first couple of songs saw Jones' band grow, starting out as a two piece, then three.

By the time Sex Bomb came around, he was backed by eight highly skilled musicians.

All of the big hits have been revamped, which creates an interesting live show.

However, these aren't drastic re-interpretations of the songs that made the 77-year-old icon a household name.

Instead, the likes of Delilah, Leave Your Hat On and Mama Told Me Not to Come have been given a modern polish, befitting of a man who has managed to both move with the times and keep his own timeless style for decades.

Of course, being a host on The Voice has given him a resurgence in popularity, with his protégés Into The Ark, a duo who enjoyed a successful run on this year's series, joining him on stage at the Chase.

For them, the chance to run through Sitting on The Dock of the Bay in such a beautiful setting with a master performer like Jones is undoubtedly an experience they will never forget.

For everyone in the crowd, the evening was one to remember as a whole.

The Tom Jones live experience is a faultless one and the setting could not have been better, with the sound quality crystal clear down the front.

Despite his years, it was the man himself who was pushing his band throughout the set to take it up a notch.

It is hard to comprehend how he can have so much energy but when your job is to sing your favourite songs to thousands of adoring fans every night, that will surely help a little.

He won't be around forever but there is still so much life and music in Tom Jones.

Luckily for us, he has no problems with letting it out for the world to hear.