R. Kelly - review

Terrible tease... Kelly r. spreads love at the Hammersmith Apollo, London. Photography: Christie Goodwin/Redferns

This is more than a decade that R. Kelly, King's self-proclaimed of R & B, passed through London last - time enough for his original fans to have grown up and has remained faithful despite the charges of child pornography (which he was acquitted), who has spent six years paw spawn a path in the Court. Fans embedded Lycra and bling of packaging on the first of the two dates UK have one thing in common: rose coloured glasses that transform a speed average 44 years with a small paunch in a prince among men.

"I was just simply too afraid to get on a plane", he said, to explain the gap of 12 years since he last spread the love to the United Kingdom. How did he overcome his fear of flying? Realizing that British women "deserve to see Kells, too." It is therefore here, sipping a cognac and give it what they want. "When you leave my room, you are going to be walking bow-legged," he sings, and they howl. "" "". If you want to return to my hotel, holler, "he suggests, and they duly holler." You can only wonder how room service will face.

Her self-confidence priapic is so complete it is 75 minutes from half - sung songs he gets rarely below a verse and a chorus before going on to day - an absurdly entertaining ensemble. His confidence is the result of a talent that positions him as the Burt Bacharach of R & B: he is a producer and screenwriter masterful, and the point of view of the works which pop melodies and funk rhythms are not opposing forms. The dozen hits he revisits this evening, if retro reek such that when a woman loves (from her new album Love Letter) or as Fiesta and ignition club bangers, incorporate melody and beats in a way that will still be appreciated a decade from nowWhile I Believe I Can Fly treacly ballads is guaranteed years of life as a song for the hearing of American Idol.

The latter requires as much energy to the belt that Kelly has to sit. Until that time, his endurance has been remarkable: he is an artist who rarely move constantly and frequently fires on the flights of a cappella, improvisation, which is of such a company sweat it breaks off the coast of clothing layers. But he is in fine voice tonight, and as a scarf, jacket and sunglasses are discarded side he did not miss a note.

Kelly is a terrible tease and never made good on his promise of all-back-to-mine: after a version bubbling people happy, he left the scene without a Word and the lights turn on. But for a show which is foreplay, it is not bad.