The Oxford Mail's KATHERINE MacALISTER finds superstar Tom is as brilliant as ever...

It's called the Tom Jones Experience and now I understand why. Love him or hate him, the Welsh legend is one of the all-time great performers.

The fact that he's still around after 30 years in the spotlight, that his concerts sell out in days, and that hordes of women are reduced to screaming wrecks by his pelvis, proved he has still got what it takes.

The audience witnessed a superstar in action. No wonder the £25 tickets were like gold dust.

When we arrived, The Apollo oozed a palpable air of excitement and we knew we were in for something special. When the lights dimmed, and Tom finally strode on to stage in a natty suit, he was electric.

His voice, his persona, that familiar cheeky grin, his way with the crowd - all added to the performance.

I'm told by those in the know that the Oxford audience is fairly conservative when compared with our northern cousins, but Tom played the crowd, building them up with hits old and new - foot-tapping numbers and favourite love songs.

But it was in the second half that he came into his own. When In The Midnight Hour began the crowd rushed to the front and everyone else stood up in their seats and joined in. The songs kept coming and it was more like being in a blues and jazz bar than a theatre.

And the best thing was that old Tom was really enjoying himself. Stretching both his vocal chords and his trousers, he did his thing.

Knickers continually rained down on to the stage, women wept, screams erupted at the beginning of every hit.

His version of Walking in Memphis astounded me. It was followed by Thunderball, and The Full Monty's final track. This man has made history and he sang it to us. The final climax was Kiss.

I wasn't a fan on arrival, but by the end of the concert I was up and dancing with the rest of them.

And before you conjure up images of blue rinses swaying gently, think again.

Young trendies and rugger buggers mixed with the die hard fans.

I'm a proud convert. Tom Jones has to be experienced to be believed. Next time, go. But you had better be quick, because thousands of others have already caught on - and who knows how much longer the legend will be belting it out?

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