As Sophie Ellis Bextor’s first show in Oxford for over five years has the misfortune to coincide with the snow, it leaves her gig with a less than brilliant turnout. However, it seems odd that she would play the top room of the O2 Academy anyway.

The main reason for this is that Bextor hasn’t toured in a good while and hasn’t exactly been prolific in realising new material either. Her last album, Trip The Light Fantastic, came in 2007 and she’s since given birth to her second child.

Four years might seem like next to nothing for Muse or The Rolling Stones, but in chart pop terms that pretty much makes her J.D. Salinger. Still, she’s back now and, oddly enough, she’s starting over again the way she began her career in 2000, by guesting on a dance track.

Back then, she contributed vocals to Italian DJ Spiller’s single Groovejet and shot to fame when the track denied Victoria Beckham her only solo number one.

Bextor chose to do the same earlier this year, guesting on the Freemason’s new single Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer).

Her set tonight spans the whole of her career, with 75 minutes worth of shimmering disco pop with her trademark icily well spoken vocals.

Beginning with Dial My Number, she keeps a high tempo throughout her show, only slowing down briefly to perform Today The Sun’s On Us and a surprisingly faithful cover of Arcade Fire’s Rebellion (Lies).

Other than that, the set consists of colourful pop songs that have been marinated in glitter: Get Over You, her cover of Cher’s Take Me Home and the closing Murder on the Dancefloor.

Whether the crowds were kept away by the weather or because Sophie Ellis Bextor has fallen off their radar, they’ll be back. Her new material matches up to the sparkly quality of the old. She’s well and truly back.