Bobby Womack, HMV Forum, London

“I was a kid one time,” Bobby Womack laughs. Now 68 he is sharing his history on stage tonight, a history that has included surviving colon cancer, his child’s suicide and drug addiction. In his rich, soulful, slightly cracked voice you can seemingly hear all of that. This is encapsulated when he performs a version of Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, with his daughter: it’s amazing he’s still standing.

Tonight’s show is a gig of two halves and sees the soul legend essentially supporting himself. The first half is more subdued, with just four people on stage focusing to recreate his outstanding recent ‘The Bravest Man In The Universe’ record. In the second half there’s more: three times more people on the stage. This means more saxophone, more showmanship, more good times and less introspection.

At times this works brilliantly - ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ is a high point, as is the opener ‘Across 110th Street’, the song that was revitalised by Jackie Brown. ‘That’s The Way I Feel About Cha’ is also a hand swaying crowd-pleaser. However elsewhere, time seems to drag. ‘If You Think You’re Lonely Now’ and ‘I Wish You Didn’t Trust Me So Much’ overstay their welcome, drawn out and losing impetus.

It’s the first half which most capitivates me (though it doesn’t appear so to the majority of the audience who seem restless – and Womack himself even ignored it entirely on his recent US dates). Yet, dressed head to toe in red leather and simply sat on a stool, he delivers a spellbinding performance of cracked soul and redemptive hymns, focusing on his mortality and forgiveness.

Damon Albarn, who produced the album and worked with Womack on Gorillaz’ ‘Plastic Beach’, even takes a backseat as pianist (though he does take a verse on ‘Dayglo Reflection’ in the absence of Lana Del Rey). The hip-hop and electronic beats of Richard XL are coloured in by his luxuriant and captivating voice. You could shower in his vocals for ‘Deep River’ while ‘Please Forgive My Heart’, slowed down and allowed to blossom even more live, is a standout.

Before he plays the album’s title track he says ”This song speaks for itself. Just to get up in the morning you have to be brave.” He’s right – that he’s performing just a few months after undergoing surgery is amazing enough, the fact that he puts on such a show full of heart and passion, shows what a magnetic and peerless personality he possesses.