The 52-year-old singer left fans breathless after the first of a record-equalling 14 nights at the NEC Arena.

Cliff's hi-tech theatrical show took the humble rock concert to a slightly higher plane with its impressive fusion of sound and light.

His concert did harbour some minor faults. But it would be churlish to nit pick and deliberately seek flaws when there were so many good things.

Cliff's two-and-a-half hour show started slowly and built throughout the night into a tumultuous climax.

The singer took the stage armed only with an acoustic guitar and ran through beautifully simplistic songs of 30 years ago including Living Doll, The Young Ones and Silhouettes.

The so-called Peter Pan of pop paced himself well and spent long periods talking to the crowd to conserve energy.

That energy was unleashed in a second half that was infinitely memorable for a tasteful light show and a dazzlingly imaginative set.

At times Cliff was high above the stage behind see-through projection screens, dancing with the stars and laughing with the moon.

There were well-meaning "message'' songs urging people to protect our fragile earth, embrace Christianity and cherish love.

Highlights were plentiful and the receptive audience warmed to Mistletoe and Wine - where Cliff had the good humour to play a Christmas fairy! - and the lovelorn ballad Miss You Nights.