The Invincible Sharon Jones

In my pantheon of musical greats, Sharon Jones is a goddess. The soul singer and star of Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings was diagnosed with aggressive stage 2 pancreatic cancer in June last year and on New Year's Eve she finished her final treatment of chemo. In February she started touring again, and there was no way were we going to miss her. I sort of expected her to have less energy, performing so soon after treatment. I thought perhaps she'd wouldn't be dancing at all, maybe even sing sitting down. Boy, was I wrong. She's not only fit, she's fighting fit. Hands down this has been the most high-octane Sharon Jones performance we've ever seen, and we've seen at least four or five. The Dap Kings, her backing band, sounded as precision-tooled as ever, and this time they brought The Dapettes, two fabulous backing singers, the latest addition to their family.

It was an incredible concert from beginning to end, the sold-out hall riotous with joy and dancing, wolf-whistling and wild applause. It was all the more unforgettable because at one point in the evening Sharon Jones pulled me and a few other women onstage to dance with her. I danced with my idol! I can die happy now.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings "Stranger To My Happiness"