KT Tunstall at Southampton Guildhall, Monday, April 7.

THERE can be few artists who engage so closely with their audience as KT Tunstall.

Some say a few words between every three or four songs, but the enigmatic Miss Tunstall had the crowd in the palm of her hand after every single tune with some sort of completely random anecdote or musing on life - generally associated with the song she was about to play and the inspiration for it.

For example - did you know that more people are killed annually by donkeys than in plane crashes? Thanks to KT, you do now.

This was a show with a fun and happy vibe, Tunstall's backing band - one member in particular - were more than bit players and got fully involved with the occasion.

The Scot was good value, playing a solid hour-and-half set which covered her now fairly large repertoire.

My personal highlight had to be Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, the song which first catapulted the 32-year-old star to fame a few years ago.

The magic of this tune live is in the fact that Tunstall compiles it completely on her own, with the aid of a very clever effects machine that is capable of looping any sound she makes, enabling her to build up a drum beat, tambourine, backing vocals and so on.

It was this method of performing that first caught the public's eye on the BBC's Later with Jools Holland show.

Otherwise Tunstall delivered a good mix of old and new, slow and upbeat, although the track order could have been a bit more varied.

The main set finished with one of her biggest hits - Suddenly I see - which really went down a storm.

The final tune of the encore - I Don't Want You Now -- a rocky number from her second album, Drastic Fantastic, was a great way to end the show and make sure people went home with a spring in their step.

9:57am Tuesday 8th April 2008

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