POP princess Sophie Ellis Bextor danced into Ipswich last night and thrilled a packed house at The Regent.Although only 22 the singer is already well established as a major star and may not be back to perform in the town for quite a while.

By Matt Eley

POP princess Sophie Ellis Bextor danced into Ipswich last night and thrilled a packed house at The Regent.

Although only 22 the singer is already well established as a major star and may not be back to perform in the town for quite a while.

She is currently enjoying her first solo tour, following on from the success of her debut album – Read My Lips.

However judging by her increasing popularity and stardom it may be that her next tour will be in front of much larger crowds.

After a fairly average warm-up in the form of the rather oddly named band Baz, the crowd were geared up for the main event – and Sophie didn't disappoint.

She launched into tracks from the album and fans quickly got into the swing of things.

Indie fans will also have enjoyed having the chance to hear A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed – a track from her previous stint as singer with band the audience.

Looking at the packed auditorium it was amazing to see the vast spectrum of people the singer appeals too.

Parents and young children were there in abundance as were teenagers and people of about the same age as the star. There were also one or two grandparents out for the night.

It is quite difficult to assess exactly why she is so popular. She is part posh, part girl next door, sassy, sexy and charismatic with a down to earth quality. Perhaps it is the combination of these factors, as well as having good songs and a strong voice, that appeals to such a large cross section of people.

Clearly enjoying herself, Sophie commented in between tracks that she had been looking forward to the Ipswich show as she had friends and family in the area.

She certainly performed with a genuine enthusiasm and charm that seemed to inspire the crowd. The well publicised singing lessons look to be paying off as her voice stayed strong throughout the concert.

Of course the problem with The Regent as a venue is that it is all seater, which means people do not really know if they are supposed to stand up, and can at times feel quite awkward.

However those feelings were completely banished when Sophie launched into a rendition of the number hit she enjoyed with Spiller, Groovejet (If this aint love).

Another hit, Murder on the Dancefloor, soon followed as the show reached a peak.

The set finished before the star returned to perform another hit single – Take Me Home.

Perhaps the only disappointment for the adoring fans was that the set lasted little over an hour, but then if you leave the crowd wanting more it suggests the singer is probably doing a good job.