UK’s Queen of Soul Mica Paris is returning to The Fire Station in Sunderland this May, which gets a “sound the Eagerly Anticipated” klaxon from me.

Mica Paris was one of the first artists to grace the stage of The Fire Station – back in December 2021. It was a gig that had me hoping that the new owners of the venue had checked their deeds because that night Paris absolutely OWNED the place. She is a sensational live performer and her powerhouse live show of all her hits – along with a healthy dollop of soul and gospel classics – is quite the experience. She was, of course, always destined to come alive on stage. She grew up singing in her grandparents’ church, and by her teens she was making regular appearances with The Spirit of Watts gospel choir. She had her first top ten hit in 1988 – with the classic ‘My One Temptation’ – and has since released eight albums, including 2020’s ‘Gospel’, which shot to No. 1 in the UK R&B album charts. It’s a release that weaves new material with timeless gospel classics and fresh takes on tracks such as ‘Mamma Said’ and ‘(Something Inside) So Strong’, and, needless to say, another layer of “Wow!” is added when you hear them live. JL

Mica Paris + Nadedja, Saturday 11 May, The Fire Station, Sunderland, 7.30pm, from £23, thefirestation.org.uk