If one good tenor does it for you, then seven fine tenors (average age 27) in ultra-streamlined grey suits and shiny patent leather shoes certainly presents an occasion for sheer indulgence, and along with a really good-sized crowd in the Regent Theatre last night, I wallowed in the voices, fancy footwork and good looks of the Seven Irish Tenors touring this country.
Liberally laced with Irish charm, the "lads" presented a fast-moving programme with well-defined choreography, slick delivery and great harmony in a two-hour concert of favourites in many styles.
Pre-recorded backing, highlighted by a cello and violins on-stage foursome worked well, though bass amplification was often too heavy.
Songs such as Danny Boy, MacNamara's Band, Phil The Fluter's Ball, Galway Bay and When Irish Eyes Are Smiling rolled out in quick succession, with innovative arrangements, harmonies and key-changes, and an Irish Medley, with snippets of familiar tunes, shone with actions and dance.
A stylish Glen Miller bracket and pure tenor unison beauty in The Rose of Tralee were highlights.
Obligatory tenor operatic repertoire includes O Sole Mio, Funiculi Funicula and Nessun Dorm, but I was disappointed in this group's classical numbers, and to score a saxophone with pop-like backing for Nessum Dorm was absolute sacrilege, despite excellent timbre and intonation of vocal top notes.
There were no souvenir programmes.
Stage introductions traced Irish lineage, including two United States tenors of Irish descent and one Norwegian Irishman, but with many of the audience I will long remember only the blonde one named Simon - for his solo work in We are the Champions, Elton John's Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, his Michael Jackson-like dance-steps, astride jump off the stage, "shaking it all about" in Twist and Shout and his outstanding energy and voice in Hey Jude.
It was certainly a great night's entertainment.
