THIS was the second Gest list of the year that the Taiwanese/American music mogul had brought to his adopted home city of York.

February’s veteran soul revue had showcased the likes of Gwen Dickey, Candi Staton and two acts who were to return last weekend, Sheila Ferguson and Dennis Edwards.

Host David Gest announced he had bought all his soul brothers and sisters a meal from his favourite York hog roast. “I didn’t get any of that soul food that he’s talking about, so I’m gonna have to sing for my supper,” said Motown queen Kim Weston.

Fortunately, she could call on Helpless and It TakesTwo to make a persuasive case for her roast dinner. Brenda Holloway held the night’s longest note on Every Little Bit Hurts before Billy Paul, 79 and elegantly dressed for a date, got it on with Me And Mrs Jones once more.

Deniece Williams showed off her breathtaking range on Free and failed to knock Russell ThompkinsJr off his stride by calling him Russell Thompson. Their duet of Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, had just the right amount of everything.

Thompkins, as smooth as his velvet suit, returned with his New Stylistics for a medley that rather breezed through their Seventies high points, but the sweetness of tone remained.

The second half burst open with the second coming of Sheila Ferguson, in Chicago musical attire, as she pumped out Three Degress numbers in high-energy disco diva mode. After this lightning came the thunder of Dennis Edwards, who had shaken the Barbican like a jackhammer in February. If anything, his mighty, mighty voice was now even more troublesome to the foundations as The Temptations Review closed the night with Cloud 9, Ball Of Confusion and My Girl.

“See you next year,” promised the host with the roast.