When Lancashire and Yorkshire collide, it can mean war but Monday night was about one rose, Rochdale's Lisa Stansfield. Dressed elegantly in black, she was welcomed by the York crowd with rapturous applause.

The Grand Opera House was the perfect intimate venue for this special occasion where no corners were cut Ian Devaney’s blood flows through his crafted tunes so a superb band was required to execute them, hence the stellar assembly of musicians on show.

Stansfield ‘s songs have warmth and honesty. She has nothing to prove – she doesn’t have to sing so high that a red chair spins round– and she understands the song is everything. She is like an alchemist turning her spoken Rochdale accent into lyrical gold.

Stansfield has been the backdrop to many a romantic night – as shown with the surprise showstopper Conversation, where, only accompanied by a piano, her voice played our heartstrings like a bow. Hairs bristled throughout the theatre.

Stars of the show were the two-piece horn section Mick Donnelly and John Thirkell , whose soulful playing was only outshone by their dubious dancing! The Barry White and Studio 54 influence was ever present throughout The Real Thing, Never Never Gonna Give You Up , Change and Live Together.

The encore, Been Around The World, topped a wonderful evening.

Lisa Stansfield has held Wembley stadium in the palm of her hand with curlers in her hair and she’s been around the world but her heart and soul are still rooted in the music. She may not be a lady …but she’s all woman.