The singer, with her own unique voice and rare brand of pop

friendliness, wowed the audience with many of her own songs and a fair sprinkling of classic

covers.

The girl from South East London has three number ones under her long black coat and had the full house rocking in the balconies with her rendition of Bob Dylan's Knocking on Heaven's Door, a track which lends its chords to her own number one hit, Rise.

Gabrielle has star

quality. She stopped her band in mid verse

during Dreams as they were too loud and drowning out the chorus being sung by the Reading audience.

Moments like that, coupled with her own special mixture of blues, soul and rock, won the hearts of an appreciative Reading audience.

Warm-up band Dark Flower were too serious and the backing musicians overpowered the promising duo.

OK for a mid-morning call at Reading Festival though.

Barry Hindmarsh