It may have been fitting for Sinead O'Connor to do an encore with Bob Marley's Redemption Song as she rounded off the final show of her recent tour last night at Massey Hall.

But O'Connor's splendid performance was as much a reclamation as it was a redemption.

Back from several years of commercial obscurity, her vocal talents honed, the Irish singer sounded at once mature and fresh, much to the delight of a sold-out crowd of about 2,500.

The night wasn't without its sombre moments.

"This entire set is dedicated as a prayer to Dodi Al Fayed and Diana Spencer," O'Connor said plainly before opening with her 1990 hit The Emporer's New Clothes.

That dedication seemed neither gratuitous nor opportunistic.

And O'Connor didn't hide her giddy, bittersweet mood as she bade farewell to her crew and 10-person backing band.

Dressed down and relaxed, she redefined herself as a post-modern Celtic singer. The controversies of her early career -- she frequently ruffled feathers with her anti-establishment politics -- seemed a distant memory, though people still seem fascinated by the fact that she's stopped shaving her head.

It took the band a song to find its stage legs.

But if the bright pop of the opener was given a muted and underpowered treatment, O'Connor and company made up for it with as they dug in with more intricate grooves like Petit Poulet, This Is To Mother You and Thank You For Hearing Me.

The singer received invaluable support from ex-mate and drummer John Reynolds and bassist Clare Kenny, who gave a funky thud to the songs' gentle Celtic and gospel strains.

The most dynamic showings came via the fluttering duels between guitarist Justin Adams -- also part of Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart -- and excellent cellist Caroline Dale.

Backing vocalists The Screaming Orphans -- who also opened the show -- had their work cut out for them as they carefully watched their volume, shadowing O'Connor as she went from a whisper to fleeting wails on This Is A Rebel Song.

The loudly appreciative audience had to watch their volume too, lest they spoil the mood mid-song.

Who could blame them? There's something exciting about watching an artist return to form.

Oh, yeah. She looks better with hair.

JAM! Rating: 4 out of 5