The band has already picked out a groove when four dapper gents glide across the stage.

Their voices break into harmony then a falsetto lead begins recounting a tale of love lost and found.

It's an effortless intro, but one which has been honed over the years. It's tight yet deceptively loose in execution.

It speaks of love profane but in the language of the sanctified choir. It is soul, that most squared circle of music genres, and we are in for a rare treat tonight at the Fairfield courtesy of the Stylistics .

With a comedian as support, a live backing band of red hot musicians and plenty of call and response procastinating with the faithful, tonight's show resembles one of those chitlin circuit revues you only see on grainy TV music documentaries. But we are witnessing this first hand.

Original member Herb Murrell, is a slight slim, dignified presence centre stage.

He orchestrates this evenings events with a low chuckle of a playful older relative while the others take the lead vocals and the spotlight.

The songs melt into one another with consumate ease: The solid gold back catalogue is embraced Getcha By Golly Wow, Make Up to Break Up, Stone In Love With You but rarer songs are aired and do not look out of place.

There's even time for an introduce the band' banter midway through, modelled on The Floaters Float On, when each Stylistics member tells us his name, his star sign and does a funny OTT dance.

It's all tongue in cheek and good natured. They end with a superb version of You make me feel brand new. But it's what follows next which really chills the cheek. They return for an encore an old soul song about a man stuck in a cave up a mountian.

It's lyrics are alarming yet prescient: the message of love and peace has never been more relevant.

December 13, 2001 16:30