This has been the year in which the great veterans of the west African music scene have returned in triumph - by going back to their roots with semi-acoustic albums that made use of local instruments. First came Mali's Salif Keita with his Moffou album; now comes Senegal's Youssou N'Dour, back on tour following the success of his gentle and exquisite new set Nothing's In Vain.

Those expecting an acoustic evening would have been reassured by the opening solo set by Sekou Keita, an inspired exponent of the kora, who can make the west African harp-lute sound like a small band.

Then Youssou N'Dour made a low-key entrance, following his guitarist on stage to the accompaniment of the lilting, easy-going introduction to Tan Bi, the first song on Nothing's In Vain. After easing through the song, and showing that his voice is as powerful and compelling as ever, he rapidly changed gear for a marathon two-and-a-half-hour dance set that was sadly inappropriate for a seated venue like the Colston Hall.

N'Dour described his new album as "using traditional instruments to create a new style". But, apart from his trademark talking drums, there were no African instruments on view. Instead, he was backed by guitars, keyboards and four exuberant clattering percussionists who played full tilt for much of the show. In front of them, N'Dour prowled across the stage, an athletic figure with cropped hair, dressed in long brown robes. Backed by four female singers, he embarked on an often frantic set that happily concentrated on his best Senegalese songs rather than his excursions into western pop.

So he chose the upbeat Beykat, Liggeey, and the glorious, rolling Birima from his patchy cross-over album Joko. When he did include songs from the latest album, they were given the same upbeat treatment. Li Ma Weesu, the best song on the new album, was transformed from a charming, easy-going ballad to yet another dance work-out, with added bass riffs and handclaps from the audience. It was followed by a revival of 7 Seconds, his soulful pop hit from the mid-1990s.

Half an hour after the concert was scheduled to have finished, N'Dour was still on stage. Only then did he throw in a few acoustic songs (though not from Nothing's In Vain), to prove that the non-stop dance blitz had only shown off part of his style. It was an entertaining show, but he didn't do justice to the album that has revived his career.

· At Pennington's, Bradford (01274 224488), tomorrow; Roadmender, Northampton (01604 604222), on Wednesday; Liverpool University on Thursday (0151-794 2000); and the Forum, London (020-7344 0044), on Friday.